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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that July marked the warmest month ever recorded across the contiguous United States, with temperatures averaging 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit across the Lower 48 states. The measurement narrowly surpassed the previous record set during July 1936 in the Dust Bowl era, exceeding that benchmark by just one-eighth of a degree.
Excessive heat conditions dominated much of the nation last month, with the most intense temperatures concentrated in the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains and Southeast regions. Alaska experienced unusually cool weather during the same period, providing a stark contrast to conditions elsewhere across the country.
Scientists identified nighttime temperatures as the primary factor driving the record heat. Overnight lows shattered the previous record for highest minimum temperatures by 0.7 degrees, according to NOAA data, a metric critical for allowing people and crops to recover from daytime heat stress.
Rising nighttime temperatures are a well-documented indicator of human-caused climate change, researchers say. The phenomenon has become increasingly pronounced as global warming continues to reshape weather patterns across North America.
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