Hottest day in the U.S. recorded in California, data shows

CHARLESTON, W.Va. ( WOWK ) — The hottest day in the United States was recorded in California, according to data – but how could this be compared to other parts of the county?

West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky all have fairly average hottest days, for instance. In fact, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information , the average hottest day is 114.2 degrees Fahrenheit. West Virginia’s is 112 degrees, Ohio’s is 113, and Kentucky’s is 114, according to the data.

West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky’s hottest days barely compete with the scorchers felt in the West and Southwest.

The hottest day on record overall was recorded in California with a scorching 134 degrees Fahrenheit, the data shows. Right behind California are southwestern states known for their extreme heat: Arizona (128 degrees) and Nevada (125 degrees).

For the most part, the farther west you go in the contiguous U.S., the hotter the hottest days are.

The coolest hottest days still hit triple digits thanks to Alaska and Hawaii, both with a chilling 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the data shows. Other states on the low end include Rhode Island (104), Maine (105) and Connecticut (106).

The newest hottest day happened in 2021 in three states: Washington (120), Oregon (119) and Utah (117). The oldest hottest day was all the way back in 1898 in Maine where they hit 109 degrees Fahrenheit.

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