California's Death Valley has smashed its own record for the hottest month ever recorded anywhere.

Preliminary results suggest the month's average temperature was 108.1F (42.28C).

This edges out the previous record, set in the valley at the same time last year, when the average was 107.4F (41.89C).

"It eclipsed the record by quite a bit," said Todd Lericos, a meteorologist who leads the Las Vegas National Weather Service, noting the new average will need to be reviewed before entering official record books.

The temperatures are measured at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, a desert in south eastern California that includes Badwater Basin – the lowest point in North America.

The location also holds the world record for highest temperature ever recorded – 134F (56.67C) – set on July 10, 1913.

The valley got its morbid name from a group of pioneers who got lost there in 1849-1850 and thought it would be the end, according to the National Park Service. Only one died, however, before they found their way out.

Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Show all 15 1 /15 Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show of the old garden at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire Lancashire Council / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Garden at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire which was taken out in the 1940's but can now be seen again through the parched grass Lancashire Council / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Remnants of WWII Air raid shelters on Jesus Green in Cambridge show up in the parched grass SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old crop marks in Norfolk show up Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Info showing how crop marks are made SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old parts of RAF Lasham's airfield show up in the parched grass in Hampshire Jordan Bridge / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks near Langstone, Newport RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show in Tregaron, Wales RCAHMW/SWNS Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Remnants of Caistor Roman town in Norfolk Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Penllwyn Roman fort in Ceregigion, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Crop marks show in Tregaron, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old parts of RAF Lasham's airfield Jordan Bridge / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Roman site near Magor, South Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Old crop marks in Norfolk Mike Page / SWNS.com Historic sites across UK exposed by heatwave Cross Oak hill fort in Talybont, Wales RCAHMW / SWNS.com

Summer heat is so routinely extreme that tourists are warned to drink at least 4 litres of water each day, carry additional water in their cars, stay close to their vehicles and watch themselves and others for dizziness, nausea and other symptoms of potentially deadly heat illness.

Visitors are urged to "travel prepared to survive," avoid hiking at low elevations and return to their air-conditioned cars for a cool-down after just 10 to 15 minutes of exposure outdoors. Amid the heat, thunderstorms bring the threat of flash floods.

Even with that history, July was exceptional as a weather pattern stoked high temperatures.

A very persistent high-pressure system set up over the Southwest, restricting the movement of air vertically in the atmosphere and creating a heat wave.

"It was fairly intense for this time of year," said Mr Lericos.

Among the extreme conditions were four consecutive days reaching a high of 127F (52.7C) and overnight lows that remained over the century mark.

The records came as heatwaves scorched large areas of the planet, with deadly temperatures and wildfires striking the US from California to New York in July.

Why is it so hot in the UK and around the world?

Record temperatures were recorded across much of the northern hemisphere, with the heat above the Arctic Circle described as “unprecedented”.

Many scientists warned that heatwaves of a similar scale and worse are likely to become more frequent in the future as the planet gets warmer.

Preliminary work by the World Weather Attribution network concluded the European heatwave was made more than twice as likely by climate change.

The researchers behind this analysis warned that the spiralling temperatures being recorded across the world should prompt leaders to take urgent action, both adapting to global warming and ensuring it does not get any worse.