July’s temps at historic record

July 2019 was the hottest month in the 140-year history of temperature record-keeping, according to the latest climate report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The warmth also shrank Arctic and Antarctic sea ice to historic lows. The average global temperature in July was 1.71 degrees (F) above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees, say scientists at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The previous hottest month on record was July 2016. Nine of the 10 hottest Julys have occurred since 2005 (the year of Hurricane Katrina) with the last five ranking as the five hottest. It was the hottest year to date for parts of North and South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, southern half of Africa, portions of the western Pacific Ocean, western Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. There were some cool spots: Parts of Scandinavia and western and eastern Russia had temperatures at least 2.7 degrees (F) below average. (Source: Marine Link 08/16/19)