TheLower 48 had its warmest June on record with an average temperature of 71.8degrees Fahrenheit, or 3.3 degrees F above the 20th century average, theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its latest"State of theClimate" report. The previous record warm June occurred in1933, when temperatures averaged 71.6 degrees F.

Junetemperatures were above average across the country, with 17 states scatteredacross the West, Great Plains and portions of the Southeast boastingtemperatures that were much warmer than average. June was the warmest on recordfor Arizona and Utah.

Theaverage daytime temperature across the contiguous U.S. in June was 84.9 degreesF, or 3.6 degrees F above average, making it the third-warmest on record. Junenighttime temperatures were the second-warmest on record at an average at 58.6degrees F, or 3.0 degrees F above average, just behind the record warm June2015 minimum temperature pegged at 59.1 degrees F.

Accordingto NOAA's Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index, or REDTI, the Lower 48June temperature-related energy demand was 79% above average and the ninthhighest in the period of record.

Forthe year-to-date period, the average temperature in the contiguous U.S. was50.8 degrees F, or 3.2 degrees F above average, ranking it the third-warmest onrecord. Only the first halves of 2012 and 2006 were warmer with averagetemperatures of 52.1 degrees F and 50.8 degrees F, respectively.

NOAAexplained that "when rounded the tenth of a degree, 2016 and 2006 appeartied, but when including additional precision to the hundredths of a degree,2006 was marginally, or 0.03 [degrees] F, warmer."

Everystate was warmer than average for the January-June period, with 33 statesacross the West, Great Plains, Midwest and Northeast having temperatures thatwere much above average, while above-average temperatures were observed forportions of the Southern Plains and Southeast. No state was record warm duringthe first half of the year.

Theyear-to-date Lower 48 average daytime temperature was the fifth-warmest onrecord at 62.5 degrees F, or 3.2 degrees F above average. Meanwhile, theaverage nighttime temperature for the first half of 2016 was 39.0 degrees F, or3.3 degrees F above average, making it the second-warmest on record, justbehind the 2012 record of 39.7 degrees F.