Coldest January in Years Confirmed for Majority of the U.S.

You did not imagine that this past January seemed colder than usual. The preliminary data is in, confirming that it was the coldest January in years. But there is relief in sight with warmer temperatures and longer days on the horizon. Read on for all of the details.

Early Data Confirms Frigid January

An early look at temperature data across the U.S. demonstrates that it was the coldest January since 2011 with records dating back to 1895. The initial report from Climate Central showed that 166 out of the total of 191 cities studied came in with temperatures that were colder than the average for the month. The average departure from January temperatures was 2.9 degrees.

One of the exceptions to the unseasonably cold temperatures was in Alaska. For instance, Fairbanks ended up with temperatures that hovered at 14.6 degrees over the historical average for the month. Northern portions of Maine and the higher terrains of the western U.S. were also exceptions to the rule with above-normal readings for the month.

Meteorologists had been warning since December that temperature values in January would likely be on the frigid side. Frequent winter storms and regular intrusions of Arctic air kept most areas on the chilly side. Official numbers are scheduled to be confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on February 10.

The South Experienced the Most Dramatic Departure from Normal

The weather might have seemed the coldest to southerners not accustomed to temperatures at this level even during the dead of winter. The early data coming from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM) details that Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia were the chilliest states over the first month of the year when compared to the norm. All three of these states are expected to rank in each of their top coldest January data when the readings are officially verified.

Not all weather stations have been recording temperatures for decades. Some of the stations that came online during the 1990s reported that it was the coldest January since that time. For stations that have records dating back a century, January of 2025 clocked in with the coldest readings for even longer.

According to data from NOAA, there were 4,360 daily low records broken in January. This was in addition to about 800 daily snowfall records. The fallen snowfall records were largely due to the monster winter storm that impacted the Gulf Coast.

For example, 25 total weather stations recorded the most snow that had ever been picked up in a period of 24 hours. An additional 25 stations set all-time low temperatures for any time of the year. Most impressively, the states of Florida and Louisiana both broke their respective all-time 24-hour snowfall record as a result of the Gulf Coast winter weather event.

The record-setting January came during a time when temperatures are warming up on average. Prior to the cold snap, the U.S. had notched 11 straight months featuring temperatures that landed above normal on average. January of 2025 was the first month that the nation as a whole recorded below-normal readings since January of 2024. That month saw mean temperatures dip just slightly below average levels.

Looking at the snowfall events since last October, the picture in the U.S. has not been as clear. While the Northern Plains has seen snowfall accumulations slip to below normal, the measurements have reached well over the average levels for the South and parts of the Midwest. Likewise, coastal portions of New England have been lacking in the white stuff while some areas of the interior Northeast and the mid-Atlantic have recorded levels above what is typical by this point in the season.

Temperatures Expected to Warm Up with Longer Days in February

Temperatures typically begin to increase incrementally as February progresses. The long-range forecast is predicting that the warmup will happen from south to north. This is already in motion in the southern U.S. as a heat wave is breaking daily high records in many communities.

One of the reasons for the warmer than average temperatures is that the days get noticeably longer during the month of February. The amount of sunlight across the U.S. has been increasing incrementally each day. The jump in daylight hours was slow initially with just a few seconds added each day. However, the increase in daylight hours increases considerably throughout the month of February. This change is most dramatic in areas to the north while those closer to the equator see a less noticeable change.

For instance, the amount of sunlight in New York City soars by over two minutes each day in February. This means that the sun is shining for 67 minutes longer on February 28 than it was on February 1 in the Big Apple. Compare this jump to Miami where the monthly increase in daylight hours comes in at just 37 minutes due to its more southerly location.

Just as the days are getting longer across the country, the nights are starting to become shorter. You can count on the days continuing to grow longer in the Northern Hemisphere until the arrival of the summer solstice on June 20. From that point forward, the days will begin to get shorter again leading up to the winter solstice when the pattern will start all over again.

The arrival of daylight savings time will also impact the perception of how much sunlight you may experience. Daylight savings will begin on Sunday, March 9 this year, prompting most Americans to set their clocks ahead one hour. Daylight savings will end on Sunday, November 2. This is the time in which the clocks will be set back an hour.

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