The average annual temperature for the contiguous United States (CONUS) in 2012 was the warmest and second most extremem since records began in 1895.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released data that reveals that this past year was, on average, 1.0°F warmer than the previous record year of 1998, and 3.2°F warmer than the 20th century average. Temperatures have seen a steady increase of about 0.13°F per decade since the records began.
Precipitation was down this year as well at 26.57 inches, 2.57 inches below the 20th century average, making 2012 the 15th driest year on record. Like the temperature, the average precipitation has been increasing at a rate of 0.16 inch per decade.
The 2011-2012 winter season was markedly warmer, especially in the Midwest and Northeast, although none of the lower 48 states experienced temperature below normal. Precipitation in the winter was more of a mixed bag with above average precipitation on the Southern Plains, like in Texas and Oklahoma, while the western states, the Southeast and most of the Eastern Seaboard experienced lower precipitation. California, Nevada and the Carolinas all experienced much lower precipitation than normal.
The spring also featured higher temperatures across the contiguous U.S., except for the Pacific Northwest, which experienced near normal temperatures. Almost all of the states east of the Rocky Mountains experienced record highs. Precipitation levels were more normal, although the Rocky Mountain states received much less than average levels, with the states along the Mississippi River also receiving below average levels. The Pacific coast received above average levels, especially in Oregon and Washington.
The summer's temperatures were above average in most of the nation as well, with almost all of the states west of the Mississippi experiencing much higher than average temperatures, with record highs in Colorado and Wyoming. The Northeast also experienced temperatures much higher than average. Precipitation was below normal for the central U.S., with record lows in Wyoming and Nebraska. Florida, however, received a record amount of precipitation in the season.
The fall brought unseasonably cool weather to the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Gulf Coast states, while Nevada recorded a record high and the Southwest and Mountain states also experienced temperatures much higher than normal. Overall, precipitation was below average for the fall, with the central United States receiving below average levels, while the Mid-Atlantic received above average levels, when post-tropical cyclone Sandy brought heavy rains to the region and dropped heavy snowfall on the Appalachian region.
