National Climate ReportNovember 2016

Regional Warmest Autumn

Autumn 2016 was the warmest of the 122 on record, when temperatures are averaged across the contiguous United States (CONUS). However, not all places within the CONUS had their warmest autumn in 2016. Places have unique climate histories, including the local and regional "warmest autumns on record".

The first map below shows the local warmest autumn on record across the CONUS, considering average temperature. The five largest footprints, which aren't necessarily the five warmest autumns overall, are depicted in unique colors; all other autumns are combined into an "other" category. The other maps depict the same type of analysis, for: minimum ("overnight low") temperature, and maximum ("afternoon high") temperature.

Looking at the average temperature map and associated table, it is interesting to note which autumns are represented. The autumn with the largest footprint is 1931, when a quarter of the country, stretching from Texas to New York, had their warmest autumn. However, temperatures west of the Rockies were largely below normal, muting the national-average temperature, which now stands as the 5th warmest autumn for the CONUS, despite having the most area record autumn warmth. Even more dramatically, 1919 is still the warmest autumn on record for much of the Gulf Coast, and commands the fourth-largest footprint of record warmth, yet it was one of the coolest autumns on record nationally. In 2016, no areas saw below average temperatures: warmer than normal temperatures stretched across the entire country. Pockets of record warmth padded the overall average as seen in the divisional average temperature ranks map. The combination of the expansive warmth and its intensity resulted in the warmest autumn on record.

(click any image to enlarge)

Average Temperature

Rank by AreaAutumnExtent
Largest193125.0%
2nd196319.4%
3rd201617.6%
4th19193.3%
5th19953.1%
map depicting local warmest TAVG Autumn on record

Minimum Temperature

Rank by AreaAutumnExtent
Largest201619.7%
2nd193117.4%
3rd196311.6%
4th19989.1%
5th20156.6%
map depicting local warmest TMIN Autumn on record


Maximum Temperature

Rank by AreaAutumnExtent
Largest196316.5%
2nd193114.8%
3rd201612.1%
4th19996.6%
5th19876.3%
map depicting local warmest TMAX Autumn on record

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly National Climate Report for November 2016, published online December 2016, retrieved on March 25, 2025 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/201611/page-2. DOI: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/iso?id=gov.noaa.ncdc:C00674