NOAA: January was barely warmer than average

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Press release here:

Temperatures for the contiguous United States last month were slightly above the long-term average, based on records going back to 1895, according to a preliminary analysis by scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The average January temperature of 31.2 degrees F was 0.4 degree above the 20th Century average.

U.S. Temperature Highlights

• January temperatures were below average across much of the eastern United States, while the western half of the nation experienced warmer-than-average temperatures.

• California had its sixth warmest January on record. Maine and Michigan had their eighth and ninth coldest January on record, respectively.

• Based on NOAA’s Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index, the contiguous U.S. temperature-related energy demand was 3.0 percent above average in January.