December 2001 Monthly Climate Summary

According to the National Climatic Data Center,  of 107 years of record (ranging from 1 being the coldest or driest to 107 being the warmest or wettest.  December 2001 was the 101st warmest December on record.  Pennsylvania as a whole ranged from 5.4-9°F warmer than normal.  Also out of 107 years of record, Pennsylvania experienced the 32nd driest month of December. 

    The first day of the month a cold front passed through Pennsylvania slightly lowering temperatures and bring rain across the state.  The rest of the week, high pressure dominated Pennsylvania.  Temperatures were in the mid fifties to lower sixties across the state.  On the fifth, the maximum temperature for Pennsylvania was recorded at Glenwillard at 78°. On the sixth Pittsburg reached a high of 73 degrees.  Mild temperatures were the big story in this first week.  The beginning of the second week started out with another cold front passing through Pennsylvania which lowered temperatures and brought some rain across the state.  But the trend of mild temperatures and below normal precipitation continued.  The third week brought cooler temperatures across the state, but they were still well above normal. Temperatures peaked at 58°on the 18th in Philadelphia. Also on the 18th, widespread rainfall fell across the state.  In the fourth week many people across the state were disappointed that they did not have a White Christmas.  While Buffalo, NY received up to 130", almost their entire snowfall amount for a season from the 24th to the 31st.  Eventually on the 27th, snow did come to most regions across the state except the southeastern counties of the state.  On the 30th, the minimum temperature was recorded at Rector at 3°.  Overall, December definitely ended 2001 in an unusual way.  

Table of Extremes for Pennsylvania December 2001