U.S. Breaks 130-Year Heat Record, Setting Historic Mark

July 2026 was recorded as the hottest month in the meteorological observation history of the contiguous 48 U.S. states on record . The average temperature reached 24.94 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in July 1936. The Associated Press reported this.

According to the data, the average temperature across the contiguous 48 states in July reached 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit, or 24.94 degrees Celsius. Systematic meteorological records have been maintained in the United States since 1895.

Interestingly, although Alaska experienced slightly cooler-than-usual weather, July was hotter than normal in all 48 contiguous states. The highest temperatures were recorded in the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains and Southeast.

In addition, the average July temperature in each of the 48 states was at least 1 degree Fahrenheit, or nearly 0.6 degrees Celsius, above the 20th-century average.

Nights were also warmer than usual

Experts say that one of the main reasons for the record heat was elevated nighttime temperatures . In other words, temperatures were above normal not only during the day but also at night, and July set a record for the highest minimum nighttime temperatures as well.

According to Yale climate scientist Jeff Masters, the heat observed in July 2026 exceeded even the record levels recorded during the 1930s Dust Bowl era.

The expert considers this phenomenon one of the serious problems linked to climate change. Record temperatures show that long-term climate changes are becoming increasingly evident in the United States.