How warm has it been this winter? From Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC) homepage:
So far, the 2011-12 winter has averaged warmer than normal, with temperatures in much of the Northeast averaging at least 5 degrees above normal. The 60-day average was within the top 20 warmest on record at all but one of the first order stations in the region. This winter’s prevailing storm path, combined with the warmer temperatures has kept significant snowfall at bay. Consequently, there is not a lot of snow on the ground, especially when compared to last year.
Please define the numerical scale in the legend for your map. e.g., Does red denote that the period averaged 10 degrees above the reference period? What is the reference period?
Alison:
The red indicates a 6 degree departure from normal. The base period is 1981-2010, which by definition is the current climatological normal period.