2012 likely 2nd hottest year on record

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin’s heat in 2012 will likely go down in the record books. The average temperature for the year so far is 72.9 degrees.

“First we had a very warm winter where we had only a handful of freezes and it was usually mild,” said Bob Rose, a meteorologist with the Lower Colorado River Authority. “Our summer was pretty darn hot. It ended up being our sixth hottest on record.

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"Even going into fall, September was warm and right now December was usually warm. You add that together and we’re experiencing one of our warmest years ever.”

2012 could end up the second hottest year on record. 2011 is number one at 73.5 degrees. The top five hottest years also include 1999, 1998, and 2006

Rose says there’s a trend with the hottest years.

"Many of the drought years are our hottest years in the area because they just go hand in hand,” said Rose. “When you don't have a lot of moisture things tend to heat up a lot more. When you have your wetter years much of the sun's energy is going into evaporating that water and that rain and so your temperatures end up a little cooler."

There's little chance we'll edge out 2011 for the number one spot. While we hit 100 degrees 35 times this past summer. It wasn't the three months of triple-digit heat we saw in 2011.

• 1. 2011.... 73.5 degrees
• 2. 2012.... 72.9
• 3. 2006.... 72.8
• 4. 1998.....72.5
• 5. 1999..... 72.4