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Alaska endured its hottest year in recorded history in 2019, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
By the numbers: The state's average temperature sat at 32.2°F, which was 6.2°F hotter than the long-term average. Last year's temperatures topped 2016's previous record, which saw the statewide average at 31.9°F. For the first time on record, Anchorage recorded a 90°F day in July.
- Wildfires throughout the state devoured 2.68 million acres in 2019.
The big picture: The Copernicus Climate Change Service found 2019 to be the second-hottest year on record, and the 2010s to be the hottest decade. 2016 remains the hottest year on record, while 2017 is the third hottest.
- The continued buildup of carbon dioxide due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels for energy, is driving global temperatures up and instigating harmful impacts worldwide.
Go deeper: All the global temperature records broken in 2019, so far