Which state is the hottest?
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Answer
Biscuit's fun facts
Why so warm? NOAA's State Climate Summary for Florida explains that Florida sits at subtropical latitudes (the warm belt just outside the tropics) and right next to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic Ocean. That gives it hot, humid summers and mild winters. In summer, a big high-pressure system out over the Atlantic, called the Bermuda High, usually pulls moist ocean air over the state, bringing frequent thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings. Here is the surprise: Florida has far fewer days above 100°F than most other southern states. But it is the most humid state in the nation.
Who says so: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (State Climate Summaries 2022, with CISESS) (opens in a new tab)
What does “humid” mean? The Florida Climate Center at Florida State University says weather scientists like to measure moisture with the dew point: the temperature the air would have to cool down to before it is full (saturated) and its extra water vapor starts turning into dew or cloud droplets. The higher the dew point, the more water vapor is in the air. Is Florida the most humid state? The Climate Center's answer is “yes!” Florida is surrounded by the warm Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, and South Florida has a nearly tropical climate. In summer, dew points run high every day, no matter what part of the state you are in. The most humid city in Florida is Key West, surrounded by the warm Atlantic Ocean.
Who says so: Florida Climate Center (Office of the State Climatologist, Florida State University) (opens in a new tab)
Compare
Yearly average temperature (°F, by state, 2024)
Note: measured in °F, averaged over the whole state and the whole year. Weather changes year to year — this is 2024.
Recap
📋 See the ranking table (top 50)
| Rank | State | Value |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Florida | 72.9 °F |
| #2 | Louisiana | 69.3 °F |
| #3 | Texas | 68.6 °F |
| #4 | Hawaii | 66.7 °F |
| #5 | Mississippi | 66.5 °F |
| #6 | Georgia | 65.9 °F |
| #7 | Alabama | 65.5 °F |
| #8 | South Carolina | 64.9 °F |
| #9 | Arkansas | 63.3 °F |
| #10 | Oklahoma | 63.1 °F |
| #11 | Arizona | 62.5 °F |
| #12 | North Carolina | 61.1 °F |
| #13 | Tennessee | 60.6 °F |
| #14 | California | 60.5 °F |
| #15 | Kentucky | 58.9 °F |
| #16 | Virginia | 58.1 °F |
| #17 | Missouri | 57.9 °F |
| #18 | Delaware | 57.6 °F |
| #18 | Kansas | 57.6 °F |
| #20 | Maryland | 57.5 °F |
| #21 | New Mexico | 56.2 °F |
| #22 | New Jersey | 55.6 °F |
| #23 | Illinois | 55.5 °F |
| #24 | Indiana | 55.2 °F |
| #24 | West Virginia | 55.2 °F |
| #26 | Ohio | 54.9 °F |
| #27 | Nevada | 52.6 °F |
| #28 | Rhode Island | 52.3 °F |
| #29 | Connecticut | 52.1 °F |
| #29 | Pennsylvania | 52.1 °F |
| #31 | Nebraska | 52 °F |
| #32 | Iowa | 51.5 °F |
| #33 | Massachusetts | 51.2 °F |
| #34 | Utah | 51.1 °F |
| #35 | Oregon | 49 °F |
| #36 | New York | 48.9 °F |
| #37 | Michigan | 48.8 °F |
| #38 | South Dakota | 48.3 °F |
| #38 | Washington | 48.3 °F |
| #40 | Colorado | 47.7 °F |
| #41 | Wisconsin | 47.6 °F |
| #42 | New Hampshire | 47 °F |
| #43 | Vermont | 46.3 °F |
| #44 | Minnesota | 45.6 °F |
| #45 | Idaho | 45.3 °F |
| #46 | Maine | 45 °F |
| #47 | Montana | 44.3 °F |
| #48 | Wyoming | 44.2 °F |
| #49 | North Dakota | 43.8 °F |
| #50 | Alaska | 28.9 °F |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2024)