See the most extreme temperatures in Alabama history
On July 9, 2021, California's Death Valley reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit, according to an automated measuring system there, representing one of the highest temperatures ever recorded on the planet. The world record, also recorded at Death Valley, was 134 degrees in July 1913.
More than 210 degrees Fahrenheit separates the highest and the lowest temperatures on record in the United States, the third-largest country in the world. As some states are infamous for having blistering hot summers, others become inundated by winter storms and frigid cold. The contiguous U.S. had its warmest meteorological summer (June-August) on record in 2021, according to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.
Keep reading to find out your state's record, or see the national list here.
Alabama by the numbers
- All-time highest temperature: 112° F (Centreville on Sept. 6, 1925)
- All-time lowest temperature: -27° F (New Market 2 on Jan. 30, 1966)
- All-time highest 24-hour precipitation: 32.52 inches (Dauphin Island #2 on July 19–20, 1997)
- All-time highest 24-hour snowfall: 20 inches (Walnut Grove on March 13, 1993)
Walnut Grove became famous as a town burned during the Civil War. Despite being another subtropical town, on March 13, 1993, it was covered in 20 inches of snow. The extreme weather was termed the "Superstorm of 1993" by the National Weather Service because of its strength (equal to a Category 3 hurricane) and size. At one point, the storm system ran from Eastern Canada to Central America.
Continue below to see the most extreme temperatures in the history of other states in your region.
Florida by the numbers
- All-time highest temperature: 109° F (Monticello 5 SE on June 29, 1931)
- All-time lowest temperature: -2° F (Tallahassee on Feb.13, 1899)
- All-time highest 24-hour precipitation: 23.28 inches (Key West International Airport on Nov.11–12, 1980)
- All-time highest 24-hour snowfall: 4 inches (Milton Experiment Station on March 6, 1954)
1980's Hurricane Jeanne indirectly struck Florida's Key West with heavy rainfall after it first formed in the Gulf of Mexico. But it did result in the heaviest rainfall Florida had ever witnessed within one day. Florida was struck in 2004 by four back-to-back major hurricanes within six weeks.
An estimated depth of rainfall calculated following Hurricane Easy Sept. 5, 1950, revealed 38.7 inches fell in Yankeetown, Florida. The value is thought to be accurate, but being an estimate isn't counted as an official observation.
Georgia by the numbers
- All-time highest temperature: 112° F (Greenville on Aug. 20, 1983)
- All-time lowest temperature: -17° F (CCC Fire Camp F-16 (near Beatum) on Jan. 27, 1940)
- All-time highest 24-hour precipitation: 21.1 inches (Americus on July 6, 1994)
- All-time highest 24-hour snowfall: 19.3 inches (Cedartown on March 3, 1942)
The flood of 1994 in Americus included surging floodwaters that entered Americus rapidly and were described as "fierce" by local news outlets. More than 100 small dams in nearby areas had reached their capacity and started washing out directly on the roads. The deluge also damaged the railroad service that took several months to recover even after the floodwaters receded.
