Last month was the hottest April in modern history, marking the 12th consecutive month that global heat records have been shattered, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday.

"The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for April 2016 was the highest for the month of April in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880," the agency said in a statement.

"This marks the 12th consecutive month the monthly global temperature record has been broken, the longest such streak in the 137-year record."

The report, issued each month by NOAA, also pointed to a concerning spike in temperature last month, compared to the 20th century average.

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for April 2016 was 1.98 Fahrenheit (1.10 Celsius) above the 20th century average of 56.7 F (13.7 C).

This marked "the highest temperature departure for April since global records began in 1880."

Overall, 13 of 15 of these record spikes, or monthly temperature departures, have occurred since February 2015, signaling that global warming is accelerating.

Unusually warm temperatures were seen across much of the world, but particularly in Russia and Alaska, where temperatures were 5.4 F (3.0 C) or more above average, said NOAA.

Northern and central South America and parts of southern Europe, western and central Africa, southeastern Asia, eastern Australia, southern Alaska, and theCaribbean also saw temperatures climb.

Cooler than average weather was seen last month in northeastern Canada and southern South America

Source: KUNA