"2012 is shaping up to be the year that winter forgot in the U.S. December and the first week of January have seen atypically mild temperatures throughout much of the country — especially in the usually harsh states of the far north and parts of the plains.
Fargo, N.D. — which probably exists in most Americans' minds as a big white blur of snow — saw temperatures of 55°F on Jan. 5, breaking a more than century-old record for the warmest day in January. High temperatures in Nebraska at the end of last week were more than 30°F above normal, and in December at least half the U.S. had temperatures at least 5°F above normal.
Nor is the unseasonable warmth confined to the U.S.; Europe has had mild temperatures so far as well. When cold goes missing, snow does too and it's been an unusually green (or brown) winter. At the end of 2011, less than 20% of the continental U.S. was covered with snow, compared with more than 50% at the end of 2010. Ski resorts from California to Vermont are panicked about the possibility of a dry, warm winter leaving slopes bare and skiers looking into beach vacations.)
Bryan Walsh reports for TIME January 9, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"Mild Weather Redefines Winter Landscape" (Washington Post)
"Snow Drought Forces Colorado To Face Frightening New Climate-Change Reality" (Colorado Independent)
"The Skier: An Industry Exec Takes Stock of Winter and Prepares for Change" (Daily Climate)
"Climate Change's Threat To Ski Industry Spurs Action" (Summit Daily News)
"This Winter's Weirdly Warm Weather Explained" (Discovery)
"Cold November, Warm December Equals Heavy Snowfall in Alaska" (Alaska Dispatch)
"Winterless Wonderland? Snow Scarce Across U.S" (AP)
"A Dismal Ski Season All-Around" (Capital Weather Gang/Washington Post)
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