July was the hottest month in U.S. history, federal scientists announced Wednesday, eclipsing the record set during the heart of the Dust Bowl in 1936.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average temperature for the contiguous United States in July was 77.6 degrees, which is 3.3 degrees above the 20th century average, marking the hottest July and the hottest month on record for the nation.
The previous warmest month on record was July 1936, when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
