The winter of 2020-2021 has been officially declared the warmest on record for the Lower 48 states, according to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. The record-breaking warmth has had far-reaching consequences, leaving vast areas of the country devoid of typical amounts of snow and ice and exacerbating drought conditions in the Midwest.

The alarming trend of rising global temperatures, attributed to human-caused planet-warming emissions, is evident in the fact that five of the 10 warmest winters in the US have occurred in the last 20 years. Winter has now become the fastest-warming season for nearly 75% of the country.

A comprehensive index from the Midwest Regional Climate Center confirms that a normal winter has been hard to come by this year. Areas with more cold and snow have experienced severe or even extreme winters, while locations with reduced cold and snowfall have seen milder winters. Notably, dozens of locations across the US have experienced the mildest winter since 1950.

The winter warmth began with a blistering start, with December 2020 breaking records as the warmest on record for the Lower 48 states, a staggering 7.3 degrees Fahrenheit above the average. Apart from a brief spell of brutal cold in January, the warm trend persisted, making February the third-warmest on record.

This unusually warm February extended beyond US borders, as it became the Earth's hottest February on record, marking the ninth consecutive month in which global temperature records were shattered, according to Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

El Niño, a periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, played a significant role in amplifying temperatures, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast, where winter felt more like spring. The effects of the warm trend were especially pronounced in eight states – North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire – all of which experienced record-warm winters.

Beyond these states, many others also encountered one of their 10 warmest winters on record. Several cities, including those along the I-95 corridor from Portland, Maine, to Richmond, Virginia, also observed one of their 10-warmest winters.

While the prolonged warmth spared the Northeast and Midwest from heavy snow events, it unfortunately resulted in a snow drought, with cities such as New York City and Philadelphia experiencing snowfall deficits. New York City reported its fourth-warmest winter on record, and Philadelphia its sixth-warmest.

The Great Lakes region has suffered heavily from the lack of snow and ice, with areas downwind of the lakes experiencing substantial snowfall deficits due to the absence of lake-effect snow. Erie, Pennsylvania, missed out on over five feet of typical winter snow, impacting businesses that rely on snow and winter tourism. The governors of Michigan and Minnesota have urged affected business owners to seek federal assistance through the Small Business Administration.

The warm winter has also exacerbated drought conditions in parts of the Midwest, with severe drought expanding over portions of Wisconsin and Michigan, and extreme drought intensifying in Iowa, according to the US Drought Monitor.

Furthermore, the Great Lakes have witnessed a significant decline in ice coverage due to the lack of cold air. Ice coverage across all five lakes averaged just 5.6% from January 1 to March 7, the lowest level since 1973. This year's ice deficit equates to an area roughly the size of West Virginia, emphasizing the extensive impact of rising global temperatures on ice formation.

It is clear that the warmest winter on record has had substantial implications for the United States, ranging from snow droughts and economic impacts on small businesses to worsening drought conditions and diminished ice coverage. These repercussions serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Note: This article was written based on the information provided by CNN's Laura Paddison and Allison Chinchar.