California Has Hottest Summer On Record
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – California had the hottest summer its ever recorded, according to a report released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
California was one of five states that recorded their warmest June through August ever, the NOAA found. The other four were Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.
Overall, the average temperature nationwide for the contiguous U.S. was 74 degrees Fahrenheit, 2.6 degrees above average.
California was one of two states that reported its third-warmest year-to-date, according to the NOAA. The other was Maine.
California was also one of three states that recorded its top 10 driest year to date on record. The other two were Minnesota and North Dakota. The Golden State is currently in the grips of yet another major drought. Fifty of California's 58 counties are now under a drought emergency, which so far excludes Southern California. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in July calling on Californians to reduce water usage by 15%.
The bone-dry conditions coupled with the high temperatures have also created ripe wildfire conditions. Northern California is currently contending with two huge wildfires, the Caldor Fire and the Dixie Fire, which have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to flee. The Dixie fire is now the second-largest in state history.
The NOAA is the parent agency of the National Weather Service.