Many North Carolinians were shivering as we rang in the new year. The first week of 2018 was one of the coldest starts to January for several cities around the state. However, the complete opposite was true for the entire year of 2017.  

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just released its National Climate Report for 2017. Based on average temperature, that report shows 2017 was the warmest year on record for the state of North Carolina.  

South Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico and Arizona also recorded their warmest year on record in 2017. Every state in the country was above average based on records from 1895 through 2017.

For the country as a whole, 2017 was the third hottest year on record. The four hottest years for the United States have all occurred since 2010. 

 

 

 

Image courtesy: Climate Central.