The average temperature for the three principal months of winter - December through February - is 12.6 degrees. With nearly two weeks left in climatological winter, our current average is near 23 degrees, or about 10 degrees above normal.
I have had numerous people ask me if this winter has been mild because of the lack of snow or just because of a mild weather pattern. Snow cover, especially a deep snowpack, has a noticeable impact on the air temperature. The amount of influence varies on the age of the snow and cloud cover, but as a general rule, a deep snowpack will lower temperatures by at least 5 to 10 degrees.
You could assume that our mild winter has been due to the lack of snow. But also important is the fact that our dominating upper-level wind flow has been from the west this winter, bringing in mild Pacific air to our area most of the time. Therefore, our mild cold season can be attributed to both the lack of snow and a mild weather pattern.
Have a weather question you'd like answered? Email weather@wday.com , or write to WDAY Stormtracker, WDAY-TV, Box 2466, Fargo, ND 58108. Read the blog at stormtrack.areavoices.com
