Russ Zimmer

@RussZimmer

As talk of climate change swirls around the nation's capital, New Jersey registered its third warmest year in recorded history during 2016, according to data shared by the Office of the NJ State Climatologist at Rutgers University.

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The Garden State is not alone: 2016 was the hottest year ever measured and the third consecutive year of record-breaking average global temperatures, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

Last year, the average temperature in New Jersey for the entire year was 55 degrees, according to data gathered through the National Centers for Environmental Information network.

August 2016 was the balmiest August in the state's recorded history, with an average temperature of 76.9 degrees, or about 4 degrees higher than what's typical.

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At 55.9 degrees, 2012 is New Jersey's warmest year since climate data was first collected here in 1895. In second place is 1998 (55.2 degrees). Before last year, 2006 was the only other 55-degree year in the books.

New Jersey's "normal" annual temperature, based off of a 30-year rolling average, is 52.9 degrees.

Recent years have been lifting that figure: Only twice in the last 10 years has the state logged an annual temperature that is below 53 degrees.

From the state climatologist:

The planet is warming. There is no debate about that within the scientific community. Where you will see some disagreement, especially within the political realm, is how much of the rise in temperature — and the other effects of climate change, such as stronger storms and acid rain — can be ascribed to human activity.

Donald Trump, who is set to be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on Friday, has called man-made climate change "a hoax" and has nominated Scott Pruitt to serve as head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Pruitt has a history of fighting against EPA regulations on the fossil fuel industry. Carbon emissions, which are the most significant share of the greenhouse gases that are making the Earth hotter, come primarily from the burning of coal, natural gas and oil.

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Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com