Video First Alert Weather: The warmest meteorological winter on record [Video]

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW)- Meteorological winter is from December 1 to February 28/29. This year, meteorological winter ends on February 29th because of leap year. In mid-October, the climate prediction center issued a forecast for an El Niño pattern for the winter season. Typically, an El Niño winter in Wisconsin brings above-average temperatures. This winter, El Niño, one of the strongest on record, has turned into a ‘Super El Niño’. El Niño originates in the Pacific Ocean along the equator. This winter season, El Niño was 2 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. This has only happened six times on record.

Wausau had the warmest December on record. January was the 8th warmest on record. As of February 20th, the 2nd warmest February on record. Even with nine days remaining in the month, temperatures will not fall below the winter of 1997/98.

The weather pattern …