NOAA: 2020 was the 5th warmest year on record for the US

All five warmest years have occurred since 2012

Sarah Spivey, KSAT Weather Authority Meteorologist

Published: January 11, 2021 at 1:38 PMUpdated: January 11, 2021 at 1:58 PM

2020 was a year for the record books for many different reasons, including being one of the warmest years ever in the contiguous U.S.

The average temperature was 54.4 degrees Fahrenheit in 2020 -- that’s 2.4 degrees above the 1901-2000 average!
Five of the warmest years on record have all occurred since 2012: 2020, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2012.
The warmest year for the contiguous U.S. was in 2012, when the average temperature was 55.28 degrees Fahrenheit.

Local Stats

It was a warm year for those of us around the KSAT 12 viewing area, too.

Del Rio recorded its warmest year ever with an average temperature of 74.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Records have been taken since 1906.
San Antonio recorded its 3rd warmest year with an average temperature of 71.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Records have been taken since 1885.

About the Author

Sarah Spivey is a San Antonio native who grew up watching KSAT. She has been a proud member of the KSAT Weather Authority Team since 2017. Sarah is a Clark High School and Texas A&M University graduate. She previously worked at KTEN News. When Sarah is not busy forecasting, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and cat, and playing music.