InsideClimate: Last year was the hottest year on record, two U.S. agencies announced Wednesday. It clocked in at 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, nearly one-third of a degree above the previous record, which was only a year old, set in 2014.
The strong El Nio currently hovering over the Pacific Ocean is only partially to blame, scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told reporters Wednesday.
"2015 did not start with an El Nio event," said Gavin...