The East Coast was the only region in the world with below-average temperatures in 2014

Last year was the hottest on record, both on land and in the sea, according to a report released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the American Meteorological Society. The peer-reviewed report, "State of the Climate in 2014" (read it here), draws from the work of 413 scientists in 58 countries, and it contains little good news.

Concentrations of major greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane hit record levels in 2014, NOAA says, and average global sea levels hit a record high, too. The surface and upper stratum of ocean water also reached new average high temperatures, and Europe and Mexico had their warmest years ever recorded, while most of Africa experienced above-average temperatures all year. But, NOAA said, not everywhere heated up: "Eastern North America was the only major region to experience below-average annual temperatures." Coincidentally, the U.S. East Coast is the center of American politics and media.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up