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The Weather Channel just confirmed what meteorologists feared: the West broke its warmest winter record on file. Nine states hit peak temperatures in December 2025 through February 2026, shattering records kept for over 131 years. This unprecedented warmth reshaped the entire season.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Record-Breaking Data: Meteorological winter 2025-2026 was the warmest ever recorded across much of the West, based on 131 years of NOAA climate records.
- Nine States Affected: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming all broke or tied their warmest winter records.
- Phoenix’s Stunning Achievement: Phoenix obliterated its previous record by nearly 3 degrees, averaging 64.0 degrees Fahrenheit this winter.
- National Context: While the West surged, the contiguous U.S. overall recorded its second-warmest winter on record due to cold conditions in the East.
Record Temperatures Across Multiple Western Cities
Salt Lake City averaged 40.7 degrees Fahrenheit, a full 7.6 degrees above normal, marking its warmest winter since records began in 1874. Las Vegas hit 55.3 degrees, surpassing its previous record of 54.6 set in 2014-2015. Beyond these major metros, cities like Tucson, Albuquerque, Helena, Rapid City, and Lubbock all shattered their long-standing winter records with stunning precision.
The pattern was unmistakable: no western city escaped the heat. Albuquerque demolished its previous benchmark by 3 degrees, a dramatic margin for three-month data. Several locations posted their warmest winters in over a century of recorded history, turning this season into a climate milestone.
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What Made Winter 2025-26 So Exceptionally Warm
A relentless ridge of high pressure dominated the western half of the U.S. from coast to Plains, trapping warm air in place for months. This atmospheric setup diverted the jet stream farther north, preventing typical winter storms from reaching mountain regions and coastal areas. Meteorologists attribute this to the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation, a global circulation pattern that weakens the polar vortex.
When the polar vortex weakens, colder air spills into the Eastern U.S., while the West gets locked under consistent warmth. This is exactly what happened, creating one of the starkest regional contrasts in modern weather records. The Plains experienced record-breaking drought conditions alongside the heat, with 19 states recording one of their 10 driest winters on file.
Winter Records Across All Nine States
| State | Record Status | Key City Impact |
| Arizona | Warmest on record | Phoenix averaged 64.0°F |
| Nevada | Warmest on record | Las Vegas averaged 55.3°F |
| Utah | Warmest on record | Salt Lake City averaged 40.7°F |
| New Mexico | Warmest on record | Albuquerque beat previous by 3°F |
| Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wyoming | Warmest or tied | Historic warmth across region |
“Winter 2025-26 was one for the record books, in the sense that there was record-breakingly little winter for the western half of the country.”
— The Weather Channel, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Beyond Temperature: A Broader Climate Picture Emerges
The impact extended far beyond the thermometer. Snowfall and snow cover fell dramatically below normal across western mountains, as warm rain replaced snow throughout the season. The Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI), a metric combining temperatures and snowfall, showed record-mild conditions across western monitoring sites.
Eastern U.S. cities conversely shivered through colder than average winters, keeping the national average from reaching an all-time high. Eight states from Ohio to southern New England experienced below-average cold, providing a stunning contrast to the western scorcher. This geographic divide represents a shift in climate patterns scientists are watching closely.
What Does This Record-Breaking Winter Tell Us About Climate Trends?
The winter of 2025-26 joins a troubling pattern where extreme heat breaks records repeatedly. Phoenix held the warmest winter ever just last year but shattered that new benchmark by 3 degrees, unprecedented for three-month average data. Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Tucson, and dozens of smaller cities now rank their warmest winters in over a century of historical records.
Scientists emphasize this is no isolated event. The negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation, which drove this record warmth, is becoming more frequent. As the climate system continues warming overall, meteorologists predict more instances of regional extremes, with the West facing intensifying heat patterns in future winters and beyond.
Sources
- The Weather Channel – Record Warmest Winter data from NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information released March 9, 2026.
- AP News – Verification of nine states breaking temperature records with specific state names and rankings.
- Yale Climate Connections – Specific temperature readings for Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City with historical comparisons.
