Last year was by far the hottest year on record in the United States. Here's 2012's heat by the numbers:

— Average annual temperature: 55.32 degrees F, a record. The old record was 54.32 degrees, set in 1998.

— Weather stations across the Lower 48 states setting all-time high temperatures: 356.

— Weather stations setting all-time low temperatures: Four.

— Number of states that had their warmest year: 19.

— Months in 2012 that set U.S. heat records: March and July.

— Number of people who experienced at least 10 days of 100-degree heat: 99.1 million.

— Number of consecutive months that the United States had warmer than average temperatures: 16.

— New all-time warmest temperature in South Carolina: 113 degrees.

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Source: National Climatic Data Center.