January 2001

Perrysville 4W #79 (Richland County) Katie Gerwig Mean temperature was 6 degrees warmer than normal. Precipitation was 1 inch below normal. We had 19 days of snow cover but no major storms and no temperatures below zero

Kirdon 1N #2 (Wayne County) Ronald Hahn This was the 5th driest January in my records with only 0.99 inch of liquid precipitation which is more than 1.25 inches below normal. Had it not been for the rain of the 30th through the 31st, this would have been the driest January of record. Temperatures averaged about 3 degrees above normal for the month with no zero or below readings. Snowfall of 5.8 inches was only about half the normal amount.

Cincinnati 5NW #13 (Hamilton County) Ronald Rothhaas January 2001 was very warm and very dry, averaging 3.8 degrees above normal with less than half of normal precipitation. Despite this, a respectable 5.3 inches of snow fell and the ground was bare of snow on only 7 days. Only three storms of note occurred during the month. A respectable 4.2 inches fell over 30 hours on the 19th and 20th. Much less was forecast and no advisory was ever issued. In fact, for the last 2.2 inches the forecast was little or no accumulation! On the 26th, a brief but rowdy system brought a mixed bag highlighted by a burst of heavy convective thundersnow from 1 to 2 pm. A relatively light system produced 0.64 inch on the 29th and 30th. Without this, January 2001 would have been the driest January on record.

Kent 2W #53 (Portage County) Eric Wertz January 2001 began with a very active weather pattern during the first week before turning less active for the remainder of the month. Measureable liquid equivalent precipitation fell on 17 days with the monthly total of 1.78 inches being below normal. Advisories for snow and mixed precipitation were issued on 5 days. Even though temperatures averaged slightly above normal, snowfall was also slightly above normal with 14.8 inches falling during the month at Kent 2W. Measurable snowfall was noted on 13 days. A vigorous low pressure system moved through the region on the 5th dropping 4.1 inches of snow. Three fog days, one glaze day and one ice pellet day were observed.

Springfield 2N #1 (Clark County) Dick Groeber The lack of precipitation, locally, was the big story for January 2001. It was sparse and light for the first three weeks totaling 0.25 inch and 0.8 inch of snowfall. During the last week, it picked up totaling 0.95 inch liquid and 1.2 inches snowfall. This gave our final totals at 1.20 inches liquid and 3 inches snowfall. This made the month tied for the third driest since 1968 with 1972 and 1981 being the driest at 0.35 inch. As for snowfall, the month tied for sixth driest with 1987 and 1988 with 1989 being the driest. No snow fell in that January. On the otherhand, this was one of our warmer Januarys. The low temperature remained above zero with the lowest being +7 degrees recorded on the 9th. The warmest temperatures occurred during the middle and again at the end of the month. The high was 50 degrees recorded on the 11th, 12th and 13th. It was approached on the 30th with a high of 47 degrees. Overall, the barometric pressure was dominately high indicating the dryness of the first three weeks.

Streetsboro 2N #98 (Portage County) Vance Lunn January this year was characterized by temperatures and snowfall being near the five year normal for this station. The pattern of frequent snowfalls that had characterized the weather in this area the middle of November, continued through the 9th. This was fueled mainly by the lake effect as there continued to be a lack of major systems moving through the area. This period was highlighted by a surprise 7 inch snowfall on the 5th and 6th causing the snow pack to reach a peak depth of 12 inches. Snowfall decreased markedly after the 9th as Lake Erie froze over, reducing the lake effect. Streetsboro 2N experienced 18 days of measurable snowfall. Eight of those days saw one inch or more. Minimum snow depth was a trace on the 30th and 31st. There was fog on 16 days, freezing rain on the 29th and sleet on the 31st.

Wooster 7N #16 (Wayne County) Jack Sisler January was somewhat "dull" compared to December. Mean temperatures were almost two degrees above normal and precipitation was almost 1.50 inches below normal. The 15th of January was the first day with no snow depth on the ground since December 16th.