Its official. 2012 was the warmest and among the most extreme year of weather ever recorded. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists said the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 55.3°F, which was 3.2°F above the 20th century average and 1.0°F above the previous record from 1998.
The year consisted of the fourth warmest winter, a record warm spring, the second warmest summer, and a warmer-than-average autumn. Although the last four months of 2012 did not bring the same unusual warmth as the first eight months of the year, the September through December temperatures were warm enough for 2012 to remain the record warmest year, by a wide margin.
Every state in the contiguous U.S. had an above-average annual temperature for 2012. Nineteen states had a record warm year and an additional 26 states had one of their 10 warmest. The winter snow cover for the contiguous U.S. was the third smallest on record and snowpack totals across the Central and Southern Rockies were less than half of normal. The sparse snowpack caused U.S. skier visits to fall 16 during the 2011-12 winter and reach their lowest level in more than a decade, according to the National Ski Areas Association.
During the summer, an estimated 99.1 million people experienced 10 or more days of summer temperatures greater than 100°F, nearly one-third of the nations population. The average precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. for 2012 was 26.57 inches, 2.57 inches below average, and the 15th driest year on record for the nation.
The U.S. Climate Extremes Index, showed 2012 was the second most extreme year since 2000 in terms of temperature, precipitation, wildfires and tropical cyclones. The index reached nearly twice its average value and second only to 1998. The Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, CO, was the most destructive fire on record for the state.
