July Sets Record Heat in Lower 48, Signaling Growing Climate Risks
July became the hottest month ever recorded in the contiguous United States, surpassing a Dust Bowl-era benchmark, underscoring accelerating climate change.
The latest temperature data show July breaking the previous all-time high for the Lower 48 States, a record that dates back to the 1930s Dust Bowl. In a discussion, climate reporter Jeff Goodell and atmospheric scientist Maria Molina explain how a warming planet raises the odds of more frequent and severe heat waves, wildfires and hurricanes. Correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti frames the milestone as part of a broader trend toward increasingly dangerous weather patterns.
Why it matters
Record heat illustrates how climate change is intensifying weather threats that affect everyday life.
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