Climate Guides
Educational resources to help you understand US climate data, evaluate climates for relocation, and make sense of NOAA weather normals.
All guides reference NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 data covering 6,915 cities, 50 states, and 15,492 weather stations.
Understanding Climate Normals
What 30-year climate normals are, how NOAA calculates them, and what the 1991-2020 baseline means for understanding typical US weather.
Best Climates for Living
How to evaluate climate when choosing where to live — temperature ranges, precipitation, sunshine, humidity, and what data reveals about climate preferences.
Reading Weather Data on PlainClimate
How to interpret average temperatures, precipitation totals, snow days, and sunshine hours — and how to compare climates across US cities.
Best Climates for Retirement
Top US cities ranked by mild temperatures, low humidity, and sunshine days. NOAA climate data for the 15 best retirement climate cities.
Understanding Extreme Weather Patterns
Heat waves, cold snaps, and precipitation extremes across US cities — what NOAA climate normals reveal about frequency and geography of extreme weather.
Climate Change vs. Climate Normals
NOAA normals are 30-year averages, not projections. What they capture about warming trends and where they fall short for relocation decisions.
Humidity and Comfort Explained
Why dew point matters more than relative humidity when comparing climates. Comfort thresholds and which US cities rank best and worst.
Methodology
Our guides are based on publicly available data from authoritative government sources. All statistics, ratings, and figures cited in these guides are drawn directly from official datasets and publications, with sources clearly referenced throughout.
We aim to present complex government data in plain language that is accessible to general audiences. When methodologies differ between data sources or change over time, we note these variations inline. Our editorial process includes regular reviews to ensure accuracy and timeliness of the information presented.