It wasn't your imagination. July was in fact the hottest month ever.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that July was the hottest month on record, with global temperatures averaging 62.13 degrees, which is 1.71 degrees above the 20th century average.
This July bested July 2016 for the hottest month on record by .05 degrees. Records date to 1880.
The areas that had the most notable departures from their normal July temperatures were Alaska, central Europe, northern and southwestern parts of Asia, and parts of Africa and Australia.
The record-warmth shrank Arctic and Antarctic sea ice to historic lows, according to NOAA.
Nine of the 10 hottest Julys have occurred since 2005, and the last five have been the hottest Julys ever.
Last month, the NOAA said that June was the hottest June on record, with average temperatures surpassing those of June 2016. This July was the 415th consecutive month with above-average global temperatures, according to NOAA.
Summer 2019 has been toasty worldwide.
Europe sweated through an intense June heat wave, and the third week of July brought a heat wave in the Midwest and Northeast, with temperatures in cities such as New York City; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee, climbing toward the triple digits.
Just after that, western Europe experienced a heat wave that also pushed temps above 100, breaking numerous national records.
This year is so far tied with 2017 as the second-hottest year to date on record. The hottest full year on record was 2016. Scientists predict 2019 will definitely make the top-five hottest years, and will most likely end up the second hottest year on record.
