Keith,
while the greenhouse effect does exist, I maintain that we are not far out of bounds global temp-wise, the real answer might be in sunspot activity. Many may remember that last year satellites were disrupted due to unusually large bombardments of solar rad. The solar flares and sunspots are running tremendously above normal, and since the sun is our heat source, if it puts out more, we receive more. Combine that with the multi-decadal shift in the hurricane patterns, which is normal and observed over other time periods, and the thermohaline circulation, and I think that offers a good explanation to the "why".
FWIW, I have been freezing my tail off up here the last few winters, and I don't like cold weather. Who knows what's up this winter.
Just one man's opinion.