United States records warmest eight-month start to a year since 1895

The short version

• The contiguous U.S. recorded its warmest January-through-August period since records began in 1895, averaging 57.98 degrees Fahrenheit.[Scientific American]
• Climatologists estimate roughly an 80 percent probability that 2026 will replace 2024 as the hottest year on record in the U.S.[Scientific American]
• NOAA forecasters project above-normal autumn and winter temperatures across much of the continental U.S., though the agency cautions that a record is not guaranteed.[Scientific American]
• Scientists warn that a developing Super El Niño in the Pacific could drive even higher global temperatures in 2027.[Scientific American]

Key facts

• The contiguous U.S. average temperature from January through August 2026 reached 57.98 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the previous record set in 2012 by 0.08 degrees.[Scientific American]
• The existing U.S. annual heat record was established in 2024 at an average temperature of 55.48 degrees Fahrenheit.[Scientific American]
• NOAA forecasts indicate above-normal temperatures across large parts of the continental U.S. from October through December 2026.[Scientific American]

Sources

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

• 2026 has been a record hot year for the U.S.—it can only get worseScientific American metered