Yes, this summer really was as hot as you think it was

NOAA has confirmed that this meteorological summer was the hottest on record for the contiguous United States, edging out 1936 and 2021 by 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit and running 3 degrees above the 20th-century average, with August alone up 3.5 degrees. A Climate Central analysis found 293 million Americans, 86 percent of the population, endured at least 30 days of risky heat, while Europe recorded more than 25,000 heat-related deaths this year.

Four of the five hardest-hit U.S. states were in the West, with Colorado running 4.4 degrees above normal. Researchers point to human-driven climate change compounded by an emerging El Niño, plus an ironic side effect in Europe where cleaner air, having removed particulates that once reflected sunlight, is letting more of the underlying warming show through.

Scientists note nights are warming faster than days, denying bodies overnight recovery from daytime heat, a particular risk for outdoor laborers and the elderly. The report's authors say El Niño is still developing, raising the possibility that next summer tops this one.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.