2026 on pace to be a record-hot year for the United States, scientists warn

The United States is on pace for one of its hottest years on record in 2026, according to a report from Scientific American, which warns that if current trends continue, the year could set a new national temperature record.

The report characterizes the year's heat so far as unusually extreme, though the available excerpt does not specify the exact margin by which temperatures have exceeded historical averages or which specific months or regions have driven the trend.

Record or near-record heat years have become more frequent in recent decades, a pattern that climate scientists broadly attribute to long-term warming trends linked to greenhouse gas emissions.

What's ahead

Whether 2026 ultimately breaks the record will depend on temperatures over the remainder of the year. The report suggests the trajectory so far makes a record increasingly likely, though final results will not be confirmed until the year's climate data is fully compiled.