Fourth Warmest Year on Record

by Russell Russ

The final two months of 2020 began our journey into winter. November, being warmer than normal with below-average precipitation and snowfall, might possibly indicate that we are in for a warm winter with below-normal snowfall amounts. December’s conditions were fairly normal for December. There was some snow, it was relatively cold and most small ponds were iced over, and the larger ponds and lakes were getting close to being iced. 

November’s average temperature of 41.7 degrees was 4.7 degrees above normal. It was the sixth warmest November on record. Temperatures ranged from a high of 71 to a low of 16 degrees. New daily high temperature records were set on Nov. 8, 9 and 10, and there were near record-setting temperatures on Nov. 6, 7, 11 and 30. These warm days obviously helped with the month’s high ranking for warmth. Precipitation for the month totaled 3.69 inches, 0.90 inch below normal. The monthly snowfall total of 1.1 inches was 5.5 inches below normal. The warmest November on record was in 2006 with a monthly average temperature of 43.2 degrees. After November, with one month to go until year’s end, 2020 at that time was ranked as being the second driest year and second least snowy year.    

December’s average temperature of 29.5 degrees was 3.8 degrees above normal, ranking it as Norfolk’s 13th warmest December on record. Temperatures in December ranged from a high of 58 to a low of six degrees. The 58 recorded on Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) tied the 2015 daily record high for that date. With a monthly total precipitation amount of 7.15 inches, it was 2.61 inches above normal. It was Norfolk’s seventh wettest December on record and was by far the wettest month of 2020. The year’s largest storm rainfall total came on Dec. 24-25, when 2.60 inches was recorded. Norfolk’s largest snowstorm of 2020 occurred on Dec.16-17 when a total of 13.7 inches was recorded. On the morning of Dec. 24 there were seven inches of snow on the ground, the next morning there was none. Norfolk did not have a white Christmas. December’s monthly snowfall total of 18.4 inches was 1.6 inches above normal. Of the month’s 31 days, there were 15 days when some form of wintry precipitation was observed. During the month, it was cold enough and there was frequent wintery precipitation, but there was just one snowstorm. Norfolk’s warmest December was in 2015, with 39.5 degrees. The wettest was in 1948 with 12.78 inches.   

Weather observations and record keeping are performed by Russell Russ for the Great Mountain Forest at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2SW.