US records hottest month ever as July heat shatters 132-year-old record
The United States experienced its hottest July on record, surpassing the previous high set during the 1936 Dust Bowl era. Driven by heat domes and rising overnight temperatures, the extreme weather has been linked by scientists to human-induced climate change.
Why it matters
The record-breaking heat highlights the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related events, which are causing significant public health risks and economic strain on households.
The United States has recorded its hottest month in more than a century of official temperature records. July’s average temperature was 76.89F (24.94C) across the Lower 48 states, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Lower 48 refers to all US states except Alaska and Hawaii.The average was 3.3F (1.8C) above the 20th-century average and narrowly surpassed the previous record set in July 1936, when severe drought and extreme heat devastated large parts of the country.The record came after weeks of intense heatwaves, prolonged periods of extreme temperatures and widespread wildfires. Scientists say the severity of the heat is consistent with the effects of human-driven climate change, which is making extreme heat more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense. Heat domes push temperatures to record levelsThree major heat dome events developed across the US during July, trapping hot air over large areas beneath slow-moving high-pressure systems.
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