January 4-7, 2017 Cold Wave in the West

[wx_statman]

Selected notable readings below.

 

-48F in Walden, CO. Ties monthly record, previously -48F on 1/12/1963. Within 1F of all-time record low, which is -49F on 2/1/1951. 

 

-48F at Hohnholz Ranch, CO. This station was established in 1985. Broke all-time record by 6F, previously -42F on February 2 & 3, 2011. 

 

-46F in Woodruff, UT. Coldest in January since -47F on 1/29/1949. This was one of the lowest temperatures on record in Utah outside of high-altitude sinks (Peter Sinks, Middle Sink, etc). 

 

-46F in Wisdom, MT. Coldest in January since -46F on 1/31/1985.

 

-43F in Stanley, ID. Coldest since -46F on 12/22/1990.

 

-43F in Maybell, CO. Coldest since -44F on 12/23/1990.

 

-42F at Laramie 2NW, WY. Within 1F of all-time record low, which is -43F on 1/1/1979. POR back to 1966. 

 

-40F at Laramie Airport, WY. Coldest reading (any month) since -50F on 1/12/1963.

 

-39F in Randolph, UT. Coldest since -41F on 12/23/1990. Maximum of -16F tied all-time record, previously -16F on 12/22/1990; however, the POR only extends back to 1982. 

 

-32F in McDermitt, NV. Coldest since -37F on 12/22/1990.

 

-31F in Rome, OR. All-time record low with POR back to 1950 (Jan 1962 missing). Previously -27F on 1/18/1984. Maximum of 4F lowest since 3F on 12/22/1990. 

 

-28F in Silver Lake, OR. Coldest since -32F on 12/21/1990. Maximum of 2F lowest since 0F on 2/4/1989.

 

-26F in Cambridge, ID. Coldest since -31F on 2/7/1989. Maximum of -5F lowest since -7F on 1/25/1949.

 

-25F at Chiloquin 12NW, OR. This station was established in 1980. Broke all-time record by 5F, previously -20F on 12/8/2013.

 

-24F at Baker City Airport, OR. Coldest since -25F on 12/22/1990. Maximum of 1F lowest since December 1990, when maximums were -3F on the 21st & 22nd, followed by -2F on the 29th. 

 

-24F at Burley Airport, ID. Coldest since -26F on 2/1/1985. Coldest in January since -30F on 1/22/1962. 

 

-23F in Paisley, OR. Coldest since -25F on 2/4/1989. Coldest in January since -27F on 1/22/1962. Maximum of -3F was all-time record, previously -1F on 12/9/1972.

 

-23F in Wallowa, OR. Coldest in January since -24F on 1/9/1974.

 

-23F in Tulelake, CA. Coldest since -24F on 2/6/1989. Coldest in January since -28F on 1/22/1962. Maximum of 1F was all-time record, previously 3F on 12/21/1990.

 

-21F at Hart Mountain Refuge, OR. Coldest since -32F on 12/23/1990. Coldest in January since -28F on 1/22/1962.

 

-20F at Ontario Airport, OR. At Ontario KSRV (inactive since 2011), last lower January reading was -25F on 1/22/1962.

 

-18F in Nyssa, OR. Within 1F of all-time record low, which is -19F on 1/24/1962. POR back to 1938.

 

-17F at Owyhee Dam, OR. Coldest reading (any month) since -22F on 1/22/1962. Maximum of 5F lowest since -1F on 12/24/1990.

 

-11F at Boise Airport, ID. Coldest reading (any month) since -12F on 1/5/1991 (this reading followed -25F in December 1990). Maximum of 6F lowest since 6F on 1/5/1991 (following -6F in December 1990). 

 

-4F in Yreka, CA. Coldest in January since -5F on 1/23/1962.

 

Maximum of -1F in Halfway, OR. Tied monthly record, previously -1F on 1/8/1937.

 

6F in Medford, OR. Coldest in January since 0F on 1/22/1962. 

[BLI snowman]

Sure was nice seeing a January airmass largely go west of the divide for a change. Missoula was actually colder than Billings, just as an example of this.

[Black Hole]

A good stretch for SLC too with a good amount of snow on the ground going into it. On the 2nd-8th they recorded:

 

2: 30/19  6.8"

3: 27/17  0.6"

4: 41/23  3.2"

5: 23/3    1.5"

6: 17/-5   0"

7: 19/-6   0"

8: 50/17  0.1"

The -6F was the coldest in quite a while, I believe 1996 if I am remembering right. It wasn't a record, but it was the closest we've been to one in January in a while. In Bountiful I wasn't quite as cold but I had a lot more snow too. Coldest day here was 19.5/2.6. 

[wx_statman]

Sure was nice seeing a January airmass largely go west of the divide for a change. Missoula was actually colder than Billings, just as an example of this.

 

Yeah, I noticed many stations east of the divide in MT were actually colder in the 10th-12th window. 

[Kayla]

Yeah, I noticed many stations east of the divide in MT were actually colder in the 10th-12th window. 

 

Except Bozeman (BZN) bottomed out at -28º on January 5th which was the coldest temp of the month. So there was some "seepage" over the divide. However, even that wasn't really anything to write home about (historically speaking) compared to other areas west of the divide.

 

I feel like the 2016 December 16-18th cold snap kind of slid under the radar as it peaked at -35º at BZN which was the coldest temp here since Dec. 1990.

