Weather Authority Insider Blog: Meteorological Summer 2026 recap

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Meteorological summer 2026 was one of the hottest summers for Yuma and El Centro on record.

Our average highs and lows were both above average, with below-normal precipitation. Overall, it was a very warm and very dry summer for us here in the Desert Southwest.

Meteorological summer (Jun-Aug) of 2026 was the 2nd hottest on record for Yuma. The last 4 summers in Yuma were amongst the top 5 hottest on record (dating back to 1878).

It was also the 2nd hottest on record for El Centro. The last 4 summers in El Centro were amongst the top 5 hottest on record (dating back to 1926).

Data for meteorological summer (Jun-Jul-Aug) has been compiled, and the state of Arizona recorded its warmest summer in the period of record (since 1895). Anomalies were largest in SE AZ w/ most counties in the SW US in record-setting warmth.

Arizona was ranked 132nd across the country for being the warmest in the country.

The state of Arizona saw above-normal temperatures during June, July, and August.

Yuma County wasn't the warmest in the state of Arizona and for the country, but we do rank much above average during the summer months.

Precipitation totals for meteorological summer (Jun-Jul-Aug) have been tabulated, and 2026 fell directly within the near-average category across Arizona as a whole. Typical for summer thunderstorms, amounts varied widely across the counties in the state.

For the state of Arizona, Yuma County wasn't the driest, but it was definitely in the darker brown color, which means well-below-average compared to most parts of the state.

As for county precipitation percentiles, Yuma ranks in the below-average category while other parts of the state were near-average.