It may not have felt like it, because we tend to remember the extreme cold

or hot, but January was slightly warmer than average. We remember those below zero mornings but not those balmy January afternoons with temperatures above 60. Unfortunately, we are continuing to have below average precipitation.

The average daily high during January was 39.3, two tenths of a degree
below normal. The average overnight low was 20.2, 1.9 degrees above normal. This gave us a monthly mean temperature of 29.7, 0.8 degrees above normal. The highest temperature for the month was 65 on the 25th. The coldest temperature for the month was -2 on January 1st and again on January 16th. The high of 65 on the 25th set a new record high for that
date. The old record was 63 set in 1968. Three new record high low temperatures were set during the month. The overnight low of 41 on the 8th broke the previous record of 35 set in 1949. The high of 40 on the 9th broke the old record of 36 set in 1950 and the low of 46 on the 24th broke the old record of 38 set in 1994. The warmest January on record was in 2006 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 43.9. The coldest January on record was in 1979 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 12.1

January is our driest month of the year with long term average precipitation of 0.65 inches. Milford Lake only recorded 0.28 inches of liquid precipitation while Junction City received 0.53 inches. Average snowfall for January is 4.7 inches. A series of light snowfall events during the month did manage to eke out 4.0 inches of somewhat dry snow. This is the third consecutive month with below average precipitation with seven out of the last nine months having below average precipitation.

With rapidly increasing hours of daylight in the short month of February, and the earth shifting the tilt of its axis back towards the sun, we see a pleasant increase in temperatures. Average daily high on the 1st is 39 and four weeks later we are up to 50. Overnight lows go from 17 on the first to 26 on the 28th. Average precipitation for February is almost double
that of January at 1.12 inches. Long term average snowfall for February is 4.7 inches tying it with January for the snowiest month. The chance of having temperatures below zero continues on through February but becomes less likely and not as far below zero. Likewise, temperatures well into the 60s and even 70s are not out of the question for the month, although the overzealous gardener needs to remember that we are still a couple
months ahead of our last average frost!

Chuck Otte
County Extension Agent, Ag & Natural Resources