After a warm end to December, what can we expect in January?



It was a warm end to December, with temperatures 13 degrees above average for the last 10 days of the month. As a whole, Milwaukee was 7 degrees above average for the month. Now, it’s a new month and a new year, but are we in store for a change in the long-term pattern?



The answer: yes, but not right away.

Over the next few weeks, the pattern is expected to gradually give way to colder weather, with below-average temps likely by the end of the month.

In the meantime, temperatures should stay at or above average for a while. For January in Milwaukee, that’s an average high temperature of 29 degrees. On January 2nd, Milwaukee hit a high of 48°, nearly 20° above average. Although this is mild by January standards, it is not warm enough to rule out snow chances, which could become more frequent as the month goes on.



Last January, the setup was similar, with a mild start to January giving way to cold weather by early February. This included a day of extreme cold on Jan. 30 leading the eighth coldest high temperature on record of 10 degrees below zero.  Therefore, a mild start to January doesn’t always lead to a mild end.