WASHINGTON (AFP) – Last month was the hottest June in modern history, marking the 14th consecutive month that global heat records have been broken, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday.
“The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for June 2016 was the highest for the month of June in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880,” the agency said in a statement. “This marks the 14th consecutive month the monthly global temperature record has been broken, the longest such streak in the 137-year record.” The report, issued each month by NOAA, also said the global temperature for the first six months of 2016 was the hottest on record.
The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for June was 1.62°Fahrenheit (0.9°Celsius) above the 20th century average of 59.9°F (15.5°C). “June 2016 marks the 40th consecutive June with temperatures at least nominally above the 20th century average,” NOAA said.