Buzz
You don’t need to be an aspiring meteorologist to be captivated by drastic temperature shifts. In October 2019, Denver grabbed attention when locals witnessed a 64-degree swing—from 83 degrees down to 19—within just 24 hours. Runners quickly switched from lightweight shorts to thick hoodies.
Historical weather records reveal even more astonishing temperature extremes across states. Recently, Stacker analyzed data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to highlight the most extreme Fahrenheit temperatures recorded up to 2021. The findings might shock you with how scorching or freezing your area has been.
State | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|
Alabama | 112 F (1925) | -27 F (1966) |
Alaska | 100 F (1915) | -80 F (1971) |
Arizona | 128 F (1994) | -40 F (1971) |
Arkansas | 120 F (1936) | -29 F (1905) |
California | 134 F (1913) | -45 F (1937) |
Colorado | 115 F (2019) | -61 F (1985) |
Connecticut | 106 F (1916) | -32 F (1943) |
Delaware | 110 F (1930) | -17 F (1893) |
Florida | 109 F (1931) | -2 F (1899) |
Georgia | 112 F (1983) | -17 F (1940) |
Hawaii | 100 F (1931) | 12 F (1979) |
Idaho | 118 F (1934) | -60 F (1943) |
Illinois | 117 F (1954) | -38 F (2019) |
Indiana | 116 F (1936) | -36 F (1994) |
Iowa | 118 F (1934) | -47 F (1996) |
Kansas | 121 F (1936) | -40 F (1905) |
Kentucky | 114 F (1930) | -37 F (1994) |
Louisiana | 114 F (1936) | -16 F (1899) |
Maine | 105 F (1911) | -50 F (2009) |
Maryland | 109 F (1918) | -40 F (1912) |
Massachusetts | 107 F (1975) | -35 F (1943) |
Michigan | 112 F (1936) | -51 F (1934) |
Minnesota | 115 F (1917) | -60 F (1996) |
Mississippi | 115 F (1930) | -19 F (1966) |
Missouri | 118 F (1954) | -40 F (1905) |
Montana | 117 F (1893) | -70 F (1954) |
Nebraska | 118 F (1934) | -47 F (1989) |
Nevada | 125 F (1994) | -50 F (1937) |
New Hampshire | 106 F (1911) | -50 F (1885) |
New Jersey | 110 F (1936) | -34 F (1904) |
New Mexico | 122 F (1994) | -50 F (1951) |
New York | 108 F (1926) | -52 F (1979) |
North Carolina | 110 F (1983) | -34 F (1985) |
North Dakota | 121 F (1936) | -60 F (1936) |
Ohio | 113 F (1934) | -39 F (1899) |
Oklahoma | 120 F (1936) | -31 F (2011) |
Oregon | 119 F (1898 and 2021) | -54 F (1933) |
Pennsylvania | 111 F (1936) | -42 F (1904) |
Rhode Island | 104 F (1975) | -28 F (1942) |
South Carolina | 113 F (2012) | -19 F (1985) |
South Dakota | 120 F (2006) | -58 F (1936) |
Tennessee | 113 F (1930) | -32 F (1917) |
Texas | 120 F (1936) | -23 F (1899) |
Utah | 117 F (1985) | -50 F (1913) |
Vermont | 107 F (1912) | -50 F (1933) |
Virginia | 110 F (1954) | -30 F (1985) |
Washington | 120 F (2021) | -48 F (1968) |
West Virginia | 112 F (1930) | -37 F (1917) |
Wisconsin | 114 F (1936) | -55 F (1996) |
Wyoming | 115 F (1983) | -66 F (1933) |
Interestingly, 11 states set their highest temperature records in the same year: 1936. This was due to a infamous heatwave that swept the nation, fueled by droughts and inadequate land management in the Plains, which caused vegetation loss and drier environments.
The dataset also excludes the impact of wind chill. When considering this factor, the most frigid day in U.S. history wasn’t Alaska’s -80°F record in 1971. Instead, it occurred on the peak of Mount Washington in New Hampshire in February 2023, where temperatures plummeted to a bone-chilling -108°F, perfect for an icy adventure.
