The 2015-16 El Niño Pacific Ocean warming event has faded into history, but the globe still saw its fourth warmest February in the satellite global temperature record, including the warmest February in that time for the contiguous 48 U.S. states, notes Dr. John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. How hot was it? The average temperature over the U.S. was +2.1 Celsius (about 3.78 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than seasonal norms in February 2017. The next warmest Februarys in the lower 48 states occurred in 1991 (+1.69 C), 2003 (+1.58 C), 2001 (+1.32 C), and 1998 (+1.12 C).

Global climate trend since Nov. 16, 1978: +0.12 C per decade February temperatures (preliminary)



Global composite temp.: +0.35 C (about 0.63 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for February. Northern Hemisphere: +0.54 C (about 0.97 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for February. Southern Hemisphere: +0.15 C (about 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for February. Tropics: +0.05 C (about 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for February.

Go here to view the monthly satellite temperature data since 1978.