Return To Normal After Warm Start To 2019
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It has been a while since temperatures across the Delaware Valley have been even average for the start of January, no less below normal for this time of year. However, starting today and lasting well into next week, our pattern is shifting back to a colder feel and bringing with it a chance for snow for the first time in 2019.
When we say that temperatures have not been close to normal to start 2019, we mean it as well. The high temperature on New Year's Day was 61 degrees. That is 20 degrees warmer than the average high for Jan. 1.
Of the first nine full days of 2019, the only day where the actual measured high temperature for the afternoon was below normal was Jan. 7, when we came in at 35 degrees. So far through the month, we have averaged a high temperature of 46.9 degrees with a daily average temperature -- difference between daily high and low -- of 40.9 degrees.
The daily average temperature -- in this case 40.9 -- is what we use to determine how a month stacks up to others in the climatological record. If January were to end today, 2019 would come in tied with 1998 for the eighth warmest January on record for Philadelphia.
We should be prepared, though, for that average daily temperature to dip in the coming weeks as many of the factors we use to predict longer-range weather trends are starting to move into colder phases and look to stay that way through the end of the month. What this means in the short-term and for us locally around Philly, is that we should watch temperatures fall into the 30s for highs starting today and stay that way, in the below normal range, into early next week before a more seasonable stretch could take over once more for the middle and end of next week.
Looking even farther into the future and how conditions seem to be trending, we should remain average to slightly below normal through the end of January and potentially into February and march too.
Stay warm everyone!
