2017 winter missing in action in many areas

With winter 2017 mostly missing in action for many areas in the Northern Hemisphere, it appeared by the end of February that spring had sprung early, or was just around the corner. 

Balmy seasonal temperatures were also felt in numerous locations around the globe, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, reported in a news release.

February’s average global temperature was 1.76 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 53.9 degrees, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. 

This was the second warmest February in the 1880-2017 record, behind 2016.

The average temperature from December through February was 1.60 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 53.8 degrees. 

This was the second warmest for this period, just behind 2015-2016.  

The year to date (January through February) average temperature was 1.69 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 53.8 degrees. 

This was the second-warmest first two months of the year in the record, behind last year.

The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent was the 22nd largest in the 51-year record. North America had its 15th smallest, while Eurasia had its 19th largest.

Both the globally averaged sea surface temperature and the land surface temperature ranked as second highest on record for February, the December-to-February season and the year to date.

South America had its third warmest February on record; North America, its fourth; Asia, it’s eighth; Africa, its 10th; Europe, its 17th (tied with 1997); and Oceania, its 25th.