Heat Continues for the East and South-Central U.S.; Strong to Severe Storms Across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast

The extremely dangerous heat wave continues across the East Coast and much of the South-Central U.S. today. Record high temperatures are expected for some areas especially across the Mid-Atlantic where extreme heat risk conditions reside. There is a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) of severe thunderstorms today for the northern Mid-Atlantic into portions of southern New England. Read More >

Valentine New Year's Day Climatology

As we enter a new year, the National Weather Service in North Platte will move into another year of collecting and providing weather information to the public and media. Records have been kept at Valentine since June 1889. A wide range of weather has been experienced for the first day of the new year. Below is a summary of New Year's Days of the past. (snow depth information not available prior to 1901)

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN VALENTINE
PERIOD OF RECORD 127 YEARS: 1890-2016

TEMPERATURE DATA

Highest	63 degrees (1943)
Lowest	-30 degrees (1924)
Lowest Maximum	-4 degrees (1911)
Highest Minimum	37 degrees (1918)
Average High	32.8 degrees
Average Low	8.0 degrees
30 year Normal High	36 degrees
30 year Normal Low	10 degrees
Average Temperature Range	24.8 degrees
Largest Range between High and Low	50 degrees High 57, Low 7 (1959)
Smallest Range between High and Low	4 degrees High 14, Low 10 (1906)

High Temperature by 10 Degree Ranges

-0s	0s	10s	20s	30s	40s	50s	60s
2	9	13	24	38	24	14	3
1.6%	7.1%	10.2%	18.9%	29.9%	18.9%	11.0%	2.4%

Low Temperature by 10 Degree Ranges

-30s	-20s	-10s	-0s	0s	10s	20s	30s
1	3	10	18	34	30	29	2
0.8%	2.4%	7.9%	14.2%	26.8%	23.6%	22.8%	1.6%

PRECIPITATION DATA

Maximum Precipitation	0.36 inches (1916)
Maximum Snowfall	5.7 inches (1976)
Number of Times Precipitation	54 Occurrences or 42.5%
Number of Times Measurable Precipitation (more than a Trace)	25 Occurrences or 19.7%
Number of Times Snowfall	49 Occurrences or 38.6%
Number of Times Measurable Snowfall (more than a Trace)	25 Occurrences or 19.7%
Number of Times No Precipitation	73 Occurrences or 57.5%
Most Snow on Ground at Observation Time	16 inches (1988)

WHITE NEW YEAR'S DAY IN VALENTINE
PERIOD OF RECORD 116 YEARS: 1901-2016
White New Year's Day = 1 inch or more of snow on ground
at observation time on January 1
(snow depth rounded to nearest whole inch or trace if 0.4 inches or less)

Number of Years with a White New Year's Day (116 years)	50 Years (43.1%)
Number of Years with a White New Year's Day (last 25 years)	9 Years (36.0%)
Number of Years with a White New Year's Day (last 10 years)	6 Years (60.0%) 2007 - 3 inches 2008 - 1 inch 2010 - 1 inch 2011 - 6 inches 2015 - 3 inches 2016 - 4 inches
Number of Years with trace or more snow on Ground (116 years)	74 Years (63.8%)
Number of Years with trace or more snow on Ground (last 25 years)	12 Years (48.0%)
Number of Years with trace or more snow on Ground (last 10 years)	8 Years (80.0%)
Consecutive Years with a White New Year's Day	8 Years (1967 - 1974)
Consecutive Years without a White New Year's Day	7 Years (1954 - 1960)
Current Streak Consecutive Years White New Year's Day	2 Years

White New Year's Day Occurences by Decade
* incomplete decade

1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s
3*	5	4	2	6	2
1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s
4	9	5	3	3	4*

DAILY WEATHER SUMMARIES PAST 5 NEW YEAR'S DAYS

Date	High	Low	Precip	Snow	Snow Depth	Remarks
2012	35	6	0.00	0.0	0	Sunny
2013	29	1	0.00	0.0	T	Sunny
2014	22	8	T	0.1	0	Cloudy, light snow showers through early afternoon
2015	27	6	0.00	0.0	3	Mostly sunny, mostly cloudy evening
2016	34	10	0.00	0.0	4	Sunny