  Drought, cold, and massive storms were among the devastating
climate-related events that struck the United States in 2012.
These events were incredibly destructive and disruptive for
people across the country. presents Extreme Events of 2012:
Looking at the Big Picture  It’s official: 2012 was the hottest
year on record for the contiguous United States. March kicked
things into high gear, breaking its own record by a huge margin.
July was then the warmest of more than 1,400 months on record,
dating back to 1895. September was the 16th consecutive month
with warmer than normal conditions—the longest streak in the
nation’s climate record.  With all that heat came prolonged
drought, which is ongoing as we begin the new year. Crops
suffered, and the Mississippi River approached all-time lows at
several locations. Without enough water, barge traffic on the
river, critical for the nation’s commerce, nearly halted. The
drought also set the stage for massive wildfires. Some of the
largest fires occurred in New Mexi