CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — For some in the Mountain State, one’s presumption that this November had unusually warm weather was correct.
This was especially true in Clarksburg, where the average temperature last month was 10 degrees warmer than in 2014 and five degrees warmer than average since the 1920s.
“That doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’re talking about a monthly average temperature deviating by more than a degree or two, and here we’re talking about four or five degrees, that’s really significant,” Ken Batty, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said.
Data from their cooperative observers site in downtown Clarksburg indicates readings of a 47.7 degree average, ranking it the fourth warmest for the city (with the warmest at 51.4 degrees in 1985).
Air circulation is a major factor in this, according the Batty.
“We haven’t gotten the outbreaks out of interior Canada. Our flow has been mostly from the West and Southwest and the cold air has been bottled up” he said. “Don’t forget it’s just starting to develop.”
As the nights get longer, the built-up cold air will have an easier trip South.
Clarksburg wasn’t the only are in West Virginia to see high temperatures.
“We’ve had a very warm November, not much snow even in the mountain areas of West Virginia,” Batty said. “Most areas ended up being about four or five degrees off their monthly average.”
Charleston had its fourth-warmest, Elkins tied its fourth-warmest, Beckley and Parkersburg had their fifth-warmest and Huntington had its sixth-warmest, according to preliminary data that will be verified at the National Climatic Data Center.
Even though Batty said a few cold fronts are moving toward the area with snow possible this weekend in the higher elevations, he isn’t sure at this point if the warmer weather will continue in December.
“Each winter in West Virginia is unique. It could be unique from one location to the next and certainly your elevation has a big play in it too. It’s interesting to see how each winter plays out.”