January was 3.8 deg F below normal for temperature. The high for the month was 53.8 deg. F, recorded on January 1. The low for the month was -6.1 deg F, recorded on January 27. There were 18 days when the maximum was at or below 32 F, 30 days when the minimum temperature was at or below 32 F, and 2 days when the minimum temperature was at or below 0 F. There were 1261 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days.
January was a below-normal month for precipitation with 1.29 inches of liquid precipitation recorded, which was 1.82 inches below normal. The maximum liquid precipitation in a single day was 0.37 inches recorded on January 1. There were 9 days of rain >.01 in, 4 >.10 in and 0 > 1 in.
There were 13.8 inches of snow for the month, with a maximum daily total of 5.1 inches on January 16.
December was 6.9 deg F above normal for temperature. The high for the month was 65.9 deg. F, recorded on December 16. The low for the month was 15.8 deg F, recorded on December 20. There were 17 days when the minimum temperature was at or below 32 F and 0 days when the maximum temperature was at or below 32 F. There were 816 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days.
December was a below-normal month for precipitation with 2.69 inches of rainfall recorded, which was 0.44 inches below normal. The maximum rainfall in a single day was 1.05 inches recorded on December 28. There were 12 days of rain >.01 in, 7 >.10 in and 1 > 1 in.
Overall, the year’s temperatures were above normal. The annual mean of 52.0 F was 1.8 F above normal. The annual precipitation of 40.17 inches was 0.53 inches below normal.
2021 Weather Data
January
January was a bit warmer than normal with a monthly mean of 30.7 F, which was 2.6 F above normal, with a high of 48 F and a low for the month of 14 F. Precipitation was 2.06 inches below normal with 1.05 inches of liquid precipitation. There were 3 inches of snow this month.
February
February was the coldest month of 2021 with a mean of 34.7 F, which was 1.2 F below normal. The high was 58 F and the low was 3 F, which was also the low for the year. Precipitation was 0.66 inches below normal at 1.61 inches. There were 13 inches of snowfall this month.
March
March temperatures were also mild at 5.3 F above normal with a high of 70 F and a low of 14 F. Precipitation was 0.86 inches below normal with 2.69 inches of liquid precipitation. The high wind speed for the month and year was 47 mph.
April
Temperatures were 1.2 F above normal in April. The high was 83 F and the low was 22 F. Rainfall was 1.12 inches below normal at 2.27 inches. The last day of temperatures below freezing was April 22.
May
Temperatures were cooler at 1.3 F below normal with a high of 88 F and a low of 32 F. Precipitation was 3.67 inches, 0.44 inches above normal.
June
Damaged Trees Blocking PA 550 near Patton/Halfmoon Township Line June 21, 2021 – Photo by George Riley
Temperatures for the month were 1.0 F above normal with a mean of 80.6 F. The high was 92 F and the low was 41 F. Precipitation was 2.56 inches above normal with 6.42 inches of rainfall.
July
The temperatures were 0.4 F below normal at a mean of 82.4. The high for the month was 92 F and the low was 50 F. Rainfall was 0.38 inches below normal with 3.08 inches of precipitation.
August
August was the warmest month this year. The month’s temperatures were 1.8 F above normal at a mean of 83.4. The high was 93 F and the low was 49 F. Precipitation was 0.88 inches above normal at 5.02 inches.
September
Temperatures were above normal this month with a mean of 75.0 F. The high was 86 F and the low was 42 F. There were 6.82 inches of rainfall, which was 2.84 inches above normal. This was the rainiest month of the year.
October
October was very mild with temperatures at 6.4 F above normal. The high was 79 F and the low was 36 F. Rainfall was near normal at 3.40 inches, which was 0.06 inches above normal.
November
Temperatures were cooler in November and were 2.6 F below normal. The high was 69 F and the low was 20 F. Precipitation was 1.45 inches, 1.79 inches below normal. The first freeze was on November 2. There was also less than 0.5 inches of snowfall.
December
December was very mild with a mean temperature of 46.5 F, 6.9 F above normal. The high was 66 F and the low was 16 F. Precipitation was 0.44 inches below normal at 2.69 inches. There was also 3 inches of snowfall.
November was 2.6 deg F below normal for temperature. The high for the month was 69.0 deg. F, recorded on November 9. The low for the month was 20.2 deg F, recorded on November 24. There were 20 days at or below 32 F and 0 days when the maximum temperature was at or below 32 F. There were 774 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree day.
November was a below-normal month for precipitation with 1.45 inches of rainfall recorded, which was 1.79 inches below normal. The maximum rainfall in a single day was 0.96 inches recorded on November 12. There were 9 days of rain >.01 in, 2 >.10 in and 0 > 1 in. There was also 1.2 inches of snow this month.
