{
 "topic": "climate",
 "site": "climatedata.dev",
 "parent": {
  "id": "us-ma",
  "name": "Massachusetts",
  "level": "us-state",
  "path": "us/ma"
 },
 "child_level": "us-county",
 "child_noun": "county",
 "child_nouns": "counties",
 "compare_label": "every Massachusetts county",
 "question": "Was September normal in Massachusetts?",
 "answer": {
  "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
  "value": 62,
  "unit": "°F",
  "digits": 1,
  "label": "Statewide average temperature, September 2026",
  "lines": [
   "-0.4°F against the 1991–2020 normal of 62.4°F",
   "35th warmest September of 132 since 1895",
   "Of 14 counties: 12 warmer, 2 near normal",
   "Furthest above normal: Dukes County (+0.1°F); furthest below: Essex County (-1.0°F)",
   "Precipitation 6.06 in, 143% of normal: wetter than normal"
  ]
 },
 "as_of": "2026-09",
 "as_of_label": "September 2026",
 "measure": {
  "value_label": "Average",
  "unit": "°F",
  "digits": 1,
  "change_label": "From normal",
  "change_unit": "°F",
  "change_digits": 1,
  "bin_step": 1,
  "rank_label": "Record rank",
  "rank_note": "Record rank: 1 is the warmest September on record for that county.",
  "change_text": "how far each county was from its own 1991–2020 normal",
  "verdict_text": "the same five words as each county's page, from much cooler to much warmer than normal",
  "change_button": "Degrees from normal",
  "map_description": "September 2026 by county: 12 warmer, 2 near normal; furthest above normal Dukes County (+0.1°F), furthest below Essex County (-1.0°F).",
  "map_indicator": "Monthly average temperature minus the county's 1991–2020 normal for September, °F (NOAA nClimDiv via climatedata.dev); words from each county's rank in its own record"
 },
 "categories": [
  {
   "key": "much-warmer",
   "label": "Much warmer than normal",
   "count": 0,
   "step": "w4"
  },
  {
   "key": "warmer",
   "label": "Warmer than normal",
   "count": 12,
   "step": "w2"
  },
  {
   "key": "near",
   "label": "Near normal",
   "count": 2,
   "step": "n"
  },
  {
   "key": "cooler",
   "label": "Cooler than normal",
   "count": 0,
   "step": "c2"
  },
  {
   "key": "much-cooler",
   "label": "Much cooler than normal",
   "count": 0,
   "step": "c4"
  }
 ],
 "places": [
  {
   "id": "us-county-25007",
   "name": "Dukes County",
   "path": "us/ma/dukes-county",
   "value": 64.9,
   "normal": 64.8,
   "anomaly": 0.1,
   "change": 0.1,
   "rank_warm": 26,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25019",
   "name": "Nantucket County",
   "path": "us/ma/nantucket-county",
   "value": 63.9,
   "normal": 63.8,
   "anomaly": 0.1,
   "change": 0.1,
   "rank_warm": 27,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25003",
   "name": "Berkshire County",
   "path": "us/ma/berkshire-county",
   "value": 59.6,
   "normal": 59.7,
   "anomaly": -0.1,
   "change": -0.1,
   "rank_warm": 34,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25005",
   "name": "Bristol County",
   "path": "us/ma/bristol-county",
   "value": 64.1,
   "normal": 64.3,
   "anomaly": -0.2,
   "change": -0.2,
   "rank_warm": 33,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25013",
   "name": "Hampden County",
   "path": "us/ma/hampden-county",
   "value": 62,
   "normal": 62.3,
   "anomaly": -0.3,
   "change": -0.3,
   "rank_warm": 41,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25015",
   "name": "Hampshire County",
   "path": "us/ma/hampshire-county",
   "value": 61.6,
   "normal": 61.9,
   "anomaly": -0.3,
   "change": -0.3,
   "rank_warm": 42,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25027",
   "name": "Worcester County",
   "path": "us/ma/worcester-county",
   "value": 61.3,
   "normal": 61.6,
   "anomaly": -0.3,
   "change": -0.3,
   "rank_warm": 35,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25001",
   "name": "Barnstable County",
   "path": "us/ma/barnstable-county",
   "value": 63.7,
   "normal": 64.1,
   "anomaly": -0.4,
   "change": -0.4,
   "rank_warm": 34,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25011",
   "name": "Franklin County",
   "path": "us/ma/franklin-county",
   "value": 60.7,
   "normal": 61.1,
   "anomaly": -0.4,
   "change": -0.4,
   "rank_warm": 44,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25023",
   "name": "Plymouth County",
   "path": "us/ma/plymouth-county",
   "value": 63.7,
   "normal": 64.1,
   "anomaly": -0.4,
   "change": -0.4,
   "rank_warm": 36,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25021",
   "name": "Norfolk County",
   "path": "us/ma/norfolk-county",
   "value": 63,
   "normal": 63.6,
   "anomaly": -0.6,
   "change": -0.6,
   "rank_warm": 39,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25025",
   "name": "Suffolk County",
   "path": "us/ma/suffolk-county",
   "value": 63.5,
   "normal": 64.2,
