Warm to Cold Record Ratio: United States

92,134 record highs and 19,318 record lows were set in United States in 2026, a ratio of 4.8 to 1, with the trend by year and decade.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Key Facts

In 2026, 92,134 record highs and 19,318 record lows were set in United States, a warm to cold ratio of 4.8 to 1.
So far this year, 92,134 record highs and 19,318 record lows have been set in United States, a ratio of 4.8 to 1.
The ratio in United States was 1.0 to 1 in the 1900s and 2.3 to 1 in the 2020s.
The series starts in 1903.
A ratio of 1 to 1 means as many record highs as record lows; above 1 means more record highs.

Ratio by Year

Record highs divided by record lows

Record highs divided by record lows for each year in United States, from 1903 to 2026. A value of 1 is an even split.

Ratio of record highs to record lows by year, United States
Year	Highs to lows
1903	0.7 to 1
1904	0.6 to 1
1905	1.1 to 1
1906	1.3 to 1
1907	0.8 to 1
1908	1.8 to 1
1909	1.1 to 1
1910	1.8 to 1
1911	1.4 to 1
1912	0.7 to 1
1913	1.9 to 1
1914	1.1 to 1
1915	1.2 to 1
1916	1.0 to 1
1917	0.4 to 1
1918	1.3 to 1
1919	1.3 to 1
1920	0.8 to 1
1921	3.5 to 1
1922	1.9 to 1
1923	1.0 to 1
1924	0.6 to 1
1925	1.4 to 1
1926	0.8 to 1
1927	1.5 to 1
1928	1.3 to 1
1929	0.8 to 1
1930	1.5 to 1
1931	3.2 to 1
1932	1.2 to 1
1933	1.9 to 1
1934	2.4 to 1
1935	0.9 to 1
1936	1.4 to 1
1937	0.9 to 1
1938	2.4 to 1
1939	2.6 to 1
1940	0.7 to 1
1941	2.4 to 1
1942	1.0 to 1
1943	1.0 to 1
1944	1.3 to 1
1945	1.0 to 1
1946	1.7 to 1
1947	1.3 to 1
1948	1.0 to 1
1949	1.2 to 1
1950	0.7 to 1
1951	0.7 to 1
1952	1.0 to 1
1953	2.0 to 1
1954	1.8 to 1
1955	0.9 to 1
1956	1.1 to 1
1957	1.0 to 1
1958	1.0 to 1
1959	1.0 to 1
1960	0.6 to 1
1961	0.9 to 1
1962	0.8 to 1
1963	1.0 to 1
1964	0.7 to 1
1965	0.6 to 1
1966	0.8 to 1
1967	0.7 to 1
1968	0.7 to 1
1969	0.7 to 1
1970	0.8 to 1
1971	0.7 to 1
1972	0.7 to 1
1973	1.2 to 1
1974	0.9 to 1
1975	0.7 to 1
1976	0.6 to 1
1977	1.3 to 1
1978	0.7 to 1
1979	0.7 to 1
1980	1.7 to 1
1981	1.7 to 1
1982	0.8 to 1
1983	0.7 to 1
1984	1.1 to 1
1985	0.7 to 1
1986	1.5 to 1
1987	1.6 to 1
1988	1.6 to 1
1989	0.7 to 1
1990	1.8 to 1
1991	1.3 to 1
1992	0.8 to 1
1993	0.5 to 1
1994	1.2 to 1
1995	1.5 to 1
1996	0.9 to 1
1997	0.9 to 1
1998	3.2 to 1
1999	1.9 to 1
2000	1.5 to 1
2001	2.2 to 1
2002	1.4 to 1
2003	2.0 to 1
2004	1.2 to 1
2005	2.2 to 1
2006	2.1 to 1
2007	2.0 to 1
2008	1.1 to 1
2009	0.9 to 1
2010	1.8 to 1
2011	1.8 to 1
2012	4.3 to 1
2013	0.9 to 1
2014	0.7 to 1
2015	2.3 to 1
2016	4.2 to 1
2017	2.5 to 1
2018	1.4 to 1
2019	0.9 to 1
2020	1.7 to 1
2021	2.0 to 1
2022	1.6 to 1
2023	1.8 to 1
2024	3.1 to 1
2025	2.6 to 1
2026	4.8 to 1

The chart starts in 1903. Earlier years are left out because fewer than 500 records were set in each, from too few stations to give a steady ratio. The data download has every year.

