If you thought this year has been extra warm, your thinking would be right. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information, 2016 so far is the second warmest year recorded. Records have been kept since 1895. The only year hotter so far was 2012. The national average was 57.8 degrees, 2.8 degrees above normal. Total precipitation is also above average. Year to date, rain and snowfall is 1.8″ above normal.
Alaska was also warmer than average with some areas setting records.
January–October 2016 Alaska temperature was 36.3°F, 6.7°F above average and record warm: https://t.co/qDltABAcAA #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/FFIbBStgaM
— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) November 8, 2016
It was the warmest on record in parts of the Middle Atlantic and wettest in areas around the Western Great Lakes.
October was also much warmer than average. The month ended up as the third warmest on record with only 1947 and 1963 hotter. It was warmer than normal in most of Alaska as well. The drought worsened in the Southeast, while record precipitation fell in the Northwest.
ICYMI The contiguous United States saw its third warmest October in 2016: https://t.co/qDltABAcAA #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/OMjKpKBnjE
— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) November 9, 2016
ICYMI In October 2016, drought intensified significantly in the South and Southeast: https://t.co/qDltABAcAA #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/pfMzmHUqT0
— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) November 9, 2016
October 2016 was warmer than average for Alaska: https://t.co/qDltABAcAA #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/jBPexhtR8x
— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) November 8, 2016
With temperatures remaining well above normal November, it will be interesting to see if this year is able to surpass 2012 as the hottest on record.
For WeatherNation: Meteorologist Mace Michaels