   "anomaly": -0.7,
   "change": -0.7,
   "rank_warm": 43,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Warmer than normal",
   "category": "warmer",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25017",
   "name": "Middlesex County",
   "path": "us/ma/middlesex-county",
   "value": 62.2,
   "normal": 63.1,
   "anomaly": -0.9,
   "change": -0.9,
   "rank_warm": 52,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Near normal",
   "category": "near",
   "shape": true
  },
  {
   "id": "us-county-25009",
   "name": "Essex County",
   "path": "us/ma/essex-county",
   "value": 61.9,
   "normal": 62.9,
   "anomaly": -1,
   "change": -1,
   "rank_warm": 53,
   "n": 132,
   "verdict": "Near normal",
   "category": "near",
   "shape": true
  }
 ],
 "no_data": [],
 "noaa_only": [],
 "charts": [
  {
   "id": "climate-state-history",
   "title": "Every September since 1895, Massachusetts statewide",
   "description": "September 2026 averaged 62.0°F, -0.4°F against the 1991–2020 normal: the 35th warmest September of 132 since 1895.",
   "indicator": "Monthly average temperature, °F (NOAA nClimDiv via climatedata.dev); normal = NOAA's 1991–2020 normal for that month",
   "subtitle": "Average temperature, °F. 2026 is highlighted; the line is the 1991–2020 normal.",
   "x": {
    "kind": "year"
   },
   "y": {
    "digits": 1,
    "unit": "°F"
   },
   "layers": [
    {
     "type": "dots",
     "name": "September average",
     "cls": "ctx",
     "points": [
      [
       1895,
       62
      ],
      [
       1896,
       58.8
      ],
      [
       1897,
       59
      ],
      [
       1898,
       62.4
      ],
      [
       1899,
       58.6
      ],
      [
       1900,
       62.4
      ],
      [
       1901,
       61.3
      ],
      [
       1902,
       59.5
      ],
      [
       1903,
       60.4
      ],
      [
       1904,
       58.9
      ],
      [
       1905,
       58.7
      ],
      [
       1906,
       62
      ],
      [
       1907,
       60.7
      ],
      [
       1908,
       61.6
      ],
      [
       1909,
       59.2
      ],
      [
       1910,
       59.8
      ],
      [
       1911,
       58.6
      ],
      [
       1912,
       59.1
      ],
      [
       1913,
       57.9
      ],
      [
       1914,
       59.6
      ],
      [
       1915,
       63.3
      ],
      [
       1916,
       60.2
      ],
      [
       1917,
       56.1
      ],
      [
       1918,
       56.8
      ],
      [
       1919,
       60
      ],
      [
       1920,
       61.5
      ],
      [
       1921,
       64
      ],
      [
       1922,
       61.3
      ],
      [
       1923,
       61.4
      ],
      [
       1924,
       58
      ],
      [
       1925,
       60.5
      ],
      [
       1926,
       58.5
      ],
      [
       1927,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       1928,
       57.6
      ],
      [
       1929,
       61.8
      ],
      [
       1930,
       64
      ],
      [
       1931,
       63.6
      ],
      [
       1932,
       60.7
      ],
      [
       1933,
       61.4
      ],
      [
       1934,
       62.8
      ],
      [
       1935,
       58.5
      ],
      [
       1936,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       1937,
       59.1
      ],
      [
       1938,
       58.4
      ],
      [
       1939,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       1940,
       59
      ],
      [
       1941,
       61.8
      ],
      [
       1942,
       61.1
      ],
      [
       1943,
       59.4
      ],
      [
       1944,
       61.8
      ],
      [
       1945,
       63.7
      ],
      [
       1946,
       62.2
      ],
      [
       1947,
       61.2
      ],
      [
       1948,
       61.5
      ],
      [
       1949,
       59.1
      ],
      [
       1950,
       57.3
      ],
      [
       1951,
       60.7
      ],
      [
       1952,
       61.6
      ],
      [
       1953,
       62
      ],
      [
       1954,
       58.6
      ],
      [
       1955,
       59.5
      ],
      [
       1956,
       56.9
      ],
      [
       1957,
       61.8
      ],
      [
       1958,
       60.1
      ],
      [
       1959,
       63.7
      ],
      [
       1960,
       60
      ],
      [
       1961,
       66.3
      ],
      [
       1962,
       57.9
      ],
      [
       1963,
       56.7
      ],
      [
       1964,
       59
      ],
      [
       1965,
       60.4
      ],
      [
       1966,
       58.4
      ],
      [
       1967,
       59.6
      ],
      [
       1968,
       61.9
      ],
      [
       1969,
       61
      ],
      [
       1970,
       61.3
      ],
      [
       1971,
       63.8
      ],
      [
       1972,
       60.9
      ],
      [
