Bitter cold kept snowfall from melting at the end of the month
Twin Lakes residents experienced almost all the seasons in one month as January brought near record warmth followed by bitter cold and snow.
The month began with above average warm temperatures to welcome the new year. Where the average high for the month is around 44 degrees by the 7th highs reached 72 degrees with the 7th and 8th being the warmest days of the month.
The warm temperatures combined with very little rain placed Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri in drought conditions with many counties and towns across the region implementing burn bans. from December 20 to January 23 only 0.09 inches of precipitation was recorded at KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot.
On January 25 the temperature dropped as winter weather brought heavy snow and sleet across the area. By the 26th the high was recorded at only 16 degrees with nearly 6 inches of snow having fallen. The cold persisted into the end of the month with the coldest night recorded on the 27th with a temperature of 2 degrees. During the snowfall a line of sleet fell across the area turning many local roads, parking lots and driveways into impassable ice rinks. Local schools stayed out of session for nearly a week as cold tempetures inhibited melting.
The month of January ended with 1.37 inches of precipitation short of the monthly average of around 2.5 inches. The most snow ever recording in the month of January was in 1918 where 26.2 total inches of snow fell in Mountain Home.
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