September tied for hottest on record

The global average temperature last month tied 2005 for the warmest September since record-keeping began in 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The latest NOAA temperature data, released Monday, also show that it was the 36th consecutive September and the 331st consecutive month with global temperatures above the 20th-century average.

{mosads}The last time any month had below average temperatures was February 1985, according to NOAA, which is part of the Commerce Department.

In September, most areas of the world had much higher-than-average temperatures, including central Russia, Japan, western Australia, northern Argentina, Paraguay, western Canada and southern Greenland, NOAA said.

“Meanwhile, far eastern Russia, western Alaska, southern Africa, parts of the upper Midwest and southeast United States and much of China were notably below average,” the agency said in its monthly report.

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for September was 60.21 F (15.67 C), which is 1.21 F (0.67 C) above the 20th-century average, NOAA said.

Overall, the first nine months of 2012 are the eighth-warmest January-September period on record.