The heat goes on: Warmest May, spring and year on record

Doyle Rice | USA TODAY

The planet had its hottest May, spring and first five months of the year on record, according to a new climate report released Thursday.

The warmth is being fueled in part by the ongoing El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which released the report.

May was 1.57 degrees above average worldwide, a significant number in climate science. India was one of the hottest spots. Temperatures there in late May soared to over 113 degrees in northern and central parts of the country, leading to more than 2,000 deaths, NOAA reported.

In the U.S., Alaska had a record warm May, but much of the central U.S. was cooler-than-average thanks to clouds and rain. May was also the wettest single month on record in the U.S.

Globally, spring — defined as March to May by climate scientists — was the warmest its ever been, averaging some 1.53 degrees above normal.

For the year-to-date, practically every spot on the Earth has had hotter-than-average temperatures, except for the eastern U.S. and eastern Canada. Global climate records go back to 1880.

Climate reports from Japan also said last month was the warmest May on record, while NASA's data showed it was the second-warmest.