--- title: "NOAA records hottest July in contiguous United States since 1895" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/climate/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/climate/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895" category: "Climate" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-10T18:05:32.330Z" source_reported: "2026-08-10T17:04:31.000Z" updated: "2026-08-10T18:05:32.330Z" trust_score: 74 critic_score: 77 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-10T18:00:16.275530+00:00" --- # NOAA records hottest July in contiguous United States since 1895 *Average temperature of 24.9°C in July 2026 surpassed the 1936 record by 0.1°C, with wildfires and drought intensifying across regions* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 74 of 100, higher is better. Trust 74: NOAA data cited, multiple independent outlets, specific figures with source. - Craft 77 of 100, higher is better. Critic 77: explains significance, separates facts, provides specific data, clear narrative. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15: measured language, no clickbait. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - NOAA confirmed July 2026 as the warmest month recorded in the contiguous United States since 1895, with an average temperature of 24.9°C. - The record surpassed the previous high set in 1936 by 0.1°C, with Wyoming experiencing the most extreme deviation at 2.8°C above normal. - Wildfires burned in the Pacific Northwest and Canada by the end of July, while 48% of the contiguous U.S. faced drought conditions. - No right-rated outlet among the eight surveyed reported the NOAA announcement, though left and centre outlets carried the story. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on 10 August 2026 that July 2026 was the warmest month ever recorded in the contiguous United States. The average temperature for the month reached 24.9°C, 1.8°C above the 20th-century average for July. NOAA’s records date back to 1895, and the previous record was set in 1936. The heat was most pronounced in the western United States. Wyoming recorded temperatures 2.8°C above normal, the highest deviation of any state. NOAA reported that 13 states had monthly average temperatures ranking in their top five warmest Julys, with no state recording near or below-average temperatures. By the end of July, large wildfires were burning in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, while 48% of the contiguous U.S. faced drought conditions. Globally, the trend mirrored the U.S. findings. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July period on record. An AFP analysis of Copernicus data found that regions home to 900 million people worldwide recorded their warmest July in 2026. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated outlets among the eight surveyed reported the NOAA announcement. The left and centre reports all carried the record temperature and the comparison to 1936, but only the left-rated reports included the global temperature context from Copernicus and the AFP analysis. The centre-rated digests omitted the drought figure of 48% of the contiguous U.S. and the specific impact on cities like Denver and Salt Lake City. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 50% (3) - Centre: 50% (3) - Right: 0% (0) 2 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-10T18:00:16.275530+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-10T19:00:13.201Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The three left-rated reports led on the record-breaking temperature and its connection to climate change. La Presse quoted NOAA’s announcement directly, noting that July 2026 surpassed the 1936 record and listing the top five warmest Julys as evidence of a long-term trend. The outlet also highlighted the global context, reporting that Western Europe had its hottest June-July period on record. - CNN’s full report, republished by Axios in its digest, detailed the role of heat domes and the jet stream in intensifying the heat. It quoted NOAA’s finding that 600 monthly temperature records were broken in July, compared to fewer than 50 cool-weather records. The report attributed the imbalance to climate change driven by fossil fuel use and noted that cities like Denver and Salt Lake City had their warmest Julys on record. - La Presse used the phrase "l’influence du changement climatique" to describe the pattern of rising temperatures, while CNN described climate change as making heat waves "more intense, longer-lasting and more likely to occur." Both outlets included the global temperature context, with La Presse citing AFP’s analysis of Copernicus data. ### Centre - The three centre-rated digests carried NOAA’s announcement and the record temperature of 24.9°C. KRDO’s full report, republished by KEYT and KESQ, led on the heat domes that drove the record, describing them as "long, intense" and linking them to the jet stream’s behaviour. The report noted that 13 states had top-five warmest Julys, with Wyoming recording its hottest month ever. - KRDO included the wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and Canada as a key detail, stating that they mirrored conditions in Europe. The report also mentioned the role of El Niño in elevating global temperatures but cited studies showing that climate change was the primary driver of the U.S. heat waves. The phrase "human-caused climate change" appeared in the report, attributing the trend to fossil fuel use. - The digests from KEYT and KESQ repeated KRDO’s framing, emphasising the heat domes and the record temperatures. None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the global temperature context or the AFP analysis of Copernicus data. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 6 - unknown: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [MARINE & OCÉANS](https://marine-oceans.com/actualites/juillet-a-ete-le-mois-le-plus-chaud-jamais-enregistre-aux-etats-unis-agence-gouvernementale) — July Was the Warmest Month Ever Recorded in the United States (Government Agency) - [La Presse](https://lapresse.ca/actualites/environnement/2026-08-10/etats-unis/juillet-a-ete-le-mois-le-plus-chaud-jamais-enregistre.php) — U.S.A. July Was the Warmest Month Ever Recorded - [Axios](https://axios.com/2026/08/10/july-2026-hottest-month) — The U.S. just had its hottest month on record - [Naftemporiki](https://naftemporiki.gr/kosmos/2148868/o-thermoteros-minas-stin-istoria-ton-ipa-o-fetinos-ioylios) — July Was the Hottest Month in US History - [KRDO](https://krdo.com/news/2026/08/10/july-was-the-hottest-month-in-the-us-since-records-began-in-1895) — July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 - [KEYT](https://keyt.com/news/national-world/cnn-other/2026/08/10/july-was-the-hottest-month-in-the-us-since-records-began-in-1895) — July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 - [KESQ](https://kesq.com/cnn-other/2026/08/10/july-was-the-hottest-month-in-the-us-since-records-began-in-1895) — July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 - [CNN](https://cnn.com/2026/08/10/climate/hottest-month-record-july-noaa) — July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895 ## Questions **How much hotter was July 2026 compared to the 20th-century average?** NOAA reported that July 2026 was 1.8°C warmer than the 20th-century average for the month in the contiguous United States. The average temperature reached 24.9°C, surpassing the previous record set in 1936 by 0.1°C. **Which U.S. state had the highest temperature deviation in July 2026?** Wyoming experienced the highest temperature deviation in July 2026, with temperatures 2.8°C above normal. The state recorded its hottest July and hottest month of any month on record, according to NOAA. **Did any outlets disagree on the July 2026 temperature record?** All outlets that reported the story agreed on NOAA’s announcement that July 2026 was the warmest month on record for the contiguous United States. No factual disagreements were reported among the left and centre outlets that covered the story. **Which side of the political spectrum did not report the NOAA announcement?** None of the right-rated outlets among the eight surveyed reported the NOAA announcement that July 2026 was the warmest month on record in the contiguous United States. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/climate/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "NOAA records hottest July in contiguous United States since 1895", https://mediabias.news/climate/noaa-records-hottest-july-in-contiguous-united-states-since-1895