The latest data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on August 10 revealed that the average temperature in the United States in July 2026 reached 76.9℉ (24.9℃), which is 3.3℉ (1.8℃) higher than the 20th-century average, making it the hottest month in the contiguous United States since records began in 1895.
According to data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the average temperature in the contiguous United States in July 2026 was 76.9℉ (24.9℃), excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and overseas territories. This not only marked the hottest July in the 132-year record but also the highest average temperature for a month in the contiguous United States, surpassing the previous record holders – July 1936 and 2012 – by around 0.1℉ to 0.2℉ (approximately 0.06℃ to 0.11℃).
In July, high temperatures were observed across all regions of the contiguous United States, with not a single state experiencing a monthly average temperature close to or below normal levels.
Temperatures in all states of the contiguous United States were at least 1℉ (0.6℃) higher than the 20th-century average, with 13 states ranking among the top 5 for the highest July temperatures on record.
Wyoming stood out particularly, with temperatures in July soaring 5.1℉ (2.8℃) above the average, setting a new record for the hottest July in the state and becoming the hottest month ever recorded in Wyoming, surpassing the previous record set in July 2007 by 0.9℉ (0.5℃).
Alaska, on the other hand, showed a stark contrast. The average temperature in Alaska in July was 51.8℉ (11℃), which was 0.9℉ (0.5℃) lower than the average from 1925 to 2000, marking the coldest July since 2008.
One notable feature of this heatwave, as per NOAA’s data, was the minimal cooling during the night.
In July, the average daytime high temperature in the contiguous United States was 89.5℉ (31.9℃), which was 2.9℉ (1.6℃) above normal levels, ranking as the sixth highest historically for that period.
In contrast, the average nighttime low temperature reached 64.2℉ (17.9℃), which was 3.7℉ (2.1℃) above normal levels and set a new record for the highest average low temperature ever recorded, surpassing the previous record set in July 2022 by 0.7℉ (0.4℃).
The overall heat was coupled with below-average rainfall. In July, the average precipitation in the contiguous United States was 2.55 inches, which was 0.23 inches below the 20th-century average.
However, there were significant regional disparities. Some areas in the western and southwestern United States, the central plains, Texas, and the mid-Atlantic region experienced above-average rainfall, with flash floods occurring in the Texas hill country and eastern New York.
As of August 4, data from the U.S. Drought Monitor showed that about 48.5% of the contiguous United States was experiencing drought conditions, an increase of approximately 0.7 percentage points since the end of June. Drought conditions persisted mainly in the inland west, southwest, and Rocky Mountains, expanding or intensifying in parts of the Pacific Northwest, northern and southern plains, central-west, and northeast.
NOAA predicts that in August, there is still a high likelihood of above-average temperatures in most of the central and southern regions of the United States, with a probability exceeding 50% of higher-than-average temperatures in coastal areas of California and the southern plains.