US records hottest summer in 132 years

The United States has experienced its hottest summer since national weather records began, with record temperatures, drought and wildfire risks affecting large parts of the country.

The average temperature across the contiguous United States between June and August reached 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.4 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The figure was 1.7C (3F) above the 20th-century average and 0.2C (0.4F) higher than the previous record, set in both 1936 and 2021.

NOAA said no summer in its 132 years of weather records has been warmer.

August also set a national temperature record, with an average of 24.2C (75.6F).

The latest figures add to a growing pattern of unusually hot summers in the United States. Four of the country's five hottest summers have occurred within the past five years, reflecting the broader rise in global temperatures associated largely with human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

The previous record in 1936 occurred during the Dust Bowl, when severe heat and drought devastated large areas of the Great Plains. The crisis was intensified by farming practices that contributed to widespread soil erosion and environmental damage.

This year's extreme heat has also been accompanied by worsening drought conditions across much of the country.

By September 1, approximately 59 percent of the contiguous United States was experiencing drought, an increase of more than 10 percentage points in just one month.

Drought conditions deteriorated across sections of the Great Plains, Midwest and South. Texas and Oklahoma received less than 30 percent of their normal rainfall during August.

However, conditions varied significantly from region to region. Indiana and Ohio experienced their wettest Augusts on record, with rainfall reaching about twice their usual levels.

Forecasters are also warning that the unusual weather could continue.

The World Meteorological Organization has said a strengthening El Nino climate pattern could become one of the strongest events ever recorded and is expected to remain in place into early 2027.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo has warned that the developing event could exceed anything seen since modern monitoring began four decades ago.

El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern that can influence weather around the world. Scientists say it can also contribute to higher global temperatures when combined with the long-term warming trend caused by rising greenhouse gas emissions.

The current El Nino is expected to increase the likelihood of extreme heat, drought and flooding in different parts of the world.

For the United States, NOAA is forecasting warmer-than-average conditions across much of the country during September.

Several regions could also see drought conditions continue or intensify, while parts of the Northwest, Midwest and South face an increased risk of significant wildfires.

The record-breaking summer has underscored the growing challenges posed by extreme heat and increasingly volatile weather across the United States.