The contiguous United States experienced the highest average temperatures in national history in 2012, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Tuesday. The average temperature this past year was 55.3 degrees, an entire degree higher than the previous record set in 1998. 

July was the hottest recorded month in U.S. history, with the average of 77.6 degrees being 3.3 degrees above the 20th-century average for the month. 

The U.S. also experienced the warmest spring in recorded history, 5.2 degrees above the 20th-century average. U.S. weather records have been kept since 1895. 

The U.S. Climate Extremes Index, which takes into account extremes in temperature as well as rainfall and natural disasters, said 2012 was the second most extreme year in history for the U.S. Eleven disasters, including Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac, caused more than $1 billion in damages.

Read more in the Washington Post article here. 

Reach Executive Producer Jacob Freedman here or follow him on Twitter.