October temperatures in the U.S. were warmest in decades
In a continuing trend of record or near-record-breaking temperatures, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that the U.S. experienced its third-warmest October ever this year. Last month was the warmest October since 1963.
Last month saw an average U.S. temperature of 57.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which was 3.6 degrees above the 20th century average, according to NOAA. This news might have a familiar ring to it. Each of the last three Octobers were among the six warmest in the 122-year period of official temperature record-keeping.
Notably, this is also the second-warmest year on record so far, with the year-to-date average temperature for the contiguous U.S. measuring 57.8 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 2.8 degrees above average.
NOAA reports that those in the Pacific Northwest and the coastal southeast have experienced wet conditions during this exceptionally warm year, while the interior southeast experienced intensifying drought throughout October.
Which areas experienced the most extreme temperature increases? NOAA found that the “year’s most profound warmth” in the U.S. has occurred in usually chilly Alaska. Alaska’s year-to-date temperature was 6.7 degrees above the average, measuring at 36.3 degrees Fahrenheit. That breaks an Alaska record set way back in the January-October period of 1926.
The temperature shifts in Alaska are another sign of climate change that’s been bringing significant disruption to the state.
North and South Carolina also set temperature records for the year to date.
In all, NOAA says 37 states experienced one of their five warmest January-October periods in the record books.