The Nation - News from March 23, 1988

The last two years have been the warmest in this country in more than three decades, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. Both 1986 and 1987 recorded average temperatures for the year of 54.0 degrees Fahrenheit over the 48 contiguous states, the agency said. These were the warmest years since 1953, which averaged 54.7 to tie with 1934 for the warmest year in this century. Records going back to 1895 show the normal annual average temperature for the 48 states is 52.5 degrees. Tom Karl of the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., said the position of the jet stream upper air currents and the high pressure center located over Bermuda were contributing factors in the warm years.