national
NOAA Reports Summer 2026 Recorded as Hottest in United States History
Just the facts
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed that the contiguous United States recorded an average temperature of 74.4 degrees Fahrenheit from June through August 2026. The seasonal temperature was 3 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average and 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the previous records established in 1936 and 2021. NOAA also confirmed that August 2026 was the warmest August on record, with drought conditions expanding across 59 percent of the contiguous United States by September 1.
Why this is news
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published data indicating that the contiguous United States experienced its hottest summer on record in 132 years of data collection. The record was driven by elevated average temperatures during June, July, and August.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.