Climate & Environment
Contiguous US had hottest month on record, NOAA says
July 2026 was the hottest month on record for the contiguous United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday.
NOAA said the average temperature across the 48 states, excluding Alaska, Hawaii and overseas territories, was 76.9F, or 24.9C. That made July 2026 both the warmest July and the warmest month of any kind in the agency's 132-year record.
The temperature was 3.3F above the 20th-century average and edged past the previous record, July 1936, which averaged 76.8F.
NOAA said above-average temperatures were recorded across the interior West, Southwest, Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest, as well as parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeast. Wyoming had its warmest July and warmest month on record, with temperatures 5.1F above average and 0.9F warmer than its previous July record in 2007.
Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group said the hot and humid conditions during an eastern US heat wave at the start of July would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change.
AFP said its analysis of European Union Copernicus data found that regions home to around 900 million people, including the Sahel, Central America, France and Spain, also had their hottest July on record in 2026.
The naturally occurring El Nino climate pattern began in June and is expected to peak later this year. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that a strengthening El Nino could add to already rising global temperatures.
Update
NOAA said above-average temperatures affected the interior West, Southwest, Rockies, northern Plains, Upper Midwest and parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
Wyoming recorded its warmest July and warmest month on record.
World Weather Attribution scientists said the eastern US heat wave's hot and humid conditions would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.
The item said El Nino was thought to have influenced a weeks-long heat dome in northwestern states.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that strengthening El Nino could push the world into uncharted territory.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 August 2026 at 17:48:41 UTC.
Update
NOAA said July 2026 was 3.3F above the 20th-century average for the contiguous United States.
The previous hottest month record was July 1936, at 76.8F.
Other top-five warmest months in the NOAA record include July 2006, July 2012 and July 2022.
AFP analysis of Copernicus data found regions home to about 900 million people had their hottest July on record in 2026.
The source says the El Nino climate pattern began in June and is expected to peak later this year.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 August 2026 at 16:56:35 UTC.
Update
NOAA said the average July temperature for the contiguous United States was 76.9F, or 24.9C.
NOAA said the record covered the 48 states excluding Alaska, Hawaii and overseas territories.
NOAA said July 2026 was both the warmest July and the warmest month in a 132-year record.
Source note: AFP news report published on 10 August 2026 at 16:24:28 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The role of El Nino in specific July heat events is described as an assessment rather than a quantified cause.
Future global temperature rankings for 2026 and 2027 remain forecasts.
Source
AFP news report published on .