Contiguous U.S. Registers Hottest July on Record, NOAA Reports

Why it matters locally: South Carolina's key industries, particularly those reliant on agriculture and tourism, could face significant challenges from prolonged periods of extreme heat, impacting crop yields and visitor comfort. Increased energy demands for cooling could also strain the state's power grid.

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The contiguous United States recorded its warmest July ever, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced. This marks a new temperature record for the month across the lower 48 states. NOAA, the federal agency responsible for monitoring climate and weather patterns, compiled the data that established this new benchmark. The agency's analysis focused on temperature readings collected throughout July across the 48 adjacent states. This specific finding identifies July as the hottest month on record for the defined geographic area. NOAA officials confirmed the new high for this period.