July was the hottest month in U.S. observation history
July 2026 became the hottest month in the history of meteorological observations in the continental United States. A new temperature record was confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The observation data spans 132 years.
The average temperature in the 48 contiguous states was 76.9 degrees Fahrenheit — about 24.9°C. That is more than 3 degrees Fahrenheit, or roughly 1.8°C, above the 20th-century average. July 2026 slightly surpassed the previous historical highs recorded in July 1936 during the Dust Bowl and in July 2012.
The heat covered almost the entire country. Each of the 48 continental states ranked at least in the upper third of its historical temperature record for July. A particularly severe deviation was recorded in Wyoming, where the average temperature was 5.1 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2.8°C) above normal.
The average maximum daily temperature for the country approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32°C. Meanwhile, one of the most notable features of the month was very warm nights: temperatures did not drop significantly after sunset, which increases the strain on the body during prolonged heat waves.
Extreme temperatures were accompanied by other weather events. Despite an overall relatively dry month, some areas experienced heavy downpours and flash floods, including in Texas and New York. The heat also contributed to the expansion of dry areas: as of August 4, about 48.5% of the continental U.S. was under drought conditions.
The record applies specifically to the continental states and does not include Alaska and Hawaii. In Alaska, conversely, July was the coolest since 2008, while in Hawaii temperatures generally remained near normal.
The new record extends an extremely hot summer in the U.S. High temperatures have already led to heatstroke risk warnings, increased the strain on the power grid, and complicated the holding of mass events.
