10 States With the Best Weather Year-round
1. California.
From San Diego to Santa Barbara and up to San Francisco, California delivers a buffet of
excellent weather. The south and central California coast features a mild Mediterranean climate,
meaning warm temperatures, mild winters and dry weather with abundant sunshine. Places like
Santa Maria and Long Beach enjoy consistent temperatures and low humidity. Inland, the desert
climate in spots like Palm Springs brings hot weather with virtually no rainfall.
2. Hawaii.
Hawaii's tropical climate makes it a haven for sun lovers. Key West may try to snatch the title,
but Honolulu delivers year-round weather with average highs in the mid-80s F (upper 20s C) and
warm winters.
3. Arizona.
Arizona's desert climate offers beautiful weather for those who love dry heat. Cities like Phoenix
and Tucson have hot summers but see pleasant temperatures during the fall months and winter.
With low humidity and lots of sunny days, Arizona is a great place for outdoor activities — as
long as you can handle the extremely hot summer months.
4. South Carolina.
South Carolina features a warm climate with mild winters and long stretches of sunny weather.
Coastal cities like Charleston experience warm summers with moderate rainfall and slightly
cooler winters.
The state has distinct seasons without the harshness of cold winters found up north. This balance
makes it a favorite for those who want year-round pleasant temperatures and the ability to enjoy
daily life outdoors.
5. Florida.
Florida ranks high for those who want warm weather throughout the year. With a tropical to
subtropical climate, cities like Miami and Tampa offer average temperatures that rarely dip
below 60 F (15 C).
While it does face high humidity and the most rainfall during hurricane season, the state still
provides abundant sunshine and plenty of daylight hours. Florida is ideal for sun-seekers who
don't mind some summer extremes.
6. Texas
Texas covers a wide range of weather patterns, but central and southern areas boast great
weather. Cities like Austin and San Antonio enjoy warm summers, mild winters and moderate
rainfall.
7. Nevada
Nevada features a desert climate with dry weather and clear skies most of the year. Las Vegas
enjoys mild winters and extremely hot summers with average highs well over 100 F (37 C). But
with minimal rainfall and abundant sunshine, it’s perfect for those who prefer a dry, hot
environment with comfortable winters.
8. New Mexico
New Mexico offers beautiful weather with low humidity and high desert conditions. Cities like
Albuquerque and Santa Fe experience all four seasons with generally mild winters and warm
summers. The high altitude keeps temperatures more moderate than in lower desert states.
10. Oregon (Southern Region)
Southern Oregon surprises many with its excellent weather. Cities like Medford have dry
summers, mild winters and a comfortable climate for outdoor activities. With moderate rainfall
and cooler temperatures than California, it offers pleasant weather without the crowds.
This region enjoys consistent temperatures and abundant sunshine for much of the year, though
the northern part of the state does get its fair share of cold weather with literally freezing winter
temperatures.
Worst States for Climate Change: Extreme Weather
Extreme weather is ultimately prompted by climate change. As the average global temperature
rises, the water cycle speeds up with an increase in evaporation rate from soil and transpiration
from plants, influencing the precipitation pattern. It is found that some historically wet areas are
likely to experience an increase in precipitation, accompanied by an increased risk of flooding,
while historically dry areas are likely to experience less precipitation with a higher risk of
droughts and wildfires.
Heatwaves cities, June 2022:
Paducah, Kentucky (97°F)
Evansville, Indiana (98°F)
Cape Girardeau, Missouri (100°F)
Poplar Bluff, Missouri (100°F)
Carbondale, Illinois (99°F)
Tropical Cyclones
Tropical Cyclones– which can be categorized as hurricanes, tropical depression, and tropical
storms – are rotating, organized systems of clouds and thunderstorms that originate over tropical
or subtropical waters.
Due to climate change, tropical cyclones are becoming progressively more devastating, resulting
in even more economic and human losses. These extreme weather events are expected to be
more frequent, more intense with higher wind speeds, and have heavier rains, as the increase in
sea surface temperatures provides them more energy.
States that experienced the most hurricanes between 1851 and 2020
Florida (120 hurricanes)
Texas (64 hurricanes)
Louisiana (62 hurricanes)
North Carolina (58 hurricanes)
South Carolina (31 hurricanes)
Alabama (23 hurricanes)
Georgia (21 hurricanes)
New York (15 hurricanes)
Mississippi (14 hurricanes)
Virginia (13 hurricanes)
Droughts
Drought refers to the extended imbalance between precipitation and evaporation, which lead to a
prolonged period of dry weather, often resulting in serious water shortage.
