The average nationwide temperature in the U.S. over the first half of the year has posted a record high.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a report that the average temperature stood at eleven-point-six degrees Celsius across the nation in the first half of 2012. This is up two-point-five degrees from the usual average temperature at nine-point-one degrees and the highest since the U.S. began collecting related data in 1895. The heat also set new temperature records in 28 states.

The average temperature over the one-year period between July 2011 and last month also rose one-point-eight degrees from previous years to 13-point-three degrees.