Last 7 World Series champions are from warmer weather cities
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It has been a while since a northern city has won the World Series. Two Great Lakes cities are playing for that chance.

Jonathan Erdman
ByJonathan Erdman•
4 days agoUpdated: October 13, 2026, 5:49 am EDTPublished: October 13, 2026, 5:46 am EDT
World Series Los Angeles Dodgers 2024

Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers holds the Commissioner's Trophy after the Dodgers won Game 5 to win the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 30, 2024 in New York, New York.

(Mike Lawrence/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

World Series champions in the last several years have been from warmer, southern climates. But that streak could come to an end with the victory of one of the two Midwest teams up for the win.

Southern streak

The last seven champions of Major League Baseball have all been from southern or warmer-weather cities.

It started in 2019 when the Washington Nationals topped the Houston Astros in a thrilling seven-game series.

This decade, so far, the champions by year include:

  • 2020, 2024, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers
  • 2021: Atlanta Braves
  • 2022: Houston Astros
  • 2023: Texas Rangers

In that same seven-year stretch, the only appearances by northern teams resulted in losses:

  • 2022: Philadelphia Phillies
  • 2024: New York Yankees
  • 2025: Toronto Blue Jays
World Series southern cities streak

Coincidence, basically

We're not implying there's any kind of weather hex involved.

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It's certainly nothing like the 108-year-long wait for the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series or the continued wait for a first title for five franchises, including two still in the chase this year (Milwaukee and Tampa Bay).

Two recent dynasties account for the majority of these World Series championships and appearances since 2019.

The Dodgers have won three championships and, prior to 2019, lost in two straight World Series in 2017 and 2018.

The Houston Astros won it all in 2017 and 2022, but lost in both 2019 and 2021.

And the other champions also just happened to be in the South, or at least south of the Mason-Dixon Line (in D.C.'s case).

(MORE: No, Dodger Stadium didn't flood as suggested in this video)

What about this year?

Two northern teams are hoping to snap that streak this year, as of now.

Both the Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers made the American and National League Championship Series, respectively.

The Brewers have no weather worries, thanks to their retractable roof at American Family Field.

Even then, it was 71 degrees at the start of Game 1 of the NLCS, allowing the roof to be open in what felt more like an early September than mid-October evening.

NLCS Milwaukee 2026

A general overhead view inside the stadium during Game One of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Sunday, October 11, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

(Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

But the Guardians play all their home games outdoors at Progressive Field. That leaves them exposed to the sometimes fickle nature of October weather in the Great Lakes.

This year's World Series begins on Oct. 22 and could last through Halloween if the series goes seven games.

It could be another all-southern affair if both the Dodgers and Rays make it.

But even if one of the Midwest teams makes the series, the extended forecast for late October looks warmer than average in the Great Lakes.

So, southern warmth could still be in place in the Great Lakes for this fall classic.

DCT 12

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X and Facebook.

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