The contiguous United States experienced its hottest month on record in July, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The average temperature was 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius) across the Lower 48 states. This surpassed the previous record set in July 1936 during the Dust Bowl by 0.125 degrees Fahrenheit. Historical records date back to 1895.
Jeff Masters, a meteorologist at Yale Climate Connections, highlighted the severity of breaking records from the Dust Bowl era. He noted that the Dust Bowl was marked by drought and migration, making it a catastrophic time in U.S. history. Breaking these records indicates severe challenges.
While Alaska experienced unusually cool temperatures, the rest of the Lower 48 states saw hotter-than-normal conditions. The Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains, and Southeast faced the most intense heat. Every state recorded temperatures at least 1 degree Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average, according to Russ Vose from NOAA.
During the Dust Bowl years, the heat was primarily concentrated in the Midwest, compounded by the agricultural practices of the time. In contrast, current high temperatures are attributed to the burning of coal, oil, and gas, as explained by scientists.
“Extremely high temperatures across the continental U.S. this summer, along with intense drought and fire conditions, are absolutely consistent with the climate change signal,” stated Katharine Jacobs, a climate scientist at the University of Arizona.
Nighttime lows played a significant role in this record-setting heat, breaking previous records for the hottest minimum temperatures by 0.7 degrees. This pattern aligns with human-caused climate change, documented in various scientific studies. NOAA bases its calculations on the average of 24-hour temperature readings.
Night temperatures are vital in assessing heat stress. Jeff Masters emphasized that when temperatures don’t drop at night, the human body struggles to cool down, potentially leading to health issues, including sleep loss and increased mortality.
The years 2021 and 1936 are tied for the hottest summers in the U.S., defined as the period from June through August. As of July 2026, temperatures have been slightly cooler than 2021, largely due to June’s extreme heat.
Masters added that climate change may mean that 2026 could be among the cooler years we will experience going forward. He stated the importance of reducing fossil fuel consumption and investing in adaptations to the changing climate.
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