July 2019 was not only the hottest July on record, but also the hottest month ever recorded.
According to a report released Thursday from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,the average global temperature last month “was 1.71 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees, making it the hottest July in the 140-year record.”
The previous record was set in July 2016.
With the rising temperatures, the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice levels were also at record lows.
The last five years have been the hottest on record and 2019 looks to end up among that top five ranking.
Here locally, July 2019 tied for the 6th warmest July on record in Phoenix, with an average temperature of 96.7 degrees.
We tied the record for the highest low temperature four days in July, including during a three-day stretch from July 27th to July 29th.
Phoenix hit a high temperature of 110 degrees or higher, 11 times in July.
So far in 2019, we have seen more than 20 days of high temperatures at or above 110 degrees. The average number of 110+ days is 18 per year. The record stands at 33 days, set back in 2011.
Alaska was one of the areas around the globe that experienced significant climate impacts in July, including setting all-time record highs and warmest recorded daily low temperatures. The city of Anchorage is experiencing its smokiest summer on record thanks to a very active wildfire season.
Ocean temperatures around Alaska reached record warm levels in early summer and the sea ice extent in the area has been at record or near record lows.
While above average temperatures were measured across much of the globe, parts of Scandinavia and eastern Russia experienced below average temperatures in July, according to NOAA.
See the full report from NOAA here.
