Preliminary Analysis Continues to Show Trend to Hottest Month in US History

Image (click to enlarge): Hottest U.S. average monthly temperatures (all July) and 2012 average through July 28; CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data

Aug. 7 Update: Preliminary unadjusted data from NCDC show the July average at 77.3°, which is 0.1° below the record.

Original post:
The preliminary weekly temperature analysis, posted this morning by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), continues to show July 2012 as the hottest month in U.S. history. The national average temperature for the week ending July 28 increased to 77.6°, which is 3° above the climatological normal. The month-to-date average of 77.5° is 0.1° above the all-time hottest month of July 1936.