It's official, winter is technically over. And the stats show that the 2011-2012 season was the second warmest winter in New York on record. At an average temperature of 40.5 degrees, this season's winter broke most records except for the 2001-2002 season, according to the Gothamist. On the contrary, the coldest winter took place in 1934, during which temperatures averaged 19.9 degrees.

Since that bizarre snow storm in October last year, Central Park has only seen 7.4 inches of snow and ice, 13.5 inches less than normal. Furthermore, New York City saw the warmest February on record, averaging a temperature of 40.9 degrees.

While many fear that the moderate weather is a direct result of Global Warming, Arthur DeGaetano at the Northeast Regional Climate Center told CBS that the chief reason for the unusually warm winter is a phenomenon called Positive Arctic Oscillation. PAC describes a condition in which low air pressure in the Arctic region generates a jet stream that keeps cold air from escaping, like a wall. This translates to little snow in New York and an abnormally fair February. As a result, a warm spring is likely in accordance with the current weather pattern, something we can all look forward to.

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