If this winter feels strange, it’s not in your head.
In the eastern U.S., residents have been suffering through one of the most frigid seasons in recent memory. Yet for much of the West, temperatures have been unusually mild and snowpack levels are at record lows.
Here’s a look at this record-setting winter, in five charts.
Temperatures in the West are above historic norms, while the East is experiencing a cooler-than-usual climate.
Snow cover in the eastern U.S. is well above the 20-year average.
Household heating demand, as measured by natural gas stockpile withdrawals, reached its highest recorded point during the last week of January.
The West recorded its lowest snow cover on record for the month of January since satellites began tracking that in 2001. Early February didn’t bring much relief, although forecasts show potential for a lot of snow in a storm coming to the West on Sunday.
Ski resorts in the West have been suffering as a result of low seasonal snowfall.
Write to Carl Churchill at carl.churchill@wsj.com and Gretchen Tarrant Gulla at gretchen.tarrant@wsj.com