July breaks record for California's hottest month ever

July's searing temperatures made it California's hottest month on record with an average temperature of 81.7, almost two degrees higher than the previous record. Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist, described the margin as huge, stating, 'Not only did we break the previous record, but we essentially shattered it.'

Inland cities like Sacramento and Fresno experienced the worst warming, with July numbers hitting records. Coastal cities saw less severe increases; for instance, San Francisco averaged 66.6 degrees, still the hottest ever recorded but around 3 degrees above its historical mean.

California has broken all-time monthly heat records three times in the past decade, underscoring the consistent trend of increasing temperatures. Climate scientist Daniel Swain noted that such temperature spikes align with expectations of hotter summers, as the state moves towards a warmer climate.

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