Tag Archives: 2012

As we begin February, the northern hemisphere winter has been unseasonably warm and not snowy for much of the United States and parts of Western Europe. Chicago, for example, had its warmest January in about eighty years. While Punxsatawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day (2 February), indicating six more weeks of winter, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) suggests continued above normal temperatures for much of the U.S. over the next three months. For this EarthNow entry, we’re taking a look at snow and ice cover for January 2012 and how that compares with January 2012. Further, we’ll investigate how the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) may have a role in the not so winter-like conditions. Continue reading →