Contiguous United States warmer and wetter than average for January

According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during January was 32.0°F, 1.6°F above the 20th century average, tying with 1958 as the 39th warmest January on record. Drought conditions remained entrenched across the Southeast, Great Plains, and the mountainous West.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc

2012 global temperatures are 10th highest on record

According to NOAA scientists, the globally-averaged annual combined land and ocean surface temperature in 2012 was 1.03°F (0.57°C) above the 20th-century average of 57.0°F (13.9°C). The annual report also found that all 12 years of the 21st century (2001-2012) rank among the 14 warmest in the 133-year period of record.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc

2012 was warmest and second most extreme year on record for the contiguous U.S.

2012 was a historic year for extreme weather that included drought, wildfires, hurricanes and storms; however, tornado activity was below average, according to an analysis released today by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. The average temperature for 2012 was 55.3°F, 3.2°F above the 20th century average, and 1.0°F above 1998, the previous warmest year.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc