January feels like summer in some US states. here’s why
An area of high pressure is bringing record-high heat to parts of the US, with an additional boost from climate change
Map of predicted temperatures for the contiguous United States on January 8, 2026.
It’s January, which usually means heating bills go up as temperatures drop. But for some people in the US South, there will be demand for more air conditioning, as temperatures rise 20 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 19 degrees Celsius) above local averages — and even to record-breaking highs in some places.
The unseasonal heat originates from an area of high pressure rising over the eastern US, drawing hot air from the south and the record-breaking warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The first records began to be set as a result of the weather system on Tuesday, with highs of 82 °F (28 °C) in Houston, Texas, 74 °F (23 °C) in Tulsa, Okla., and 81 °F (27 °C) in Baton Rouge, La.
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Temperatures across wide swathes of the eastern US will remain well above local averages – and some could set records. Temperatures can even reach 90 °F (32 °C) in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, says 31 stations in the area could set or come close to the record. “This is important,” he says.
Nights will be particularly hotter than normal—a hallmark of global warming. According to Climate Central, a non-profit research and news organization, nighttime minimum temperatures are rising twice as fast as daytime highs.
Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index tool calculates that the high temperatures observed during this January heat event are, depending on the day and location, 1.5 to five times more likely to be caused by climate change.
The system follows a heat wave that hit the southern United States late last year; The average high temperature for the contiguous US on December 25, 2025 was the warmest Christmas Day on record by a margin of three degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius). This may seem minimal, but it is quite a huge amount to set a record, especially in such a large area.
This latest heat will be short-lived; A cold wave will move across the US ahead of the low pressure system. The temperature is expected to become normal in future.
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