July’s Heat Made History. Trump’s Cuts Could Leave Us Less Prepared for What Comes Next

July was the hottest month on record in the contiguous United States, with an average temperature of 76.9°F—the highest average ever recorded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), going back to 1895. The previous record was shared by July 1936, during the Dust Bowl, and July 2012. Every state was at least 1 degree above its 20th-century average.This type of observation can help communities prepare for and respond to extreme heat events. They can then take informed steps to prevent serious health issues that the World Health Organization (WHO) links to high temperatures, like heat stroke and cardiovascular disease, or even death. But NOAA relies on federal funding in order to keep historic records, observe weather patterns, and produce informed forecasts.The Trump Administration reduced NOAA’s workforce in 2025, and subsequently proposed steep cuts to the agency’s funding, hampering its ability to monitor weather conditions, analyze patterns, and provide forecasts. The National Weather Service (NWS), which operates under NOAA, lost roughly 600 employees—about 15% of its workforce—through layoffs, buyouts and retirements. It must now respond to increasingly s...