At a glance
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced July 2026 set a new temperature record for the lower 48 states. The average reached 76.89 degrees, beating the 1936 benchmark.
NOAA confirmed that July 2026 set a new temperature record for the lower 48 states, with an average of 76.89 degrees, surpassing the previous record from 1936. The record wasn't just by a fraction — it was a clear margin, indicating sustained heat across most of the country.
Consecutive record months are becoming routine rather than exceptional. Each new record makes the trend harder to dismiss as noise. What matters operationally is that record heat drives up electricity demand, strains the grid, and creates conditions for wildfires and drought. The infrastructure built for the previous climate baseline isn't sized for the new one.
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