CAC’s Margie Alt on Reports that Summer 2026 will Likely be Named the Hottest on Record
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2026
CONTACT: Katie Valentine, kvalentine@cacampaign.org, 770-861-0397
CAC’s Margie Alt on Reports that Summer 2026 will Likely be Named the Hottest on Record
Summer 2026 was marked by extreme heat, wildfires, smoke, and storms across the country.
WASHINGTON –Early reports indicate that this summer is a “near lock” to be the hottest and most humid on record in the U.S. Summer 2026 has been a season of “compounding disasters,” with climate change fueling floods, extreme heat, and wildfires from which smoke degraded air quality far beyond the fire zones. These reports come after the news that July was the country’s hottest month in recorded history, surpassing even the Dust Bowl. The following is a statement by CAC Director Margie Alt:
“This summer showed us, again and again, what a worsening climate crisis looks and feels like. It’s wildfires that level entire communities; smoke that chokes skies and people hundreds of miles from the fire itself; devastating and deadly flooding from Hawaii to Hill Country to the Grand Canyon; and excruciating heat that leaves communities sweltering – and endangers their lives. With a record-breaking El Niño ramping up against the background of worsening climate change, extreme weather is only going to get worse.
"None of us wants to live in the next community ravaged by extreme weather; we don’t want to be the next family taking loved ones suffering from asthma to the emergency room. Americans want climate action now, and they’ve been stepping up this summer to call on their leaders to address this crisis. All while the Trump administration is gutting climate protections, slashing investments in clean energy, and attacking the very agencies that help Americans prepare for and recover from these worsening disasters. This summer has been a warning flag for the rest of us: Act on climate now, or face the worsening barrage of these dangerous, damaging, and deadly disasters. The urgency could not be clearer. The costs to our health and wallets could not be more evident. We need bold action on climate change now.”
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About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