September was 1.4 deg F above normal for temperature. The high for the month was 85.7 deg. F recorded on September 18. The low for the month was 42.1 deg F, recorded on September 30. There were 0 days at or above 90 deg F and 0 days at or below 32 deg F. There were 120 heating degree days and 91 cooling degree days.
September had 6.82 inches of rainfall recorded, which was 2.84 inches above normal. The maximum rainfall in a single day was 1.96 inches recorded on September 1. There were 8 days of rain >.01 in, 8 >.10 in and 3 > 1 in.
August was 1.8 deg F above normal for temperature. The high for the month was 92.3 deg. F recorded on August 12. The low for the month was 48.8 deg F, recorded on August 3. There were 4 days at or above 90 deg F. There were 22 heating degree days and 245 cooling degree days.
August was an above normal month for precipitation with 5.02 inches of rainfall recorded, which was 0.88 inches above normal. The maximum rainfall in a single day was 2.26 inches recorded on August 18 (the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred). There were 15 days of rain >.01 in, 9 >.10 in and 1 >1 in.
July was 0.4 deg F below normal for temperature. The high for the month was 91.8 deg. F recorded on July 7. The low for the month was 49.6 deg F, recorded on July 31. There was a single day at or above 90 deg F! There were 32 heating degree days and 224 cooling degree days.
July was a below normal month for precipitation with 3.08 inches of rainfall recorded, which was 0.38 inches below normal. The maximum rainfall in a single day was 0.69 inches recorded on July 7. There were 12 days of rain >.01 in, 7 >.10 in and 0 >1 in.
Overall, the year’s temperatures were above normal. The annual mean of 52.1 F was 2.0 F above normal. Of course the main event of 2020 was the drought. The annual precipitation of 36.46 inches was 4.24 inches below normal. Most of Centre County was in a severe drought in September.
However, at the end of the year, the drought in Centre County was essentially over.
2020 Weather Data
January
Snowfall on January 7, 2020
January was mild with a monthly mean of 33.2 F, which was 5.1 F above normal, with a high of 64 F and a low for the month of 9 F. Precipitation was 1.07 inches below normal with 2.04 inches of liquid precipitation.
February
The mild winter continued into February which was 5.5 F above normal. The high was 62 F and the low was 6 F, which was also the low for the year. Precipitation was 0.60 inches above normal at 2.87 inches.
March
Dusting of snow on Bald Eagle Ridge on March 15, 2020
March temperatures were also mild at 6.0 F above normal with a high of 73 F and a low of 22 F. Precipitation was 1.71 inches above normal with 5.26 inches of liquid precipitation. The high wind speed for the month and year was 47 mph.
April
Dusting of snow on Bald Eagle Ridge on April 18, 2020
Temperatures were 3.1 F below normal in April. The high was 70 F and the low was 24 F. Rainfall was 1.67 inches above normal at 5.06 inches.
May
Spring did finally arrive in mid-May. Bald Eagle Ridge on May 31, 2020
Spring temperatures continued to be cooler than normal in spite of a mild March. May was 2 F below normal with a high of 86 F and a low of 27 F. Precipitation was 1.72 inches which was 1.51 inches below normal. This was perhaps the harbinger of the future drought conditions. The last day of temperatures below freezing was May 13.
June
Temperatures for the month were near normal. The high was 88 F and the low was 41 F. Precipitation was 0.94 inches above normal with 4.80 inches of rainfall.
July
July was the warmest month of the year. The temperatures were 3 F above normal. The high for the month and year was 95 F and the low was 55 F. Rainfall was 2.27 inches below normal with 1.19 inches of precipitation.
July also gave us outstanding views of Comet Neowise.
Comet Neowise from Stormstown, PA
August
Forest fires in the western U.S. provided spectacular sunsets. August 15, 2020
The month’s temperatures were 2 F above normal. The high was 93 F and the low was 47 F. Precipitation was 2.66 inches below normal at 3.42 inches. The drought was getting severe.
September
Hazy sunset due to the western forest fires. September 22, 2020
Temperatures were near normal this month. The high was 86 F and the low was 32 F. Drought conditions continued with 2.61 inches of rainfall. This was 1.37 inches below normal. The first freeze of the season was September 20.
October
Fall foliage, Sormstown, October 9, 2020
October was warmer at 1.0 F above normal. The high was 81 F and the low was 28 F. Rainfall was below normal at 2.96 inches, which was 0.38 inches below normal.
November
Temperatures were mild in November and were 3.7 F above normal. The high was 76 F and the low was 22 F. Precipitation was 3.44 inches, 0.20 inches above normal.
December
December was the coldest month of 2020. The mean temperature was 32.6 F. The temperatures were 0.8 F above normal. The high was 55 F and the low was 11 F. Precipitation was 0.10 inches below normal at 1.88 inches.
Stormstown Dispatch 