December 2021 ended as the 3rd warmest December in Clinton weather records to 1879 according to Clinton Weather Observer Jim Blaess.
He says the overall temperature averaged to 35.7 degrees-which is 9.2 degrees above the normal (26.5)
Blaess added the warmest December was 2015 with a 37.5 degree average.
The warmest day was December 15th when it reached 74 degrees and was the warmest reading in the month in the late 1870’s. It broke the record for the date of 56 set in 1933. There was also a record for the 16th. Blaess says it was 64 degrees overnight which broke the high temperature record of 58 for the date in 1984.
The lowest temperature for the month was 8 degrees on the 7th.
Precipitation for December measured by Blaess was 2.07 inches which is above the normal of 1.82 inches. The Weather Observer says it was 26th driest December since 1878.
The year, Blaess says there was 28.06 inches which is 5.9 inches below the normal of 34.25 inches for the 12 months.
There was 3.6 inches of snow in the month and Blaess says that compares to the normal of 8.76 inches. He says about three inches of the total was on the 28th.
The weekend snow, according to Blaess was 5 inches. The overall average snow for January is 9.4 inches. With the snow over the weekend, Blaess says there is considered 7 inches of snow on the ground.
There are on average 5 days with a zero or below temperature and today would make the first day with a below zero reading.
