National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

January temperatures were near normal, averaging from 2 degrees above normal to 2 degrees below normal. Gillette 4SE in northeast Wyoming was the warm spot averaging 2.3 degrees above normal. The cold spot was in Faith where temperatures averaged 3.7 degrees below normal.

Precipitation in January was well above average, averaging 200 to 220 percent of normal. The wettest areas were across the northern Black Hills, Bear Lodge Mountains and far northwest South Dakota where precipitation averaged 250 to 300 percent of normal. The driest area was across southwestern South Dakota where precipitation was 80 to 120 percent of normal. The wet spot was at Dupree where precipitation was 400 percent of normal. Ardmore 2N was the dry spot with only 50percent of normal precipitation. The precipitation surplus for the month averaged 0.52 inches.

January 8…An upper level disturbance moved along an arctic codl front and brought 6 to 12 inches of snow to the Bear Lodge Mountains and the northern Balck Hills, with 3 to 6 inches falling elsewhere on the plains of northeast Wyoming and western South Dakota.

January 22…An upper level disturbance moved across the region bringing snow to the the northern Black Hills, Bear Lodge Mountains and northwest South Dakota. Across the northern Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains 4 to 9 inches of snow fell, with 2 to 4 inches over northwest South Dakota.

January 29 – 31…A series of upper level disturbances moved across the region bringing 2 to 5 inches of snow to western South Dakota and northeast Wyoming.