The meteorological winter is over in the Twin Cities and for the 8th time in the past 9 winters, it was warmer than normal. From December to February the average temperature was 5.3 degrees above normal or 22.6 degrees. This makes the winter of 2005-2006 the 9th warmest winter in the Twin Cities. The last time a winter was below normal was the chilly and snowy winter of 2000-2001.

Twin Cities Monthly Average Temperatures

Month   Average     Departure
        temperature From Normal 
-----------------------------
Dec 05  19.4         .8 (started cold, ended warm)
Jan 06  28.6       15.5 (warmest January since 1846) 
Feb 06  20.0        -.1 (first below normal Dec-Feb month since Jan 2004)

Dec-Feb 22.7        5.3


Here are the warmest Twin Cities meteorological winters since 1891.

Temperature     Winter
-------------------------------------
1.  26.8        1930-1931 & 2001-2002
3.  25.8        1997-1998
4.  25.7        1986-1987
5.  23.9        1982-1983
6.  23.2        1920-1921
7.  23.1        1943-1944
8.  23.0        1999-2000
9.  22.7        2005-2006
10. 22.6        1918-1919 & 1931-1932
12. 22.4        1941-1942
13. 22.1        1907-1908
14. 22.0        1891-1892
15. 21.9        1959-1960
16. 21.4        2004-2005 

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URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/balmy0506.htm
Last modified: March 3, 2006