July ocean temperatures hit record again

The Earth’s ocean surfaces were 62.56 degrees Fahrenheit on average last month, tying the record for the hottest July for which the federal government has data.

The ocean temperature was 1.06 degrees above the 20th-century average, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Monday in its monthly temperature report. It is the third month in a row that ocean temperatures reached a record, NOAA data show.

{mosads}Last month tied with 2009 as the hottest July since records began more than 130 years ago.

Accounting for all of the world’s land and water surfaces, July was the fourth hottest on record at 61.55 degrees, 1.15 degrees above last century’s average.

Land temperatures were 59.13 degrees, the 10th highest on record for July and 1.33 degrees above the 20th-century average.

“Overall, 32 countries across every continent except Antarctica had at least one station reporting a record high temperature for July,” NOAA said in the report.

“The United States and the Russian Federation each had several stations that reported record warm temperatures as well as several stations with record cold temperatures for the month,” the agency said.

Apart from the United States and Russia, no weather station showed a record low temperature in July.

July was the 353rd straight month with average temperatures above the average from the last century, NOAA said.