'Alarm bells ringing': US summer heat shatters record

The contiguous United States has experienced its hottest summer on record, with an average temperature of 23.6C during the June-to-August period, surpassing the previous record set in 1936 and 2021 by 0.4F, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This alarming trend, driven by human-caused climate change, has seen four of the hottest summers in the past five years, with 2022 and 2024 ranking fourth and fifth respectively.

The warmest August on record was also marked by drought conditions, as nearly 60 percent of the contiguous US was affected by drought by September 1, including Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir, which dropped to its lowest level on record. Scientists warn that these record-breaking heatwaves are a clear indication of the dire impacts of climate change, and urge urgent action to mitigate its effects.

Brief written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.