Summary:
- January was relatively mild across the west, with armer than average[1] to average temperatures for all regions except small areas of the Great Basin and Rockies.
- January was also generally dry across the west, except for average or slightly above average in the PNW, and a late month atmospheric river event that brought significant rainfall to the central coast in California and a portion of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
- Not much change in drought concerns for the majority of the west with over 65% of the area continuing to be in severe to exceptional drought. First half of winter has provided enough to lower concerns in the PNW, but longer-term concerns continue for California and the desert southwest.
- Early February precipitation events from northern California to the PNW will give way to drier conditions for most of the west through mid-month at least. Arctic air will keep the west cooler than average to average for the month, with a big flip to extremely cold over the eastern half of the country.
- The second half of winter forecast remains influenced by La Niña conditions in the Tropical Pacific, but also the relatively warm North Pacific. As such, the PNW and northern states are forecast to be near average to slightly cool and wet, and California and the central to southern states are forecast to be warm and dry.
