January 2014 Review - Jyväskylä

January 2014 in Jyväskylä was one of two parts. The start of the month was exceptionally warm for the time of year with 9 of the first 10 days registering temperatures above zero. The warm weather ended abruptly though as temperatures dropped dramatically after January 10 and they didn't rise above -5C for the remainder of the month.

In my 2013 Yearly Review post for Jyväskylä, I mentioned that the Decembers of 2011 and 2013 were rather similar since both were unusually warm. After the warm December of 2011, averages in January 2012 then shot downwards and, following the close of January 2013, they were the second coldest in the period since 2009. I wondered if something similar might happen for January this year, and, funnily enough, the averages were almost identical. The table below shows January averages since 2009.

January averages at Jyväskylä Airport for the period 2009-2014

Despite the warm start to the month, the 2014 averages replaced 2012 as the second lowest since 2009. Coincidentally, the average maximum was identical to 2012, and the minimum only 0.2C colder. 2014's figures were also below the long term average and, according to FMI, the second lowest since 2004. FMI marked the overall average for the month at -9.9C, compared to my figure of -10.1C and the 1981-2010 average of -8.3C.

The warmest day of the month was New Year's Day, registering both the highest monthly minimum of 1.8C and the highest overall temperature of 3.5C. The middle of the 3 week cold snap saw the coldest temperatures. January 23 only reached a high of -16.1C and on the following morning of January 24, it dropped to the monthly low of -27.7C.

Strangely enough, if you were to only look at and compare the extremes of the previous 6 Januaries you might come to the conclusion that January 2013 was the second warmest. Even though the monthly averages were actually the second lowest, only 2009's extreme figures were warmer than all of the extremes mentioned above, except the monthly low, which was also eclipsed by January 2012's -26.2C.

National extremes for the month included a low of -40.7C in Utsjoki in the far north on January 20. This was the first temperature below -40C in Finland since 2012. The Åland Islands were again responsible for the highest monthly temperature; 6.1C in Långnäs on January 8.

The graph below shows the daily minimums and maximums at Jyväskylä Airport for January 2014.

Minimums and maximums at Jyväskylä Airport for January 2014

It's easy to see the clear drop in temperatures after January 10. The difference in averages further highlights the dramatic change. The first 10 days of the month had an average minimum of -1.0C and an average maximum of 1.4C. The remaining 21 days had averages of -18.8C and -11.1C.

Precipitation for the month was well below average. A monthly total of 15mm was only one third of the 1981-2010 average of 45mm. The absence of decent falls were evident in the lack of snow. The majority of the monthly total also fell in the first 10 days as rain. Snow depth in Jyväskylä on January 15 measured only 2cm. This is compared to the long term average of 30cm, and last year's total of 31cm. By the end of the month it had increased only slightly to 6cm.

The majority of the month was rather calm. There were very few windy days, and there was nothing extraordinary to note. The coldest days of the month made for some rather beautiful scenery, despite the small amount of snow. Frost covered everything outside, while the calm air kept it all in place. The sun also made quite a few appearances, only adding to the spectacle.