Looking back over the past three months, the 2013-2014 winter (December, January, February) was significantly colder than normal. A series of winter storms brought heavy snowfall, sleet, freezing rain, ice, gusty winds and bitterly cold arctic air to the nation. Below-average temperatures dominated east of the Rockies, with the coldest conditions occurring across the Midwest. Numerous cold Arctic air outbreaks impacted the region during the winter season, particularly during January and February. Seven Midwestern states were much colder than average and had a top 10 cold winter season.

The persistent cold during winter resulted in 91 percent of the Great Lakes being frozen by the beginning of the March, according to NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. This was second-largest ice cover for the Great Lakes since records began in 1973, and only surpassed by the Great Lakes ice cover in 1979.

Above and much above average temperatures were present for Florida and much of the West. California had its warmest winter on record, while Arizona had its fourth warmest. The California winter temperature was 48.0°F, 4.4°F above the 20th century average, far exceeding the previous record, set in 1980/81, by 0.8°F.

Much of the West and Great Plains were much drier than average. Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas each had a top 10 dry winter season. During winter, drought intensified across the West and Southern Plains. Statewide reservoirs in Texas averaged 64 percent capacity on February 20, their lowest level for the time of the year since 1990.

The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting below normal precipitation across parts of the Pacific Northwest and Deep South.

The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting above normal temperatures across the West, Southwest and Southeast this spring. They are forecasting below normal temperatures across parts of the Upper Midwest.