After a blistering cold Christmas holiday, residents of the tri-state area were greeted with a much better start to the New Year with temperatures climbing into the low 60s.
As in previous winters, there hasn’t been a lot of snow to be found this first month of 2023. Cloudy skies and chilly temperatures were noted much of the month with snow, sleet and freezing rain being scattered across the county. Not really a bad month at all as January goes.
Precipitation for January came in below average with the total being 1.86 compared to the average of 2.79. So we started off a brand new year with a deficit of .93 inches. Snowfall for the month was a paltry 4.2 inches.
The maximum temperature for January was a pleasant 62 degrees while the minimum temperature slid to a chilly 19 degrees. The average maximum for the month was 46.6 degrees and the average minimum temperature was 32.4 degrees. Certainly not bad averages for January.
Here’s the temperature profile for the month. Temperatures rose into the 60s one day, 10 days were in the 50s, 16 days remained in the 40s and just four days were confined to the 30s. One outstanding note for the month were several rumbles of thunder on the 12th of the month and high winds and icy roads made for difficult travel at times.
Looking back at the minimum temperatures for January for the last five years, here’s what I found:
• January 2022 — minus 5
• January 2021 — 6 degrees
• January 2020 — 14 degrees
• January 2019 — 1 degree
• January 2018 — minus 1
Here are the snowfall totals for January for the last five years:
• January 2022— 10.2 inches
• January 2021 — 1.4 inches
• January 2020 — 3.6 inches
• January 2019 — 8.9 inches
• January 2018 — 1.7 inches
More good news continues to arrive from the Climate Prediction Center. The forecast for February indicates that both temperature and precipitation should average above normal. The 90-day outlook covering February, March and April continues to show above normal temperatures and precipitation could be above, below or about normal.
There’s still plenty of winter left, so I thought I’d toss out a little winter storm trivia quiz.
• True or False. It must be 32 degrees or colder to snow? The answer is false. It has been known to snow with temperatures in the mid 40s. Temperatures are below 32 degrees up in the clouds where the snow is forming.
• What is the difference between sleet, hail and freezing rain? Hail is a chunk or stone of ice dropped from a thunderstorm. Sleet is frozen rain. Freezing rain is liquid rain that freezes to a surface such as the road or a tree.
• On the average, one inch of rain is equivalent to how many inches of snow? 10 inches, 1 inch, 5 inches, or a foot? 10 inches of snow melts down to about an inch of liquid rain.
• Can it snow from clear skies? Yes. Ice crystals sometimes fall from clear skies when temperatures are in the single digits or lower.
• What is more hazardous to trees and power lines? One inch of wet snow or one inch of ice. An inch of ice is heavier than wet snow and is hazardous enough to cause power lines and trees to come down.
• Which of the following impacts can Maryland expect from a Great Nor’easter? Heavy snow, high winds, coastal flooding or a blizzard. All of the above or none of the above. Nor’easters cause high winds and flooding along the coast and heavy snow and sometimes blizzard conditions inland over Maryland. Nor’easters are responsible for Virginia’s most hazardous weather.
• What three months bring Maryland its heaviest snow storms? January, February and March. It’s the latter half of winter that we see the majority of our snow. The heaviest snow storms are typically produced by Nor’easters between mid-January and mid-March.
It’s getting to be that time of the year when the days are getting longer and the nighttime starts to decrease at an obvious level. A time of hope because in a matter of a few short weeks spring will make an appearance.
In the meantime sit back, take it easy and let your mind wander right back to that warm, sandy beach, that’s awaiting our return this year. I can’t wait! Before we get too carried away, we must plow through the rest of winter. Until next month, relax and enjoy.