The contiguous United States experienced its hottest month ever recorded in July 2026. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average temperature was 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit, shattering all previous monthly records stretching back over 132 years. This average was 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the 20th century average for the contiguous United States.
The month began with a heatwave gripping much of the densely populated eastern U.S. While Alaska remained unusually cool, above-average warmth blanketed the Lower 48, with the most excessive heat concentrated in the Southeast, Northern Plains, Southwest, and Mountain West. This record eclipsed the heat of the Dust Bowl's July 1936 by an eighth of a degree.
Scientists indicated that the elevated heat was being amplified by the human-caused climate crisis. A significant driver was the increase in nighttime lows, which smashed previous records by 0.7 degrees, a trend identified as a classic sign of human-caused climate change. Additionally, there are indications that temperatures could be further exceeded in 2027 due to delayed effects from the El Niño phenomenon.