       1973,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       1974,
       60
      ],
      [
       1975,
       58.1
      ],
      [
       1976,
       58.8
      ],
      [
       1977,
       60.2
      ],
      [
       1978,
       57.3
      ],
      [
       1979,
       59.8
      ],
      [
       1980,
       61.7
      ],
      [
       1981,
       59.2
      ],
      [
       1982,
       60.6
      ],
      [
       1983,
       63.7
      ],
      [
       1984,
       58.2
      ],
      [
       1985,
       61.4
      ],
      [
       1986,
       58.4
      ],
      [
       1987,
       60.4
      ],
      [
       1988,
       59.2
      ],
      [
       1989,
       61.3
      ],
      [
       1990,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       1991,
       59.4
      ],
      [
       1992,
       60.2
      ],
      [
       1993,
       60.8
      ],
      [
       1994,
       59.8
      ],
      [
       1995,
       59.1
      ],
      [
       1996,
       61.1
      ],
      [
       1997,
       60.5
      ],
      [
       1998,
       63
      ],
      [
       1999,
       64.3
      ],
      [
       2000,
       60.2
      ],
      [
       2001,
       61.9
      ],
      [
       2002,
       64.4
      ],
      [
       2003,
       62.6
      ],
      [
       2004,
       62.4
      ],
      [
       2005,
       64.8
      ],
      [
       2006,
       60.3
      ],
      [
       2007,
       63.3
      ],
      [
       2008,
       62.4
      ],
      [
       2009,
       59.8
      ],
      [
       2010,
       64.6
      ],
      [
       2011,
       64.9
      ],
      [
       2012,
       61.9
      ],
      [
       2013,
       60.8
      ],
      [
       2014,
       62.3
      ],
      [
       2015,
       66.2
      ],
      [
       2016,
       64.6
      ],
      [
       2017,
       65.1
      ],
      [
       2018,
       65.2
      ],
      [
       2019,
       62
      ],
      [
       2020,
       62.8
      ],
      [
       2021,
       64.8
      ],
      [
       2022,
       62.4
      ],
      [
       2023,
       64.6
      ],
      [
       2024,
       63
      ],
      [
       2025,
       63.1
      ]
     ]
    },
    {
     "type": "rule",
     "name": "1991–2020 normal",
     "y": 62.4,
     "label": "normal 62.4°F"
    },
    {
     "type": "mark",
     "name": "September 2026",
     "series": "September average",
     "x": 2026,
     "y": 62,
     "label": "2026: 62.0°F"
    }
   ]
  }
 ],
 "limits": [
  "A statewide average is not the average of its counties: NOAA computes it from its own grid, weighted by area.",
  "The most recent months are preliminary and NOAA revises them in the next release."
 ],
 "method": "Each month is ranked against the same month in every year on record (since 1895 for most places). The top tenth of the record is 'much warmer than normal', the top third 'warmer', the middle third 'near normal'. Counties are coloured by the same five words.",
 "sources": [
  {
   "name": "climatedata.dev us-climate, version 2026-10-25.6c7474e6d8",
   "url": "https://climatedata.dev/",
   "license": "U.S. public domain"
  },
  {
   "name": "NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), statewide and national files",
   "url": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/iso?id=gov.noaa.ncdc:C00005",
   "license": "U.S. public domain"
  },
  {
   "name": "climatedata.dev county-climate, version 2026-10-25.b4bbb5298a",
   "url": "https://climatedata.dev/",
   "license": "U.S. public domain"
  }
 ],
 "check": {
  "month": 9,
  "year": 2026,
  "value": 62,
  "normal": 62.4,
  "anomaly": -0.4,
  "rank_warm": 35,
  "n": 132,
  "verdict_words": [
   "Much warmer than normal",
   "Warmer than normal",
   "Near normal",
   "Cooler than normal",
   "Much cooler than normal"
  ],
  "code": "0190",
  "dataset": "us-climate",
  "version": "2026-10-25.6c7474e6d8",
  "noaa_sha256": {
   "tavg": "8e83b1a8e830d9f4cd87bbc17c3f80c534cde7b7015be8132964ecbff7a8441b",
   "tavg_normals": "5d3177ac26c9ce469da153d518b61d370e1493286908ee86846fae75102b414f",
   "pcpn": "4cb027fcacaa077dab05efe53c4a8a0a10a153c62e19cbdf3564410064e1015a"
  },
  "noaa_county_sha256": {
   "tavg": "edf9a954c7d7a5bed5ad32e448cfc78aacbf01261b94a4c5224094535108a489",
   "tavg_normals": "dbff5215d9471d6a94c5fd969ed2e168c680cabfd455b1c3764bd96e8d6f667a",
   "pcpn": "739fc3e9b529e04d406e914be1add2736ca3129c1103246ccebc2e5c76fd9d3a"
  }
 },
 "api": {
  "now": "/data/topics/climate/us-ma.json",
  "source": "https://api.climatedata.dev/v1/us-climate/tavg/us-ma.json",
  "source_label": "The climatedata.dev API it comes from (live, no key; every month since 1895 with its normal, anomaly and rank)"
 },
 "generated_at": "2026-10-26T14:11:47+00:00"
}