Warmest June on record, climate scientists say

[July 16, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Last month was the warmest June on record, extending months of record-setting heat.

Worldwide, the average temperature in June was 61.1 degrees Fahrenheit (16.2 Celsius), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. That was 1.22 degrees F (0.68 C) warmer than average for June.

This year has had the warmest average temperature for January-June on record -- 57.5 F (12.2 C).

Peru, the central and eastern regions of the United States, and eastern and western Asia were warmer than usual last month. Scandinavia, southern China and the northwestern United States were all cooler than normal.

NOAA also said that Arctic sea ice covered 4.2 million square miles (10.9 million square kilometers). This is the lowest June coverage since records began in 1979 and 10.6 percent below the 1979-2000 average. It is the 19th consecutive June with below average sea ice.

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Online: http://www.noaa.gov/

[Associated Press; By NATASHA T. METZLER]

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