Asheville, N.C. – Temperatures are starting to cool down now, but 2012 has set record highs.
The first eight months of the year were America's hottest ever, on record.
According to the most recent report from the National Climatic Data Center, the summer was the third-hottest ever recorded.
It was also the driest, with record drought conditions reported across the country.
So far this year, the national temperature is 58.7 degrees Fahrenheit, 4 degrees above the 20th century average.
