January 2015 Climate Summary

We are pleased to unveil a new and improved climate summary for the High Plains Region. We hope you like the new format and color scheme. You can read part of the summary below, or you can read the complete version here. 

Overview - Relatively Warm and Dry Start to the New Year

The big story this month was the temperature. A look at the average temperatures for the month shows that overall, January was warmer than normal. But, the average temperatures only scratch the surface of what was a very interesting month. The daily temperature data show that for the majority of the High Plains region, the first half of the month was dominated by cold air, with below normal temperatures. However, by the middle of the month, the cold air had given way to a much warmer airmass. During this warm period, many daily records were broken and some locations set new records for their warmest January temperature on record. Ultimately, the temperatures during the latter part of the month were so warm that the monthly averages were largely above normal and in some cases, much above normal.

Average temperatures were within 2.0 degrees F (1.1 degrees C) of normal across much of Kansas, eastern Colorado, central Wyoming, and the panhandle of Nebraska. Temperature departures of 2.0-4.0 degrees F (1.1-2.2 degrees C) above normal were common across much of Nebraska, South Dakota, and western Colorado, while temperatures in excess of 4.0 degrees F (2.2 degrees C) above normal occurred in North Dakota, portions of South Dakota, and an area encompassing southwestern Wyoming into northwestern Colorado. There were some rather large departures, particularly in southwestern Wyoming and pockets of North Dakota. However, these temperatures were not record breaking, nor did they break into the top 10 warmest Januaries on record.

In regards to precipitation, it was relatively dry this month as most of the region received less than 50 percent of normal precipitation and only a few isolated areas received at least 150 percent of normal precipitation. With the exception of the mountainous areas, typical liquid equivalent precipitation for the month of January is less than an inch across the region. With this in mind, even with little to no precipitation, deficits do not build quickly over the winter months. Conversely, precipitation totals at the higher end of the spectrum typically only contribute a small amount to the annual totals.

Much more information is available in the PDF version of the summary including temperature and precipitation highlights, snowpack and drought updates, and a look at the upcoming season. Click here to read more!