[wx_statman]

Except Bozeman (BZN) bottomed out at -28º on January 5th which was the coldest temp of the month. So there was some "seepage" over the divide. However, even that wasn't really anything to write home about (historically speaking) compared to other areas west of the divide.

 

I feel like the 2016 December 16-18th cold snap kind of slid under the radar as it peaked at -35º at BZN which was the coldest temp here since Dec. 1990.

 

Sure, there were some stations east of the divide that also saw their lowest temps of the month at that time. West Yellowstone and HLN in addition to BZN, for example. Climate Division 3 (north central) was a different story. Every single reporting station bottomed out between the 9th-12th.

 

Dec 16-18 was definitely impressive as well. BKR was -20 and MSO at -16 west of the divide. 

[wx_statman]

FWIW, Bozeman-Gallatin also hit -35 on 2/24/2003. 

[BLI snowman]

FWIW, Bozeman-Gallatin also hit -35 on 2/24/2003.

That was a pretty legit airmasses in the Rockies and Plains, down to TX as I recall. Glancing blow for the PNW in an otherwise blowtorch DJF.

[wx_statman]

That was a pretty legit airmasses in the Rockies and Plains, down to TX as I recall. Glancing blow for the PNW in an otherwise blowtorch DJF.

 

Indeed. That was an impressively cold stretch overall (2/20 - 3/10) in the northern Rockies/Plains as well as AB/SK. 

[Kayla]

FWIW, Bozeman-Gallatin also hit -35 on 2/24/2003. 

 

Missed that one, nice find! That also has to be one of if not the latest sub 30 reading in the area as well.

[wx_statman]

Missed that one, nice find! That also has to be one of if not the latest sub 30 reading in the area as well.

 

You got me wondering...looking at BZN, three years hit -30 in March (1948, 1951, 1989). In 4th place we have 2/25/2003. 

 

However, 2/24/2003 holds the record for the latest -35. Beat out 2/18/1942 and 2/16/1956. 

[Kayla]

You got me wondering...looking at BZN, three years hit -30 in March (1948, 1951, 1989). In 4th place we have 2/25/2003. 

 

However, 2/24/2003 holds the record for the latest -35. Beat out 2/18/1942 and 2/16/1956. 

 

Yeah that -35 on 2/24/03 seems to really stand out compared to other late winter cold snaps. Looks like the 2003 cold snap was preceded by a pretty decent snowstorm which led to a fresh, deep snowpack (~12") which of course always helps.

[Scott]

Although the cold snap did hit this region in Colorado (as mentioned by the Walden and Maybell readings), it was short lived.  January actually ended up warmer than normal.   At the official station in Craig, there was a 72F rise between the 7th and 8th, even more so in the outlying areas.  

 

http://images.summitpost.org/original/1002818.JPG

[wx_statman]

Wanted to posted a few more numbers from the mid-December 2016 cold wave. That was a very impressive event in the northern Plains as well.

 

On 12/18/2016: 

 

-37F in Aberdeen, SD set early season record, and just missed the monthly record (-39F on 12/31/1967).

 

-31F in Huron, SD was the coldest December temperature in 99 years (-33F on 12/29/1917). 

 

-31F in Valentine, NE was the coldest reading so early in the season in 115 years (-34F on 12/14/1901). 

 

-28F in Mitchell, SD set early season record, previously -27F on 12/13/1917.

 

-27F in Sioux Falls, SD was the coldest reading so early in the season in 99 years (-28F on 12/13/1917).

 

-24F in Norfolk, NE was the coldest reading so early in the season in 84 years (-25F on 12/12/1932).

 

 

[Scott]

One thing interesting about both of these cold snaps is that despite the December and January cold snaps in the Northern Plains and Rockies, most of these regions didn't have any cold snap in February, which is highly unusual.  The only exception I know of is the February cold snap that hit Eastern Montana to central North Dakota in the first half of the month (the cold snap just clipped part of Wyoming as well).  

 

Despite all those December readings in South Dakota you list, in February none of them had any sub zero readings except for Aberdeen, and then not by much.

 

Even places like Fargo North Dakota only had a brief and by North Dakota standards quite mild cold snap early in the month.

 

In the Rockies Laramie hit -40 in January, but didn't drop below zero at all in February.   Where I live we managed to drop to zero, but that's it.   There were several places in several areas Wyoming that never dropped below zero in February, which is highly unusual.  

[wx_statman]

One thing interesting about both of these cold snaps is that despite the December and January cold snaps in the Northern Plains and Rockies, most of these regions didn't have any cold snap in February, which is highly unusual.  The only exception I know of is the February cold snap that hit Eastern Montana to central North Dakota in the first half of the month (the cold snap just clipped part of Wyoming as well).  

 

Despite all those December readings in South Dakota you list, in February none of them had any sub zero readings except for Aberdeen, and then not by much.

 

Even places like Fargo North Dakota only had a brief and by North Dakota standards quite mild cold snap early in the month.

 

In the Rockies Laramie hit -40 in January, but didn't drop below zero at all in February.   Where I live we managed to drop to zero, but that's it.   There were several places in several areas Wyoming that never dropped below zero in February, which is highly unusual.  

 

Yeah, that seems to be a unique occurrence for that area. The closest parallel I could find was 1961, which hit -36F in January but only -3F in February. In no other year was the gap as dramatic as it was in 2017 between Jan and Feb. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The December airmass penetrated pretty far south. I was in Oklahoma on December 18th and in Bartlesville we had a 17/-1 day.