September ranked second hottest for U.S. and driest for Mississippi

September this year tied 2015 as the second hottest in 125 years of record keeping, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Temperatures in the 48 contiguous states averaged 68.5 degrees, 3.7 degrees higher than average.

The hottest year occurred in 1998 but only by one-half of one degree.

The lower 48 broke records in precipitation for the month.

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida all experienced the driest September on record. In Mississippi, the average precipitation for the month was 0.38 inches, more than 3 inches below normal, which is 3.43 inches, reports WJTV.

While record dry conditions dominated the South and the Ohio Valley, the northern tier of states and southeast Texas had record wet conditions.

Extremes in weather also affected the economy. NCEI counts 10 weather and climate disasters so far this year with losses exceeding $1 billion each. This is the fifth consecutive year with 10 or more billion-dollar weather disasters, which is another record-breaking occurrence.