This is going to sound like a boast, but it isn't intended as such. Right now, here at 61 degrees N latitude, in Anchorage, Alaska, it's 45F at my house. This morning, when I woke up, it was 50F. Night before, at 9PM, it was 52F. We've had weather like this for two weeks. Everything is melting.
Honestly, that's not at all good for us. The ecology up here is geared for sub-freezing temperatures through the winter, with significant snow on the ground. Animals and plants living here are all adapted to those conditions. And the big thaw has turned streets and parking lots into rutted ice rinks. The only saving grace is that it has lasted now for an unprecedented number of days, is supposed to continue for at least another week, and is getting to the point that even the glare ice is melting away. Oh, yeah, and this form of weather always comes with high winds funneled down through the mountain canyons directly east of the city.
Winter sports are a big deal up here, both for recreation and for the economy. The major local ski area is shut down, and that's a big loss of money for many businesses, with the concomitant echo effect throughout the local business economy.
Good winter weather here is daytime highs in the 10-20F range, lows down to about zero F, with a couple of feet of powdery snow on the ground, replenished every few days with a few inches more.
Two winters ago we had the snowiest winter on record (137 inches officially measured at the least snowiest place in town, the airport). Last year we had the longest snow season on record, with measurable snowfall from the third week in September to May 18. This year is shaping up as the warmest winter on record. It almost certainly has been the warmest January on record.
And it's all you guyses' fault, for sucking all that cold air waaaaaay down south.
caw