By Martin Merzer
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking_news/story/450817.html
The National Weather Service reported Monday that the past three
months represent the second-warmest winter on record in
''It was an unusually warm winter -- December, January and February
-- at nearly all mainland
Most recently, February's average temperatures ranged from three to
six degrees above normal.
According to other statistics gathered by Pfost
and his meteorologists:
• At Miami International Airport, the three-month average
temperature of 73.2 degrees made it the warmest winter since 1931-32, when the
average was 73.4 degrees.
Last month's average temperature of 74.28 degrees made it the
third-warmest February, putting it in third place behind February 1959 at 74.9
degrees and February 1982 at 74.34 degrees.
Records in
• At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the
three-month average temperature of 72.8 degrees also made it the warmest winter
since 1931-32, when the average was 73.3 degrees.
Last month's average of 73.8 degrees also made it the third-warmest
February, bested only by February 1959 at 75.1 degrees and February 1939 at
74.3 degrees.
Records in
Pfost attributed the warmth to atmospheric patterns that
delivered only a few, relatively weak cold fronts.
He said rainfall was above normal in most populated areas, though
water managers said it did not rain nearly enough to relieve the region's
long-term drought.