At this time of year, temperatures in the Arctic circle usually linger around the -22°F (-30°C) mark, with the region still cloaked in perpetual darkness. However, the region is experiencing one of the warmest Februarys on record, with temperatures for the area north of 80 degrees latitude currently averaging 17.6°F (-20°C)–more than 36°F (20°C) above normal, Ruth Mottram, a climate scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), told Reuters.