Weather data field guide

How to Look Up Past Weather by ZIP Code or Date

Use NOAA station archives to find historical temperature, precipitation, snowfall, wind, and hourly observations for a ZIP code, city, airport, or specific date.

Originally published May 11, 2019Updated August 5, 2026By the WXObservation team
Historical weather is recorded by stations, not by ZIP-code boundaries. A ZIP code or city helps you find nearby stations, but the station location, elevation, equipment, reporting schedule, and period of record determine what the result actually represents.That distinction matters whether you are checking last year's temperature, documenting a storm, comparing a home weather station, or requesting data for insurance or legal use.
Quick answer
For official U.S. historical weather, open NOAA NCEI Daily Summaries, enter the date range and a ZIP code or place, then select a nearby station with the needed variables and a complete period of record. Use Local Climatological Data Version 2 when you need hourly observations. A ZIP-code result is a station observation near that ZIP code, not a measurement for every address inside it.
Weather records, magnifying glass, thermometer case, and laptop on a desk
Reliable weather-history research starts with the station, date range, variables, and period of record.

The best source depends on the question

QuestionNOAA dataset or toolTypical output
What was the high, low, rain, or snow on a date?GHCN-Daily / Daily SummariesDaily maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation, snowfall, snow depth, and other available variables
What was the weather at a specific hour?Local Climatological Data v2Hourly temperature, dew point, humidity, wind, sky condition, pressure, and weather type where available
Was a value a record for that station?Daily Weather Records toolSelected station records and recent record summaries
What is normal for this date or month?U.S. Climate Normals1991-2020 temperature, precipitation, snowfall, and related normals
Do I need certified data?NCEI certified data orderCertified copies for legal or formal documentation

How to look up weather history by ZIP code

  1. Open NOAA NCEI Daily Summaries. Start with the official station-based daily archive.
  2. Enter the date range. Use the exact day or a wider range when you need context.
  3. Search the ZIP code, city, county, airport, or station. A place search returns nearby station options.
  4. Choose the station deliberately. Compare distance, elevation, station type, available variables, and period of record.
  5. Review coverage before downloading. A nearby precipitation station may not report temperature, and recent observations may still be provisional.
  6. Save the station ID with the data. The station identity is part of the answer and makes the lookup reproducible.
Open NOAA NCEI Daily Summaries.

How to find the temperature on this day last year

Use the same month and day one calendar year earlier, then select a station that reports daily maximum and minimum temperature. A single "temperature" can mean several different things:
  • Daily maximum: the highest reported temperature for the station's observation day.
  • Daily minimum: the lowest reported temperature.
  • Daily average: a summary value, not necessarily the temperature at noon or another specific hour.
  • Hourly temperature: the observation nearest a specific time, available through an hourly dataset where supported.
For an apples-to-apples comparison, use the same station for both dates and note whether the observation schedule or station location changed.

Finding hourly historical weather

NOAA's Local Climatological Data Version 2 search provides monthly summaries that can include hourly observations from U.S. ASOS and AWOS stations. Depending on the station, fields can include temperature, dew point, humidity, wind, sky condition, weather type, pressure, and precipitation.Hourly files can be large. Limit the date range and select only the pages or variables you need. LCDv2 replaced the deprecated LCDv1 workflow for current updates, so old instructions that rely on the former Integrated Surface Dataset may now be stale.

Why two nearby sources may disagree

ReasonHow it changes the resultWhat to record
Distance and elevationTemperature, wind, and precipitation can vary over short distancesStation ID, coordinates, elevation, and distance
Observation dayDaily totals may use a schedule other than local midnightDataset definition and observation time
Instrument exposureAirport, rooftop, valley, and neighborhood sites sample different surroundingsStation type and siting notes
Missing or provisional dataRecent values may be incomplete or later quality-controlledFlags, coverage, and access date
Variable availabilityA precipitation-only station cannot answer a temperature questionThe exact variables included

Comparing the archive with your own station

A personal weather station gives a backyard-scale observation. A nearby official station gives a standardized reference for its own site. The values do not need to match exactly to be useful. Compare trends, event timing, and plausible exposure differences before adjusting calibration.If you want to preserve your own long-term record, review the personal weather station network guide and the weather station accuracy guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I look up historical weather by ZIP code?The answer is yes. NOAA tools accept ZIP codes as a place search, then return nearby weather stations. The reported value belongs to the selected station, not to the ZIP-code area as a whole.
Where can I find the temperature from a specific hour?Use NOAA Local Climatological Data Version 2 or another hourly station archive. Select a nearby station that reports the needed variable and note its time zone and observation timestamp.
Why is a nearby airport used for my city?Airports commonly host standardized ASOS or AWOS stations with long, frequent observation records. That makes them useful archives, although their exposure may differ from a neighborhood.
Are Weather Underground records official?Weather Underground can be convenient and may include personal stations, but NOAA NCEI is the appropriate starting point for official U.S. climate archives. Use certified NCEI data when formal documentation is required.

Sources

Archive your own observationsCompare networks for storing and sharing personal weather station data.
Find weather stations nearbyUnderstand what nearby public and personal stations represent.
Check station accuracyDiagnose exposure, siting, calibration, and comparison problems.
Compare weather stationsFind the sensor and connectivity features that match your observing goals.