Average Temperature in United States by Year

This page is a list of the average countrywide temperature in the United States for each year from 1895–2021. It is an average over the entire territory of the country, based on data from the University of East Anglia.

Country:

What Was the Hottest Year in the United States?

2016 was the warmest year in the history of the United States. The average daily high temperature was 16.7 °C, and the average low was 4.3 °C.

What Was the Coldest Year in the United States?

1917 was the coolest year in the history of the United States. The average daily high temperature was 14.0 °C, and the average low was 0.8 °C.

Click column headers to sort

Year	Rank	High (°C)	Low (°C)
2021	6	16.0	3.5
2020	4	16.2	3.5
2019	10	15.6	3.5
2018	7	15.9	3.5
2017	2	16.3	3.8
2016	1	16.7	4.3
2015	3	16.2	3.8
2014	16	15.5	3.0
2013	37	15.1	2.7
2012	4	16.3	3.4
2011	26	15.4	2.9
2010	20	15.3	3.1
2009	42	14.9	2.6
2008	50	14.9	2.4
2007	13	15.6	3.2
2006	8	15.9	3.3
2005	11	15.6	3.4
2004	22	15.2	3.2
2003	16	15.4	3.1
2002	15	15.5	3.1
2001	22	15.4	3.0
2000	30	15.3	2.8
1999	33	15.4	2.6
1998	8	15.6	3.6
1997	56	14.7	2.5
1996	76	14.7	2.1
1995	31	15.2	2.9
1994	33	15.3	2.7
1993	63	14.7	2.4
1992	48	14.9	2.5
1991	26	15.4	2.9
1990	22	15.7	2.7
1989	71	14.9	2.0
1988	39	15.5	2.2
1987	16	15.7	2.8
1986	26	15.4	2.9
1985	96	14.4	2.0
1984	65	14.7	2.3
1983	56	14.6	2.6
1982	102	14.3	2.0
1981	14	15.7	3.0
1980	42	15.1	2.4
1979	96	14.5	1.9
1978	76	14.7	2.1
1977	37	15.3	2.5
1976	96	14.9	1.5
1975	108	14.3	1.8
1974	71	14.9	2.0
1973	63	14.7	2.4
1972	113	14.3	1.7
1971	108	14.4	1.7
1970	83	14.7	2.0
1969	83	14.6	2.1
1968	102	14.5	1.8
1967	65	14.9	2.1
1966	108	14.5	1.6
1965	90	14.5	2.0
1964	107	14.6	1.6
1963	50	15.2	2.1
1962	65	14.9	2.1
1961	90	14.6	1.9
1960	83	14.7	2.0
1959	65	14.9	2.1
1958	48	15.0	2.4
1957	42	14.9	2.6
1956	88	14.9	1.7
1955	96	14.7	1.7
1954	33	15.6	2.4
1953	20	15.8	2.6
1952	50	15.2	2.1
1951	108	14.5	1.6
1950	90	14.8	1.7
1949	56	15.1	2.1
1948	102	14.7	1.6
1947	62	14.9	2.2
1946	41	15.3	2.3
1945	83	14.7	2.0
1944	56	15.0	2.2
1943	46	15.3	2.1
1942	56	15.0	2.2
1941	31	15.2	2.9
1940	42	15.1	2.4
1939	36	15.6	2.3
1938	26	15.6	2.7
1937	69	14.8	2.1
1936	50	15.2	2.1
1935	71	14.7	2.2
1934	12	16.1	2.8
1933	46	15.3	2.1
1932	90	14.7	1.8
1931	16	15.7	2.8
1930	76	14.9	1.9
1929	102	14.6	1.7
1928	56	15.0	2.2
1927	76	14.7	2.1
1926	39	15.2	2.5
1925	50	15.1	2.2
1924	119	14.3	1.2
1923	69	14.8	2.1
1922	76	14.8	2.0
1921	22	15.7	2.7
1920	117	14.1	1.6
1919	96	14.5	1.9
1918	96	14.7	1.7
1917	121	14.0	0.8
1916	114	14.4	1.4
1915	71	14.7	2.2
1914	50	15.0	2.3
1913	89	14.7	1.9
1912	115	14.2	1.6
1911	76	14.8	2.0
1910	76	15.0	1.8
1909	117	14.2	1.5
1908	71	14.9	2.0
1907	108	14.4	1.7
1906	90	14.6	1.9
1905	90	14.5	2.0
1904	116	14.4	1.3
1903	119	14.2	1.3
1902	102	14.5	1.8
1901	83	14.8	1.9