2012 warmest year in US? Odds rise to 99.7 percent

The calendar says December, but no one east of the Rockies is singing "Baby It's Cold Outside" -- most of the U.S. is enjoying unseasonably warm weather.  NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.

A warm winter, a record warm spring, a record hot July and a warmer than average autumn combined to make it even more likely that 2012 will go down as the warmest year in the contiguous United States on record, the federal government reported Thursday.


Just how likely? 

"For 2012 not to be record warm, December would have to be unprecedented," Jake Crouch, a scientist at the National Climatic Data Center, told NBC News. "December temperatures would need to be more than 1 degree F colder than the coldest December on record, which occurred in 1983."


Based on past numbers, he added, "the odds of that occurring are less than 0.3 percent."

In other words, he said, "2012 has a greater than 99.7 percent chance of being record warm." That's up from Crouch's odds just last month of 90 percent.

January-November was already the warmest first 11 months of any year in records that go back to 1895, according to data released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the center. The average national temperature through November was 57.1 degrees F. 

The year has had a string of warm events, Crouch noted. "We had our fourth warmest winter (2011/2012) on record, our warmest spring, a very hot summer with the hottest month on record for the nation (July 2012), and a warmer than average autumn," he said.

"The warm winter and spring were associated with an unusually northern track of the jet stream, which kept cold Arctic air out of the contiguous United States," he added. "The early start to spring was a precursor to the summer drought. The large size of the summer drought was associated with a large area of the country experiencing a very hot summer. Those conditions continued into much of the fall season."

"When you put these local and regional factors on top of a warming trend for the contiguous United States and the globe," he said, "the result has been the warmest year on record for the Lower 48."

If 2012 does go down as the warmest year on record in the U.S. it would depose 1998, which averaged 54.3 degrees F.

Related: Arctic 'Report Card' lists worsening warming signals
Related: Snow, cold missing from much of US

Globally, 2012 is likely to be among the top 10 warmest on record, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said last month.

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This is what happens when you have too many HOT-AIR Politicians in office at the same time ! Now that ..........is a free energy source !

ComradeChaos. It is so true !!!!

A.Gent Orange! Somebody done hit your nerve..................Waaaa Waaaa Waaaa ... crybaby.

    Reply#125 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:31 AM EST

    You know what ? None of you can do anything about it anyway. God controls the world and everything about it. Sheesh ! You meeces are gonna drive me crazy !

      Reply#126 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:33 AM EST

      It's not just global warming. It's solar system warming.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#128 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:42 AM EST

      Are you trying to say the entire solar system is warming?

        #128.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:44 AM EST
        Reply

        Really? EVER?? Hotter than 500 years ago? Hotter than 3000 years ago? Hotter than 10,000 years ago. You global warming people are hilarious.

        • 1 vote
        Reply#129 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:47 AM EST

        From the story: ".. 2012 will go down as the warmest year in the contiguous United States on record,.."

        You need to learn how to read.

          #129.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:51 AM EST

          Yea and Alaska got the most snow it had in 50 years, how is that possible during warming. Doesn't it have to be cold in order to snow? I think it does?

            #129.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:18 AM EST

            Thye record was in Anchorage, not all of Alaska.

              #129.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:21 AM EST

              I live in Florida. Normally from the end of October, clear through the end of december, temperatures usually range from the low to mid 80's to right at 90.

              Since October, we've yet to have a day go over 80 or 81, and a vast majority of those days were spent in the mid 70's, with a number of them in the 60's, and a few in the 50's.

              I wonder how that cool air got down to Florida.

              HMMMMMM

              • 1 vote
              #129.4 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:07 AM EST

              My guess is all the Dumbocrats were taking deep breaths hoping and changing that barry would win again, they were sucking all the hot air into their lungs. I see you once great state has crossed over to the dark side. Trust me living in the former great state of NY, once you starting voting for the Dumbocrat, only bad things will happen to you. If you pay taxes that is, if your on the dole or a union teacher, well break out the bottle and start the party!

                #129.5 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:17 AM EST

                ARMY, what part of the world GLOBAL do you not understand?

                  #129.6 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:58 AM EST
                  Reply

                  Yes, all of the planets are warming. They share the same heat source.

                    Reply#130 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:56 AM EST

                    Ha, ha. Ignorance is bliss I guess.

                      #130.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:48 AM EST
                      Reply

                      If anyone doubts the reality of climate change, just look at the history of earth - periods of extreme temperatures where Ice Ages caused glaciers to cover where many of us live now. Ask any dinosaur if the climate changes; oh, that's right - we can't because they're extinct, caused by climate change! Of course climate change is real, and is now caused by mankind. With each breath we exhale we produce CO2. What we need is a new mandatory tax, to be used to require a respirator or a filter for every person to wear all of the time to filter out the CO2 caused by breathing. If we all do our part we can put a halt to the millions of years of climate change patterns, historically proven, here on earth.

