WASHINGTON - In what scientists say is yet another sign of global warming, 2002 easily sizzled into the record books as the second-hottest year worldwide.

Now nine of the 10 hottest years since record-keeping began in 1880 have occurred since 1990. The last six years rank among the eight warmest on record, according to the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. It will issue a year-end report next week.

Last year's heat is "more evidence to suggest that the human influence is real; global warming is happening," said Kevin Trenberth, head of climate analysis for the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a university consortium of climate scientists.

The consensus among climate scientists is that the world is warming up because of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gases that are produced by the burning of such fuels as coal, oil and gasoline. Some conservative activists remain unconvinced, saying data taken from satellites show cooler temperatures at high altitudes. Readings on land, oceans, and in the lower atmosphere all indicated 2002 was the second-hottest year since 1880.

President Bush has said global warming is real but withdrew the United States from a global treaty to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels, saying it would hurt the nation's economy. In the next few weeks, the Bush administration is expected to announce a new voluntary program to reduce greenhouse gases.

It is hard to conclude anything but that global warming is causing the increases, said Jay Lawrimore, climate monitoring chief for the NCDC, which is a branch of the U.S. government.

"We've had 10 of the warmest years ever since 1987," he said.

The average global temperature in 2002 topped the 58-degree mark for only the second time in recorded history, with a 58.03-degree Fahrenheit land-and-sea average. The record of 58.15 degrees was set in 1998. Last year pushed 2001 into third place.

The year 2002 was consistently high, Lawrimore said, setting records in January and March.

An El Niño climatic disruption - the warming of the central Pacific Ocean that changes worldwide weather patterns - began in late summer and is in full bloom, pushing temperatures higher, he said.

Europe and Russia got the worst of the heat, records show, while the United States got off fairly comfortably. It was only the 14th hottest on record for the United States, with a national average of 53.9 degrees - 1.1 degrees above normal.

Twelve states had years in the top-10 warmest, led by New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, which all sizzled through the fourth-hottest year on record. It was the sixth warmest on record for Connecticut and Rhode Island; seventh warmest for New Mexico and New Hampshire; eighth for New York and Vermont; ninth for Ohio; and 10th for Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

Only 10 states had yearly temperatures anywhere near normal.

The United States was only slightly drier than normal despite a drought for much of the nation in the early part of the year.