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Even climate experts accustomed to rising global temperatures were surprised by what happened in February. February 2016 was the hottest month ever recorded compared to average since 1880. 

It was nearly 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1951-1980 average. And it hit the alarming milestone of being two degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average. 

Today on Climate Cast, MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner asked two climate observers why they are concerned about February's record. His guests were 

, a professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, and 

, a meteorologist and director of Climate Central's Climate Matters program.

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February was the hottest month ever recorded compared to average since 1880.

MPR chief meteorologist Paul Huttner says the record-smashing global heat data for February is the biggest climate story of 2016 so far. What does it mean for 2016? Why are so many climate watchers concerned about the magnitude of the spike?

Guests: Michael Mann, professor of Meteorology at Penn State
Bernadette Woods Placky, meteorologist and director of the "Climate Matters" program for Climate Central

Climate Cast: Why climate experts are so concerned about what happened in February

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