January Was America's Warmest on Record

Posted on February 7, 2006

The Associated Press reports that the National Weather Service (NWS) says January was the warmest on record for the U.S. The AP notes that while the U.S. was basking in warmth parts of Europe and Asia were frigid.

The country's average temperature for the month was 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 8.5 degrees above average for January, the National Climatic Data Center said Tuesday. The old record for January warmth was 37.3 degrees set in 1953.
On the other hand, while much of the United States was basking in warm weather, parts of Europe and Asia were being battered by bitter cold. Climate details for the rest of the world for January are expected to be available next week.
During the month the jet stream, a strong high-altitude wind that guides weather fronts from west to east, stayed unusually far to the north, keeping the coldest air in Canada and Alaska, the agency said.
Keeping that cold air to the north allowed mild Pacific air to moderate temperatures across the contiguous states, leading to the warm conditions.

The article said the energy demand for January was 20% less than it could have been. Some people didn't get quite as hard as they could have by the rising fuel costs. They may not be so lucky in February.

WEATHER