Contiguous U.S. logged hottest month ever in July at 76.9 F
Why it matters: NOAA said overnight lows shattered the previous record, a pattern scientists link to human-caused climate change.
The contiguous United States recorded its hottest month ever in July, with an average temperature of 76.9 degrees Fahrenheit across the Lower 48, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The mark broke the previous record set in July 1936 during the Dust Bowl era. NOAA said heat was widespread across the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains and Southeast, while Alaska was unusually cool. The agency said nighttime low temperatures drove much of the record, exceeding the previous hottest minimums by 0.7 degrees. Scientists say hotter nights are a hallmark of human-caused climate change because they reduce recovery time for people and agriculture after extreme daytime heat.