January was cloudy and damp

January was cloudy and felt damp, but it was not wet. The 1.7 inches of rain was only 43% of the century's average for the month and 2.3 inches below the 4.0 average inches of January rain since 2000. It clusters with the other years of less than two inches of rain: 2017, 1.6 inches and 2019, 1.8 inches.

There have been four or more inches of rain 11 Januarys, with five years since 2013.

Almost half the month's rain, 0.8 inches, came down Jan. 24-27, with 0.35 inches the 27th and 0.6 inches Jan. 26-27. While there were 16 days of precipitation, nine times it was less than 0.10 inch.

The month started and ended cold, frosting Jan. 2-3 and 29-31, five of the eight frosts. The 30th was the coldest morning, 21.4 degrees. It was only the second time below 24.5, which was Jan. 29.

Eleven of the first 16 days were above 50 degrees, however, and six had highs above 55 degrees. Jan 5 set a record high temperature, 60.4 degrees, the month's high. The day's average temperature was above 50 degrees five times during that period.

This January was warmer than the century average, with the average daily minimum of 35.5 degrees almost a degree higher and the average daily high and the month's daily average temperature both 1.3 degrees above average for the past 24 years.

Measurements and data are at Washington State University’s Mount Vernon weather station on Memorial Highway.