GENEVA (AP)-The World Meteorological Organization says last year was the ninth-warmest since record-keeping began in 1850, despite the cooling effect of the weather pattern called La Nina.
 
The U.N.'s weather agency says this marks the 27th year in a row the global average temperature--58 degrees Fahrenheit (14.45 degrees Celsius) in 2012-- surpassed the 1961-1990 average.
 
WMO said in annual climate report Thursday the years from 2001 to 2012 were all among the top 13 warmest on record - the hottest being 2010, when the average temperature was 58.2 degrees F (14.6 degrees C).
 
WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud says ``sustained warming of the lower atmosphere is a worrisome sign'' of global warming despite La Nina, which is the flip side of El Nino and generally cools the oceans globally.