2015 second warmest year on record in the United States: NOAA

The average annual temperature in the United States in 2015 was the second warmest on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Thursday.

Only 2012 was warmer, with an average temperature of 55.3°F, compared to the 2015 annual average U.S. temperature of 54.4°F, NOAA said in a summary report. The 2015 average temperature was 2.4°F above the 20th century average. [click image below to enlarge]

This is the 19th consecutive year the annual average temperature exceeded the 20th century average, NOAA reported. The first part of the year was marked by extreme warmth in the West and cold in East, but by the end of 2015, record warmth spanned the east with near-average temperatures across the west. This temperature pattern resulted in every state having an above-average annual temperature, the report said.

The average contiguous U.S. precipitation was 34.47 inches, 4.53 inches above average, and ranked as the third wettest year in the 121-year period of record, NOAA said, adding that only 1973 and 1983 were wetter. The central and southeastern parts of the country were much wetter than average, while parts of the West and Northeast were drier than average. The national drought footprint shrank about 10% during the course of the year, NOAA added.

In 2015, there were 10 weather and climate disaster events, each with losses exceeding US$1 billion. These events included a drought, two floods, five severe storms, a wildfire event and a winter storm. Overall, these resulted in the deaths of 155 people. Further cost figures on individual events in 2015 will be updated when data are finalized later this year, NOAA said, added that the full report, State of the Climate: National Overview for December 2015, will be published on Jan. 13.

Other highlights of the report include:

• December 2015 was record warm for the contiguous U.S., with a temperature of 38.6°F, 6°F above the 20th century average. This broke the previous record of 37.7°F set in 1939. Record warmth engulfed the eastern half of the nation, where 29 states had the warmest December on record. Near- to below-average December temperatures were observed in the West. No state was record cold;

• A strong low pressure system moved through the central U.S. during the end of December, causing record flooding, severe weather and heavy snowfall. Record crests and overtopped levees were observed along parts of the Mississippi River and its tributaries and deadly tornadoes ripped through the Southern Plains and Mid-South. This storm system resulted in at least 50 fatalities across the country — the deadliest weather event of 2015 — and caused over US$1 billion in losses, according to preliminary estimates; and

• According to the Dec. 29th U.S. Drought Monitor report, 18.7% of contiguous U.S. was in drought, down from 20.6% at the beginning of the month.

North of the border, Environment Canada said last month that the current El Niño phenomenon is expected to reach its maximum during the winter of 2015-16, which has historically manifested itself through milder than normal winters in western, northwestern and central Canada.