[INTERNATIONAL] · United States, France, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom · 60 sources

started about 2 months ago · updated about 2 months ago

Part of situation: Extreme heat and drought records in US and globally (5 clusters)

Global heat records broken in July 2026 with extreme temperatures in US and Europe

extreme heat climate change ocean warming drought weather records

Global climate data from the World Meteorological Organization and Copernicus indicate that July 2026 was the second warmest July on record worldwide. Average surface air temperatures were 1.47°C above the estimated pre-industrial baseline.

In the United States, the contiguous 48 states recorded their hottest July since measurements began in 1895, with an average temperature of 24.9°C (76.9°F). This surpassed the previous records set in 1936 and 2012. The heat was widespread, with every state recording temperatures at least 1 degree above their 20th-century average, and approximately 48% of the country facing drought conditions.

Western Europe also experienced extreme conditions, with the June–July period marking its hottest on record. Countries including France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom faced intense heatwaves, low soil moisture, and reduced river levels in the Seine, Rhine, and Danube.

Oceanic temperatures reached record highs for the month, with the extratropical ocean average hitting 20.96°C. The Mediterranean Sea is currently under an extreme category 4 marine heatwave. These global trends are attributed to long-term warming and atmospheric patterns like El Niño.

Entities

Alaska · Climate Central · Copernicus · Copernicus Climate Change Service · Katharine Jacobs · Mediterranean Sea · NOAA · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · Russ Vose · Sahel · United States · Western Europe

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 19 SOURCES] The average temperature for the Lower 48 states in July 2026 was 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius). www.kob.com · kstp.com · yaleclimateconnections.org · lan103fm.com · www.supertalk.fm · +13 more
[● 24 SOURCES] The July 2026 temperature eclipsed the previous record set in July 1936 by approximately 0.1 to 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit. antiguanewsroom.com · yaleclimateconnections.org · lan103fm.com · thesource.com · kioncentralcoast.com · +19 more
[● 12 SOURCES] Wyoming experienced its hottest July and hottest month on record. antiguanewsroom.com · lan103fm.com · metsul.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · kioncentralcoast.com · +7 more
[● 9 SOURCES] Nighttime lows smashed the previous record for hottest minimum temperatures by 0.7 degrees. www.kob.com · kstp.com · usa.inquirer.net · internewscast.com · www.epochtimes.com · +3 more
[● 5 SOURCES] Approximately 48% of the contiguous United States was affected by drought. www.businessdaily.gr · www.ertnews.gr · elcomercio.pe · www.epochtimes.com · www.brasilemfolhas.com.br
[● 28 SOURCES] July 2026 was the hottest month on record for the contiguous United States since measurements began in 1895. www.businessdaily.gr · antiguanewsroom.com · www.ertnews.gr · www.kob.com · kstp.com · +22 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Average surface air temperatures were 1.47°C above the estimated pre-industrial baseline. www.telesurtv.net · www.globaldiasporanews.com · thanhnien.vn · toulouse7.com · qudsnet.com · +3 more
[● 3 SOURCES] Record heat in July affected regions inhabited by approximately 900 million people. www.brasilemfolhas.com.br · udgtv.com · entrevue.fr
[● 7 SOURCES] July 2026 was the second warmest July on record globally. www.telesurtv.net · www.globaldiasporanews.com · thanhnien.vn · toulouse7.com · qudsnet.com · +2 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Western Europe experienced its hottest June–July period on record. www.telesurtv.net · www.globaldiasporanews.com · toulouse7.com · www.babnet.net · entrevue.fr · +3 more
[● 3 SOURCES] Extreme heat was caused by long-term warming combined with alternating high and low pressure systems in the Northern Hemisphere. www.telesurtv.net · toulouse7.com · qudsnet.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The El Niño phenomenon is established in the Pacific and is expected to increase global temperatures. toulouse7.com