Recent Update: US saw record heat, wildfires, hurricane during scorching August 

US saw record heat, wildfires, hurricane during scorching August…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that 19 states had their top 10 warmest Julys ever, with California and New Hampshire seeing their warmest Julys ever.

According to a report released on Thursday by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States faced an unrelenting barrage of extreme weather events in July, including record-breaking temperatures, roaring wildfires, and a devastating storm.

The US had an average temperature of 75.7F (24.3C) in July, which was 2.1F warmer than the historical normal and the 11th warmest July in 130 years. According to the research, July was the warmest on record in 19 states, with the warmest Julys occurring in the West (California) and the Northeast (New Hampshire).

The fourth-largest wildfire in California history, the Park Fire, grew rapidly due to the extreme heat, consuming approximately 401,000 acres (1,622 square kilometers) and

destroying more than 560 structures, the report noted.

A derecho, a straight-line wind storm, that spawned 32 tornadoes on July 15 broke the Chicago-area record for most tornadoes in a single day. On top of that, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic Ocean, forming on July 1.

Altogether, the US saw four new billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in July, bringing the year-to-date total to 19 such events that have resulted in at least 149 fatalities and over $49.6 billion in damages, said the report.

NOAA is a US scientific and regulatory agency charged with forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charting the seas, conducting deep-sea exploration, and managing fishing and protection of marine mammals and endangered species in the US exclusive economic zone.