Photo by lifeinthedistrict

We all know that the winter of 2011-2012 was particularly mild, but it’s better to think of how mild it really was in terms of potholes.

Today the D.C. Department of Transportation announced that it filled 2,443 potholes during the month-long annual post-winter Potholepalooza campaign. That’s nothing compared to past winters. According to DDOT, the same campaign in 2011 saw 5,201 potholes filled, while in 2010 it hit 7,690 and 6,084 in 2009.

The number of potholes tracks closely with the winter temperatures, of course. Fewer freezing days means fewer chances for water to expand in small cracks in roadway surfaces, the precursor to potholes. During this record-breaking winter’s 89 days, only 24 saw temperatures fall below freezing.