July was the hottest month measured on Earth since records began in 1880, the latest in a long line of peaks that scientists say backs up predictions for man-made climate change. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that July was 0.95 degrees Celsius (1.71 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the 20th century average of 15.8 C (60.4 F) for the month.
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Because July is generally the warmest month on the calendar, meteorologists say this means it also set a new all-time monthly record for the past 140 years. Last month’s temperatures narrowly topped the previous July record, set in 2016, by 0.03 C (0.05 F).