January 2017
Monthly Overview - January 2017
Widespread Warmth After a Cold Start to the Month
January temperatures averaged above normal across the Midwest. Values ranged from 2°F to 8°F above normal with the values generally increasing from northwest to southeast
(Figure 1). The region averaged 5.5°F above normal with statewide values ranging from 4.5°F above normal in Wisconsin to 7.3°F above normal in Kentucky. The Midwest had its 9th warmest January (1895-2017 period of record) and all nine states ranked among the warmest 15% (top 18). The month began with cold temperatures including sub-zero readings in each state on the 8th (Figure 2) and temperatures well below -30°F in northern Minnesota during the cold snap
(Figure 3). Warmer-than-normal temperatures pushed into the southern half of the region in the following week before well above-normal temperatures spread across the region in the latter half of the month. Just a few dozen record low daily temperatures were recorded during the month versus hundreds of record high daily temperatures. More than 400 record high maximum temperatures and more than 1,200 record high minimum temperatures were set or tied during January, most occurring in the middle two weeks of the month. Highs topped 70°F on the 11th in Missouri (Figure 4) and also reached that threshold in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana later in the month.
Some Wet, Some Dry
Precipitation across the Midwest ranged from just under 0.50" in parts of western Minnesota to more than 5.00" in central Kentucky (Figure 5). Viewed as a percentage of normal (Figure 6), the values ranged from less than 75% of normal in parts of Minnesota, Missouri, and Illinois to more than 200% of normal for many locations in the northern half of the region. The region as a whole ranked as the 27th wettest January with 129% of normal. Wisconsin ranked as the 9th wettest in its history with 182% of normal. Only Missouri came in below normal for its statewide average at 90% of normal.
Snowfall in January was limited with only a few areas in the northern parts of the region picking up above-normal totals (Figure 7). Much of the region had less than 5" total for the month and amounts over 20" were limited to northern Michigan where even those amounts were often less than normal (Figure 8). Above-normal snow totals were spread across parts of northwestern Iowa, Minnesota, central and northern Wisconsin, and a few spots in Upper Michigan. Seasonal snow totals were below normal across the southern two-thirds of the Midwest while totals were a mix of above and below normal totals in the northern third of the region. Some of the largest departures from normal were in western parts of Upper Michigan where totals are several feet below normal for the season (Figure 9).
Drought
Drought was a relatively minor issue in the region in January. The month both started and ended with less than 2% of the region in moderate drought (Figure 10). Despite the affected area increasing mid-month to nearly 9% of the Midwest, impacts were minimal due to the time of year. Low demands from vegetation, little evaporative loss, and unfrozen soils in the affected areas meant that what little rain fell was soaked up by the soils.
Snow and Ice
An ice storm affected a large portion of the region from the 13th to the 15th when a stationary front stretched across the southern half of the region. Missouri was hit hardest with reports of icing up to three-quarters of an inch. Trees and power lines were downed by the weight of the accumulating ice and an NFL playoff game in Kansas City was delayed from afternoon to evening to allow more time for crews to clear ice from the stadium and area roads. Neighboring states also had icing due to the storm. On the 16th and 17th, the storm moved further north spreading icing as far north as southeastern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin.
Snow was below normal for much of the region but there were two bigger events during the month. On the 10th, snow fell in Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan with totals approaching a foot in the eastern part of the affected area (Figure 11). Then on the 24th through the 26th, snow spread from Iowa to Lower Michigan with the biggest totals at about a foot in northern Iowa (Figure 12).
Severe Weather
Severe weather was reported on just three days in January, the 3rd, 10th, and 12th. The busiest of the three days was the 10th with strong winds up to 60 to 70 mph. Trees and power poles were downed by the strong winds across multiple states. The 3rd had just a single report of 1" hail in east central Illinois. Wind reports on the 12th were in eastern Ohio, and areas further east, with damage to trees being the most common reports.
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The Iowa Climatology Bureau also contributed to this report.
The Missouri Climate Center also contributed to this report.