1994 was the 16th warmest since 1895

Average temperatures in 1994 were among the highest on record both in the United States and around the globe, according to the government’s first analysis of the past year’s weather.

While that may not surprise New Englanders, a warm spell — no matter how unusual — is not evidence of a global warming trend.

But some climatologists think the newest climate data, even though they show temperatures just a fraction of a degree above normal, may indeed be part of a long-term trend.

“We don’t want to scream global warming and say icebergs are melting, but it’s time to keep an eye on things,” said David Miskus, a meteorologist with the Climate Analysis Center in Camp Springs, Md.

Last year was the 16th warmest in the United States since record-keeping began in 1895, according to the government’s report.

It was also a warmer year globally and especially warm in the last 10 months of the year: The temperature for March through December was the warmest for that period since 1951, according to the report.