Like most of the US, including here in NYC, temperatures across the globe soared last month. In fact, December 2015 was Earth’s warmest December on record.

According to the latest report from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, the planet’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 56°F, which is a whopping 2°F above the 20th century average. It also marked the highest departure from average for any month on record, surpassing the previous record set this past October. Moreover, it was the 8th consecutive month this year to break a global temperature record.

Closer to home, the continental US was also record warm this December. Twenty-nine states – mostly in the east – reported record high temperatures for the month.

With December closing out the year, 2015 is now ranked as the warmest year this planet has seen since record keeping began in 1880.

Credit: NOAA