If it felt like this summer was relentless and never ending, it's true! A new report from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) compiled data from June-August 2026 and found that it was the Warmest meteorological summer on record for the contiguous U.S. It was also a record-setting warm August for the entire globe and its oceans. The current El Niño pattern helped drive ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific to extreme levels and has all but shut down the Atlantic hurricane season so far.

CREDIT: NOAA/NCEI

UNITED STATES Key Takeaways:

• Warmest summer on record: The average temperature for meteorological summer (June–August) 2026 was the warmest for the contiguous United States (CONUS) in the 132-year record, exceeding the previous records, set in 1936 and 2021, by 0.4°F.

• Warmest August on record: August 2026 averaged 75.6°F, the warmest August on record (1895–present) for the CONUS. Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 88.6°F across the CONUS, which was also the warmest on record.

• August precipitation contrasts: While portions of the Midwest and Ohio Valley regions recorded much-above-average August precipitation totals, large areas of the southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley received much-below-average precipitation.

• Hawaiʻi exceptionally wet: Hurricane Lala brought heavy rainfall to Hawaiʻi, contributing to its second-wettest August on record (1991–present). Year-to-date precipitation averaged across the island chain was more than three feet above the 1991–2020 average (91.7% above normal), making it the wettest January–August period on record.

• Drought expanded: Drought covered 59.1% of the CONUS on September 1, an increase of more than 10 percentage points from early August.

Other Highlights:

Temperature

The average temperature for the CONUS in August was 75.6°F, 3.5°F above the 20th-century average, while the average for meteorological summer (June–August) was 74.4°F, 3.0°F above average. Both August and summer were the warmest in the 132-year record. 

August 2026 U.S. Mean Temperature Percentiles Map.

Most of the CONUS experienced above- to much-above-average August temperatures, with near-average conditions confined to parts of the northern Plains and Midwest. Record-breaking warmth was widespread across the West, Southwest, southern Rockies and southwestern Plains, as well as the southern Florida Peninsula. California, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado each set records for their warmest August average temperature. California and New Mexico also recorded their warmest average daytime maximum temperatures on record, while average nighttime minimum temperatures were record warm in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado.

Summer saw widespread above-average temperatures. Much-above-average nighttime minimum temperatures spanned most of the CONUS, while average daytime maximum temperatures remained near average across much of the Midwest, Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Record-breaking heat extended across much of the Southwest, with Arizona (tied), New Mexico, Utah and Colorado each recording their warmest summer on record.

Alaska’s average temperature during August was 52.4°F, 2.9°F above the 1925–2000 average, ranking in the warmest third of the 102-year record. Alaska’s June–August average temperature was 51.6°F, 1.1°F above average and ranking in the warmest third of the record.

Hawaiʻi’s average temperature during August was 70.8°F, 1.4°F above the 1991–2020 average, ranking as the third-warmest August in the 36-year record. Hawaiʻi’s June–August average temperature was 69.4°F, 0.8°F above average and ranking in the warmest third of the record.

Precipitation

Total precipitation averaged across the CONUS in August was 2.30 inches, 0.32 inch below the 20th-century average, ranking in the driest third of the 132-year record and making it the driest August since 2000.

August 2026 U.S. Total Precipitation Percentiles.

Below-average precipitation was observed across portions of the West, Upper Midwest and the broad region from the southern Rockies and southern Plains into the Lower Mississippi Valley. Meanwhile, above-average precipitation fell across portions of the central tier, from central California to the Mid-Atlantic region.

Statewide, Indiana and Ohio received their highest August precipitation on record, about twice their average August totals. Neighboring Illinois and West Virginia, along with New Jersey, also had much-above-average precipitation, receiving more than 50% above their average August totals. In contrast, Texas and Oklahoma received less than 30% of their average August precipitation, ranking as their third- and fifth-driest Augusts, respectively. Both states recorded their lowest statewide August precipitation totals since 2000.

The CONUS received 8.11 inches of precipitation during summer, 0.21 inch below the 20th-century average, ranking in the driest third of the record. California received just 0.20 inch, 26% of its average summer precipitation, ranking as its fifth-driest summer on record and driest since 2002. In contrast, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia received much-above-average precipitation for the season.

Alaska’s average precipitation was 4.57 inches in August, 0.20 inch above the 1925–2000 average, ranking in the middle third of the 102-year record. Alaska’s June–August precipitation averaged 10.67 inches, 0.67 inch above average, also ranking in the middle third of the record.

Hawaiʻi received 16.01 inches of precipitation in August, 10.84 inches above the 1991–2020 average, making it the second-wettest August on record (1991–present). Hurricane Lala brought heavy rainfall to Hawaiʻi, with rainfall peaking at 43.54 inches at Laupāhoehoe on the Big Island. June–August precipitation averaged 28.24 inches across the island chain, 14.83 inches above average, ranking as the second-wettest summer on record. Year-to-date precipitation averaged 75.83 inches, 36.28 inches above average, making January–August the wettest such period on record.

Drought

According to the September 1 U.S. Drought Monitor, about 59.1% of the CONUS was in drought, an increase of about 10.5 percentage points since early August. Drought persisted across much of the interior West, including portions of the Southwest, Great Basin, Northwest and Rockies. Drought expanded or intensified across the northern Plains and parts of the Upper Midwest, as well as much of the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Deep South. In contrast, drought contracted or decreased in intensity across portions of the Southwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. In Puerto Rico, more than three-quarters of the island was in drought, with more than 40% classified as extreme drought.

GLOBAL August Highlights:

CREDIT: NOAA/NCEI

• August was the warmest on record for the globe, eclipsing the previous tied records of 2023 and 2024 by 0.14°F (0.08°C). The June–August three-month season was also record-warm.

• Global sea surface temperature reached an all-time high in Aug.

• El Niño conditions persisted during the month, driving record-high temperatures across vast areas of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

• Global land surface temperature was near-record warm for Aug and Jun–Aug.

• The Northern Hemisphere experienced its warmest summer, while the Southern Hemisphere had a near-record warm winter.

• The Arctic and Antarctic had a below-average sea ice extent.

• Global tropical cyclone activity was above average with 19 tropical storms.

Map of global notable weather and climate events in August 2026.