Ithaca Climate Summary for December 2004

Temperature

• With an average temperature of 28.9 degrees, the month averaged 0.7 degrees warmer than normal.
• This was the fourth consecutive month that was warmer than normal.
• Five of the last six months have averaged within one degree of normal.
• This month was 1,1 degrees cooler than last December.
• The warmest temperature of the month was 55 degrees on the 23rd.
• The coldest temperature of the month was -6 degrees on the 21st. This was the coldest December day in over a decade.
• The average temperature for 2004 was 46.4 degrees, which was 0.3 degrees warmer than normal.

Precipitation

• The December precipitation total was 2.26 inches, which was 91% of normal.
• This December was drier than the last two Decembers.
• There were 19 days with measurable precipitation - the most since 1975.
• Year-to-date precipitation wound up at 45.23 inches. This was 8.52 inches above normal and the 7th wettest year on record (based on records from 1879 to the present).

Snowfall

• December snowfall was only 6.7 inches, which was 7.3 inches below normal.
• This was significantly different than the last two Decembers, each of which had more than 20 inches.
• The most snow for a single day was 1.8 inches recorded on the 27th.
• Elsewhere in the county, Freeville reported 8.2 inches of snow and Groton had 9.5 inches.