National Rankings

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Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI), and Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI) are not offered for multiple-month time scales.

Contiguous U.S.

Average Temperature Rankings, December 1981

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Record Warmest
Period	Value	1901-2000 Mean	Anomaly	Rank (1895-2021)	Warmest/Coolest Since	Record
December 1981 1-Month	33.66°F (0.92°C)	32.68°F (0.38°C)	0.98°F (0.54°C)	75th Coolest	Coolest since: 1978	1983
	33.66°F (0.92°C)	32.68°F (0.38°C)	0.98°F (0.54°C)	53rd Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
	Ties: 1974
Nov–Dec 1981 2-Month	39.20°F (4.00°C)	37.19°F (2.88°C)	2.01°F (1.12°C)	105th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	2000
Nov–Dec 1981 2-Month	39.20°F (4.00°C)	37.19°F (2.88°C)	2.01°F (1.12°C)	23rd Warmest	Warmest since: 1965	2021
Oct–Dec 1981 3-Month	43.57°F (6.43°C)	42.83°F (6.02°C)	0.74°F (0.41°C)	86th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1898
	43.57°F (6.43°C)	42.83°F (6.02°C)	0.74°F (0.41°C)	42nd Warmest	Warmest since: 1979	2021
	Ties: 1942, 1988
Sep–Dec 1981 4-Month	48.91°F (9.39°C)	48.34°F (9.08°C)	0.57°F (0.31°C)	81st Coolest	Coolest since: 1978	1976
Sep–Dec 1981 4-Month	48.91°F (9.39°C)	48.34°F (9.08°C)	0.57°F (0.31°C)	47th Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
Aug–Dec 1981 5-Month	53.55°F (11.97°C)	53.09°F (11.72°C)	0.46°F (0.25°C)	77th Coolest	Coolest since: 1978	1976
	53.55°F (11.97°C)	53.09°F (11.72°C)	0.46°F (0.25°C)	51st Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
	Ties: 1937
Jul–Dec 1981 6-Month	56.95°F (13.86°C)	56.51°F (13.62°C)	0.44°F (0.24°C)	81st Coolest	Coolest since: 1979	1976
	56.95°F (13.86°C)	56.51°F (13.62°C)	0.44°F (0.24°C)	47th Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
	Ties: 1991
Jun–Dec 1981 7-Month	58.79°F (14.88°C)	58.22°F (14.57°C)	0.57°F (0.31°C)	85th Coolest	Coolest since: 1979	1976
Jun–Dec 1981 7-Month	58.79°F (14.88°C)	58.22°F (14.57°C)	0.57°F (0.31°C)	43rd Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
May–Dec 1981 8-Month	58.81°F (14.89°C)	58.47°F (14.71°C)	0.34°F (0.18°C)	78th Coolest	Coolest since: 1979	1976
	58.81°F (14.89°C)	58.47°F (14.71°C)	0.34°F (0.18°C)	50th Warmest	Warmest since: 1980	2021
	Ties: 1952
Apr–Dec 1981 9-Month	58.40°F (14.67°C)	57.64°F (14.24°C)	0.76°F (0.43°C)	93rd Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
Apr–Dec 1981 9-Month	58.40°F (14.67°C)	57.64°F (14.24°C)	0.76°F (0.43°C)	35th Warmest	Warmest since: 1977	2021
Mar–Dec 1981 10-Month	56.85°F (13.81°C)	56.03°F (13.35°C)	0.82°F (0.46°C)	94th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
	56.85°F (13.81°C)	56.03°F (13.35°C)	0.82°F (0.46°C)	34th Warmest	Warmest since: 1977	2012
	Ties: 1963
Feb–Dec 1981 11-Month	55.00°F (12.78°C)	54.01°F (12.23°C)	0.99°F (0.55°C)	98th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
	55.00°F (12.78°C)	54.01°F (12.23°C)	0.99°F (0.55°C)	30th Warmest	Warmest since: 1977	2012
	Ties: 1994
Jan–Dec 1981 12-Month	53.12°F (11.73°C)	52.02°F (11.12°C)	1.10°F (0.61°C)	99th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
Jan–Dec 1981 12-Month	53.12°F (11.73°C)	52.02°F (11.12°C)	1.10°F (0.61°C)	29th Warmest	Warmest since: 1954	2012
Jul 1980–Dec 1981 18-Month	54.57°F (12.54°C)	53.52°F (11.96°C)	1.05°F (0.58°C)	106th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
Jul 1980–Dec 1981 18-Month	54.57°F (12.54°C)	53.52°F (11.96°C)	1.05°F (0.58°C)	21st Warmest	Warmest since: 1954	2012, 2016
Jan 1980–Dec 1981 24-Month	52.76°F (11.53°C)	52.02°F (11.12°C)	0.74°F (0.41°C)	95th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
	52.76°F (11.53°C)	52.02°F (11.12°C)	0.74°F (0.41°C)	32nd Warmest	Warmest since: 1954	2017
	Ties: 1931, 1995
Jan 1979–Dec 1981 36-Month	52.13°F (11.18°C)	52.01°F (11.12°C)	0.12°F (0.06°C)	67th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
	52.13°F (11.18°C)	52.01°F (11.12°C)	0.12°F (0.06°C)	59th Warmest	Warmest since: 1956	2017
	Ties: 1942
Jan 1978–Dec 1981 48-Month	51.86°F (11.03°C)	52.00°F (11.11°C)	-0.14°F (-0.08°C)	45th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1917
	51.86°F (11.03°C)	52.00°F (11.11°C)	-0.14°F (-0.08°C)	80th Warmest	Warmest since: 1977	2018
	Ties: 1975
Jan 1977–Dec 1981 60-Month	52.00°F (11.11°C)	51.99°F (11.11°C)	0.01°F (0.00°C)	57th Coolest	Coolest since: 1980	1920
	52.00°F (11.11°C)	51.99°F (11.11°C)	0.01°F (0.00°C)	67th Warmest	Warmest since: 1977	2019, 2020
	Ties: 1932

Citing This Page

NOAA National Centers for Environmental information, Climate at a Glance: National Rankings, published November 2022, retrieved on December 5, 2022 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/national/rankings