FARGO (KFGO) – The National Weather Service in Grand Forks says this December through February was the warmest average on record in Fargo.
“If you look at all the temperatures and average them out, the previous record was 22.1 degrees. We actually hit the warmest ever at 26.5,” National Weather Service forecaster Jacob Spender says. “So, not just breaking it by a little bit, but basically shattering that record.”
The previous record was set in 1986 and tied in 2011.
February’s monthly average of 30.9 degrees was the warmest on record for that month. The previous record was 28.0 set in 1998.
New record highs were recorded on Feb. 1 (48), 21 (50), 24 (54), and 26 (61). Feb. 22 tied the previous record at 49. New record high minimums were set on Feb. 3 (34), 4 (32), 5 (32), 6 (33), and 7 (36).
Spender says the warm weather this winter is due to the El Nino pattern we are in, bringing warm temperatures from water near the Equator. He says the el nino is breaking down, but March temperatures will likely remain above normal.
In Minnesota, Pete Boulay with the state climatology office says the statewide average temp was 10 degrees above normal in December, January, and February.
It could reach 70 Sunday in parts of southern Minnesota.
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