It’s Not Just Hot Now — It’s Been A Very Warm Year So Far

Date posted - July 6, 2012

Sheldon, Iowa / Sioux Falls, SD — It’s been a warm first half of 2012, with temperatures recorded at KIWA Radio for the Sioux Falls office of the National Weather Service above average for every one of the six months. Even though we have experienced some unusually warm days in June, the first three months of the year produced the greatest departure from the normal or average temperatures.

The average temperature is the mean of the minimum and maximum temperature for each day. The normal average temperature for January is 13.6 degrees, but this year we enjoyed a balmy 22.3 degrees. The normal average temperature for February is 19.7 degrees, but this year we recorded an average of 24.2. Then things really warmed up in March with an average temperature of 47.85 — that’s fifteen degrees higher than the normal of 32 degrees. April and May were each about four degrees above normal. Even though we’ve been feeling the heat the past week or so, the month of June was only two degrees above normal. That’s due to the cooler evening temperatures we had earlier in the month.

And if you’re wondering about how we are faring so far in July, the average day July 1st through 5th was 9.5 degrees above normal .

The first half of 2012 has been well above normal across the region. This was highlighted by a record warm March which saw numerous record highs and record high minimums set. While March was exceptionally warm, every month in 2012 has been above normal across the region.

In terms of average temperature, 9 locations across the area – Huron, Sioux Falls, Brookings, Pickstown, Yankton and Academy in South Dakota, Marshall and Pipestone in Minnesota and Sioux City, Iowa have been 5 to 7 degrees above normal. The average temperature for the first 6 months of 2012 is the warmest on record for 7 of the 9 locations. Only Huron and Academy did not see their record broken in 2012. In the case of Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Pipestone this ties or breaks a record from 91 years ago.

It’s been an unusual six months for rainfall this year as well. Even though Sheldon experienced less than a half of an inch of rainfall in June, the six month total is just a little under normal because the rainfall in May totaled 6.34 inches.

While the last 4 to 6 weeks have been dry across the region, precipitation across the area has been running from a couple of inches below normal in portions of South Dakota to well above normal in southwestern Minnesota.

Click here for more information from the National Weather Service.

Average 2012 Temperatures In Sheldon

January 22.3 degrees……Normal 13.6 degrees
February 24.2……………. Normal 19.7
March 47.85………………Normal 32
April 50.25……………… Normal 46.7
May 62.7………………… Normal 59
June 70.4…………………..Normal 68.4

Six month total..277.7………Normal 239.4…..which means we are 38.3 degrees warmer for the six months.