Warmer and Wetter than Avg January

Contiguous U.S. warmer and wetter than average for January

Drought persists for central U.S.; above-average January snow cover extent for Lower 48

The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during January was32.0°F, 1.6°F above the 20^h century average, tying with 1958 as the 39^th warmest January on record.

The January nationally-averaged precipitation total of 2.36 inches was 0.14 inch above the long-term average. The January precipitation average masked both wet and dry extremes across nation. Drought conditions remained entrenched across the Southeast, Great Plains, and the mountainous West.

Link: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/