Did January seem colder than normal? Even though it seemed to end a bit on the cold side, it was actually above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation. A great way to start a new year!
Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte reported that the average daily high for January was 38.1, 1.4 degrees below normal. The average overnight low was 23.3, 5.0 degrees above average. This gave us a monthly mean temperature of 30.7, 1.8 degrees above normal. A brief cold snap at the end of the month left us with the impression that it was cold and tended to block the memory that the first ten days of January were quite a bit above normal. On January 5th we had an overnight low that was higher than our average high for that date. On the 30th we had a daytime high that was colder than our average overnight low for that date. All in all, about what we’d expect for a Kansas January! The highest temperature for the month was 60 on the 5th. The lowest was the morning low of -1 on the 29th. We had one temperature record set and one tied during January. The overnight low of 41 on the 5th broke the record high low temperature for that date. The old record was 37 set in 1989. The low of 40 on the 6th tied the record high low for that date. The record was first set in 1965. The hottest January on record was in 2006 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 43.9 degrees. The coldest January was in 1979 with a bone chilling monthly mean temperature of 12.1 degrees.
January is our driest month of the year and along with February, our snowiest. Normal January precipitation is 0.65 inches and 4.7 inches of snowfall. The Junction City area received 1.09 inches of liquid precipitation for the month and right close to our average snowfall with a total of 5.0 inches tallied in Junction City. Normal seasonal snowfall total for October through January is 9.4 inches. So far we have received 15.8 inches of snow this winter season.
February typically brings some enjoyable respites from our winter weather. Average daily highs for the month range from 39 on the 1st to 50 by the 28th. Overnight lows also show a rise from 17 at the beginning of the month to 26 by the end of the month. Precipitation starts to increase in February with an average of 1.12 inches of liquid precipitation. Normal snowfall for February matches January’s 4.7 inches. It can be abnormally warm in February and it can be brutally cold so just be prepared for almost anything!