WINTER 2011-12

Weather in Historical Perspective
Kearny, NJ

WINTER 2011-12: The season featured a positive NAO and AO index.

The temperature in December averaged 42.6F and was 5.7F above normal. The month ranked as the 3^rd warmest such month on record (since 1977) and the warmest since 2001. The month was also the 2^nd consecutive such month with above normal temperatures.  Only 3 days averaged near or below normal. There were 17 days with maximums of 50F or higher and 4 days with maximums of 60F or higher. Temperature extremes included 61F on the 11^th and 23F on the 19^th. The temperature in January averaged 37F and was 5.4F above normal. The month ranked as the 4^th warmest such month on record (since 1977) and the warmest since 1990. The month was also the 3^rd consecutive month with above normal temperatures.  Eight days averaged near or below normal. There were 11 days with maximums of 60F or higher and 2 days with maximums of 60F or higher. Temperature extremes included 64F on the 7^th and 13F on the 4^th. The temperature in February averaged 35.1F and was 5.2 degrees above normal. The month tied with February 2006 as the 13^th warmest such month.  Twelve days averaged near or below normal. Temperature extremes included 69F on the 18^th and 13F on the 11^th. There were 8 days with maximums of 50F or higher and 2 days with maximums of 60F or higher. There were only 3 days with maximums of 32F or lower.

The temperature for the season averaged 40.1F and is 5.5F above normal.  The season ranked as the 2^nd warmest such season on record and the warmest since 2001-02. 

Precipitation in December continued in December with 5.00 inches recorded.  The month ranked as the 10^th wettest such month on record and the wettest since 1981. The month was also the 5^th consecutive month with above precipitation.  The most received in a 24-hour period was 1.78 inches on the 7^th. In January, precipitation ended in January with 3.08 inches recorded for the month.  The month ranked as the 14^th driest such month on record and the wettest since 1994. The most received in a 24-hour period was 1.08 inches on the 12^th. Precipitation in February totaled 3.94 inches and ranked as the 11^th wettest such month on record and the driest since 1986. The month was also the 2^nd consecutive such month with above normal precipitation. There were 8 days with measurable precipitation. The most to fall in a 24-hour period was 1.81 inches on the 24^th and the 25^th.  Snowfall was below normal with only 4.5 inches.  The month ranked as the 1th least snowiest such month and the least since 1997. The most received in a 24-hour period was 3.0 inches on the 21^st.

Precipitation for the season totaled 9.82 and ranked as the 17^th driest such season on record and the driest since 2004-05. The period January-February ranked as the 7^th driest such season on record with 4.82 inches. The period also ranked as the 4^th consecutive such period with below normal precipitation.

Snowfall was also below normal with only 4.0 inches received.  This is 18.9 inches below normal.  The season ranked as the 2^nd least snowiest such month on record and the least snowiest since 1991-92.

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