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.
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 Oregon 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.
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 37#36. Wallowa County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 43.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #36 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.6 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 54.7 F (1.3 F above century average)
EncMstr // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 37#35. Lincoln County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #19 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 43.2 F (0.5 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.9 F (1.9 F above century average)
cpaulfell // Shutterstock
4 / 37#34. Benton County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #20 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 42.5 F (0.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 63 F (1.8 F above century average)
Jmabel // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 37#33. Linn County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49.9 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #20 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 40.5 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.4 F (1.6 F above century average)
USFWS Headquarters' photostream // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 37#32. Tillamook County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #19 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 42.1 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 58.4 F (1.7 F above century average)
Lauram12345 // Wikicommons
7 / 37#31. Lane County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.6 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #17 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 41.1 F (1.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.1 F (1.8 F above century average)
M.O. Stevens // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 37#30. Washington County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.6 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #21 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 42.2 F (1.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.1 F (1.9 F above century average)
M.O. Stevens // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 37#29. Yamhill County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #17 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 43 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 62 F (1.7 F above century average)
Williamborg // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 37#28. Union County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #21 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.1 F (1.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 55.9 F (1.9 F above century average)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 37#27. Baker County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #23 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 34.6 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 57.3 F (1.5 F above century average)
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 37#26. Malheur County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #22 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 35.6 F (1.1 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.8 F (2.2 F above century average)
English: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 37#25. Clatsop County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #19 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 41.9 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.1 F (1.6 F above century average)
Edmund Garman // Flickr
14 / 37#24. Marion County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #17 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 40.9 F (1.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.3 F (2 F above century average)
Stuart Seeger // Wikicommons
15 / 37#23. Multnomah County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #21 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 43.3 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61 F (1.6 F above century average)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 37#22. Columbia County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #19 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 41.9 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.7 F (1.6 F above century average)
Bruce Fingerhood from Springfield, Oregon, US // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 37#21. Polk County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52.6 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #16 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 42.4 F (0.9 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 62.8 F (2.4 F above century average)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 37#20. Grant County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #16 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.8 F (1.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 57.4 F (2.2 F above century average)
Debbie Tegtmeier // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 37#19. Coos County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 53.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.8 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #17 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 43.7 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 62.5 F (2.1 F above century average)
Mrgadget51 // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 37#18. Clackamas County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #14 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 40.6 F (1.9 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 58.4 F (2 F above century average)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 37#17. Sherman County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.9 degrees Fahrenheit (1.9 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #18 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 39 F (0.9 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 62.9 F (3 F above century average)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 37#16. Wasco County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49.4 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #14 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 38.5 F (1.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.4 F (2.3 F above century average)
Gancayco // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 37#15. Umatilla County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 49.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #17 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 38.2 F (1.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.7 F (2.2 F above century average)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 37#14. Morrow County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 50.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #18 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 39.1 F (1.8 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.9 F (2.1 F above century average)
Tedder // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 37#13. Gilliam County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.1 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #18 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 39.2 F (1.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 63 F (2.6 F above century average)
English: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 37#12. Douglas County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.8 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #14 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 41.7 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61.8 F (2.2 F above century average)
Manuela Durson // Shutterstock
27 / 37#11. Curry County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 53.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #13 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 43.7 F (1.3 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 63.3 F (2.6 F above century average)
Ian Poellet // Wikimedia Commons
28 / 37#10. Deschutes County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 45.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #9 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.6 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 58.3 F (2.5 F above century average)
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 37#9. Hood River County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.7 degrees Fahrenheit (2.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #11 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 38.3 F (2.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 55.1 F (2 F above century average)
Tomas Nevesely // Shutterstock
30 / 37#8. Wheeler County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.4 degrees Fahrenheit (2.1 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #10 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36.3 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.4 F (2.8 F above century average)
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
31 / 37#7. Crook County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 47 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #10 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.6 F (1.4 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.4 F (3.1 F above century average)
Little Mountain 5 // Wikicommons
32 / 37#6. Jackson County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 51.5 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #11 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 39.7 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 63.1 F (2.7 F above century average)
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
33 / 37#5. Jefferson County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 48.7 degrees Fahrenheit (2.3 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #9 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 36.4 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 61 F (2.9 F above century average)
Ken Lund // Wikimedia Commons
34 / 37#4. Lake County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #11 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.7 F (1.6 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.1 F (3.2 F above century average)
Ken Lund // Wikimedia Commons
35 / 37#3. Harney County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 47.2 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #14 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 33.7 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 60.6 F (3.1 F above century average)
Joseph Novak // Wikicommons
36 / 37#2. Josephine County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 52.4 degrees Fahrenheit (2.5 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #7 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 41.5 F (1.7 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 63.1 F (3.3 F above century average)
Bobjgalindo // Wikimedia Commons
37 / 37#1. Klamath County
- Average temperature, Dec. 2021-Nov. 2022: 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 F above 1901-2000 average)
- #8 warmest year since 1895
- Recent average low: 32.6 F (2.2 F above century average)
- Recent average high: 59.4 F (3.2 F above century average)
