As you would expect, the highest statewide records are from desert locations in California, Arizona and Nevada.
The coolest two statewide high records, shown here, aren't as obvious. Alaska in the far north and Rhode Island, with no part of the state far from the cool Atlantic, are no surprises.
But tropical Hawaii, with the same high record as Alaska, isn't as obvious. Credit the ocean. Even in the tropics, ocean waters stay cooler than land. Almost all of Hawaii is cooled to some extent by ocean breezes.
The complete list of state records below shows that the Plains states, far away from the ocean, can be hotter than the humid Southeast.
The USA's highest temperature, 134° on July 10, 1913 in Death Valley, Calif., is also the official highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere.
Ordinary summer heat makes much of the Southwest, including Death Valley, sizzle from June through August. But, Death Valley's unique geography turns this hot weather into extreme heat.
Winds off the higher surrounding land, known as the Great Basin, often blow hot, dry air thousands of feet down into the long, narrow valley, which is 282 feet below sea level.
As the air moves downhill it encounters increasing atmospheric pressure, which squeezes the air, warming it at a rate of 5.5° for every 1,000-foot drop in elevation. Some of the mountain ranges around Death Valley are 7,000 - 9,000 feet high, and the surrounding land between the ranges is 4,000 - 5,000 feet above sea level, which means the air can warm at least 20-25° by the time it reaches the bottom of the valley.
In addition, the steep walls of the valley heat up and radiate that heat back into the valley, causing the already hot air to grow even hotter. July's average high in Death Valley is 115°, but nearly every year the temperature reaches 125°, or higher.
USATODAY.com has been reporting each day's high and low temperature in the USA since we began in April 1995. Our extremes archive will let you follow the ups and downs of each season's highs and lows. (Related item: Temperature extremes archive)
The world's highest official temperature is 136° recorded at El Azizia, Libya, on Sept. 13, 1922.
Not everyone agrees that the Death Valley and El Azizia records are valid. Some meteorologists say that a sandstorm was going on at the time 134° was measured at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley and that very hot sand and dust could have hit the thermometer inside its shelter, pushing its measurement higher than the actual temperature of the air.
The Weather and Climate Extremes booklet published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has more information on these and other records. This booklet is available for download from the U.S. National Technical Information Service.
We also have a list of each state's low temperature record.
State high temperature records
State Temp Date Station Elevation (feet)
Ala. 112 Sept. 5, 1925 Centerville 345
Alaska 100 June 27, 1915 Ft. Yukon 420*
Ariz. 128 June 29, 1994 Lake Havasu 505
Ark. 120 Aug. 10, 1936 Ozark 396
Calif. 134 July 10, 1913 Death Valley N/A
Colo. 118 July 11, 1888 Bennett 5,484
Conn. 106 July 15, 1995 Danbury 450
Del. 110 July 21, 1930 Millsboro 20
Fla. 109 June 29, 1931 Monticello 207
Ga. 112 July 24, 1952 Louisville 132
Hawaii 100 April 27,1931 Pahala 850
Idaho 118 July 28, 1934 Orofino 1,027
Ill. 117 July 14, 1954 E. St Louis 410
Ind. 116 July 14, 1936 Collegeville 672
Iowa 118 July 20, 1934 Keokuk 614
Kansas 121 July 24, 1936 Alton 1,651
Ky. 114 July 28, 1930 Greensburg 581
La. 114 Aug. 10, 1936 Plain Dealing 268
Maine 105 July 10, 1911 N. Bridgton 450
Md. 109 July 10, 1936 Cumberland and Frederick 623, 325
Mass. 107 Aug. 2, 1975 New Bedford and Chester 120, 640
Mich. 112 July 13, 1936 Mio 963
Minn. 114 July 6, 1936 Moorhead 904
Miss. 115 July 29, 1930 Holly Springs 600
Mo 118 July 14, 1954 Warsaw and Union 705, 560
Mont. 117 July 5, 1937 Medicine Lake 1,950
Neb. 118 July 24, 1936 Minden 2,169
Nev. 125 June 29, 1994 Laughlin 605
N.H. 106 July 4, 1911 Nashua 125
N.J. 110 July 10, 1936 Runyon 18
N.M. 122 June 27, 1994 Lakewood N/A
N.Y. 108 July 22, 1926 Troy 35
N.C. 110 Aug. 21, 1983 Fayetteville 213
N.D. 121 July 6, 1936 Steele 1,857
Ohio 113 July 21, 1934 Gallipolis 673
Okla. 120 June 27, 1994 Tipton 1,350
Ore. 119 Aug. 10, 1898 Pendleton 1,074
Pa. 111 July 10, 1936 Phoenixville 100
R.I. 104 Aug. 2, 1975 Providence 51
S.C. 111 June 28, 1954 Camden 170
S.D. 120 July 15, 2006 Kelly Ranch/Usta 2,339
Tenn. 113 Aug. 9, 1930 Perryville 377
Texas 120 Aug. 12, 1936 Seymour 1,291
Utah 117 July 5, 1985 Saint George 2,880
Vt. 105 July 4, 1911 Vernon 310
Va. 110 July 15, 1954 Balcony Falls 725
Wash. 118 Aug. 5, 1961 Ice Harbor Dam 475 475
W. Va. 112 July 10, 1936 Martinsburg 435
Wis. 114 July 13, 1936 Wisconsin Dells 900
Wyo. 116 Aug. 8, 1983 Basin 3,500
*Elevation estimated.
Source: U.S. National Climatic Data Center (last updated August 2006)
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