A rare colder than normal winter

This is a rare winter season when the average temperature for the three months of December, January, and February will be cooler than normal.

As we stand this winter December was marginally cooler than normal, while January was marginally warmer than normal. With these somewhat offsetting months in play, the weight of February's temperature pattern (9 to 11 degrees cooler than normal so far) will cause the three month average to fall below normal for only the 9th time in the last 30 years.

Such winters have been pretty uncommon. That's one of the topics that retired University Minnesota meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.