Btw, the U.S. average temperature for the month was 39.5°, 8.5° above average for January. This was released today by the National Climatic Data Center. The old record for January was 37.3° set in 1953.
During the month the jet stream, a strong high-altitude wind that guides weather fronts from west to east, stayed unusually far to the north, keeping the coldest air in Canada and Alaska, the agency said.
Keeping that cold air to the north allowed mild Pacific air to moderate temperatures across the contiguous states, leading to the warm conditions.
However, the jet stream is now sliding into a more typical winter pattern, according to the Climate Prediction Center. The February outlook calls for below-normal temperatures in the mid-Atlantic, the Southeast and intermountain West, and above-normal temperatures in the Southwest, the northern Plains and Alaska.
Full article: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/02/07/D8FKGOE80.html
I do hate it when they say Southeast and Southwest but no mention of the Southcentral. I guess our weather here is up for grabs. I hope the Southeast tugs harder.