It's the 10th consecutive month to set a new record, and it puts 2016 on course to set a third straight annual record. Photo / NASA
Humanity's experiment with planetary warming has reached a new level of extremes.

Last month was the hottest February in 137 years of record keeping, according to data released on Friday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It's the 10th consecutive month to set a new record, and it puts 2016 on course to set a third straight annual record.

It was a big month, not only the hottest February but the most unusual warmth for any month on record. Unprecedented temperatures in the Arctic, averaging 4.5C above normal, melted away layers of ice to record-low levels.

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