July 2026 has been confirmed as the hottest month ever recorded in the US, with repeated heatwaves contributing to new temperature records over 132 years of reliable measurements. New data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) indicates that last month's average temperature was 1.8C higher than the 20th-century average for the contiguous United States, which excludes Alaska and Hawaii.
This makes July 2026 the hottest July and the hottest of all months in records dating back to 1895, surpassing previous highs set in July 1936 and July 2012. The US experienced three separate heat dome events during July, with extreme heat affecting areas including the US west, the Rockies, upper midwest, the Gulf of Mexico coast, and the south-east. Wyoming recorded its hottest ever July, with temperatures 2.8C above average.
Scientists have stated that the elevated heat and extensive fires are being significantly amplified by the human-caused climate crisis, driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Heat-trapping gases are increasing global temperatures and contributing to heatwaves in the US and Europe, which is experiencing its hottest summer on record.