September ties record as second hottest ever for that month

September tied for the second hottest of that month on record, according to data released Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).

The average temperature for September was 68.5 degrees Fahrenheit across the continental U.S., tying with 2015 as the second warmest September in history.

The first nine months of 2019 were also the wettest stretch in that period in U.S. history. 

The period from January through September was the wettest first nine-month period on record in the contiguous U.S., with 27.96 inches of precipitation.

The period between October 2018 and September was also the wettest 12-month period in the record books, with the average precipitation coming in at 6.51 inches above average.

The state of North Dakota had its wettest September on record. 

The warming trends have largely been highlighted by previous NOAA data. The government agency anticipates 2019 will be one of the top five hottest years on record. This past July was recorded as the hottest month on Earth.