January 2024 was another active month, but unlike December, there were notable cold shots and many snow producing systems from New England to the Mid Atlantic. Despite the colder stretches, temperatures still fluctuated quite a bit causing highs and lows to finish a bit above average. This was mainly due to a warm up that closed out the month, where temperatures ran as much as 10 - 25 degrees above normal. Precipitation also finished well above the normal monthly values as well.
The month began with a few snow shower events as temperatures held near to a bit above average. First off, was a weakening clipper system to ring in the new year. This was mostly rain / unimpactful mixed showers for most, although some scattered dustings of snow did occur into northeastern PA and portions of the Hudson Valley (especially across the higher terrain). The next system involved a narrow band of flurries and lighter snow showers during the overnight of the 3rd that brought some coatings across parts of northeastern PA, northern NJ, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut. After these minor events, the first legit winter storm of the season arrived on the 6th as a low pressure system rode up the East Coast. The track of this system led to sharp differences in snowfall totals along the I-95 corridor (with very little to no snow accumulation further south) as well as for those along the coast versus inland. After this system exited off the New England coast on the 7th, it had dropped widespread snowfall amounts of 4 - 8" across much of the interior Northeast. The big winners for snowfall totals were portions of northern MA into the Hudson Valley, where amounts exceeded 1 foot in spots!
Temperatures then moderated some into the second week of the month, leading to mostly rain on the 9th. However it was just cold enough over the interior and the Poconos, Catskills, and Berkshires, where precip started out as a mix before going over to all rain. Here, a quick inch or two of snow fell before the changeover. Elsewhere, heavy rain was again an issue with widespread rainfall amounts of 2.5 - 5" along the I-95 corridor. This led to additional flooding problems for streams/creeks and rivers, though strong winds also led to instances of damage and coastal flooding. After a brief quieter stretch, the 12th saw another bout of rainfall for everyone with amounts of 1 - 2", though this system was progressive enough to limit most flooding issues. The warm up was short lived with an arctic cold front passing through during the day on the 14th ushering in a much colder airmass. This marked the beginnings of a very active stretch of wintry weather into mid-January. Additionally, this frontal passage led to snow squalls and some scattered coatings of snow for many, though those into New England saw locally higher amounts of up to 1".
This active period kicked off with a coastal system on the 15th - 16th, which brought a widespread swath of 2 - 4" of snow for much of the East Coast, with slightly higher amounts into Maryland and parts of New England. Meanwhile, totals quickly dropped off farther south into Virginia. Some sleet and freezing rain also mixed in along the I-95 corridor leading to some icing. This event was especially memorable in that it ended a snow drought in NYC, Philly, and for other cities such as Baltimore and D.C. All of which were cities that had not seen an inch or more of snow fall in almost 2 years.
Snow day at NWS Boston. All rain now, but it looked beautiful before the switch! ❄️ pic.twitter.com/n6Faakcgqw
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) January 16, 2024
Tweet depicting a snowy scene at the NWS Boston office during the afternoon of January 16th, 2024.
Conditions trended even colder in the days that followed with temperatures running as much as 10 - 15 degrees below average across many Northeast cities with bitterly cold wind chills. The 19th then saw a quick hitting snow event with 1 - 3" common, but portions of Maryland into southern New Jersey saw heavier amounts of 4 - 6". Snow showers then followed on the 20th in New England, bringing some coatings up to a 0.5" of snow. The active wintry pattern relaxed into the last week of January as temperatures moderated, but not before a system brought a quick shot of snow across New England into the night of the 23rd. Generally light snowfall amounts of 1 - 2" occurred. The mild stretch to end the month was marked by temperatures running as much as 10 - 25 degrees above average, leading to predominantly rain producing events. However, there were some caveats with some minor mixed / snow shower events occurring during the last week of January. Most notably, a system during the night of the 27th into the 29th produced some snow across interior New England. For most, it was no more than a few inches, though higher amounts of 3 - 6"+ fell across the Worcester hills in Massachusetts and into southern NH.
Generally clear skies over the region are allowing for a view of the current snow on the ground (no matter how little). Much of this over our area is expected to disappear this week as temperatures warm and rain moves in mid-to-late week. #NYwx #NJwx #CTwx pic.twitter.com/iK24mrOIyO
— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 21, 2024
Tweet from NWS New York of satellite imagery from January 21st, 2024 showing widespread snowpack across the northeast.
Overall, the milder days outnumbered the cold stretches and led to highs and lows running 2 - 4 degrees above normal. Moreover, the active pattern led to most places seeing precipitation amounts 2 - 4" above normal, though parts of New England ran as much as 4 - 5" above average for monthly precipitation.
