According to the latest data, the NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center has determined that 2012 was the warmest year on record by a decently wide margin. The average temperature for the year was about 55.3 degrees Fahrenheit, a full 3.2 degrees above average and beating the previous record set back in 1998 by 1 degree.

Overall, 2012 included the fourth warmest winter on record, the warmest spring on record, the second warmest summer on record, and a warmer than average fall. Every single state throughout the country had an above average temperature during the entire year of 2012. 19 states had a record warm year overall.

The warmest March ever recorded happened in 2012 which started out the warmest spring on record. This past spring was 5.2 degrees Fahrenheit above average, beating the previous record by 2 degrees. The heat of the year peaked during the month of July. The average temperature throughout the country was 76.9 degrees Fahrenheit for the month, which was 3.6 degrees above average. This made July the hottest month ever recorded for the contiguous United States in any year.

Even with this past fall being slightly warmer than average and nowhere near breaking records, the heat from the previous months in the year was enough to make 2012 the warmest year on record.

For a more in depth look at 2012, click here.