Not surprisingly, 2012 was the hottest year ever (in recorded history, since 1895) in the continental US. The 53.3F average temperature was 3.2 degrees above the average for the 20th century, and one degree above the previous high set in 1998.
Also interesting was that, while there were 362 all-time record highs set across the country, there were zero all time record lows recorded. 2012 also ranked as the driest year since 1998, and with 61% of the continental US in moderate to exceptional drought.
Read more in the USA Today or Washington Post. And let’s hope for a more average 2013…and the political and social willpower to end this crazy terraforming project we’re on before it’s too late.