Summer may have officially ended in September, but that didn’t stop the month from going down as the warmest in nearly 135 years.

Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) say last month’s global average temperature was 60.3 degrees Fahrenheit—the highest reading since records were first kept in 1880.

This year, in fact, has been a record-setting one in many ways for worldwide temperatures. Before September became the hottest on record, August had the title. And before that it was June. And before that May.

Given the multitude of record-warm months, it’s not surprising to hear that experts say 2014 will likely go down as the hottest year ever recorded. NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden told the Daily Mail “it’s pretty likely” this year will break the mark.

The reason for this, according to the newspaper, is the presence of El Nino, which warmed the tropical Pacific Ocean and affected weather across the globe.

Breaking the heat record this year is nothing new, considering 2010, 2005, 1998, 1997 and 1995 were former titleholders for warmest year.

“This is one of many indicators that climate change has not stopped and that it continues to be one of the most important issues facing humanity,” University of Illinois climate scientist Donald Wuebbles told the Daily Mail.

With another El Nino in 2015, “next year could well bring Earth's hottest year on record, accompanied by unprecedented regional heat waves and droughts,” warned Jeff Masters, meteorology director for Weather Underground, in speaking to the newspaper.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, Danny Biederman

To Learn More:

Global Analysis – September 2014 (National Climatic Data Center)

September was the Warmest in History - and 2014 is on Track to be Hottest Year on Record (Associated Press and Mark Prigg, Daily Mail)