MOBILE, Ala. — July 2026 went into the record books as one of the hottest and driest Julys Mobile has seen in decades, and forecasters say there’s little relief on the horizon as the region heads into the peak of both summer heat and hurricane season.
A Historically Hot, Dry July
Mobile finished July 2026 as the eighth hottest July on record, with an average temperature of 83.7 degrees — 1.7 degrees above normal. The month was also the seventh driest July on record, with only 3.82 inches of rainfall recorded, roughly 3.9 inches below the monthly average.
Heat was the defining story of the month. Temperatures ran above average on nearly every day in July, with highs reaching the upper 90s on multiple occasions and peaking at 98 degrees on July 28. The extended stretch of dangerous heat triggered multiple Heat Advisories and Extreme Heat Warnings across the Gulf Coast.
The first half of the month saw temperatures running 2 to 3 degrees above the climatological normal. A brief weather system moved through around July 13-15, offering a short break from the heat before temperatures rebounded. By late July, a prolonged heat stretch pushed temperatures 4 to 5 degrees above average, capping the month on a particularly intense note.
Despite scattered afternoon thunderstorms, nearly half the month saw no measurable rainfall. Most of July’s precipitation came from isolated afternoon storm activity, and Mobile Regional Airport recorded a monthly rainfall total well below the historical average.
What August Typically Brings
August is climatologically the hottest month of the year for the Gulf Coast, with average highs beginning around 91 degrees. The Gulf of Mexico’s moderating influence tends to slow the pace of any cooling through the month, keeping conditions warm and humid well into early fall.
The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above-normal temperatures across the Deep South for August, suggesting the region’s hot stretch is likely to continue. Rainfall is expected to stay near normal for the Gulf Coast, though drier conditions are anticipated farther west into Texas.
Hurricane Season Heats Up
August also marks the start of the most active stretch of the Atlantic hurricane season. As ocean temperatures peak and atmospheric conditions become more conducive to storm development, tropical activity in the Gulf and Atlantic basins typically increases through the late summer and into fall. Residents along the Gulf Coast are encouraged to review hurricane preparedness plans as the season’s most active weeks approach.
South Alabama News will continue to track developing tropical systems and seasonal weather trends throughout August.