January 2005

Report and Summary

Tyler, Texas
January 2005
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer

The month of January 2005 was much warmer and slightly drier than normal.

Temperatures swung widely during the month, spending most of the month in the much-above normal range.

Though the beginning and end of the month was wet, the middle was dry.

Compared with January 2004, the month was 2.6 deg. warmer, and 0.17 inch drier.

Year-to-date rainfall was 0.17 inch less on the 31st in 2005 than in 2004.

The thirty-day outlook for January 2005 had called for near normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.

The week December 26, 2004-January 1, 2005 saw temperatures 10 deg. warmer than normal, and no rainfall.

The Arctic air mass, which moved into the area just before Christmas, shifted eastward early in the week. By late-week Tropical Maritime air was in control, as upper air high pressure bulged northward from the Gulf of Mexico.

This kept temperatures warm, conditions humid, and the area dry.

The week's average temperature was 57.0 deg, 15.2 deg. warmer than the previous week.

Compared with the same week in 2003-2004, the week was 1.3 deg. warmer, and 1.78 inches drier.

The week January 2-8 saw temperatures 7 deg. warmer than normal, and precipitation about 130 percent of normal.

Tropical Maritime air continued until the 5th, when it was replaced by a sharp Arctic outbreak. Rain fell on the 2nd with a crossing disturbance, and on the 5th with the front. On the 7th, overrunning rain developed behind the front, with a few ice pellets on the evening of the 6th but no accumulation.

Temperatures on the 6th averaged about 40 deg. colder than those of the 4th.

The week's average temperature was 53.8 deg., and precipitation was 1.18 inches. This was 3.2 deg. colder than the previous week.

Compared with the same week in 2004, the week was 12.3 deg. warmer, and 1.09 inches wetter.

The week January 9-15 saw temperatures 10 deg. warmer than normal, and rainfall about 90 percent of normal.

The week began as had the previous week, with Tropical Maritime air in control until the arrival of a strong cold front on the night of the 12th. This brought an outbreak of severe weather over parts of the region, with widespread rain.

Colder air flowed into the region between the 13th and 15th.

The week's average temperature was 56.8 deg., and rainfall was 0.60 inch. This was 3.0 deg. warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2004, the week was 1.3 deg. warmer, and 0.71 inch drier.

The week January 16-22 saw temperatures about 1 deg. warmer than normal, and no rainfall. The week began with Polar Continental air in control, which held temperatures well below normal. On the 19th, Tropical Continental air replaced it, sending daytime temperatures well above normal, though overnight lows remained cool.

Dense fog formed in the area on the 20th and 21st as the warmer air flowed over the damp and cold ground.

A strong cold front crossed on the 22nd, bringing very windy conditions to the area.

Upper air high pressure, extending into the region from its position over Western North America, kept the region dry.

The week's average temperature was 48.0 deg. This was 8.8 deg. cooler than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2004, the week was 2.4 deg. warmer, and 0.65 inch drier.

The week January 23-29 was one of sharp contrasts, with temperatures averaging about 1 deg. cooler than normal, and rainfall about one-half normal.

The week began cold, warmed rapidly at mid-week with record temperatures on the 26th, and cooled sharply beginning the 27th.

The week's rain fell with a crossing upper low on the 27th. Amounts of more than two inches were common across the south, with the remainder of the area receiving little or none.

A temperature inversion set up on the morning of the 27th, bringing an overcast which trapped the modified Polar Continental air beneath it into the following week.

The week's average temperature was 47.2 deg., which was 0.8 deg. cooler than the previous week.

Compared with the same week in 2004, the week was 1.7 deg. warmer, and 0.47 inch drier.

The final two days of the month saw the temperature inversion continuing, and another crossing disturbance. The result was cold temperatures and rain from the afternoon of the 30th through the 31st.

• KEY TO SYMBOLS:
• A = HAIL
• B = BLOWING
• D = DUST
• F = FOG
• H = HAZE
• IP = SLEET
• K = SMOKE
• L = DRIZZLE
• R = RAIN
• S = SNOW
• T = THUNDERSTORM
• Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
• ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
• ZR = FREEZING RAIN
• - = LIGHT
• + = HEAVY

The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.

Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.

• 01 70 62 67
• 02 72 61 66 0.34 PCPN 1800-2000
• 03 76 66 72
• 04 75 65 70
• 05 71 42 42 0.37 MN 0000-1200 68, PPN 1700-2400
• 06 42 28 33 MX 1200-2400 35
• 07 46 33 45 0.47 PPN 0400-1300, F, IP
• 08 52 31 45 F
• 09 73 39 64
• 10 76 55 69 F
• 11 76 65 71
• 12 72 65 70
• 13 70 40 47 0.60 T, PCPN 0100-0300, 0700-0800 MN 0000-1200 46, MX 1200-2400 55
• 14 57 33 50
• 15 55 34 48
• 16 48 29 41
• 17 49 28 43
• 18 49 29 46
• 19 61 37 55
• 20 74 42 66 F
• 21 78 42 67
• 22 61 45 45 MIN 0000-1200 52
• 23 45 24 40
• 24 59 28 55
• 25 74 45 67
• 26 78 45 67
• 27 67 42 42 0.13 PCPN 1700-2400 MN 0000-1200 50, MX 1200-2400 50
• 28 43 38 0.32 PCPN 0000-0600, 1000-1300
• 29 48 41 45 F
• 30 47 40 44 0.07 PCPN 2000-2100, 2300-2400
• 31 44 41 43 0.55 MAX 1200-2400 43; PCPN 0000-0700, 1200-1500

JANUARY 2005, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:

• 3RD EQUALLED RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM OF 76, FIRST SET IN 1997; RECORD
• HIGH MINIMUM 66, REPLACES 65 IN 1917;
• 11TH EQUALLED RECORD HIGH MINIMUM 65, FIRST SET 1911 AND 1995;
• 26TH, RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM 78, PREVIOUS RECORD 77 IN 1953 AND 1971;
• HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 78 ON THE 21ST AND 26TH;
• LOWEST TEMPERATURE 24 ON THE 23RD;
• AVERAGE MAXIMUM 60.3 F.,
• AVERAGE MINIMUM 42.4 F.,
• AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 51.4 F.,
• 3.9 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
• HEATING DEGREE DAYS 444.,
• 80.3 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
• COOLING DEGREE DAYS 23,
• 575 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
• TOTAL PRECIPITATION 2.85 IN.,
• 0.49 IN. LESS THAN NORMAL.
• 85.3 PERCENT OF NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
• YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 2.85 IN.,
• 1 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
• 5 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS HEAVILY RESTRICTED BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
• 1 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
• 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
• 8 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED.
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.;
• 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG.
• 7 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
• SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,1141
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 84.3
• 23 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
• PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 575
• 45.44 IN. PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS
• TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 100.4.

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