The beat and heat goes on: NOAA says July hottest on record

WASHINGTON (AP) - More federal scientists have confirmed we just sweated through Earth's hottest month on record.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculates that last month's average global temperature was 62.01 degrees (16.67 degrees Celsius). That beats the old record set in July 2015 by a ninth of a degree and is 1.57 degrees above the 20th-century average. July is Earth's hottest month.

It's the 15th consecutive global heat record. Records go back to 1880.

January through July is also beating out 2015 for hottest year-to-date by .34 degrees (.19 Celsius).

NASA and Japan's weather office earlier proclaimed July 2016 the hottest on record. The British meteorological office hasn't calculated the number yet. A University of Alabama Huntsville team that uses satellites, not ground measurements, says it was the second warmest.