2012 Will Be the Warmest Year in U.S. History

2012 warmest year on record

Data released today by the National Climatic Data Center indicate 2012 will be the warmest year ever recorded in the United States. Record-keeping began in 1895.

From the center’s November 2012 climate report:

It appears virtually certain that 2012 will surpass the current record (1998, 54.3°F) as the warmest year for the nation. December 2012 temperatures would need to be more than 1.0°F colder than the coldest December (1983) for 2012 to not break the record.

The December 2011-November 2012 period was the warmest such 12-month period on record for the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 55.2°F, 3.2°F above average. This 12-month temperature average was the sixth warmest of any 12-month period on record for the contiguous United States. The eight warmest 12-month periods have all ended during 2012.

And now this cool graphic from the report:

2012 warmest year on record