Day 11: The Warmup Begins

Posted by pmarsh on 11 Jan 2010 | Comments Off

The forecast warm-up for the central United States is well underway.  In fact, the high temperature in Norman, OK was 57F today.  Contrast that with a high temperature of 56F in Key West, FL.  As was pointed out by a friend, for one of those cities, the high temperature was quite pleasant and for the other city the high temperature was very unpleasant.

(Image courtesy of Unisys Corporation.  Current temperatures can be found here.)

Note:  Read the following to put into perspective the severity of the recent cold air outbreak.  This is taken from the National Weather Service office in Key West, FL.

THE LOW TEMPERATURE TODAY AT KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 42
DEGREES. THIS SHATTERED THE DAILY RECORD FOR MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
MEASURED IN KEY WEST ON JANUARY 11TH. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 48
DEGREES SET IN 1970. THIS LOW TEMPERATURE OF 42 DEGREES IS ONLY ONE
DEGREE AWAY FROM THE ALL TIME RECORD MINIMUM TEMPERATURE IN KEY WEST
OF 41 DEGREES SET IN 1886 AND TIED IN 1981.

IN ADDITION...THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 42 DEGREES MAKES TODAY THE 5TH
CONSECUTIVE DAY OF MINIMUM TEMPERATURES BELOW 50 DEGREES...THE
SECOND LONGEST STRETCH OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH MINIMUM TEMPERATURES
BELOW 50 DEGREES IN KEY WEST SINCE TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEGAN IN
1872. THE LONGEST STRETCH OF DAYS WITH LOW TEMPERATURES BELOW 50
DEGREES IN KEY WEST OCCURRED FROM DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 6TH
OF 1876. THIS RECORD WILL LIKELY BE TIED TONIGHT...AS THE LOW
TEMPERATURE IS EXPECTED TO BE BELOW 50 DEGREES AT KEY WEST

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.