The contiguous U.S. had the warmest winter on record, with temperatures averaging more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal, said a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In February, Alaska also saw temperatures 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than average.
In fact, February 2024 was the third-warmest February in the 130 years of record-keeping, with the lower 48 states marking an average temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit, more than 7 degrees above average. The biggest temperature aberrations for the 2023-2024 winter seasons occurred in the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and Northeast, the report stated.
Although people might enjoy the warmer temperatures during normally cold months, it has an impact on the environment. Mosquitoes show up earlier in the spring, potentially spreading dangerous diseases, and crops that require a certain amount of cold weather during the winter produce less in the summer.
This news comes after scientists found that 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded, due to both human-caused climate change and a strong El Niño climate pattern.
