At least it didn´t finish first.
2018 was the fourth warmest year in Earth’s history since the 1880´s.
This is according to a study by NASA that looked at the average temperature of the planet’s surface since 1880. The global temperature of 2018 was 0.83 degrees Celsius warmer than the average global temperature from 1951 to 1980.
The last 5 years have been the hottest since the 19th century. Since that time, the global average temperature has increased by 1 degree celsius.
This does not necessarily mean that the entire region of the blue giant has seen an increase. Climate dynamics usually affect segmented regions and not the entire planet at once.
It is not yet known if 2019 will reach the top 5. But it is likely.
Read the original story: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2841/2018-fourth-warmest-year-in-continued-warming-trend-according-to-nasa-noaa/