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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Environment
Guardian community team

People in the US: how have you coped during this summer of record heat?

A firefighter pours water on his head
A firefighter cools off after responding to a blaze during a heatwave in Georgetown, Massachusetts, on 2 July 2026. Photograph: Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

It’s been a record summer of heat in the US with rolling heat domes and July being the hottest month ever recorded in the country, surpassing temperatures stretching back over 132 years of reliable measurements, to 1895. July’s temperatures surpassed previous high marks set in July 1936, in the teeth of dust bowl conditions, and in July 2012.

We want to hear from people across the US on how they have coped with the heat – and what it has meant for utility bills. Has the heat affected you or your family physically? Have you had to change your daily routines?

Have your bills soared with the cost of keeping your home cool?

And we especially want to hear from people who have had their electricity cut off during the extreme heat or have had trouble keeping up with utility payments.

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