The mild end of January persisted into February until a winter storm plowed through the region on the 4^th. After that, temperatures took a significant dive with arctic air funneling southward and then holding across the Upper Mississippi River Valley through mid month. Below normal temperatures were recorded from the 5^th through 21^st. It was so cold that highs never warmed above zero from the 12^th through the 14^th. Below zero lows occurred on 13 days, more than double the average of 6. Further, lows bottomed out from -10 and colder on 9 days, tied for 5^th most in a February. The thermostat would be cranked up for the last week of February with temps topping out in the 40s and lows mostly in the 20s – closer to the normal highs for that time of year. On the whole, February finished around 10 degrees below normal, with that moderating mild finish providing just enough warmth to keep it out of the top 10 coldest (finished 19^th). Snowfall for the month was a couple inches above normal, with the bulk of that coming on 2 days (5.8” on the 4^th and 4.4” on the 21^st). There were only 3 other days with measurable snow.

The mild end to February would persist for most of March, with only 4 days of below normal temperatures. The first 60 degree day of the year came on the 8^th, a couple weeks early compared to the average. Temps would warm to 60 or more on 10 days in March, well above the average of 3 and tying it for 6^th most in a March. This spate of warm days also produced the first 70 degree day of 2021 with 72 on the 29^th. Despite averaging over 7 ½ degrees above normal, there was significant fluctuation in temps with highs ranging from 29 on the 1^st to that 72 degree day. All said, March would finish as the 7^th warmest on record in La Crosse. Precipitation for March was around ½ inch below normal with snowfall also finishing a few inches below the normal. In fact, there were only 2 days with measurable snow and one accounted for nearly the entire month’s total (3.9” of the 4” March total fell on the 15^th). That snowfall on the 15^th would be the last measurable snow for the 2020-21 season, a few weeks earlier than the average (April 4^th).

April saw its share of ups and downs when it came to temperatures, with a high of 54 on the first quickly reaching 80 on the 4^th. This 80 degree temperature was almost a month earlier than normal and 12^th earliest 80 day on record for La Crosse. Highs would warm to 70 degrees or greater 7 times, but couldn’t crack 50 degrees on 6 days. Despite the swings in temperatures, April would finish a bit above normal. Precipitation was fairly sparse with measurable precipitation on only 7 days (average is 11). The 8^th through 10^th recorded around ¼” each day, with another ½” coming on 27^th. It was generally dry otherwise. There were a few flurries on the 14^th, otherwise April was snow free.

May was another month with wide fluctuations in temperature, which should be expected for a spring transitional month. Summer lovers were likely overjoyed with the 91 degree day to kick off the month. That is over 5 weeks sooner than the average first 90 degree day and 11^th fastest in a year for La Crosse. That taste of summer would be short-lived as highs would tumble back into the 50s and 60s after that. Temperatures would still manage to push past 80 degrees on 5 days for the month. On the whole, all the fluctuations averaged out right at the May normal. Rainfall was also close to what is expected in May, but went it fell, it was feast or famine. Out of the 12 days with measurable precipitation, 4 of those recorded around 1”.  The other 8 days were generally around 1/10” or less.

The spring months of March, April and May averaged 51.1 degrees for temperature, marking it as the 8^th warmest spring on record for La Crosse.

Summer warmth continued in August with temperatures, again, holding within a few degrees of the daily normal. The month would finish 1 ½ degrees above normal with 7 more days topping 90 or greater. It was a very wet month with measurable rain on 12 days, 4 or which accounted for ½” or more. For most months and most years, the 2.52” on the 27^th would be the highlight. However, La Crosse experienced a deluge of record proportions as 7.36” fell over the 7^th and 8^th. This set a record for most precipitation in a 2 day period while the 5.59” on the 7^th established a new one-day record rainfall for La Crosse. The final tally at month’s end was 11.78”, making it the 2^nd wettest August and the 3^rd wettest month out of any month for La Crosse.

The summer months of June, July and August was the 2nd warmest on record for La Crosse at 75.4 degrees. The 29 days of 90 degrees or warmer were the 8^th most for a summer. Total rainfall of 22.29”made it the wettest summer on record. In addition, there were 8 days of 1” or more of rainfall – tying it with a few other years for the most in a summer. Further, the 4 days of 2” or more were the most in any summer for La Crosse.

September was warm by its standards, averaging almost 2 ½ degrees above normal. There were 15 days of 80 degree highs or warmer (tied for 5^th most in a September) while also recording the last 90 degree day of the year on the 19^th. This is approximately 3 weeks later than the average. Mother Nature would provide some relief from the wet summer with a dry September. Measurable rain fell on only 4 days, tying it for the 2^nd least in a September and well below the average of 10. Those 4 days did manage to accumulate almost 1 ½” or rainfall. On the whole, the month would finish 2.20” below its normal.

Mild fall weather settled in for the first 3 weeks of October with above normal temperatures through the 20^th. This 20 day stretch to start October averaged 63.6 degrees and was the 2^nd warmest of its kind on record for La Crosse. Temperatures would drop back to more seasonable levels on the 21^st, holding for the rest of the month. Highs reached or exceeded 80 5 times with the last 80 degree day (81) of 2021 coming on the 10^th.  Despite the warmth, La Crosse did manage to cool to freezing on the morning of the 26^th for the first freeze of the fall season. Overall, the average temp for the month of 57.6 degrees was almost 6 degrees above normal and made it the 5^th warmest October on record. The dry fall continued with barely an inch falling for October. The meager total was spread out across 10 days with less than 1/10” of an inch falling on 6 of those.

November continued the mild and dry fall conditions, although a bit closer to normal compared to the other 2 months. Average temperatures for the month were around a degree above normal, with a 3 day streak of highs in the mid 60s (6^th-8^th) helping with that. Precipitation in November only finished around ¼” below its normal, but the 1.58” total came on 5 consecutive days at mid month (10^th through the 14^th). The first snow of the young winter season fell on the 13^th with 0.7”, right around the average in La Crosse

Overall, the fall months of September, October and November averaged 54.5 degrees and made it the 5^th warmest fall on record for La Crosse. It was also the 3^rd consecutive season to mark a top 10 record for warmth (spring, summer did it too). Fall rainfall only eked out a bit above 4 inches, not a top 10 record but did finish in the top 20 for dryness.

December continued the streak of warm months that started in the summer, rounding out around 3 ½ degrees above normal. The highlight was a 69 degree day on the 15^th which not only set a daily record, but also the all-time record for any day in December. This day also saw a rare round of severe weather for December, along with widespread strong winds. In fact, the strongest wind of 2021 occurred on the 16^th as the responsible storm system was exiting, hitting 68 mph from the southwest. There were 6 days with measurable snow recording 15.0”, a few inches above a typical December. Much of that came from two storms, one that spread across the 10^th and 11^th (5.3”) and another on the 28^th (another 5.3”). Mid month was fairly quiet for snow, only recording a few days with flurries from the 12^th through the 25^th.