Last month was the second hottest February in modern history, according to a report Wednesday by US government scientists who measure the global average land and sea temperature each month.
The month's average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.48 Fahrenheit (0.82 Celsius) above the 20th century average, said the report by the  by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
"This was the second highest for February in the 1880-2015 record. The highest temperature occurred in 1998, at 1.55 F (0.86 C) above average."
And for the period of December to February combined, the average temperatures across the planet were the highest since record-keeping began in 1880, NOAA said.
The report comes on the heels of news that 2014 was the hottest year in the modern age, as concerns mount over global warming that is being driven by the burning of fossil fuels.