2012: Hottest Year in US ever

(WWLP) - We're less than two weeks into 2013 and the calculations and facts about the warmth of 2012 have now been released.

We knew 2012 was a warm year, but the incredible warmth of last year broke the record as the warmest year in the continental United States ever.

It's not just the fact that it broke the record that's startling, but we broke the average annual temperature record by a full degree, which is a huge amount.

This means 2012 surpasses 1998 as the hottest year in the United States ever recorded since they began keeping records in 1895.

The heat caused a drought for two-thirds of the country, including to here in western Massachusetts and the unusual warmth limited snowfall in western Massachusetts last winter.

"it was really warm all the way through the fall and it was kind of concerning wondering winter would come. I know that we all need the snow, the environment needs the snow for later on in the spring for things to grow," said Teisha Thomas of Springfield.

The warmth wasn't just here in the united states either. Through November data, 2012 was ranked the 8th warmest year for the entire world.