Winter Heat Records Crush Cold Records by 6 to 1; 2012 to Date Approaches [Update: Reaches] 12 to 1

Image (click to enlarge):
Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for January 2011 through March 13, 2012, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, winter 2011-2012, and annual ratio for 2012 and 2011;
CapitalClimate chart from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.

Midnight Update: An additional 189 heat records were broken today, vs. only 1 cold record. This raises the March-to-date ratio to 11.4 to 1 and the yearly ratio to 12 to 1.

Original post:
Aided by an incredible ratio of 22 to 1 for January (29 to 1 in the contiguous 48 states), U.S. new daily high temperature records smashed cold records for the winter 2011-12 by a ratio of 6 to 1. As March approaches its midpoint, a surge of early spring heat has raised the monthly ratio to date to nearly 10 to 1. After 10 weeks, or about the 20% point, the year 2012 to date stands at a cozy 11.5 to 1.

Among the 184 high temperature records set or tied yesterday (March 13) are the 46 official National Weather Service reporting locations listed below. The biggest margin was at Bismarck, North Dakota, where the temperature of 71° broke the old record from 1995 by 14°. In all, 7 records were broken by 10° or more. The oldest record, dating back to 1911 at Watertown, South Dakota, was broken by 6°. Seven other records were broken in climate histories of over 100 years.

                                          Period of 
Location              Record  Old record   record
IA SIOUX CITY AP         81   71 3/13/2007   67
IA MASON CITY MUNI AP    69   66 3/13/1996   64
KS GOODLAND RENNER FLD   78   77 3/13/2007  105
KS RUSSELL 1 E           85   80 3/13/1997   65
KS TOPEKA ASOS           82   78 3/13/2007   64
KS CONCORDIA ASOS        82   76 3/13/1971   50
MA WORCESTER             69   68 3/13/1990   63
ME BANGOR AP             56   55 3/13/2006   67
ME AUGUSTA FAA AP        62   53 3/13/2006   63
MN MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL   67   66 3/13/2007  121
MN ROCHESTER INTL AP     66   63 3/13/1990   96
MN INTERNATIONAL FALLS   55   54 3/13/1995   81
MN ST CLOUD MUNI AP      62   61 3/13/1973   72
MN ALEXANDRIA            62   54 3/13/1973   71
MO ST LOUIS INTL AIRPORT 83   79 3/13/2007   70
MO JOPLIN REGIONAL AP    83   80 3/13/2002   64
MO ST JOSEPH             82   78 3/13/1971   49
MO COLUMBIA RGNL AP      81   77 3/13/2007   42
MO KANSAS CITY INTL AP   80   76 3/13/2007   39
MT MILES CITY AP         75   70 3/13/1994   75
MT GLASGOW INTL AP       69   62 3/13/1981   65
MT HAVRE AP ASOS         69   63 3/13/1972   51
ND WILLISTON SLOULIN FLD 72   62 3/13/1914  116
ND FARGO HECTOR INTL AP  63   56 3/13/1945   70
ND BISMARCK MUNI AP      71   57 3/13/1995   66
ND THEODORE ROOSEVELT AP 75   65 3/13/1966   63
ND MINOT INTL AP         68   56 3/13/2007   63
ND JAMESTOWN MUNI AP     63   54 3/13/1961   63
ND GRAND FORKS INTL AP   59   46 3/13/1995   63
NE VALENTINE MILLER AP   81   74 3/13/2003   64
NE OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD 81   80 3/13/2007   64
NE NORFOLK AP            80   73 3/13/2007   64
NE NORTH PLATTE RGNL AP  78   77 3/13/2007   64
NE LINCOLN AP            83   80 3/13/2007   59
NH CONCORD ASOS          71   69 3/13/1990   91
NY WATERTOWN AP          62   60 3/13/2007   62
OK PONCA CITY MUNI AP    84   83 3/13/1971   65
SD HURON AP              79   72 3/13/1945  130
SD ABERDEEN RGNL AP      71   70 3/13/1914  116
SD WATERTOWN RGNL AP     70   64 3/13/1911  116
SD SIOUX FALLS AP        79   69 3/13/1996   80
SD PIERRE RGNL AP        82   72 3/13/1971   78
SD RAPID CITY REG AP     75   74 3/13/2003   64
VT SAINT JOHNSBURY       64   63 3/13/1995  118
VT BURLINGTON WSO AP     67   62 3/13/1946  105
VT MONTPELIER AP         64   59 3/13/1995   63