US records hottest month ever as July heat shatters 132-year record

The Story in Brief

The United States recorded its hottest month in 132 years of official records, with a July average temperature of 76.89°F (24.94°C) across the Lower 48 states, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. The figure was 3.3°F (1.8°C) above the 20th-century average and narrowly surpassed the previous record set in July 1936 during the Dust Bowl. Three major heat dome events cooked the West, Rockies, Midwest, Gulf Coast and Southeast, pushing every state at least 1°F above normal. Wyoming saw its hottest month ever at 5.1°F above average. Unusually warm nights, 0.7°F above the old record, were a key factor, raising health risks because the body cannot cool down.

The heat coincided with widespread wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. An AP-NORC poll found nearly half of Americans said higher electricity bills from air conditioning hurt their finances; two-thirds changed outdoor activities. Scientists said the heat is consistent with climate change from burning coal, oil and gas.