May Was Hottest on Record

According to NASA, the average global temperature for May was 1.38 degrees Fahrenheit above average, making it the hottest on record. And, these record highs come before El Niño, which is expected to hit this summer. The global average does not mean it was scorching everywhere—for instance, Texas had a colder-than-average May—but it is significant in terms of long-term temperatures. In addition to NASA, the Japan Meteorological Agency said that March, April, and May of 2014 were the warmest on record, dating back to 1891.