How cold can it get? How much snow falls and other January weather records in Springfield

With the first blast of prolonged winter weather on the way, it's time to look at what a typical January and winter looks like in Springfield and central Illinois.

Cold weather and snow are usually on tap, but there have been times when things have been balmier than most, counteracting the times when temperatures and conditions have been difficult to handle.

Here's a look at some January weather facts:

More: Rain, snow, ping-ponging temperatures ahead for Springfield; when, how much to expect

What's the normal temperature in Springfield in January?

A normal high temperature in January in Springfield sits just under 36 degrees – 35.9 degrees to be exact, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln. Lows normally are just under 20 degrees at 19.9 degrees.

In terms of record high temperatures in January, Springfield hit 73 degrees on Jan. 23, 1909, setting a record that has yet to be matched. As for the coldest low temperature, reach back to 1884 when low temperatures dropped to -22 degrees on Jan. 5. The high temperature that day wasn't much warmer, only reaching a balmy -12 degrees, the coldest high ever recorded in Springfield.

What's the coldest – and warmest – winter ever in Springfield?

The brutally cold winter of 1977-78 takes the cake. NWS records indicate that the three-month average from December to February didn't even hit 20 degrees, with an average of 19.7 degrees that year.

Broken down month by month, the December average high was about 34 degrees and the low at 19.8 degrees. January's average high was 24 degrees and the low was just seven degrees. February didn't provide much relief, with average highs at 25 degrees and lows at eight degrees.

As for the warmest winter? Look no further than the winter of 1931-32, right amid the Great Depression. Average high temperatures reached just over 39 degrees during those three months, with December highs of 47 degrees, January highs of 42 degrees, and February highs of 49 degrees.

How much precipitation is normal for this time of year?

For January, the NWS says that about two inches of precipitation is the average for the month.

The wettest January on record in Springfield came in 1907 when 6.17 inches of precipitation fell in the Capital City. Over six days from Jan. 13-19, 5.13 inches fell with a peak of 1.74 inches of rain on Jan. 18. All that moisture caused problems throughout the Midwest, with flooding reported along the Ohio River Valley out to the southeast.

The driest winter in 1986 brought a small amount of precipitation, with just 0.04 inches falling in Springfield. Only three times that month were there precipitation amounts greater than just a trace – Jan. 2, Jan. 4, and Jan. 28, the day of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

What about the wettest and driest winters?

The winter of 1881-82 saw 15.21 inches of precipitation hit Springfield, with almost eight inches coming down in February 1882. Over three days from Feb. 18-20, 6.26 inches of precipitation fell in Springfield, with areas all over the Midwest being impacted by flooding and washouts.

The driest winter came in 1919-20, with only 1.67 inches of precipitation coming down.

How much snow is normal in Springfield for this time of year?

NWS says that 6.7 inches of snow is the average for January.

However, snow has fallen more during some Januaries than others. In 1977, 21.1 inches of snow dumped on Springfield during a notoriously cold winter throughout the U.S. Combined, the cold and snow shut down schools and caused problems procuring natural gas to heat homes, schools, and businesses. The extreme weather occurred amid a long-standing energy crisis across the country.

Some years have had little snow, however, with trace amounts recorded in 2013, 1954, 1944, and 1933.

More: Hate crimes overall are on the rise in Illinois and across the U.S. Who's targeted?

What is the snowiest winter in Springfield's history?

Combined over the three-month meteorological winter, 1981-82 had 45 inches of snowfall in Springfield. December 1981 saw 8.3 inches fall during two days between Dec. 16-17, with the highest one-day amount that month coming on Dec. 22 with 7.4 inches. For the month in total, 21.6 inches fell, the second-most ever to fall in December in Springfield.

January 1982 added another 12 inches to the total, with February bringing 11.4 inches, as well.

The least snowy winter in recorded history came in 1930-31 when just 1.1 inches fell on Springfield. The most snow to fall on one day that year came on Dec. 18, when 0.6 inches fell.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: What weather is normal, and what's not, for Springfield in January