NOAA: July 2012 Hottest Month on Record for Contiguous United States
Posted on August 8, 2012
NOAA reports that July 2012 was the hottest month on record for the contiguous United States. The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average. The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936 - during the Dust Bowl era - when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F.
NOAA says the warm July contributed to a record-warm first seven months of the year and the warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since record keeping began in 1895.
The record heat also helped the drought expand to cover nearly 63% of the lower 48. Wildfires consumed 2 million acres during July 2012. The heat and drought resulted in mass fish deaths in many lakes and rivers. You can see a list of some July 2012 records here.
The map below shows July 2012 Statewide Ranks with a 1 being the coldest month and 118 being the warmest month on record. Virginia had its warmest July on record. 32 states had July temperatures among its ten warmest, with seven states having their second warmest July on record.