Contiguous US records hottest month ever as July 2026 averages 76.89°F

Record-breaking heat

July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in the contiguous United States, with an average temperature of 76.89°F (24.94°C) across the Lower 48 states, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on August 10. The figure eclipsed the previous record set in July 1936, during the Dust Bowl, by an eighth of a degree. July 1936 had averaged 76.77°F. The new record makes July 2026 both the warmest July and the warmest month of any kind in NOAA's 132-year record, which dates back to 1895.

The average was 3.3°F (1.8°C) higher than the 20th-century average for the contiguous US, which excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Above-average temperatures covered the entire contiguous US, with all states ranking in the warmest third of their July temperature records and none ranking near or below average, NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information said in its monthly report.

Heat domes and regional extremes

July featured three separate heat dome events, where slow-moving high pressure systems trapped soaring temperatures over regions. Extreme heat struck much of the US West, the Rockies, Upper Midwest, the Gulf Coast, and Southeast. Wyoming recorded its hottest July ever, with temperatures 5.1°F (2.8°C) above average and 0.9°F warmer than its previous July record set in 2007.

The other top five warmest months on record nationally are July 2012, July 2006, and July 2022. The record for maximum daily temperatures remains July 2024. July 2026 began with a heat wave gripping the densely populated eastern United States, coinciding with the country's 250th anniversary celebrations and the soccer World Cup's later stages.

Climate drivers and attribution

Scientists from the World Weather Attribution group released an analysis showing that the hot and humid conditions characterizing the eastern heat spell would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change. Heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil, and gas are driving up global temperatures and fueling deadly heatwaves that have roiled both the US and Europe, which is experiencing its hottest summer on record.

The naturally occurring El Niño climate pattern, which began in June and is expected to peak later this year, also influenced a weeks-long heat dome in northwestern states. Record-warm sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific shifted where tropical storms form and release energy, distorting the jet stream over the western US and allowing hot air to remain trapped.

Wildfires and public impact

Parts of the US were blanketed in wildfire smoke during July, with large blazes engulfing forests in Canada and the US Pacific Northwest. Hot and windy conditions brought elevated wildfire danger across much of the western US, which was already experiencing abnormally dry to drought conditions.

Polling released by AP-NORC last week showed the heat has taken a toll on Americans. Nearly half of respondents said the impact on their electricity bills, which rose even as people used air conditioning to cool down, was "major." About 40% said the heat had altered their travel plans, and roughly two-thirds reported having their flights affected.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is calling for an elevated chance of above-average temperatures for most of the continental US through August.