[REVISION HISTORY]

Extreme heat and drought records in US and globally

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2026-09-22 00:14 UTC → 2026-09-23 23:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The United States and global regions have experienced unprecedented temperature extremes. In July 2026, the contiguous United States recorded its hottest July since 1895, with an average temperature of 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit (24.94 degrees Celsius). Globally, July 2026 was the second warmest July on record, with surface air temperatures 1.47°C above the pre-industrial baseline. In Colorado, the extreme heat and drought intensified throughout the summer of 2026. By ~~late August,~~ September, the state was approximately 2 degrees warmer than the previous hottest water year (1934) and more than 4 degrees warmer than the 1991–2020 average. The first ten months of the water year included three of the hottest months on record, with July being the second-warmest month statewide. By September, Colorado recorded its hottest summer since ~~1895. The average temperature for~~ 1895, with June, July, and August ~~reached~~ averaging 69.4 ~~degrees,~~ degrees compared to a typical ~~average of~~ 64.5 degrees. August was identified as the hottest month in the state’s history, averaging 70.6 degrees. This heatwave caused significant environmental impacts, including the drying of ponds and lakes, leading to water level closures and wildlife entering residential areas in search of resources. State Climatologist Russ Schumacher reported that the 2026 water year, which began on October 1, 2025, has set new temperature records for December, February, March, August, winter, spring, and summer statewide. Through the end of August, statewide temperatures were 5.6 degrees warmer than the late 20th-century average, surpassing the previous record set during the 1934 water year. On the Western Slope, most heat records have been matched, with December and February ranking as the second and third warmest on record, respectively. Schumacher noted that the year is expected to be the warmest water year by a significant margin. September was also projected to be the warmest on record, with temperatures averaging 4 to 6 degrees above normal. Nationally, the United States summer average rose by 3 degrees to 74.4 degrees, marking the hottest summer since records began in 1895. Colorado experienced the third-highest temperature jump in the nation, following New Mexico and Utah. ~~These trends are attributed by scientists to long-term warming, atmospheric patterns like El Niño, and human-caused climate change.~~

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