Americans Just Endured the Hottest Month in 132 Years
NOAA says July was the hottest month on record in the US, surpassing the Dust Bowl-era mark set in 1936.
The United States experienced its hottest month ever recorded in July, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The average temperature in the US mainland during July was 76.9°F (24.9°C), which is about three degrees higher than the 20th-century average. This shattered the previous record set in July 1936 during the Dust Bowl by just 0.1°F.
Climate scientist Andrew Pershing of Climate Central explained that this heat is consistent with what we can expect from a warming planet. In a few years, what was once considered a hot July will feel like a mild July.
The extreme heat in the US was caused by weeks of scorching temperatures, including a heat dome that formed during the July 4 holiday and followed by heat warnings throughout the month. Europe is currently enduring its fifth major heat wave of the year, a trend driven by climate change. Researchers have found that human-induced climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense. In fact, 43 cities had a week or more where global warming made those temperatures at least twice as likely to occur.
Last month's average daytime temperatures reached an impressive 89.5°F, while overnight lows were also the hottest ever recorded at 64.2°F. The southern and central regions of the US are expected to see higher-than-average temperatures in August, with greater than 50% odds for parts of coastal California and the southern Plains. Experts warn that the combination of heat domes, El Niño, and climate change could potentially lead to more heat records being broken before the year is over.
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