With the end of January now upon us, it has certainly been a mild month in the Portland area. In fact, the Portland Airport (PDX) recorded its second-warmest January Mean Temperature since records began there in 1939, nearly 80 years ago! Only 4 days in the month averaged below the 30-year Normal, the greatest of these having just a -3.0° departure. When combining the longer-term record of the official downtown station locations with a Period of Record (POR) back to 1874, this month still ranks as 4th warmest. Here are the January statistics for both PDX as well as the combined Downtown/PDX locations, with 2018 data highlighted with bold text:

PDX Mean Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1939-2018)

1. 47.3° (1953)
2. 45.6° (2018)
3. 45.5° (2006)
4. 45.0° (2010)
5. 44.7° (2003)
6. 44.5° (1992)
7. 44.4° (1994)
8. 44.3° (1983)
9. 43.8° (1981)
10. 43.6° (1967, 1961, 1958)

 

Downtown & PDX Mean Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1874-2018)

1. 47.3° (1953)
2. 46.9° (1934)
3. 45.9° (1914)
4. 45.6° (2018)
5. 45.5° (2006)
6. 45.4° (1918)
7. 44.8° (1925)
8. 44.7° (2003, 1931)

10. 44.5° (1992)

 

PDX Average Maximum Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1939-2018)

1. 52.0° (1953)
2. 51.2° (1981)
3. 50.8° (2018)
4. 50.7° (2003)
5. 50.5° (1992)
6. 50.4° (1983)
7. 50.2° (1961)
8. 50.1° (2006, 1994)

10. 49.9° (2015)

 

Downtown & PDX Average Maximum Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1874-2018)

1. 52.0° (1953)
2. 51.5° (1934)
3. 51.2° (1981)
4. 50.8° (2018)
5. 50.7° (2003)
6. 50.5° (1992, 1914)

8. 50.4° (1983)

9. 50.2° (1961)

10. 50.1° (2006, 1994)

 

PDX Average Minimum Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1939-2018)

1. 42.6° (1953)
2. 40.8° (2006)
3. 40.5° (2010)
4. 40.4° (2018)
5. 38.8° (2003, 1994)

7. 38.5° (1995, 1992, 1939)

10. 38.3° (1983)

 

Downtown & PDX Minimum Temperatures (Year)

(POR 1874-2018)

1. 42.6° (1953)
2. 42.3° (1934)
3. 41.4° (1918)
4. 41.2° (1914)
5. 40.8° (2006)
6. 40.5° (2010)
7. 40.4° (2018)
8. 40.3° (1925)
9. 39.8° (1936)
10. 39.6° (1939, 1931)

As many plants are breaking ground, budding, or even blooming, will our “winter” bring any substantial Arctic air into the area and hurt this tender vegetation? There is currently no indication that this is on the near horizon.

 

Cover Photo of Witch Hazel blooming in my backyard in mid-January, 2018.