MADISON (WKOW) – Despite a quick cold snap Wednesday & Thursday, we’ve had above average temps much of meteorological winter.
Temps rebound in time for the weekend, click for your full 27 Storm Track forecast
STATISTICSSo far, it’s the 2nd warmest winter on record, with an average temperature of 30.3°. That’s more than 10° warmer than a “typical” winter!
Including Wednesday and Thursday, only 7 days have been below average since December 1st, officially in Madison.
The only other years with a warmer winter were 1887-1888 at 31.9°.
1881-1882 is in 3rd place at 29.8°, 2001-2002 was at 29.7°, and 2011-2012 rounds out the top 5 at 28.6°.
REST OF WINTER OUTLOOKWe still have the rest of January and February to go before meteorological winter ends. Overall above average temps are expected for much of the rest of this month.
By the last week of January, temps look to turn more seasonably cool and a jet stream pattern shift is possible by early February, which could bring more typical wintry temps.
Even if and when we get colder, this winter will likely go in the history books as being warmer than average.
October: Winter outlook: Warmer and drier than average conditions for Wisconsin.
WHAT ABOUT SNOW?Frankly, it’s just been too warm to generate much snow in southern Wisconsin. We’ve only accumulated 9.7″ of snow, officially in Madison, compared to the 21.2″, which is average through today’s date.
If the cool down happens by early February, then increased snow chances are possible, but as of now the Climate Prediction Center predicts drier than average conditions for the Great Lakes region.
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