January looking to be normal
After the continuous cool wet dreary weather of November and December, January appears to be on track for a more normal approach. So far, just a bit of cold and snow, a bit of rain and a number of sunny mild days.
The frigid cold Arctic air remains locked up in the Arctic region, and so far, has shown little inclination to paying a visit. Temperatures this past week ranged from -30 to -35 degrees in Fairbanks, Alaska and as low as -10 in Anchorage. So far, the cold air seems to be content living in its normal environment in the frigid northern Arctic. That鈥檚 the way we like it. At this time of the year the Arctic is dark 24 hours a day and covered with snow and ice. Day after day, the cold air builds up and gets colder and colder without any sunshine to warm the area. Occasionally, the dome of cold air gets so big and strong, it wants to move south and pay us a visit. To get here, it must have transportation and this involves the jet stream, a band of high speed winds that transport our weather around the globe.
Last year in January, you may recall we had a visit from the cold frigid air that brought us a couple of weeks of very cold temperatures, some below the zero level. Instead of a strong dip in the jet stream winds, we have seen a wavy pattern, which has allowed the cold air to plunge into Arizona, New Mexico and Texas instead of journeying to Southwestern Pennsylvania. Normally in January, February and even early March, we see some of this air travel to our area and sometimes south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Although we will see some cold air in the next few weeks, it does not appear that it will get below zero.
For comparison, in January of 1994, Southwestern Pennsylvania experienced 52 hours of below zero weather from 6 a.m. on Jan. 18 until 10 a.m. Jan. 20. Our coldest temperature ever recorded also occurred during this cold siege when the temperature plunged to -22 degrees on Jan. 19. Another very cold period in our weather history was in January 1977 when much of Western Pennsylvania was at a standstill due to the ice cold, snow and frozen rivers. Records set during this cold period still stand today, and include -18 degrees on the Jan. 19, -15 on the Jan. 14, and -9 on the 17th and Jan. 18. Schools were closed and river transportation was curtailed due to the ice.
Average high temperatures in January include 34 degrees in Pittsburgh, 38 in Uniontown and 39 in Morgantown. Mornings average 19 degrees in Pittsburgh, 20 in Uniontown and 23 in Morgantown. In the higher elevations, temperatures are usually some 5-8 degrees colder. On average, we see about five days per year with below zero temperatures in the Uniontown area and 10 days in the mountains.
So far so good.