- The Lower 48 had its hottest summer on record in 2021.
- 2021 barely edged out 1936 for the top spot.
- Areas from the West to the nation’s northern tier had the most extreme heat compared to average.
The average temperature for all of the Lower 48 states from June through August was 74.0 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2.6 degrees above average. That barely edged out the Dust Bowl summer of 1936 for the top spot by less than 0.01 of a degree, NOAA said.
For reference, meteorologists define summer based on what is typically the hottest time of year – June through August.
California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah all had a record-hot summer. An additional 21 states had a top-10 hottest summer, stretching from the Front Range of the Rockies and Northern Plains to the Great Lakes and Northeast.
Only parts of the Deep South had a summer with temperatures close to average.
Where the summer (June-August)…
