JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Winter is getting cut short in Jacksonville even with more than a month left in the season.
The few cold snaps this winter haven’t lasted long and February racked up multiple record hot days.
Jacksonville has not experienced any cold records this season yet multiple high temperature records have been broken during the first two months of the year.
Monday and Thursday both broke a record hitting 86 which continues a trend of record heat in February. Five days have been over 82 degrees during the month sending the monthly average 8 degrees higher than normal.
The heat dovetails with the latest analysis from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing 2018 as the fourth hottest global temperature average.
Where did winter go? It started late and looks to end early on the First Coast.
Temperatures took longer to start cooling down in the fall. The hottest temperatures so late in the year occured before the start of this seasons winter when the thermometer hit 87 degree day on November 14.
Then spring warmth returned early reaching a record high of 85° on February 8th marking only the 6th time Jacksonville has reached 85 that early in the year.
A scant total of 3 freezes at Jacksonville International resulted in the fewest hours below freezing since 1950.
Winter chill continues to be absent for the rest of the month with highs expected to range in the 70s and 80s extending into March.