Hitting 116 degrees F in normally temperate Portland, Oregon. 105 degrees in Reno in September, just as summer is meant to be waning. And in California's Death Valley National Park, temperatures hit almost 130 degrees in the aptly named Furnace Creek, marking a world record for the hottest September day in history.
2021 and 2022 saw some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded, as across the country extreme heat waves wreaked havoc on communities accustomed to more moderate weather. For many regions, the consequences were grave: in the 2021 Western heatwave, hundreds lost their lives, largely due to a lack of air conditioning, and wildfires ravaged the area.
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Map of the past year's temperatures compared to the 100-year average
While not every county in the nation has experienced such extreme heat, climate change has dramatically changed the heat landscape in nearly every state. Coastal regions and the Southern U.S. are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures, and are also frequently targets of extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
Just as all states are not impacted equally by rising temperatures, regions within states have also seen widely different temperature changes over the last decades. Factors such as proximity to urban areas, bodies of water, and mountains can dramatically change the climate of a region. Stacker cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Center for Environmental Information to identify the counties in Idaho with the greatest departure from average temperatures during the period December 2021 to November 2022 compared to the 1901-2000 average. Average temperature over the past year served as a tiebreaker. Additional data on recent average high and low temperatures for each county is also included.
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#44. Butte County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #63 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.8 F (-0.3 F below century average)
- Recent average high: 53.7 F (0.7 F above century average)
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#43. Power County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45 degrees Fahrenheit (0.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #63 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.6 F (-0.3 F below century average)
- Recent average high: 57.4 F (0.7 F above century average)
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#42. Gem County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.9 degrees Fahrenheit (0.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #56 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36.8 F (0.5 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61 F (0.4 F above century average)
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#41. Adams County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 43.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #52 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.7 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 54.1 F (-0.1 F below century average)
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#40. Bingham County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 44.2 degrees Fahrenheit (0.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #50 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 31.5 F (0.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56.8 F (1.3 F above century average)
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#39. Ada County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.7 degrees Fahrenheit (0.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #45 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 38.9 F (0.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 64.4 F (1 F above century average)
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#38. Canyon County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52 degrees Fahrenheit (0.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #42 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 38.5 F (0.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 65.4 F (0.9 F above century average)
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#37. Jefferson County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 43 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #44 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 29 F (0.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56.9 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#36. Oneida County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45.7 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #48 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.9 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 57.5 F (0.9 F above century average)
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#35. Minidoka County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #48 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.7 F (0.5 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.4 F (1.2 F above century average)
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#34. Twin Falls County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 47.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #45 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.7 F (0 F below century average)
- Recent average high: 60.5 F (1.6 F above century average)
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#33. Teton County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #40 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.9 F (0.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 51 F (0.9 F above century average)
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#32. Clark County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 39.9 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #41 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.8 F (0.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 52 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#31. Bonneville County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 41.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #43 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 29.7 F (0.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 53.8 F (1.7 F above century average)
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#30. Caribou County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 41.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #42 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 29.7 F (0.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 53.8 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#29. Fremont County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #38 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.2 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 51.8 F (1.3 F above century average)
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#28. Blaine County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 42.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #38 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 29.7 F (0.5 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 54.5 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#27. Lewis County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45.9 degrees Fahrenheit (1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #32 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.7 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 57.1 F (1 F above century average)
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#26. Idaho County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 42 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #36 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 29.8 F (0.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 54 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#25. Boise County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 43.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #33 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 31.6 F (0.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56 F (1.7 F above century average)
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#24. Bannock County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #34 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.3 F (0.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56.9 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#23. Lincoln County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #41 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.1 F (0.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.5 F (2 F above century average)
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#22. Owyhee County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 47.9 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #33 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.7 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#21. Washington County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #37 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 37.4 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.2 F (0.8 F above century average)
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#20. Madison County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 42.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #33 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 30.8 F (1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 54.5 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#19. Clearwater County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 44.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #34 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.5 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 55 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#18. Cassia County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #35 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.1 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 58.4 F (1.6 F above century average)
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#17. Jerome County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #35 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36 F (0.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.4 F (1.6 F above century average)
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#16. Nez Perce County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #30 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 37.8 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.6 F (1 F above century average)
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#15. Valley County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #31 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 26.4 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 52.7 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#14. Bear Lake County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 40.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #36 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.4 F (0.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 53.6 F (2.2 F above century average)
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#13. Payette County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #29 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 39.1 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 64.3 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#12. Custer County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 38.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #28 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 25.7 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 51.3 F (1.8 F above century average)
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#11. Shoshone County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 43.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #28 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.9 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 52.6 F (1.1 F above century average)
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#10. Latah County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #26 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 35.4 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 58.1 F (1.2 F above century average)
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#9. Lemhi County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 39.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #30 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 27.9 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 51.6 F (1.9 F above century average)
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#8. Bonner County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 44 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #23 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.4 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 53.7 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#7. Franklin County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 44.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #27 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.2 F (0.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56.8 F (2.4 F above century average)
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#6. Boundary County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 41.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #29 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33 F (1.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 50.4 F (1.4 F above century average)
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#5. Elmore County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 47.6 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #20 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 35.1 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.1 F (2.2 F above century average)
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#4. Gooding County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #26 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36.5 F (1.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.6 F (2 F above century average)
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#3. Benewah County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #20 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 35.8 F (2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 57.1 F (1.5 F above century average)
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#2. Camas County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 42.2 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #19 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 30.6 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 53.8 F (2.4 F above century average)
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#1. Kootenai County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #15 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36.8 F (2.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 56.3 F (1.9 F above century average)
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