Monday was Earth's hottest day on record, initial measurements show

Monday was the world's hottest day on record, exceeding an average of 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time, according to initial measurements taken on Tuesday by U.S. meteorologists.

The average daily air temperature on the planet's surface on July 3 was logged at 62.618 degrees by an organization that's part of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

That measurement surpasses the previous daily record of 62.456 degrees set on July 24 last year, according to data from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction going back to 1979.