U.S. National Overview - January 2006

January:

• January temperatures were record warm for the nation with all states warmer than their long-term means. Fifteen states established new statewide January temperature records. For information on temperature records during the month, please go to NCDC's Extremes page.
• Precipitation was above average for the contiguous US. Much wetter than average conditions occurred in the Northwest and Northeast, with below average precipitation for parts of the Southwest. For more information on drought during January, please visit the U.S. Drought page.

• Indices used to determine the state of ENSO indicate the presence of a weak La Niña during January. Sea Surface Temperatures were cooler than average from the South American coast into the central equatorial Pacific. To see the latest NOAA advisory and typical impacts of a La Niña or El Niño episode for the U.S., go to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. For an in-depth analysis of the current conditions see NCDC's ENSO Monitoring page

• January 2006 ranked as the warmest January in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 39.5°F (4.2°C), which was 8.5°F (4.7°C) above the long-term mean. In a typical winter, January is colder than December by 2.4°F (1.3°C). January 2006 was warmer than December 2005 by 6.1°F (3.4°C).
• January 2006 had above average precipitation, nationally, ranking 29th wettest.
• For the last 3 months temperature was much above average and ranked as the 3rd warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature for November-January was 39.5°F (4.2°C) which was 3.8°F (2.1°C) above the long-term mean.
• November 2005-January 2006 had near average precipitation, ranking 46th wettest in the last 111 years.
• Temperature over the past 6 months (August-January) was record warm for the nation. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 52.8°F (11.6°C) which was 2.8°F (1.6°C) above the long-term mean.
• August 2005-January 2006 had near average precipitation, nationally, ranking 52nd wettest.
• The February 2005-January 2006 temperature was above average and ranked as the 5th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 54.7°F (12.6°C) which was 1.9°F (1.1°C) above the long-term mean.
• Precipitation was near average for February-January, ranking 51st wettest for the last 12 months based on a record of 111 such periods.

• January 2006 temperatures ranked record warm for 15 states and above or much above average for all other contiguous states.
• Alaska temperatures were below average for January with an anomaly of -9.5°F (-5.3°C).
• January was much wetter than average for 7 states, mostly in the Northwest and Northeast, while Arizona was much drier than average.
  
• The 3 month period, November-January, was record warm for 2 states and warmer or much warmer than average for all other lower 48 states but Washington and Oregon, which were near average.
• November 2005-January 2006 was record dry for Arizona and much drier than average for 4 additional states in the southern Plains and Southwest. Eight states were much wetter than average.
• The past 6 months, August-January, was record warm for 5 states and warmer or much warmer than average for all other lower 48 states except Washington, which was near average.
• August 2005-January 2006 was record wet for three New England states and much wetter than average for a further 7 states. The southern Plains remained drier than the long term mean with 3 states much drier than average.
• February 2005-January 2006 was warmer or much warmer than average for much of the nation, with record warmth for South Dakota and only 2 southeastern states near average in the contiguous U.S.
• The last 12 months had a mixed precipitation pattern across the country. There were 24 states that were wetter or much wetter than average, including 2 record wet states in New England, and there were 11 states from Texas to Wisconsin that were drier or much drier than average.

  See NCDC's Monthly Extremes web-page for weather and climate records for the month of January.