Unprecedented Heat: US Records Hottest Summer in 132 Years Amid Widespread Drought

The United States recently experienced its hottest summer on record, as extreme heat and drought severely impacted large regions of the country. According to an announcement made on Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature across the contiguous US from June through August reached 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

This figure marked 1.7C (3F) above the 20th-century average and surpassed the previous record—set in both 1936 and 2021—by 0.2C (0.4F). Across 132 years of weather record-keeping by NOAA, no summer period has registered higher temperatures. Furthermore, August stood out as the hottest August on record, averaging 24.2C (75.6F).

NOAA notes that record-breaking heat has grown increasingly common, with four of the five hottest US summers occurring in the past five years. This pattern is part of a broader warming trend largely driven by the burning of fossil fuels. By comparison, the historic 1936 record coincided with the peak of the Dust Bowl across the Great Plains.

Severe dryness accompanied the summer heat. By September 1, approximately 59 percent of the contiguous US faced drought conditions, marking a more than 10-percentage-point increase within a month. Conditions worsened significantly across parts of the Great Plains, Midwest and South regions, with Texas and Oklahoma recording less than 30 percent of their usual August rainfall. Conversely, states such as Indiana and Ohio experienced their wettest August on record, receiving roughly double their typical rainfall.

The extreme weather may continue. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that a strengthening El Nino weather phenomenon could develop into one of the most intense on record, persisting into early 2027. WMO chief Celeste Saulo noted that the trajectory could exceed monitoring levels from the past four decades. While El Nino is a natural climate pattern, scientists emphasize that it elevates global temperatures on a planet already warming from fossil fuel emissions, potentially bringing further heat, drought, and flooding worldwide. Looking ahead, NOAA anticipates a warmer-than-usual September for much of the US, with persistent drought and elevated wildfire risks expected in parts of the Northwest, Midwest and South.