San Antonio's winter was warm, but not that warm

This winter felt pretty warm, but it wasn't close to breaking any records in San Antonio.

Why it matters: Even without a record, winter temperatures here were still warmer than they were five decades ago.

• Warm winters can exacerbate drought and wreak havoc on crops and gardens.

What they did: Climate Central, which describes itself as a policy-neutral nonprofit, analyzed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data from across the country.

The big picture: Winter is the fastest-warming season for much of the continental U.S., per Climate Central.

• About 80% of the country now has at least seven more winter days with above-normal temperatures compared with 1970.
• Precipitation extremes are also happening more frequently and getting more intense.

Zoom in: San Antonio's weather data spans 138 years, and Climate Central's analysis shows this winter was the 18th warmest on record.

• The average temperature from December 2022 through February was about 57°F, around 5 degrees warmer than the winter of 1969-70.

State of play: Not only are winters warming overall, but cold snaps are growing less severe and shorter in duration, the latest research shows.

• That could explain why our winter has been so hot and cold.