July was the hottest month in the US since records began in 1895

July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States, according to data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The month featured long, intense heat domes that led to record hot temperatures from the East Coast to the Plains and Southwestern states. NOAA’s temperature records date back to 1895.

By the end of the month, large wildfires were burning in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, mirroring what has been taking place in Europe, which is having its hottest summer on record.

July’s average temperature in the Lower 48 states was 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average, NOAA reported. This was about 0.1 to 0.2 degrees warmer than July 1936 and July 2012 — the previous record holders — NOAA stated.