What happened to winter?

FOX 5's Tucker Barnes and Chris Strong, from the National Weather Service, owe all of the local school kids and teachers in the area a huge apology.

A whole winter has gone by - and no snow days!

As forecasters mark the beginning of meteorological spring tomorrow - we can't help but wonder - what ever happened to winter to begin with?

DC WINTERS WITH LEAST SNOW

This winter has been off the charts as far as unusual warmth and lack of snow. Here is a list of the D.C. winters with the least amount of snow - and this year is number three on the list.

#1. 1975-76 | 2.2 inches

#2. 2011-12 | 2 inches

#3. 2016-17 | 1.4 inches

#4. 1997-98 | 0.1 inch

#5. 1972-73 | 0.1 inch

WARMEST FEBRUARYS IN DC

This year also blows away the record for the warmest February on record.

#1. 2017 | 47.3 degrees

#2. 1976 | 46.9 degrees

#3. 1990 | 45.2 degrees

#4. 1997 | 44.7 degrees

#5. 2012 | 44.3 degrees

WARMEST WINTER IN DC

Astronomical winter doesn't end for a few weeks - but we are on track for the third warmest D.C. winter in history.

#1. 1931-32 | 44.7 degrees

#2. 1889-90 | 44.3 degrees

#3. 2016-17 | 43.7 degrees

#4. 2011-12 | 43.3 degrees

#5. 2001-02 | 43.2 degrees

WHAT HAPPENED?

"The cold air has really been trapped up in Canada," Strong said. He explained that because the jet stream has moved so little this year - cold air hasn't swept into our area like usual.

Tucker added that the west of the United States has seen an unusually cold winter to counter-balance our warm season.

Strong said one drawback to the unseasonably warm winter is lack of water. "If we don't get our rain and snow in the winter season and in the springtime - when it gets to be summer and hot you don't have a lot of precipitation systems moving through, it is very easy to slip into drought."

"A year and a month ago I was in here talking about the big blizzard we were about to get - and did get. One season isn't going to play too much of a factor in the next," he added.

DOES WARM WINTER EQUAL HOT SUMMER?

This summer was probably an anomaly, Strong said. "Weather can definitely do wild things from one season to the next," he added. "And as extreme as it is - it's really just nature taking a big up swing this winter."

He said, usually, winter doesn't say a lot of how summer is going to be.

SEVERE WEATHER

Being as warm as it is, Strong said, we could see more severe weather this season. This is concerning regarding tornadoes. This is also concerning as we move into hurricane season - as we have not a major hurricane in the area for several years. Strong also says there is the possibility of a return of an El Nino season.

Find more about Chris Strong on weather.gov