5 states with the most frequently encounter exceptional drought.
California
Colorado
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas
Wildfires
Similar to drought, wildfires have become much more concerning with climate change. Hotter
temperatures cause severe heatwaves and longer droughts. These increase the amount of dry
vegetation, which exacerbates the risk of more intense and destructive fires developing.
In the US, a typical fire season used to last for four months. Now, fire seasons usually last up to
eight months. In 2020, the US experienced one of the largest wildfires in history, which lasted for
the entire year, tearing through parts of California, Oregon and Washington state.
States with the highest total number of acres burned by wildfire in 2021:
California (2233666 acres)
Oregon (828777 acres)
Montana (747678 acres)
Washington (674222 acres)
Arizona (524428 acres)
Idaho (439600 acres)
Alaska (253357 acres)
Texas (168258 acres)
Kansas (163982 acres)
New Mexico (123792 acres)
Floods
A flood is the accumulation of water over dry land, which can be caused by the overflow of
inland waters such as rivers and streams, or by an unusual accumulation of water from sources
such as heavy rains. Floods are the most common and among the most deadly natural hazards in
the US.
States with the highest risk of flooding.
Louisiana (50.56%)
Florida (40.08%)
Mississippi (23.14%)
Arkansas (22.57%)
New Jersey (19.27%)
South Carolina (19.2%)
Maryland (19.17%)
Delaware (19.12%)
District Columbia (17.71%)
North Carolina (17.13%)
Amazing American weather facts you probably don’t know.
The sunniest place on Earth...
The little city of Yuma in southwest Arizona is officially the world’s sunniest place, according to
the World Meteorological Organization. Yuma gets more than 4,000 sunlight hours per year and
has an average of 11 sunny hours per day. Its average yearly rainfall is 7.8 inches (20cm), while
it averages daily highs of 41°C (106°F) in July. Another Arizona city, Phoenix, comes in as the
second sunniest with an average of 3,872 sunlight hours per year.
Syracuse is the snowiest city
The city of Syracuse in New York receives an average 127.8 inches (325cm) of snow each
winter. The next snowiest is also in the state of New York: Rochester, which gets an average of
102 inches (259cm) of the white stuff each winter. Both cities are in a region impacted by so-
called lake effect snow, which occurs when cold air moves across the open and relatively warm
waters of the Great Lakes causing clouds to form in narrow bands. These clouds can produce as
much as two to three inches (5-7cm) of snow per hour.
Over 1,200 tornadoes happen a year
Most of the world’s tornadoes occur in the US and usually take place between April and
June, with an average of 1,333 tornadoes per year. These powerful storms mostly result from
supercell thunderstorms. Although tornadoes have been recorded in every US state, you're most
likely to see one in Texas. Typically experiencing 151 tornadoes a year, the state has also
experienced some of the worst in recorded history.
The widest tornado ever recorded measured 2.6 miles (4.2km)
The tornado that struck El Reno in Oklahoma on 31 May 2013 was the widest storm system ever
recorded in the US. The twister measured a level 5 on the EF scale, which measures tornadoes on
wind speed and related damage, with 0 featuring winds of 65-85 miles per hour
(105-137km/h) and 5 featuring winds over 200 miles per hour (322km/h).
Hurricane Harvey changed US rain maps forever
With more than 30 inches (76cm) of rain falling in just a few days in southeastern Texas, the
National Weather Service had to update its rain accumulation map with a new colour (lavender)
to effectively display the graphics. On 27 August 2017, Houston alone received 16.07 inches
(40.8cm) of rain, making it the wettest day in the city’s history.
You can see moonbows
Moonbows or lunar rainbows are the work of moonlight rather than sunlight. They're far rarer,
fainter and smaller than their daytime counterparts. The perfect conditions to see a moonbow are
during a full moon – either two to three hours after sunset or before sunrise – and you're more
likely to see one near a waterfall. Yosemite National Park, California (pictured) and Cumberland
Falls, Kentucky are two top places to see them in the US.
Reference
Grant, B. (Jun 23, 2021). 10 state with the best weather year-round. Howstuffworks.
[Link]
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Lai, C. (Jun 25, 2023). The worst states for climate change in the United States. [Link].
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Truman, R. (7 April, 2021). Amazing American weather facts you probably don’t know. Love
exploring. [Link]
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