Meteorological authorities say 2015 is the warmest year on record in China, partly due to a powerful El Nino. [Photo: cma.gov.cn]

Meteorological authorities say 2015 was the warmest year on record in China, partly due to a powerful El Nino.

The average temperature last year was 10.5 degrees Celsius, nearly a full degree higher than the average historical level since 1951.

10 of the country's 31 provincial-level regions recorded their warmest year on record last year.

Chao Qingchen, thevice director of the National Climate Center says China needs to be concerned about the extreme weather caused by El Nino.

"The El Nino in 1997 and 1998 actually caused severe rainstorms and floods in the majority of areas along the Yangtze River in southern China. So we still need to pay close attention to this kind of extreme weather, especially the heavy rains and floods."

2015 was also the warmest year globally in the last 135 years.