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Historical Data on Extreme Temperatures in the US

Extreme temperatures, hot and cold, can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. Extreme cold can lead to freezing, frostbite, hypothermia and death of wildlife. Extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and also death of animals. Although our planet does a fairly good job of regulating its temperatures to support and promote life, there have been times in U.S. history when it felt as though the Earth was working against us.

  1. Lowest Temperature

    • On Jan. 23, 1971, the temperature at Prospect Creek, Alaska, dropped to minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Prospect Creek is about 20 miles north of the Arctic Circle. This is the lowest temperature on record for the United States.

    Lowest Temperature Outside Alaska

    • On Jan. 20, 1954, temperatures in Rogers Pass, Mont., fell to minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the lower 48 states.

    Warmest Summer

    • The warmest summer (June, July, and August) in U.S. history occurred during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The hottest summer on record was that of 1936, with the entire United States averaging 74.7 degrees. This was 2.6 degrees warmer than the average summer temperature of 72.1.

    Coldest Summer

    • The coldest summer occurred in 1915, when the United States' average summer temperature fell to 69.7 degrees F. This was the only sub-70 summer since records began in 1895.

    Highest Temperature

    • On July 10, 1913, Death Valley, Calif., reached 134 degrees, the highest temperature in U.S. history. This is only 2 degrees less than the world record of 136 of Sept. 13, 1922 in Al Aziziyah, Libya.

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