{
  "id": 489390,
  "title": "Contiguous US breaks its record for hottest month ever, NOAA says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/contiguous-us-breaks-its-record-for-hottest-month-ever-noaa-says",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-10T17:50:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/greenpage/2026/08/10/contiguous-us-breaks-its-record-for-hottest-month-ever-noaa-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The contiguous United States shattered its record for the hottest month ever in July, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The average temperature across the Lower 48 states last month reached 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius), surpassing the Dust Bowl's July 1936 record by a tenth of a degree. Although Alaska experienced unusually cool conditions, the Lower 48 states were dominated by excessive heat, with the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains, and Southeast bearing the brunt of the intense temperatures. Nighttime lows played a significant role in the heatwave, with the previous record for the hottest minimums set during the Dust Bowl being surpassed by 0.7 degrees. Scientists attribute the extreme nighttime temperatures to human-induced climate change.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "July 2023 set record for hottest month in contiguous US",
    "NOAA reports average temperature 76.89°F (24.94°C)",
    "Climate change attributed to extreme nighttime temperatures"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/489390.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Contiguous US breaks its record for hottest month ever, NOAA says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/contiguous-us-breaks-its-record-for-hottest-month-ever-noaa-says-493366",
        "published": "2026-08-10T17:53:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Contiguous U.S. breaks its record for hottest month ever, NOAA says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/contiguous-u-s-breaks-its-record-for-hottest-month-ever-noaa-says",
        "published": "2026-08-10T19:53:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "July was hottest month on record in contiguous US: NOAA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/july-was-hottest-month-on-record-in-contiguous-us-noaa",
        "published": "2026-08-10T20:48:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}