2015 Begins with Cold Temperatures and Above Normal Precipitation Across Delaware

Figure 1. Delaware statewide mean January temperature (°F) 1895-2015.

Figure 2. Delaware statewide mean January precipitation (inches) 1895-2015.

January Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that the statewide average temperature in January was 32.6°F, 1.5°F below the 1981-2010 normal of 34.1°F (Figure 1). Although temperature during January 2015 was below normal, it was still 2.6°F warmer than last year’s frigid January value.

January Precipitation

Delaware’s preliminary statewide precipitation total for January 2015 averaged 4.85 inches, 1.53 inches above the 1981-2010 mean (Figure 2). 2015 was the first January since 2007 t°have above normal precipitation across Delaware.

Statewide Spatial Averages

All stations across the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) network experienced lower than normal temperatures during January (Figure 3). Temperature anomalies ranged from approximately 1°F t°as much as 4°F below the 30-year mean.

Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware saw the highest precipitation amounts during January, with over 5 inches observed at several locations (Figure 4). Precipitation amounts generally decreased moving north int°New Castle County, Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Several minor snowfall events occurred during the month of January, but snowfall amounts were generally low for the month across the entire State (Figure 5).

Figure 3. January 2015 average temperature anomalies from the 1981-2010 mean based upon DEOS station data.

Figure 4. January 2015 total precipitation based upon DEOS station data.

Figure 5. January 2015 snowfall totals based upon DEOS station data.