24 US Counties on Pace for Another Historically Hot August

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Global surface temperatures, across both the land and sea, averaged 2.32°F last year, making 2024 the hottest year on record. Last year was also the hottest in U.S. history, as the average temperature in the continental United States hit 55.5°F, about 0.23°F above the previous record set in 2012, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But while global temperatures have been steadily rising in recent decades, in the United States, 2025 is already shaping up to be meaningfully cooler than last year.

Between January and July of this year, the average temperature across the Lower 48 was about 53.3°F, over a full degree cooler than the 2024 average of 54.4°F over the same period. But while the average temperature in 2025 has been considerably lower than last year, in certain parts of the country, this year’s temperatures have been on par with 2024 averages. If this pattern holds in the coming weeks, many of these places are in for a historically warm August.

Using data from NOAA, Climate Crisis 247 identified the U.S. counties that are on pace for another historically hot August. We reviewed data for over 3,000 U.S. counties and county equivalents and identified those for which the average temperature between January and July 2025 is within 0.1°F of the average over the same period in 2024. Of those counties, there are 24 where the average temperature in August 2024 was at least 3°F hotter than the baseline average for the month, recorded between 1901 and 2000. These 24 counties are ranked the average temperature in August 2024. Supplemental population data are five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey.

For each of the counties on this list, average temperatures for the first seven months of 2025 have been closely or exactly in line with the first seven months of 2024. If this pattern holds, these counties can expect historically high temperatures in August, as in most counties on this list, August 2024 ranks among the 10 hottest Augusts since record keeping began in 1895. Among these places, the average temperature in August 2024 was between 3.0°F and 5.2°F warmer than the 20th century baseline average.

The counties on this list span 10 states across the Southern and Western United States. Collectively, these places are home to nearly 8 million people.

24. Alamosa County, Colorado

Average temperature in August 2024: 65.2°F (6th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 61.8°F (3.4°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 44.3°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 44.2°F
Population: 16,515

23. Piute County, Utah

Average temperature in August 2024: 65.3°F (6th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 62.2°F (3.1°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 45.2°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 45.2°F
Population: 1,705

22. Rio Arriba County, New Mexico

*Photo by Ethan Wright-Magoon on Unsplash*

Average temperature in August 2024: 67.2°F (4th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 64.1°F (3.1°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 46.0°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 46.1°F
Population: 40,165

21. Catron County, New Mexico

Average temperature in August 2024: 67.6°F (4th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 64.3°F (3.3°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 49.0°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 49.0°F
Population: 3,685

20. Los Alamos County, New Mexico

Average temperature in August 2024: 69°F (3rd hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 64.5°F (4.5°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 47.8°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 47.9°F
Population: 19,374

19. Asotin County, Washington

Average temperature in August 2024: 69.5°F (28th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 66.2°F (3.3°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 49.3°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 49.3°F
Population: 22,424

18. Cibola County, New Mexico

Average temperature in August 2024: 70.1°F (5th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 66.5°F (3.6°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 49.5°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 49.6°F
Population: 27,059

17. Montezuma County, Colorado

*Photo by Yaroslav Muzychenko on Unsplash*

Average temperature in August 2024: 70.5°F (14th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 67.5°F (3.0°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 49.6°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 49.7°F
Population: 26,204

16. Iron County, Utah

Average temperature in August 2024: 71.9°F (4th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 68.2°F (3.7°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 50.3°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 50.3°F
Population: 60,201

15. Beaver County, Utah

Average temperature in August 2024: 73°F (6th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 69.4°F (3.6°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 50.4°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 50.5°F
Population: 7,172

14. Nye County, Nevada

*Photo by Michael "Tiny" Alcorn (tinyonstage) on Unsplash*

Average temperature in August 2024: 74.1°F (19th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 70.8°F (3.3°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 53.4°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 53.4°F
Population: 53,207

13. Wayne County, Utah

Average temperature in August 2024: 74.5°F (15th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 71.1°F (3.4°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 53.5°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 53.4°F
Population: 2,557

12. Grant County, New Mexico

*Photo by Fahad Al Rabbani Jillani on Unsplash*

Average temperature in August 2024: 75.4°F (5th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 71.2°F (4.2°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 57.3°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 57.2°F
Population: 27,856

11. Lincoln County, Nevada

Average temperature in August 2024: 77.4°F (10th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 74.2°F (3.2°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 56.2°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 56.2°F
Population: 4,452

10. Washington County, Utah

Average temperature in August 2024: 78.5°F (9th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 75.0°F (3.5°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 57.0°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 57.1°F
Population: 189,827

9. Luna County, New Mexico

Average temperature in August 2024: 82.2°F (3rd hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 77.0°F (5.2°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 62.9°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 62.9°F
Population: 25,420

8. Walton County, Florida

Average temperature in August 2024: 83.7°F (6th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 80.4°F (3.3°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 68.1°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 68.0°F
Population: 79,846

7. Morehouse Parish, Louisiana

Average temperature in August 2024: 83.9°F (14th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 80.8°F (3.1°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 65.8°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 65.9°F
Population: 24,967

6. Humphreys County, Mississippi

Average temperature in August 2024: 84.1°F (11th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 81.1°F (3.0°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 66.9°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 67.0°F
Population: 7,570

5. Mohave County, Arizona

Average temperature in August 2024: 84.2°F (9th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 81.0°F (3.2°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 63.3°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 63.4°F
Population: 217,420

4. Clark County, Nevada

Average temperature in August 2024: 87.2°F (8th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 83.5°F (3.7°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 65.4°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 65.5°F
Population: 2,293,764

3. San Bernardino County, California

Average temperature in August 2024: 87.6°F (14th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 84.3°F (3.3°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 67.1°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 67.2°F
Population: 2,187,816

2. Riverside County, California

Average temperature in August 2024: 88.1°F (10th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 84.4°F (3.7°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 68.4°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 68.4°F
Population: 2,449,909

1. Yuma County, Arizona

Average temperature in August 2024: 94.5°F (5th hottest August on record)
Baseline, 20th century average August temperature: 89.8°F (4.7°F cooler than August 2024)
Average temperature, January-July 2025: 72.8°F
Average temperature, January-July 2024: 72.9°F
Population: 207,685