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Summer Temperature Rankings
Author: Natalie Umphlett - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2012-09-02 22:52:56
Updated: 2012-09-21 13:55:12
Summer 2012 went down as one of the hottest on record for many locations in the High Plains Region. Every station in the Region had average temperatures which were above normal. The larger temperature departures occurred in eastern Colorado, eastern Wyoming, southern South Dakota, western and northern Nebraska, and pockets of Kansas where the departures from normal temperature ranged from 4.0-5.0 degrees F (2.2-2.8 degrees C) above normal. But, there were even a few pockets of northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming, and southwestern Nebraska which had temperature departures which were more than 5.0 degrees F (2.8 degrees C) above normal. Denver, Colorado was one of the record breaking locations this summer with an average temperature of 76.3 degrees F (24.6 degrees C) which was 4.9 degrees F (2.7 degrees C) above normal. This easily beat the old record of 74.1 degrees F (23.4 degrees C) which occurred in 1934 (period of record 1872-2012). Denver also set the record for most days at or above 100 degrees F (37.8 degrees C) with 13. The previous record occurred in 2005 with 7.
Check out the table below to see more rankings from across the High Plains Region.
| Location | Summer Average Temperature (F) / Rank | Record or Previous Record (F) / Year | Period of Record |
| Alamosa, CO | 64.6 / 2nd warmest | 65.3 / 2011 | 1906-2012 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 73.3 / warmest | 73.2 / 2011 | 1894-2012 |
| Denver, CO | 76.3 / warmest | 74.1 / 1934* | 1872-2012 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 79.0 / 3rd warmest | 79.5 / 1994 | 1893-2012 |
| Pueblo, CO | 77.4 / 2nd warmest | 77.8 / 1970 | 1888-2012 |
| Concordia, KS | 78.5 / 27th warmest | 83.9 / 1934 | 1885-2012 |
| Dodge City, KS | 79.8 / 11th warmest | 83.5 / 2011 | 1874-2012 |
| Goodland, KS | 77.3 / 4th warmest | 79.1 / 1934 | 1895-2012 |
| Salina, KS | 81.6 / 4th warmest | 84.0 / 1980 | 1948-2012 |
| Topeka, KS | 80.7 / 9th warmest | 84.8 / 1936 | 1887-2012 |
| Wichita, KS | 82.7 / 6th warmest | 85.3 / 1936* | 1888-2012 |
| Grand Island, NE | 77.7 / 8th warmest | 82.6 / 1934 | 1895-2012 |
| Lincoln, NE | 77.6 / 16th warmest | 82.0 / 1936 | 1887-2012 |
| Norfolk, NE | 76.6 / 5th warmest | 79.8 / 1936 | 1893-2012 |
| North Platte, NE | 76.3 / 3rd warmest | 78.2 / 1936 | 1874-2012 |
| Omaha, NE | 78.9 / 3rd warmest | 81.0 / 1934 | 1871-2012 |
| Scottsbluff, NE | 76.4 / warmest | 75.8 / 1936 | 1893-2012 |
| Valentine, NE | 77.0 / 2nd warmest | 77.7 / 1936 | 1889-2012 |
| Bismarck, ND | 70.2 / 17th warmest | 75.1 / 1936 | 1874-2012 |
| Fargo, ND | 71.8 / 4th warmest | 73.9 / 1988 | 1881-2012 |
| Grand Forks, ND | 69.6 / 9th warmest | 70.8 / 1933 | 1893-2012 |
| Williston, ND | 69.2 / 20th warmest | 73.1 / 1988 | 1894-2012 |
| Aberdeen, SD | 71.5 / 17th warmest | 77.2 / 1936 | 1893-2012 |
| Huron, SD | 74.4 / 7th warmest | 77.1 / 1936 | 1881-2012 |
| Rapid City, SD | 73.7 / 5th warmest | 74.7 / 1988 | 1942-2012 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 75.3 / 3rd warmest | 77.9 / 1936 | 1893-2012 |
| Casper, WY | 71.3 / 2nd warmest | 71.9 / 1988 | 1939-2012 |
| Cheyenne, WY | 69.9 / warmest | 69.5 / 1881 | 1872-2012 |
| Lander, WY | 72.2 / 2nd warmest | 72.9 / 1988 | 1891-2012 |
| Sheridan, WY | 70.6 / 6th warmest | 73.0 / 1988 | 1907-2012 |
*indicates multiple years, latest year listed