Winter Temperature Records

[Brennan]

Bellingham Washington saw its coldest daily average since December 28th and 29th of 1969...

1/12/24: Hi: 10*F Lo: 3*F (6.5*F average). 

2/2/89: Hi: 12*F Lo: 5*F (NWS doesn't have data for 2/1/89 for BLI. Unofficially it was a Hi: 8 Lo: 0 spread). 

12/28/68: Hi: 9*F Lo: 0*F (4.5*F average)
12/29/69: Hi: 9*F Lo: 1*F (5*F average)

12/16/64: Hi: 10*F Lo: -1*F (4.5*F average). 

What is astounding to me is that 1/12/24 was colder than any single day in January 1950. The 6.5*F daily average is an entire 1*F colder than the coldest day that month which was 1/25/50 (Hi:17 Lo: -2 for daily average of 7.5*F.) Also to note, the coldest official Hi temp at BLI in January 1950 was 13*F.... I'm just shocked... Growing up in Bellingham, I saw 10-12*F a number of times. December 22nd 1998, January 4th 2004, November 28th 2006, December 20th 2008, January 17th 2012... It seemed like 10*F was the lowest it could get anymore... I remember having conversations on this forum about low temperatures and how arctic air masses just wouldn't be as cold with global warming etc etc. "If this same arctic blast hit 50 years ago it would have been XXX colder..."

The last few years have blown that idea out of the water, starting with December 2021.

December 2021 had 3 single digit lows at BLI, the first single digit lows at BLI since December of 1990 when we saw 4. However the lowest daily average in 12/90 was 14*F. 
Here are the single digit days for BLI in 12/21.

12/26/21: Hi: 16*F Lo: 9*F
12/27/21: Hi: 16*F Lo: 7*F
12/31/21: Hi: 27*F Lo: 6*F

December 2022 didn't record any single digit lows at BLI, however there were low single digit lows within 5-10 miles of the airport. We recorded 5*F out near Lake Whatcom on 12/22 around 4 am, and widespread 6-8*F where winds were calm in the south part of Whatcom County. 

And here we are, the third consecutive winter with some of the coldest temperatures in DECADES. 

1/12/24: HI: 10*F Lo: 3*F  
1/13/24: Hi: 19*F Lo: 7*F

What gives? Dumb luck? New Regime??? This is D**n impressive. And very unfortunate that there has been ZERO measurable snowfall at BLI this year. Uncharted territory to have it be this cold and zero snow in the winter. 

 

Edited January 14 by Brennan

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

Great work. How have you been my friend?

[Weiner Warrior]

[Brennan]

12 hours ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

Great work. How have you been my friend?

Well sir! Was kind of a psycho the past week watching this blast and potential snow from my first winter across the country. Happy it’s over, but disappointed for everyone that there was no snow involved during the cold spell. How’s things at the home-front, and the property?