January 2017 Climate Summary

...JANUARY 2017 MID-SOUTH CLIMATE SUMMARY...

January was an abnormally warm month around the Mid-South, with monthly average temperature departures between 6.0 and 9.5 degrees above normal at each of the four official climate sites. This made for one of the top 10 warmest months of January on record for three of the four sites. Tupelo was the warmest site of the month, with an average temperature of 50.8 degrees, 9.1 degrees warmer than the January normal, which was the greatest departure from normal of the four climate sites. Tupelo also recorded the warmest daily high temperature of the sites during the month with 77.0 degrees. Memphis recorded an average January temperature of 48.5 degrees, 7.3 degrees above normal, while Jackson’s monthly average temperature was 46.1 degrees, 7.9 degrees warmer than normal. Jackson recorded the coolest low temperature of the four climate sites for January with 3.0 degrees. Jonesboro was both the coolest climate site and the site with the smallest departure from normal, with 43.7 degrees and 6.2 degrees above normal, respectively.

In addition to being the warmest site for the month, Tupelo was also the wettest, receiving 5.77” of precipitation. This was 1.29” above the January normal. Memphis recorded 4.26” of precipitation for January, just 0.28” above normal. Jonesboro also received near normal precipitation for the month, reporting 2.92”, or 0.27” above normal. Jackson was the only site with a drier than normal January, receiving only 2.92” of precipitation, which was 1.15” below normal. Much of the region received snowfall earlier in the month, with Memphis recording 2.0”, which was 0.1” of snowfall above normal for the month. Tupelo only recorded a Trace of snowfall, which was still 0.9” below normal. No snowfall data exist for Jackson or Jonesboro.

The climate data for January are as follows:

TEMPERATURE DATA:

Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo

Average Temperature (MONTH) : 48.5 46.1 43.7 50.8

Normal Avg. Temp (MONTH) : 41.2 38.2 37.5 41.7

Departure from Normal (MONTH): 7.3 7.9 6.2 9.1

Maximum Temperature : 76.0 73.0 73.0 77.0

Minimum Temperature : 13.0 3.0 10.0 12.0

PRECIPITATION DATA:

Memphis Jackson Jonesboro Tupelo

Total Precipitation (MONTH) : 4.26 2.92 3.70 5.77

Normal Precipitation (MONTH) : 3.98 4.07 3.43 4.48

Departure from Normal (MONTH): 0.28 -1.15 0.27 1.29

Percent of Normal : 107% 72% 108% 129%

Total Snowfall (MONTH) : 2.0 T

Normal Snowfall (MONTH) : 1.9 0.9

Departure from Normal (MONTH): 0.1 -0.9

Greatest Snow Depth (MONTH) : 1 0

Notables

Memphis- #8 Warmest January on Record at 48.5 degrees

Jackson- #4 Warmest January on Record at 46.1 degrees

Tupelo- #3 Warmest January on Record at 50.8 degrees

Climate Outlook:

The region has been warmer than normal for several months in a row now, with the last cooler than normal month at Memphis being May 2016. According to the Climate Prediction Center’s latest outlooks, that trend could continue, at least through the spring months. The current one month outlook for the month of February highlights the entire region in an area of enhanced odds of warmer than normal temperatures. Similarly, the three month outlook encompassing the months of February, March, and April collectively highlights the region in enhanced odds of warmer than normal temperatures. The precipitation outlooks are not so clear, with the one and three month products currently highlighting the region in equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation totals.

MAYE