NOAA says September 2026 was the contiguous U.S.'s warmest on record

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — September 2026 was the warmest September on record for the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 69.4°F, 4.6°F above the 20th-century average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) said.

NCEI said the month beat the previous record of 68.95°F, set in 1998, in the 132-year record. Eight states had their warmest September on record. Five of them, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, broke records dating to the 1920s or 1930s. NCEI said the monthly average temperature for the contiguous U.S. has been above the 20th-century average for the past 20 months.

Drought covered 89% of the South region in the Sept 29 U.S. Drought Monitor, which NCEI said was the largest extent for the region since October 2000. NCEI said a full September 2026 U.S. Climate Report is scheduled for release on Oct 14, 2026.