Earlier this year, NASA declared 2015 the hottest year on record. Not to be outdone, the 2015-6 winter also broke the record for the hottest US winter ever.
Across the continental US, the average temperature was 36.8°F this winter, 4.6 degrees higher than the 20th century average, and beating the previous record of 36.5°F set by the winter of 1999/2000.
The record was influenced by El Nino, which gave the US an exceptionally warm December. This winter also saw the 7th hottest February on record, and Alaska had the 2nd hottest winter on record.
Six states—Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont—also saw record breaking winter temperatures.
