Houston didn’t experience an extreme number of 100-degree summer days in 2025, but the city still felt unusually warm across multiple seasons. From spring and fall to even parts of December, temperatures stayed higher than normal. While many wondered if 2025 would mark the third consecutive hottest year on record for Houston, the final numbers placed it just short of the top spot — finishing as the second-hottest year in the city’s history.
How Houston’s Annual Temperature Was Calculated
To determine the hottest year, daily average temperatures were calculated by adding each day’s high and low temperatures and dividing by two. Those daily averages were then combined to find the overall annual average temperature for the year.
Warm Trends Dominated the First Half of 2025
The year began with a colder-than-usual January, followed by fluctuating temperatures in February. However, from March onward, Houston entered a prolonged warm stretch. March ranked as the eighth-warmest on record, April came in third, May was fourth, and June ranked ninth among the hottest ever recorded.
By July 1, Houston’s average temperature for the year had reached 69.8 degrees — about 2.1 degrees warmer than normal for that point in the year.
Where 2025 Ranks in Houston’s Weather History
When ranking Houston’s hottest years by annual average temperature, 2024 remains the warmest on record at 73.1 degrees. The year 2023 follows closely at 72.5 degrees, with 2017 previously holding third place at 72.2 degrees.
Despite strong warmth throughout much of the year, a spell of freezing temperatures late in December lowered Houston’s annual average. As a result, 2025 finished with an average temperature of 73 degrees, securing second place overall.
Monthly Heat Records Set in 2025
Several months in 2025 ranked among Houston’s warmest on record. March was the eighth-warmest, April ranked third, May fourth, June ninth, August seventh, October sixth, and November finished as the fifth-warmest in the city’s weather history.
Why Temperatures Stayed So High
A combination of factors contributed to Houston’s elevated temperatures in 2025. One major influence was the emergence of La Niña, which typically shifts the jet stream farther north, reducing the number of cold fronts reaching Texas. With fewer storms and weaker frontal systems, heat domes were able to linger longer over the region.
Another key factor was unusually warm nighttime and early morning temperatures. These higher lows significantly raised daily averages. Houston’s average low temperature for the year was 63.1 degrees, making it the seventh-warmest annual average low on record.
Notable Weather Extremes in 2025
The hottest temperature recorded in Houston during 2025 was 101 degrees, occurring on July 30 and again on August 17, 18, and 20.June turned out to be the city’s rainiest month, bringing 5.26 inches of rainfall. The wettest single day came on October 25, when 2.84 inches of rain fell.The coldest day of the year was January 22, when predawn temperatures dropped to 20 degrees. A day earlier, Southeast Texas experienced a rare snowfall, with Hobby Airport recording up to three inches of snow.
Houston’s Rainfall Totals for 2025
Overall, Houston recorded just 38.99 inches of rainfall in 2025, nearly one foot below the city’s annual average. Much of the year saw little to no rain, contributing to long dry stretches.
