NOAA: Above-Normal July Heat and Rain in United States

Three boys stand in the middle of the fountain in Washington Square Park in New York, July 8. A heat wave with record temperatures rolled across the eastern United States, pushing power companies to the limit and driving residents to municipal 'cooling centers.' (Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images )

July saw sizzling high temperatures and record rainfall in states across the U.S., and starting in May, record warm temperatures were recorded over most of the East Coast, according to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released Monday.

Using analysis from data records dating back to 1895, NOAA found that Delaware and Rhode Island broke all previous heat records for July.

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina also saw record warmth in May-July.

Washington D.C. tied its previous average temperature record from July 1993, with an average of 83.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures in Atlantic City N.J. and Hartford, Conn. also tied or broke previous monthly records, according to the report.


The average July temperature for the continental United States was 75.5 degrees Fahrenheit—1.3 degrees higher than the 100-year average and the 17th warmest since 1901.

Precipitation

Precipitation averaged 0.48 inches more than the 100-year average, “much above normal,” making the May-July period the 10th wettest.


Wisconsin had its 2nd wettest May-July.


Most of the Plains and Upper Midwest had above-normal precipitation in July as a result of moist tropical air currents that triggered thunderstorms causing major flooding in some areas.

Below Average

Louisiana had its 7th driest period in 116 years, from January-July, registering more than 9.5 inches below the long-term average for the year.

Only three states—Montana, Idaho, and Texas—reported below-normal average temperatures for the month of July.