January has seen higher temperatures and lower rain totals than average. Although no records have been set portions of the Twin Lakes Area are in severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Baxter, Marion, Searcy, Newton, Stone, Izard and Fulton Counties all have large sections of severe drought. The rest of the northwest section of the state is considered either in moderate drought or abnormally dry.
Rainfall totals for the month of January, from KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot Studios, has measured at 1.61 inches. The record for the driest January was .14 of an inch in 1936. The wettest January on record was set in 1949 when 8.80 inches of rain fell.
No snowfall has been recorded so far this year.
Temperatures have been unseasonably warm as well. The warmest day of the month was January 12th, at 71 degrees. The record high for January was set in 1943 at 83 degrees. The record low was set back in 1918 at a chilly negative 15 degrees.
Although the county wide burn ban is off for now, fire danger remains a threat. There have been several recent brush fires and firefighters are still fighting an 821 acre blaze near big flat.
Meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Little Rock, Marty Trexler says the trend is going to continue for the first couple of weeks of February.
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The chances for rain increase next week but not much.
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Mild temperatures are expected to continue through next week at closer to normal average temperatures wit little, if any, rain in the forecast.
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