January global temperatures highest since 2007

In spite of deep cold in some areas, January 2014 was the warmest January worldwide since 2007, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It was also the fourth warmest January since reliable record-keeping began in 1880.

The most notable warmth was seen across Alaska, Canada and parts of Greenland. Parts of China and Russia also saw temperatures higher than average.

In the Southern Hemisphere, land temperatures were higher than the 20th century average by 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Regions that saw below-average temperatures — the eastern halves of Mexico, Russia and the United States — were still not cold enough to break record lows.