(Jotting down a few observations made around our West Toledo home and neighborhood.)
January 1-7, 2013
During the first week of January, Northern Cardinal(s) have been singing every day around our home. I first heard a Northern Cardinal sing near our home back in mid-December. I heard it sing a couple other times in December. It seems early for cardinals to be singing even in early January.
Other birds singing around home during the first week of January include the Tufted Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch.
When walking the dog on January 1 or 2, I saw at least eight American Robins in trees around the corner from our house. Robins roam around the area in groups every winter. I don't normally see them around home in the winter. In the Toledo area during the winter, robins can be found in our wooded parks, especially if fruit trees are present.
On Sunday morning, January 6, 2013, at least 15 Common Redpolls visited our backyard thistle and oiler feeders. Those are the first redpolls that I've seen in our yard for the current fall-winter season. Redpolls have been around since early November at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Our weather was colder than normal during the first week of January. Temps remained mostly below freezing. No new snow. Snow depth stayed around 3 to 4 inches. I'm surprised a system did not move through. With the cold weather, we were ripe to get a few inches of new snow.
Late Sunday afternoon on January 6, a White-crowned Sparrow foraged on the ground under our backyard feeders. I'm certain that is the first WCSP that I've seen in our backyard in the winter. White-throated Sparrows are more likely to be seen in our area in the winter. Woodlawn Cemetery is usually a good spot to find winter-time WTSP.
Toledo Express Airport Hi and Lo temps and precip:
Jan 1 : 32 and 7
Jan 2 : 21 and 8
Jan 3 : 28 and 9
Jan 4 : 28 and 19
Jan 5 : 34 and 18
Jan 6 : 35 and 29 - trace of snow
Jan 7 : 33 and 23
January 8-14, 2013
As of Tuesday morning, January 8, we still had two to three inches of snow depth, but temps warmed later during the sunny day and melted some snow.
A Common Grackle visited our feeder on January 8. First backyard COGR of the winter season.
Wednesday, January 9, the rest of the snow melted, except for piled snow. January 9 was windy, mild, and sunny. Temps reached the mid-40s.
A little light rain fell on Thursday evening, January 10, but the heavier rain fell on Friday, January 11.
Before daybreak on January 11, moderate to at times heavy rain fell in Toledo for a while. Some street flooding reported in Toledo.
Mild weather is forecast for most of the second week of January. Average high and low temps for Toledo at this time are 33 and 18.
On January 11 and 12, high temps in the Toledo area reached the upper 50s. At least one local golf course was open for play on Saturday, January 12.
On either Saturday evening or Sunday evening, January 12 or 13, I saw a very small insect flying around our front porch lights.
A good bit of rain fell in the Toledo area on January 11, 12, and 13. Flood warnings were issued along the Maumee River in Grand Rapids and Waterville.
Then cold weather rolled in on January 14 with daytime temps remaining in the 20s.
Toledo Express Airport Hi and Lo temps and precip:
Jan 8 : 37 and 24
Jan 9 : 45 and 26
Jan 10 : 40 and 22 - trace of rain
Jan 11 : 58 and 36 - 0.76 of rain
Jan 12 : 58 and 47 - 0.33 of rain
Jan 13 : 53 and 31 - 1.68 of rain
Jan 14 : 31 and 19
January 15-21, 2013
forecast discussion issued be cleveland nws on tue, jan 15, 2013 at 11:42 p.m.
LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
THE ARCTIC FRONT IS ON TRACK FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF DIFFERS
FROM THE GFS IN BRINGING A GLANCING BLOW OF COLD AIR AT FIRST
FOLLOWED BY A DECENT CLIPPER ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES MONDAY WITH A
SHOT OF SNOW. THE GFS BRINGS A SECONDARY COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA
ON MONDAY AND IT JUST KEEPS GETTING COLDER. THE GFS DOES HANG A
TROUGH BACK ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES ON MONDAY...PERHAPS HINTING AT A
WEAK CLIPPER.
WHILE NOT CONFIDENT ON THE SPECIFICS...WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT IT
WILL TREND MUCH COLDER SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY AND THERE WILL BE AT
LEAST SOME SNOW...ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW BELT. WILL SPLIT THE
DIFFERENCE ON TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY WITH HIGHS GENERALLY IN THE
LOWER 20S...THEN COLDER FOR TUESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE TEENS.