Ratio by Decade

Decade ratios in United States: 1900s 1.0 to 1, 1910s 1.1 to 1, 1920s 1.1 to 1, 1930s 1.7 to 1, 1940s 1.2 to 1, 1950s 1.0 to 1, 1960s 0.7 to 1, 1970s 0.8 to 1, 1980s 1.1 to 1, 1990s 1.2 to 1, 2000s 1.6 to 1, 2010s 1.7 to 1, 2020s 2.3 to 1. Dashed line: an even split of 1 to 1.

Ratio of record highs to record lows by decade, United States
Decade	Ratio
1900s	1.0 to 1
1910s	1.1 to 1
1920s	1.1 to 1
1930s	1.7 to 1
1940s	1.2 to 1
1950s	1.0 to 1
1960s	0.7 to 1
1970s	0.8 to 1
1980s	1.1 to 1
1990s	1.2 to 1
2000s	1.6 to 1
2010s	1.7 to 1
2020s	2.3 to 1

Cumulative Highs and Lows in 2026

Running totals of record highs and record lows in United States through 2026: 92,134 highs against 19,318 lows so far.

Cumulative record highs and record lows in 2026, United States
Date	Record highs	Record lows
2026-01-01	428	11
2026-01-02	892	25
2026-01-03	1,476	38
2026-01-04	2,102	69
2026-01-05	2,437	84
2026-01-06	2,691	88
2026-01-07	2,946	96
2026-01-08	3,261	170
2026-01-09	3,911	302
2026-01-10	4,336	332
2026-01-11	4,472	340
2026-01-12	4,780	347
2026-01-13	5,535	358
2026-01-14	6,385	364
2026-01-15	6,752	370
2026-01-16	6,874	401
2026-01-17	6,924	406
2026-01-18	6,988	418
2026-01-19	7,032	432
2026-01-20	7,074	449
2026-01-21	7,124	470
2026-01-22	7,147	534
2026-01-23	7,174	891
2026-01-24	7,198	1,761
2026-01-25	7,210	2,896
2026-01-26	7,225	3,729
2026-01-27	7,230	4,218
2026-01-28	7,235	4,316
2026-01-29	7,242	4,365
2026-01-30	7,293	4,473
2026-01-31	7,452	4,717
2026-02-01	7,636	5,213
2026-02-02	7,721	5,501
2026-02-03	7,853	5,598
2026-02-04	8,358	5,606
2026-02-05	9,234	5,619
2026-02-06	9,922	5,635
2026-02-07	10,225	5,655
2026-02-08	10,511	5,896
2026-02-09	10,728	6,041
2026-02-10	10,964	6,090
2026-02-11	11,136	6,093
2026-02-12	11,261	6,093
2026-02-13	11,399	6,094
2026-02-14	11,630	6,097
2026-02-15	11,883	6,098
2026-02-16	12,344	6,107
2026-02-17	12,757	6,157
2026-02-18	13,017	6,309
2026-02-19	13,401	6,480
2026-02-20	13,759	6,548
2026-02-21	13,928	6,607
2026-02-22	13,979	6,617
2026-02-23	14,075	6,663
2026-02-24	14,461	6,745
2026-02-25	15,061	6,805
2026-02-26	15,466	6,875
2026-02-27	16,038	6,960
2026-02-28	16,727	7,038
2026-03-01	17,376	7,088
2026-03-02	17,802	7,125
2026-03-03	18,067	7,154
2026-03-04	18,302	7,173
2026-03-05	18,600	7,187
2026-03-06	19,031	7,193
2026-03-07	19,742	7,194
2026-03-08	20,462	7,201
2026-03-09	21,020	7,225
2026-03-10	21,907	7,268
2026-03-11	22,767	7,308
2026-03-12	23,213	7,328
2026-03-13	23,576	7,358
2026-03-14	23,771	7,381
2026-03-15	23,965	7,563
2026-03-16	24,304	7,946
2026-03-17	25,230	8,662
2026-03-18	27,044	9,040
2026-03-19	29,379	9,133
2026-03-20	32,086	9,159
2026-03-21	34,178	9,175
2026-03-22	35,965	9,180
2026-03-23	37,299	9,185
2026-03-24	38,904	9,191
2026-03-25	40,624	9,203
2026-03-26	42,014	9,213
2026-03-27	42,965	9,230
