World experiences second hottest July on record, hottest first 7 months of year

Trend continues with second hottest July on record

WASHINGTON — The Earth continues to feel the heat.

Last month was the second warmest July on record, and so far 2010 remains on track to be the hottest year.

Worldwide, the average temperature in July was 61.6 degrees Fahrenheit (16.5 Celsius), the National Climatic Data Center reported Friday. Only July 1998 was hotter since recordkeeping began more than a century ago.

And the January-July period was the warmest first seven months of any year on record, averaging 58.1 F (14.5 C). In second place was January-July of 1998.