July cracks temperature records

(AAP )
(AAP )

July is now the 10th consecutive month to break temperature records, according to NASA.

Last month was not just the hottest July on record, but the hottest month globally since records began in 1880.

Gavin Schmidt, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said on Twitter it's almost certain 2016 will set a new annual record.

The new data suggests July 2016 was 0.11degC warmer than July 2015 - which was also a record temperature.

As if NASA's data wasn't grim enough, a different agency warns last month could actually be continuing a 14-month long hot streak.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses a different method to measure global temperature averages. If its data, released later this week, matches NASA's, then July will be the 15 consecutive month breaking records.

This year has already been marked as the hottest half-year in modern history, according to NASA - an average of 1.3degC warmer than when records began in the late 19th century.

The 'Godzilla' El Nino event which swept the globe only served to boost an already-existing warning trend, NASA scientists say.

While the El Nino officially ended in June, it's predicted its warming effect will continue for up to three months after that.

Mr Schmidt predicts July will be the last record-setting month of the year as that fades away.

Newshub.