Warm temperatures and a lack of snowfall are likely to define the start of the year in Milwaukee. Here's why
The warm start to 2023 has meant Milwaukeeans have been greeted with the unfamiliar sight of January rain instead of bitter cold.
With Wisconsin seeing a lack of arctic winds that defined a frigid December the National Weather Service is predicting sustained higher-than-normal temperatures with short spurts of rain or snow as the month goes on.
What can Milwaukeeans expect in January?
Temperatures above freezing, often an oddity in January, may become commonplace in the coming weeks, according to the National Weather Service. This is because storm systems that would usually have a chilling impact on the Midwest are currently hitting to the east of us.
Highs in January are normally in the upper 20s, but many highs in the next two weeks will be at or above freezing and some will even get into the upper 30s.
“Typically our temperatures are right around 30 degrees in January, that's kind of the climatological normal. It's definitely been above normal and it does look like that trend is gonna kind of continue through a good portion of the rest of the month,” said Jaclyn Anderson from the National Weather Service.
To start the year precipitation is also expected to be lower than usual and when it does come, it could come in the form of rain or snow depending on temperatures. This will be seen throughout this and next week as precipitation is expected to fall as rain first and then as snow when lower temperatures roll in at night.
What is causing warmer temperatures and a lack of snow?
Weather expert and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor Clark Evans explained that January is historically one of Milwaukee’s snowiest and coldest months, usually bringing temperatures below freezing and an average of 15 inches of snow.
Evans said that an intense influx of pacific air from the west coast could be what is causing warmer temperatures across the country and in Milwaukee.
This paired with the already mentioned lack of arctic winds that usually get funneled into Wisconsin via Canada means warmer temperatures are here to stay for at least the next two weeks.
“Because of these higher temperatures, unless we make up for it in late January we are most likely going to miss our standard of snowfall for this month,” said Evans.
He also said that February could return to more traditional temperatures and snowfall in and around Milwaukee, but it is still too early to make definitive statements about next month's weather.
Is global warming causing the current warm weather?
While Evans said temperatures have continued to rise year-round in Milwaukee, something he believes is likely a product of global warming, the current weather is likely more of a short-term event than one that is consistent with climate change.
“The overall temperatures in January are increasing fairly steadily as part of the overall climate changing — although the impacts are felt a little bit earlier in the fall,” said Evans.
“I think in this particular case, it's more or less driven by the background weather circulation, rather than a climate signal.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Why Milwaukee weather is met with warm temperatures and low snowfall
