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October 2026 was Earth's warmest October in 177 years, NOAA says
By Ryan Hall, Y'all Weather Desk · Published · Updated
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.
What's new: Added this morning's freeze and frost warnings, the Sunday and Monday rain outlook, and trimmed older details.
Key points
- What: NOAA ranks October 2026 first among 177 Octobers, at 1.43 C (2.57 F) above the 20th-century average.
- How wide: Record warmth covered 16.1% of Earth's surface, up from the old October record of 10.2% in 2024.
- Year to date: January through October 2026 is the second warmest on record, 1.20 C (2.16 F) above the 20th-century average.
- What it means: This is a global average. It does not mean every city was warm, and it does not change this weekend's forecast.
Earth had its warmest October on record in 2026, with the global land and ocean surface running 1.43 degrees C (2.57 F) above the 20th-century October average, NOAA says. That is the highest of 177 Octobers, and record-warm temperatures covered 16.1% of the planet's surface, the largest share for any October. This is a worldwide number, not a forecast for your town, and this Saturday morning, Nov. 14, brings freezing temperatures to parts of Georgia, Alabama and the Mid-Atlantic.
October 2026 passed 2023 and 2024
The 2026 reading of 1.43 C edged past 2023 at 1.35 C and 2024 at 1.31 C. Those two years held the second and third spots. All three sit at the top of NOAA's October record.
The comparison is against the 20th-century October average. So the 2.57 F figure means "this much above the long-run October norm" for the whole globe, ocean and land together.
Record warmth covered a record share of the planet
Another way to size up a warm month is to count how much of the map set a record for that month. In October 2026, 16.1% of Earth's surface did. The old October mark was 10.2%, set in 2024.
Record warmth covered more of the ocean than the land: 17.8% of the ocean surface and 12.4% of the land. NOAA also says the 16.1% ties the all-time monthly record for record-warm coverage, set just last month in September 2026.
The year so far ranks second warmest
January through October 2026 comes in second warmest in the 177-year record. It runs 1.20 C (2.16 F) above the 20th-century average of 14.1 C (57.4 F). So 2026 has not led the whole way, but the last two months have set records for how much of the planet ran record warm.
Why your local weather can still feel cold
A warm planet is not a warm backyard. Here is what is happening in the U.S. right now:
- Freeze warnings this morning: Lows near 30 are expected until about 8 or 9 AM Eastern across Delaware, northeast Maryland, southern New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania. Parts of central Alabama and north Georgia drop to about 29. Philadelphia is under a Frost Advisory with lows near 33.
- Colder again Sunday in Georgia: Another Freeze Warning for Sunday morning calls for lows as low as 24 in parts of north Georgia and 29 in parts of central Alabama.
- Lake Tahoe snow: A Winter Storm Warning runs until 10 AM PST Saturday. It calls for near 12 inches of heavy wet snow above 7,000 feet and up to 20 inches along the crest west of the lake. Ridge-top gusts could reach 70 to 90 mph.
- Rain in the Pacific Northwest and Texas: A Level 1 of 4 (Marginal) flash flood risk covers parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Washington on Sunday, Nov. 15. On the Olympic Peninsula, another 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected through Saturday night, with isolated flooding possible. On Monday the Level 1 risk covers parts of Texas and Louisiana. Much of the Texas rain falls on dry soil, so some of it will help.
- Mountain snow next week: Snow keeps coming to the Cascades, northern Sierra Nevada and the Rockies of Idaho, western Montana, Wyoming and northern Utah. Early in the week looks fairly sure. The track of a deeper second system around Wednesday and Thursday is not. The dry, mild stretch across the central states looks likely to hold.
A month's global ranking and a single night's frost measure different things, and both can be true at once.
What to do
- Cover tender plants and bring pets in tonight if you are in north Georgia or central Alabama. Another freeze is likely Sunday morning in north Georgia.
- If you are headed to Tahoe or over the Sierra, check road conditions before you leave.
- In Texas, Oklahoma and western Washington, don't drive into water over the road. Check our flash flood outlook before weekend plans.
- For live warnings in your area, see our active warnings page. To get alerts sent to you, sign up for Y'all Alerts. Our winter storm outlook covers next week's mountain snow.
Bottom line
NOAA's numbers make October 2026 the warmest October in 177 years, with record warmth over a record 16.1% of the planet. The year is running second warmest, and freezing mornings and mountain snow are still on the map this weekend.
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1.43 degrees C above the 20th-century October | Warmest of 177 Octobers |
| 2023 | 1.35 degrees C above the 20th-century October | Second |
| 2024 | 1.31 degrees C above the 20th-century October | Third |
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026, whole planet | 16.1% of surface | Largest for any October |
| October 2026, ocean | 17.8% of surface | |
| October 2026, land | 12.4% of surface | |
| Old October record (2024) | 10.2% of surface | Previous October mark |
Explained: What a Freeze Warning means, and how it differs from a Frost Advisory
More on Weather records, October 2026
Sources
- NOAA NCEI climate records, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
- Global Time Series, land_ocean, October, 1850-2026, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
- Monthly Temperature Records Across the Globe', NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
https://ryanhallyall.com/news/october-2026-was-earths-warmest-october-in-177-years-noaa-says