THE SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE IN THE SNOW BELT BUT NOT AS CONFIDENT OF A
SNOW COVER ELSEWHERE AND WILL NOT GO TOO COLD FOR LOWS. IF WE CAN
GET A BIT OF SNOW COVER WE COULD SHOOT FOR BELOW ZERO BUT WILL HOLD
BACK FOR NOW WITH LOWS GENERALLY ZERO TO +5 EXCEPT NOT AS COLD NEAR
THE LAKE SHORE.
Jan 15 : 30 and 14
Jan 16 : 36 and 19
Jan 17 : 40 and 19
Jan 18 : 36 and 20 - trace of snow
Jan 19 : 49 and 35
Jan 20 : 43 and 18 - trace of snow
Jan 21 : 20 and 8 - trace of snow
January 22-28, 2013
Not local but interesting lake effect snow weather in the northeast Ohio snowbelt.
- begin -
urgent - winter weather message
national weather service cleveland oh
1031 am est tue jan 22 2013
.lake effect snow bands have decreased in coverage and intensity
this morning but are expected to redevelop this afternoon and
evening...especially for locations in lake and geauga counties
eastward into northwest pennsylvania. significant accumulations
are possible in the persistent lake bands.
ohz011>014-089-paz001>003-222345-
/o.con.kcle.le.w.0001.000000t0000z-130123t1200z/
/o.con.kcle.wc.y.0001.000000t0000z-130123t1600z/
cuyahoga-lake-geauga-ashtabula inland-ashtabula lakeshore-
northern erie-southern erie-crawford pa-
including the cities of...cleveland...mentor...chardon...
jefferson...ashtabula...erie...edinboro...meadville
1031 am est tue jan 22 2013
...lake effect snow warning remains in effect until 7 am est
wednesday...
...wind chill advisory remains in effect until 11 am est
wednesday...
- accumulations....4 to locally 12 inches today. storm totals
through wednesday morning of 1 to 3 feet possible in the
persistent bands.
- timing...through wednesday morning.
- winds...west 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.
- temperatures...5 to 12 above.
- visibilities...will be reduced to near zero in the heaviest
snow squalls.
- wind chill readings...as low as 14 below.
- impacts...driving will be very slow or possibly impossible and
hazardous with highly variable road conditions. potential for
frostbite and hypothermia.
precautionary/preparedness actions...
in lake effect snow the weather can vary from locally heavy snow
in narrow bands to clear skies just a few miles away. if you will
be traveling across the region be prepared for rapid changes in
road and visibility conditions.
due to the gusty winds and heavy snow...be sure to stay in your
vehicle if you become stranded. disorientation and hypothermia
can set in quickly during zero visibility and cold wind chill
situations.
a wind chill advisory is issued when strong wind will combine
with cold temperatures to create dangerously cold conditions for
exposed skin. the wind will make it feel like it is 10 degrees
below zero or colder for a period of several hours. if you will
be outdoors use common sense and dress warmly...making sure that
all exposed skin is covered. if possible...avoid prolonged
exposure to the cold to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
stay tuned to noaa weather radio or your favorite weather source
for the latest on this dangerous lake effect storm and cold air
situation.
- end -
Jan 22 : 11 and 1 - 0.40 in of snow
Jan 23 : 18 and 0 - 0.30 in of snow
Jan 24 : 21 and 7 - 0.10 in of snow
Jan 25 : 21 and 15 - 1.80 in of snow
Jan 26 : 27 and 14 - trace of snow
Jan 27 : 31 and 8 - 0.10 in of snow
Jan 28 : 48 and 31 - 0.21 in of rain
January 29-31, 2013
Jan 29 : 59 and 38 - 0.07 in of rain
Jan 30 : 63 and 33 - 0.39 in of rain and a trace of snow
Jan 31 : 33 and 16 - 0.20 in of snow
For Jan 30:
133-year-old weather record broken in Toledo on January 30, 2013
Total snowfall measured at Toledo Express Airport for the month of January 2013 = 3.1 inches. Normal snowfall for the month of January is 11.6 inches.
Through Jan 31, 2013, total snowfall for the season (since July 1) = 10.1 inches. Normal is 21.1 inches.
In January 2013, we had occasional bouts of good winter cold but hardly any snow.
Last year, January 2012, I think was definitely warmer than this January. But even in January 2012, TOL measured 6.7 inches of snow!!
January 2012 heating degree days: 1070
January 2013 heating degree days: 1141
We had some mild stretches too in January 2013, but the month was a little colder than January 2012.