Texas

Energy and Environment Reporting for Texas

Welcome to the Dry, Hot American Summer

Map by NOAA

New climate data shows it's much hotter, and drier, than normal.

New climate data out this week confirms what many parched, sweaty Americans have been suspecting: It is hot, way hotter than normal.

The numbers from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show that July was more than three degrees hotter than normal, making it the hottest month ever. The previous record was back in 1936.

And the heat wasn’t isolated to July. The agency says that so far, 2012 has been a year of record warmth, and the last twelve months have been the warmest on record as well.

It there’s any good news in the July report, it’s that Texas, in stark contrast to last year, fared better than much of the country. We ranked in the “above normal” heat category for July, as opposed to the Midwest and East, which were listed as “much above normal.”

It’s also been drier than normal for the U.S. “Near-record dry conditions were present for the middle of the nation, with the drought footprint expanding to cover nearly 63 percent of the Lower 48,” the report says. Texas, again, did a little better, with “above normal” precipitation.

You can read more at NOAA’s ‘State of the Climate‘ report.

Comments

About StateImpact

StateImpact seeks to inform and engage local communities with broadcast and online news focused on how state government decisions affect your lives.
Learn More »

Economy
Education