Winter was Warm, Dry for Augusta Area

The meteorological winter of 2017-18 has come to an end and temperatures were warmer than normal for the season as a whole in Augusta.

Meteorological winter runs from December 1 through the end of February. Although spring doesn’t officially begin until March 20 with the vernal equinox, meteorologically speaking, we’re already in the spring season.

According to the Southeast Regional Climate Center, Augusta had the 9th warmest winter on record since records began at Augusta Regional Airport back in the early 1940s.

[Related: January Brought Chilly, Dry Weather to Augusta]

Despite cold weather at the end of December and into January, above average temperatures the rest of the winter led to the overall warm outcome.

[Related: February 2018 Warmest on Record for Augusta]

Augusta’s average high temperature during meteorological winter was 62.7°, which is nearly 3 degrees warmer than average. Daily low temperatures averaged 38.5°, which is more than 4 degrees warmer than average.

Precipitation was also below average, and has led to the development of abnormally dry conditions across the Central Savannah River Area to start off the year. The Southeast Regional Climate Center says that Augusta experienced the 16th driest winter on record since the early 1940s, with precipitation about 3.4 inches below average.

The switch from very chilly weather earlier this year to very warm weather has allowed many shrubs and trees to bloom all across the area already. And the outlook from the Climate Prediction Center calls for a good chance of above average temperatures to continue in our area through meteorological spring.