July was the hottest on record in contiguous US, and Mississippi felt the heat

In fact, it was the hottest July on record for the contiguous United States. The northeastern tip of the state saw “above average” temperatures. Daytime maximum temperatures averaged 89.5 degrees nationally, 2.9 degrees above average, ranking July as the sixth-warmest month on record for average high temperatures. The summers of 2021 and 1936 are tied as the hottest on record in the United States, with summer defined by NOAA as June through August. Through July, 2026 is slightly cooler than 2021, which was driven by record heat in June.