                        Reply#131 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 8:57 AM EST

                        Why to confuse the people? The Global Warming cannot be discussed but only at a GLOBAL SCALE.

                        Sad for the anthropic GW theorists, the GW has stalled in 1998. Every year since, including 2012 was colder than 1998, at a GLOBAL scale I repeat, while the CO2 rate in the atmosphere still was climbing joyously.

                        It is not because the US underwent the hottest summer ever that the planet underwent it too. We had that same discussion in France in 2003 when we got a very hot and dry summer.

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#132 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:02 AM EST
                          #132.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:23 AM EST

                          First, you are wrong, the warmest year on record GLOBALLY was 2005.

                          Global warming weather is like a rollercoaster perched on a giant platform that is rising. '98 was the top of a cyclical weather peak, as was 2005. There may be long periods where the coaster is near the bottom going through some curves. At the bottom everyone says, look it's getting cooler, but that bottom is a little higher than the last bottom because the underlying forcing mechanism is lifting the whole cycle higher. The next peak will be higher yet.

                          http://ossfoundation.us/projects/environment/global-warming/myths/global-warming-stopped

                            #132.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:53 AM EST

                            jacques, it is simply dishonest to use the abnormally high year of 1998 as a baseline to claim that temperatures aren't rising.

                              #132.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:56 AM EST
                              Reply

                              Global warming is just a myth!!!

                                Reply#133 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:04 AM EST

                                If you add one more exclamation point, maybe that will make it true!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  #133.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:53 AM EST

                                  Yes, it's a myth, but invisible God is real.

                                    #133.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:57 AM EST
                                    Reply

                                    The poll says that 60p.c. people believe the heat wave is a direct outcome of the GW, so the anthropic GW theory is true.

                                    Very scientific indeed.

                                      Reply#134 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:06 AM EST

                                      Uh, the theory is not based on polling data, but temperature data. Where did you people go to school?

                                        #134.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:54 AM EST
                                        Reply

                                        More nonsense from the liberal progressive Dumbocrats pushing another big lie man made global warming. Yea winter was warmer than normal in the once great state of NY in 2012. But the spring was really cold, and the summer, what summer July was not as warm as usual. The fall was also cooler than normal, and boy has winter arrived early, right NY's, been preety cold hasn't it for November? But that will not convince the nut jobs man made global warming crew as they see every weather event as warming. Kind of like a kid that see the same somthing in the sky every time they look.

                                          Reply#135 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:15 AM EST

                                          Yeah, if you spell their name with a 'Dumb' in it, that makes it so. Yeah, NASA and NOAA are bastions of the liberal conspiracy. Winter has arrived early? It's 70 in Chicago. 2012 will be the hottest year ever recorded in the U.S.

                                          If you want to learn something instead of call names, read this:

                                          http://www.businessinsider.com/climate-change-global-warming-scientific-evidence-2011-8

                                            #135.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:56 AM EST

                                            Hey your in a warm climate, if your in NY it has been cold since Sep here. Bu I must be dreaming that or making that up? I guess I must be since you say it isn't so, oh let me see MSLSD weather say it is 31 degrees outside at 10:19am, man made global warming my foot! I suggest that before you make assumptions that you move to NY and see how the weather really is. And at the same time you can see how Liberalism, run by the Dumbocrats have ruined the economy here also.

                                              #135.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:22 AM EST

                                              ARMY, what part of the word GLOBAL do you not understand?

                                                #135.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:53 AM EST

                                                There is this great liberal commie conspiracy to take away all our freedoms and make us think like Obamastalin Mao wants us to. They actually are teaching us SCIENCE to make us believe the Good Book's Almighty Truths are false. And Heaven forbid, they are trying to teach us "social" RESPONSIBILITY.

                                                Tell you guys what's really going on. Last night the big Buddha dropped down in his spaceship to have a chat with me and explained it this way. The Gods see what's happening here on earth and are taking notes. Those that actually try to live responsibly and take care of the environment get to reincarnate on a lush green paradise planet while all the deniers who continue to pollute the earth and could really care less get to reincarnate back here on earth and enjoy the hell they helped create. See, there is justice in the universe after all.

                                                  #135.4 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 12:05 PM EST
                                                  Reply

                                                  Global warming is very real...

                                                  It started 12,000 years ago.

                                                  But not to worry, Global cooling will be next.

                                                    Reply#136 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:19 AM EST

                                                    Uh, OK. Care to provide any evidence? I'm sure the scientists at NASA and NOAA would like to know your proof of that theory.

                                                      #136.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:57 AM EST

                                                      Aproximately 12,000 years ago was the end of our last glacial period. Fairly well known.

