Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate

The United States experienced its hottest year on record in 2012, amidst a global trend where each of the last five decades has been the warmest on record. The document highlights the increasing frequency and cost of extreme weather, noting that 2011 and 2012 each saw more billion-dollar disasters than any previous year. Specifically, Hurricane Sandy caused nearly $80 billion in losses for New York and New Jersey, amplified by an 8-inch rise in global sea levels over the last century.

• The United States recorded its hottest year on record in 2012, contributing to a global trend where the annual global temperature has been above average for 36 consecutive years and every decade in the last 50 years has been the warmest on record.
• Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and financial cost, with 2011 and 2012 each surpassing all previous years in the number of events costing over $1 billion.
• Hurricane Sandy's impact on the Northeast United States was amplified by abnormally warm ocean temperatures and a century-long 8-inch rise in average global sea levels, resulting in nearly $80 billion in estimated losses for New York and New Jersey.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate. https://www.wri.org/research/fact-sheet-2012-year-record-breaking-extreme-weather-and-climate

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/fact-sheet-2012-year-record-breaking-extreme-weather-and-climate.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate |url=https://www.wri.org/research/fact-sheet-2012-year-record-breaking-extreme-weather-and-climate |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendfact, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Fact Sheet: 2012, A Year of Record-Breaking Extreme Weather and Climate}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/fact-sheet-2012-year-record-breaking-extreme-weather-and-climate}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }