Great Barrington — A snow measuring board with no snow. The reason??!!??
We just experienced one of the warmest January’s in Great Barrington in the last 55 years. Actually, the month that just passed was the warmest of this 21st century, so far. Only three January’s back in the 1990’s beat this January for heat. And that decade was a warm one.
The month’s average high temperature was 39 and that included a very May-like second week when unheard of readings of 65 and 67 hit 55-year high temperatures for the dates. Twenty-five of the 31 day were above the average high of 33. Only on eight days did the temperature dip below the average low of 14 and at no time did it get close to zero, although, some outlying areas did report slightly below zero readings.
The precipitation for January totaled less than an inch and a-half, reminiscent of a lesser amount in January in the drought year of 2016.
The warm winter thus far brings up a host of questions:
Will this warmth last the rest of the winter?
How hot and dry will the summer become?
How well will the maple sugar industry fare this year?
How are the bears sleeping, If hardly at all?
And will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow at 6 minutes after 7 on Sunday morning?
The jet stream track has sent storms to the west and north of us keeping us warmer than average.
Right now, forecasters see no change. I always hope for winters the way they used to be when I was a kid. Wishful thinking.
Check the weather spreadsheet below and have a good February.