Fed agency: June fourth hottest on record worldwide

Last month was the fourth-warmest June on record globally since recordkeeping began in 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“It was also the 36th consecutive June and 328th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average,” the agency said in its latest monthly analysis Monday.

Meanwhile, Democrats are already pushing for Capitol Hill hearings on links between climate change and extreme weather, such as the heat wave that shattered records across the United States in recent weeks.

Looking globally, NOAA reports that, “Most areas of the world experienced much higher-than-average monthly temperatures, including most of North America and Eurasia, and northern Africa.”

“Only Australia, northern and western Europe, and the northwestern United States were notably cooler than average. In the Arctic, record June sea ice loss occurred, resulting in the second lowest June sea ice extent on record,” states NOAA, which is part of the Commerce Department.

The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures in June were 61.03 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 1.13 degrees above the 20th century average, NOAA said.

Looking at the first six months of 2012, NOAA reports that the January-June stretch was the 11th-warmest first half of any year on record.