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Environment & Climate

United States experiences its hottest summer in 132 years of tracking

NOAA reports average summer temperatures reached 74.4 degrees Fahrenheit alongside expanding nationwide drought.

Updated Sep 9, 2026 · 20:47 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • The contiguous United States logged its warmest meteorological summer in 132 years, averaging 74.4 degrees Fahrenheit from June through August.[Al Jazeera · CBS News]
  • August also set a new temperature record at 75.6 degrees Fahrenheit, while states including Indiana and Ohio saw their wettest August on record.[Al Jazeera]
  • Drought expanded rapidly across the country, covering roughly 59 percent of the contiguous United States by September 1.[Al Jazeera · CBS News]
  • The World Meteorological Organization warned that a strengthening El Niño pattern could become one of the most intense on record and last into early 2027.[Al Jazeera]

Key facts

  • The United States recorded its warmest summer since record-keeping began 132 years ago, averaging 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.4 degrees Fahrenheit) from June through August.[Al Jazeera · CBS News]
  • August set a new monthly heat record with an average contiguous temperature of 24.2 degrees Celsius (75.6 degrees Fahrenheit).[Al Jazeera]
  • According to NOAA, four of the five warmest summers in United States history have taken place over the past five years.[Al Jazeera]
  • By September 1, approximately 59 percent of the contiguous United States was experiencing drought.[Al Jazeera · CBS News]
  • Precipitation varied widely across regions, with Indiana and Ohio recording their wettest August on record.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • The potential peak intensity of the current El Niño system and the full extent to which it will elevate temperatures into early 2027 remain unconfirmed projections by the WMO.[Al Jazeera]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.