Key facts
- The contiguous United States recorded its hottest month ever in July.
- July's average temperature across the Lower 48 states was 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit.
- This temperature surpassed the previous record set in July 1936.
- Nighttime low temperatures broke the previous record by 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Scientists link the extreme heat to human-caused climate change.
The contiguous United States experienced its hottest month on record in July, with an average temperature of 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius). This figure surpassed the previous record set in July 1936 by a narrow margin. The extreme heat was particularly pronounced in the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains, and Southeast.
Nighttime temperatures, crucial for recovery from daytime heat for both people and agriculture, smashed the old record for hottest minimums by 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists widely attribute hotter nights and prolonged heat waves to human-caused climate change, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels.
July's average temperature was 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average. While an intensifying El Niño event in the Pacific may have contributed to global temperatures, studies suggest individual heat waves were more strongly linked to climate change and natural weather system variability. Wildfires raged in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, mirroring similar conditions in Europe, which was also experiencing its hottest summer on record.
Wyoming recorded its hottest July and hottest month overall on record. Many other states also experienced Julys ranking in their top five warmest. The data from NOAA dates back to 1895.