August Sets Global Temperature Record

Why it matters locally: South Dakota's agricultural sector and natural resources are particularly vulnerable to sustained temperature increases and extreme weather events that accompany global warming trends, potentially impacting crop yields and water availability.

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August recorded the highest global average temperatures ever measured, according to scientific assessments. This development follows a summer during which temperatures in the United States also surpassed historical records. Researchers documented August's global average temperature as the highest on record. Simultaneously, summer temperatures across the United States exceeded all prior measurements.