                                                      And if history means squat, we will re-freeze someday. Go figure.

                                                        #136.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:55 AM EST

                                                        But we gave not been warming since then, sluggo

                                                          #136.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 11:17 AM EST
                                                          Reply

                                                          If global warming ends up being true, who's to say it isn't like a chain reaction, like an explosive, that once started, cannot be stopped by any means or intervention by the arrogant people who think they can?

                                                            Reply#137 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:23 AM EST

                                                            Wait till next year there won't be a next year we get closer to hell everyday

                                                              Reply#138 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:25 AM EST

                                                              Jesus says,the body is a temple for God's Holy Spirit,drugs that harm the body,as pot,would not be of God,wars also destroy and harm the body,so making pot legal,along with the love of money root of all evil causing Global Warming,and the proliferation of wars and guns,is just one more sign of what lies ahead,man heading in the wrong direction away from God.

                                                                Reply#139 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:35 AM EST

                                                                Hey dude,

                                                                Jesus drank wine. A drug.

                                                                  #139.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 12:10 PM EST
                                                                  Reply

                                                                  So what, it was warmer than usual in 1988 too and many other time before. So what. So now that the liberal left won the national presidential election the American people have to endure more global warming BS.

                                                                  • 1 vote
                                                                  Reply#140 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:38 AM EST

                                                                  You just keep telling yourself that. Turn on Fox News and turn up the A/C.

                                                                  Or you could pick up a real scientific publication like the ones I list below, or go to the NOAA or NASA websites and read up on some facts.

                                                                    #140.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:00 AM EST

                                                                    Royal of London, hey weren't they the ones that admitted in the e-mails that man made global warming was a hoax. Or was that made up also? And do you think that we should trust the government, hey like bush and WMDs he said it was real. How about LBJ and the Gulf of Tonkin, remember that little bit of history, did you beleive that also, that was from the governement?

                                                                      #140.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:26 AM EST

                                                                      "the ones that admitted in the e-mails that man made global warming was a hoax. Or was that made up also?"

                                                                      Yes, that was made up also.

                                                                      The fact that the government has lied before does not prove that it is always lying.

                                                                      But you don't have to listen to the government if you don't trust them. I get my science from scientists.

                                                                        #140.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 11:16 AM EST
                                                                        Reply

                                                                        Why am I dying,

                                                                        Kill, have no fear.

                                                                        Lie, live off lying,

                                                                        Hell, Hell is here.

                                                                          Reply#141 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:39 AM EST
                                                                            Reply#142 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:40 AM EST

                                                                            They faked the moon landings too and they faked the deaths of Elvis and JFK, so that those two can live as gay lovers in San Fran.

                                                                            • 1 vote
                                                                            #142.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:54 AM EST

                                                                            So you cite a couple of people who have enough brainpower to enter their email address and get a blog on wordpress? Wow!

                                                                            How about going to a real source with actual scientists:

                                                                            http://climate.nasa.gov/

                                                                            http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html

                                                                            Even the Department of Defense is planning for it:

                                                                            http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/defense-dept-jumps-on-climate-change-re/231903361

                                                                              #142.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:03 AM EST

                                                                              ek doesn't just cite Steven Goddard; I have always assumed he IS Steven Goddard -- or why else would he have such an obsession with one man's opinions.

                                                                                #142.3 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:47 AM EST
                                                                                Reply

                                                                                NASA= Never A Straight Answer

                                                                                  Reply#144 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:43 AM EST

                                                                                  Wow, clever.

                                                                                    #144.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:03 AM EST
                                                                                    Reply

                                                                                    Global warming is caused by God. God has a big magnifying glass and he's using it to burn the gays. I have proof and my proof is we can't see the magnifying glass and God because glass is invisible and God is too. Now, he's slowly sizzling all of us because God is an old guy, which you can tell by the length of his invisible beard, so he doesn't see too well, but remember that God loves you unless you're gay.

                                                                                    • 1 vote
                                                                                    Reply#145 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:49 AM EST

                                                                                    Or a dope like you Folly! Don't you have some work to do today, a kitchen floor to mop a toilet to clean, something more fitting with your talents than commenting on things that are way above your pay grade.

                                                                                      #145.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:28 AM EST

                                                                                      I offered you proof and you scoffed. Shame on you! Say, are you gay? You seem to hate women and that only leaves men to love.

                                                                                        #145.2 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 10:56 AM EST
                                                                                        Reply

                                                                                        God is a bullet.

                                                                                          Reply#146 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:52 AM EST

                                                                                          Yep, God is love and there's nothing more loving than a bullet. Praise ATK!

                                                                                            #146.1 - Fri Dec 7, 2012 9:56 AM EST
                                                                                            Reply
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