Right on about warming or cooling local not meaning much. It is,"Global Warming". World temps have been steadily warming over the past 20 yrs. That means Oceans,Artics,Jungles,Deserts, everywhere taken together as an average. Typically, when the Lower 48 is warm in winter, Alaska and Canada, gets the brunt of the cold. The Cold air is botteled up to the north, and only sits and gets colder. Happened last winter, is happening again this winter. Summers are another pattern however.Extreme warmth one area, usually means extreme cold other areas.