Last month there were record and near-record high temperatures in the western United States, but there were cooler-than-average temperatures in most of the eastern and southern United States, according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
Highlights released by NOAA:
— 46 percent of the contiguous United States was is a drought at the end of July. The global average temperature was the
seventh warmest July.
— Cooler-than-average water in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean reflected the possible development of a La Niña.
— The mean temperature for July for the contiguous United States was 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which was 1.43 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the 20th century and was 15th warmest since record-keeping began in 1895.
— It was the warmest July ever in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The average temperature in Boise, Idaho, was 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 9 degrees Fahrenheit above average.
— There were 11 days of triple-digit temperatures in Missoula, Mont., eclipsing the previous record of 6 days.
Click to view “Climate of 2007 — July in Historical Perspective.”
NOAA, a scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, focuses on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA warns of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding and stewardship of the environment.
Brian Sargent
Staff Writer
