Last year, United States had its second warmest year on record in the 122 years due to global warming and a strong El-Nino.
According to weather experts, the average temperature for the Lower 48 in 2016 was 12.7°C which is above the 1901-2000 average of -16°C. However, 2012 was the only year before 2016 which was warmer with an average temperature of 12.9°C.
Georgia was the only state in the Lower 48 that experienced a warm year, while 10 other states witnessed their second warmest year on record.
Alaska observed a record warm year also. This is the third year in succession that the state has set another record warm standard for a calendar year.
Weatherman says 2016 was the 20th year in a row that the annual average temperature in the Lower 48 has surpassed the long-term average.
Rainfall in US was better than expected in 2016, but not to the extent that the warmth was.
Not just this, it was also an expensive year with 15 weather and climate-related billion dollar disaster events. These events included a drought, four flooding events, eight severe storms, a tropical cyclone and a major wildfire.
Hurricane Matthew caused immense damage in Florida around late September before moving to the coast. There were also separate billion-dollar inland flood events during the year.
Local floods were also notable. Major flooding had hit Texas and Louisiana in mid-March, the Houston on April 17 and 18, Louisiana again in mid-August and West Virginia in late June.
Meanwhile, other parts of the country remained exceptionally dry. Wildfires burned across the southeastern parts in summer and fall and with this, most areas in California remained under drought.
Image Credit: inhabitat.com
