January, the so-called Dead of Winter, was unusually mild across much of the United States. No state in the Lower 48 ranked average or below average for the month, according to NOAA.

Taken as a whole, the mean temperature for the contiguous states was 35.5°F.  At 5.4°F above the 20th-century average, January 2020 now ranks as the country’s fifth warmest January on record.

Regionally, the Northeast and Great Lakes were of particular note. Temperatures were much above average in both areas, with the Northeast posting its tenth warmest January and a large portion of the Great Lakes remaining unfrozen.

Credit: NOAA