If you thought this winter was a bit warmer than usual, you were right, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Huntington, W.Va., said Monday.

While statistics are still being compiled for the Ironton- Huntington, W.Va.-Ashland, Ky., area, meteorologist Tim Axford said the Charleston, W.Va., statistics show this was the warmest winter since the winter of 1996-1997, which tied with the winter of 1971-1972.

The average temperature for December, January and February of this year was 40.3 degrees. The normal average is 36 degrees.

Why?

“There were multiple factors,” Axford said. “We got into a La Nina pattern that brings warmer, wetter weather. And then, there was the climatic cycle. We got a North Atlantic oscillator that kept the cold air up north.”

Although Axford said January and February rainfall amounts were a little more than an inch below normal, he said he believes December rainfall total for the Tri-State was somewhat above normal.

But Axford warns that weather is an ever-changing thing. Although the forecast this week calls for temperatures in the 70s, that does not mean we are completely done with winter.

“It can come back,” Axford said. “We may be looking at the 70s this week but don’t assume it’s going to stay that way. We’ve had snow in April before.”