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July Shatters Heat Records Across US
11 Aug
Summary
- The contiguous U.S. experienced its hottest July ever recorded.
- Extreme weather events like heat waves and floods occurred nationwide.
- Multiple sites across western states set all-time high temperature records.
July 2026 marked a historic milestone as the contiguous United States experienced its hottest July ever recorded. Average temperatures across the nation reached 76.9 degrees, a staggering 3.3 degrees above the 20th-century average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This record-breaking heat was accompanied by a relentless series of extreme weather events. Widespread drought affected approximately 40% of the U.S. and Puerto Rico, while other regions grappled with destructive flash flooding from intense rainfall. Meanwhile, heat waves baked nearly every part of the country, leading to multiple all-time high temperature records being set in western states.
Beyond the U.S., global climate patterns mirrored these extremes. Western Europe recorded its hottest June-July period, and average sea surface temperatures in extrapolar oceans reached July highs. These findings align with a separate report indicating that greenhouse gas concentrations and ocean heat content hit record levels in 2025.
