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December 2010 was about 6C below average, it's the only month to average below 0C here in the past 25 years. January 1963 was slightly colder, but as January is colder on average than December and the rolling averages were lower back then (lots of cold Januaries in the 40s and 50s), Dec 2010 might have the greater negative anomaly.
February 1986 (before I moved here) wasn't as cold as Dec 2010, but it was very anomalous for its precipitation. Only 3mm was recorded at the local Met Office station, the driest month of the last 30 years. So it would have had very little snow.
The winner though would have to be August 1995, the hottest, driest and sunniest August on record. No other month holds the record in all three categories.
For Philadelphia, January 1790 may be a contender...
As noted by Philadelphia resident Charles Pierce:
Quote:
JANUARY 1790 The average or medium temperature of this month was 44 degrees This is the mildest month of January on record. Fogs prevailed very much in the morning but a hot sun soon dispersed them and the mercury often ran up to 70 in the shade at mid day. Boys were often seen swimming in the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. There were frequent showers as in April some of which were accompanied by thunder and lightning The uncommon mildness of the weather continued until the 7th of February.
^I don't believe that about swimming in the Delaware. I would assume if the monthly mean was 44 degrees, the water temp would be about the same. That's almost unbearable to go swimming in. 70 might feel hot in the middle of winter, but not hot enough to use as an excuse to go for a dip in frigid river water.
As as most anomalous month, that's a good question. December 2010 and Jan-March 2010 stand out to me for cold. While Oct-Nov 2009 stand out to me for being basically extensions of September that year. I remember Fall/Winter 2009-2010 because we literally went from a very unusually warm fall to a very unusually cool winter. Quite the transition.
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Most of our big negative anomolies all occured before 1970. We have had more noteable positive anomolies, the standouts are March 2004, September 2001 and October 2003
Most of our big negative anomolies all occured before 1970. We have had more noteable positive anomolies, the standouts are March 2004, September 2001 and October 2003
Most of our really "cold" months were in the 1890's, 1940's, 1950's, 1970's, and 1980's. December 2010 (and all of 2010 really) was a gigantic outlier.
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