Mid-Winter Comparison
Temperatures during the first half of winter have been well above normal.
At the halfway point of meteorological winter (Dec-Feb), temperatures at all thirty-five climate sites were running well above normal. For instance, from December 1, 2012 through January 15, 2013, Buffalo, NY’s average temperature of 35.7° was 7.2° above normal. Comparing 2012-2013 to the same dates in 2011-2012, twenty-four sites are warmer this year than last year. Beckley, WV, is 2.1° warmer this year than they were at the same time last year. Also of interest, the first half of winter at all thirty-five sites this year ranks within the top 20 warmest on record compared to thirty sites last year. As for snowfall, thirty stations are below normal. Despite long lulls between snowfalls and warmer than average temperatures, winter 2012-2013 thus far was still snowier than 2011-2012.