2026-03-28	43,932	9,259
2026-03-29	45,054	9,279
2026-03-30	45,967	9,295
2026-03-31	46,863	9,311
2026-04-01	47,291	9,313
2026-04-02	47,465	9,323
2026-04-03	47,669	9,354
2026-04-04	48,007	9,360
2026-04-05	48,405	9,364
2026-04-06	48,640	9,381
2026-04-07	48,736	9,392
2026-04-08	48,839	9,421
2026-04-09	48,954	9,438
2026-04-10	49,193	9,443
2026-04-11	49,370	9,445
2026-04-12	49,519	9,464
2026-04-13	49,900	9,468
2026-04-14	50,420	9,488
2026-04-15	50,917	9,517
2026-04-16	51,280	9,725
2026-04-17	51,438	9,956
2026-04-18	51,482	10,027
2026-04-19	51,518	10,085
2026-04-20	51,659	10,166
2026-04-21	51,888	10,347
2026-04-22	52,079	10,476
2026-04-23	52,211	10,542
2026-04-24	52,265	10,752
2026-04-25	52,281	11,002
2026-04-26	52,312	11,089
2026-04-27	52,402	11,141
2026-04-28	52,520	11,167
2026-04-29	52,562	11,176
2026-04-30	52,580	11,194
2026-05-01	52,602	11,274
2026-05-02	52,745	11,396
2026-05-03	52,966	11,530
2026-05-04	53,113	11,555
2026-05-05	53,192	11,626
2026-05-06	53,249	11,908
2026-05-07	53,291	12,160
2026-05-08	53,326	12,221
2026-05-09	53,399	12,260
2026-05-10	53,612	12,282
2026-05-11	53,967	12,293
2026-05-12	54,604	12,329
2026-05-13	55,089	12,343
2026-05-14	55,305	12,372
2026-05-15	55,385	12,472
2026-05-16	55,492	12,563
2026-05-17	55,586	12,709
2026-05-18	55,860	12,921
2026-05-19	56,213	13,112
2026-05-20	56,458	13,166
2026-05-21	56,518	13,197
2026-05-22	56,559	13,243
2026-05-23	56,593	13,314
2026-05-24	56,667	13,432
2026-05-25	56,883	13,451
2026-05-26	57,218	13,467
2026-05-27	57,541	13,503
2026-05-28	57,793	13,581
2026-05-29	57,936	13,615
2026-05-30	58,008	13,630
2026-05-31	58,058	13,709
2026-06-01	58,112	13,765
2026-06-02	58,164	13,804
2026-06-03	58,216	13,837
2026-06-04	58,261	13,870
2026-06-05	58,321	13,887
2026-06-06	58,471	13,898
2026-06-07	58,567	13,915
2026-06-08	58,628	13,960
2026-06-09	58,730	13,980
2026-06-10	58,901	13,998
2026-06-11	59,202	14,049
2026-06-12	59,570	14,058
2026-06-13	59,834	14,075
2026-06-14	60,134	14,114
2026-06-15	60,600	14,169
2026-06-16	61,046	14,226
2026-06-17	61,246	14,248
2026-06-18	61,421	14,292
2026-06-19	61,608	14,328
2026-06-20	61,659	14,360
2026-06-21	61,675	14,385
2026-06-22	61,717	14,466
2026-06-23	61,833	14,553
2026-06-24	61,943	14,584
2026-06-25	61,983	14,613
2026-06-26	62,018	14,648
2026-06-27	62,061	14,968
2026-06-28	62,134	15,527
2026-06-29	62,267	15,872
2026-06-30	62,458	15,964
2026-07-01	62,704	16,040
2026-07-02	63,091	16,068
2026-07-03	63,559	16,089
2026-07-04	63,859	16,102
2026-07-05	63,965	16,115
2026-07-06	64,038	16,132
2026-07-07	64,082	16,174
2026-07-08	64,119	16,196
2026-07-09	64,167	16,207
2026-07-10	64,223	16,219
2026-07-11	64,420	16,229
2026-07-12	64,925	16,240
2026-07-13	65,363	16,263
2026-07-14	65,659	16,295
2026-07-15	65,893	16,323
2026-07-16	66,048	16,345
