The continental United States experienced its warmest winter on record, 4.6 degrees above the 20th century average, fueled by a strong El Nino from December to February, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday.
The NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information also revealed that the past three months also produced the 12th wettest winter on record with precipitation 1.26 inches above the 20th century average in the lower 48 states. That was the wettest winter since the 1997-98 winter, noted
NOAA.
While the continental U.S. had its warmest winter, Alaska experiences its second warmest winter on record, as well, according to the NOAA.
According to NOAA records the 4.6-degree record beat out the old warmest winter record of 4.25 degree set in 1999-2000, said
The Weather Channel. NOAA records show that the 1991-92 winter was 4.12 degrees warmer than the 20th century average, and the 2011-12 was 4.11 degrees warmer than the average.
The Weather Channel noted that many cities with at least 60 years of weather data recorded their warmest winters ever, including Albany, New York; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Barrow, Alaska; Burlington, Vermont; Caribou, Maine; Concord, New Hampshire; Hilo, Hawaii; Juneau, Alaska; Minot, North Dakota; and Providence, Rhode Island.
Among the cities that documented their second-warmest winners were Anchorage, Alaska; Boston; Buffalo, New York; Flint, Michigan; Hartford, Connecticut; Honolulu; Medford, Oregon; New York City; and Wichita, Kansas.
Such a warm winter nationwide has played havoc on seasonal industries such as skiing, as illustrated in this Upstate New York Ski report last month.
"In a year where natural snowfall has been sparse, snowmaking has been key," Josh Arneson, director of sales and marketing at Bolton Valley Resort in Vermont, told the online ski magazine
Freshies. "There have been several days this season where the only trails open are the ones where we have made snow."
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