2026-07-17	66,216	16,381
2026-07-18	66,329	16,403
2026-07-19	66,441	16,412
2026-07-20	66,798	16,424
2026-07-21	67,172	16,440
2026-07-22	67,457	16,471
2026-07-23	67,680	16,575
2026-07-24	67,980	16,682
2026-07-25	68,612	16,773
2026-07-26	69,377	16,815
2026-07-27	70,021	16,829
2026-07-28	70,325	16,845
2026-07-29	70,541	16,857
2026-07-30	70,711	16,872
2026-07-31	70,926	16,884
2026-08-01	71,384	16,921
2026-08-02	71,907	17,002
2026-08-03	72,344	17,088
2026-08-04	72,640	17,215
2026-08-05	72,911	17,340
2026-08-06	73,312	17,380
2026-08-07	73,843	17,392
2026-08-08	74,391	17,396
2026-08-09	74,842	17,398
2026-08-10	75,146	17,402
2026-08-11	75,422	17,406
2026-08-12	75,683	17,425
2026-08-13	75,913	17,588
2026-08-14	76,136	17,707
2026-08-15	76,310	17,739
2026-08-16	76,465	17,745
2026-08-17	76,595	17,753
2026-08-18	76,747	17,757
2026-08-19	76,959	17,760
2026-08-20	77,405	17,763
2026-08-21	78,173	17,764
2026-08-22	78,700	17,771
2026-08-23	78,930	17,774
2026-08-24	79,130	17,782
2026-08-25	79,383	17,806
2026-08-26	79,735	17,807
2026-08-27	80,014	17,810
2026-08-28	80,310	17,826
2026-08-29	80,509	17,897
2026-08-30	80,636	17,970
2026-08-31	80,750	18,021
2026-09-01	80,879	18,056
2026-09-02	81,108	18,141
2026-09-03	81,487	18,352
2026-09-04	81,927	18,503
2026-09-05	82,268	18,534
2026-09-06	82,514	18,686
2026-09-07	82,757	18,746
2026-09-08	83,020	18,758
2026-09-09	83,419	18,765
2026-09-10	83,804	18,767
2026-09-11	84,049	18,769
2026-09-12	84,322	18,780
2026-09-13	84,717	18,885
2026-09-14	85,077	18,910
2026-09-15	85,398	18,938
2026-09-16	85,762	18,939
2026-09-17	86,225	18,953
2026-09-18	86,604	18,956
2026-09-19	86,863	18,958
2026-09-20	87,022	18,973
2026-09-21	87,121	18,980
2026-09-22	87,173	18,989
2026-09-23	87,271	19,005
2026-09-24	87,371	19,014
2026-09-25	87,461	19,033
2026-09-26	87,518	19,057
2026-09-27	87,567	19,078
2026-09-28	87,682	19,115
2026-09-29	87,774	19,175
2026-09-30	87,880	19,225
2026-10-01	87,986	19,249
2026-10-02	88,117	19,272
2026-10-03	88,375	19,296
2026-10-04	89,012	19,304
2026-10-05	89,911	19,304
2026-10-06	90,542	19,305
2026-10-07	91,180	19,311
2026-10-08	91,667	19,314
2026-10-09	92,020	19,316
2026-10-10	92,134	19,318

Year to Date Against Previous Years

The ratio of record highs to record lows over the same part of the year, for each of the previous ten years and this year (highlighted). Dashed line: an even split of 1 to 1.

Year to date ratio against the previous ten years, United States
Year	Ratio
2016	3.8 to 1
2017	2.6 to 1
2018	1.7 to 1
2019	1.0 to 1
2020	1.9 to 1
2021	1.7 to 1
2022	1.8 to 1
2023	1.4 to 1
2024	2.7 to 1
2025	2.0 to 1
2026 (this year)	4.8 to 1

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-12. Records are computed by this site. The ratio uses record highs and record lows of daily maximum and minimum temperature.