LPWB Skycam Livestream, Looking NW-N-NE

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Note: LPWB operates on Eastern Standard Time (EST) year round.

Today (Friday): 0.00" 

Yesterday: 0.00"

Month to Date: 2.75" (Whole month normal 4.42")

February: 1.44"

Year to Date: 8.09" (Whole year normal 52.79")

* As measured with manual double-cylinder gauge

Today (Friday): 0.0"  

Yesterday: 0.0"

Depth Snow/Ice: 0"  

Month to Date: Trace  (Whole month normal 4.9")

February: 0.3"

Season to Date: 3.7"  (Whole season normal 28.3") 

Download full-year lists

Record Type      30 Mar     31 Mar     01 Apr

Norm Temps      57/37       57/37      58/37

Hi Max Temp    89/1998   86/1998   82/2016

Hi Min Temp    51/2002+  57/1998   61/2016

Lo Max Temp   38/1990   42/2003   46/2011

Lo Min Temp    23/2022   20/1991   26/2003

Most Pcpn      1.53/1989  1.55/2017  1.50/1993

Most Snow       1.2/1991    1.4/1997   0.2/2011

+ Most recent of more than one   

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News items contain only factual statements.  Blogs may contain opinion or speculation.

After a brief cold snap to begin the month, February 2023 at LPWB moderated to a final average temperature of 40.5 degrees, nearly matched January's 40.8, supplanted February 1998 (40.3) for second warmest to only 41.7 of February 2017, and was keyed by a highest of 70 on 23rd plus six days that reached the 60s.  Substantial precipitation was absent and totaled only 1.44", fourth least of 41.  Correspondingly, total snow/sleet of only 0.3" was fourth least and came as bookend coatings very early and very late in the month .  Officially for Reading PA (RDG), the final average was a similar 40.2, third warmest to 1954 and 2017.  And total precipitation of only 1.17 tied eighth least during 155 years.

January 2023 became new warmest January with a final average of 40.8 degrees during the last 40 years at LPWB.  The previous warmest was 2006 at 39.6.  While unusual warmth was absent, it was the persistence of mildness to moderate warmth and the lack of seasonable cold that comprised the lofty average.  Only one day was cooler than normal, by 1 degree.  The month's highest of 62 and one other day at or above 60 is typical for an average January.  But it was the month's lowest of 25, on three different days  which was really unusual.  The  previous warmest lowest of 19 occurred during January of 1990, 2006, and 2021.  Further, only 13 days had freezing lows which undercut 1998 which contained 17.  Of those, there was no freezing high.  The coolest high of 34 was the only daily high below 40.  Officially for Reading PA (RDG), the final average was a very similar 40.7, fourth to only 40.8 in 1933, 41.2 in 1950, and 43.0 in 1932 during last 126 years.  January 1932 contained only five freezing lows and a highest of 71.

A major pre-Christmas storm, which manifested as a warm front, cold front couplet from Thursday morning 22 December till noon of Friday 23 December, brought LPWB and vicinity a coating of sleet/snow which became rain as temperatures moderated from freezing to 56 by predawn of Friday.  Rain continued further till forenoon when it changed to snow briefly before ending at noontime with a slight coating as an arctic front caught the back edge of precipitation.  A crash in temperature had begun and continued till the temperature reached 6 above by midnight on high winds, which sublimed away that little snow, and then to 5 above by Saturday dawn.  Temperature struggled to a high of 16 during Christmas Eve.  This marked the coldest weather in nearly 47 months.  Christmas Day was not so extreme with low/high of 14/29.  Officially for Reading PA (RDG), the plunge from 57 to 5 (52 degrees) Thursday was one short of the calendar day greatest range record of 53 on 28 March 1921 (83 to 30).  The low predawn Friday of 4 above completed a 24-hour plunge of 53 degrees, which was second to 60 degrees from 28-29 March 1921 (83 to 23). Further, the RDG high of 15 bettered the coldest high record for 24 December of 16 from 1906.  No more than a stray flurry accompanied the arctic blast, therefore no white Christmas.  This very wide daily temperature range followed by twelve days a very narrow range of 2 degrees, 36/38 (same at RDG) on 11 December.  Numerous days with 2-degree ranges occurred during 125 years of continuous temperature records at Reading.

Early November at LPWB brought high temperatures in the 70s the first seven days, which included record warm highs of 78 on Saturday the 5th and 76 on the 7th.  The 78 was the warmest of the streak.  Few early low temperatures were seasonable, but the lows became balmy including record warm lows of 58 on the 5th and 67 on the 6th.  That 67 became a new warmest daily low for November, which was previously 64 on 11/06/2015 and 11/11/2020.   Official Reading PA (RDG) temperatures were similar and included 79 on the 5th which tied the 1975 record and also a low of 67 on the 6th, which surpassed the previous warmest November low of 65 from three occurrences on 11/01/1956, 11/04/1961 and 11/05/1961 during 125 years of record.  Nevertheless, the warmth with mostly fair weather provided ideal conditions for most outside activities of which many took advantage.  A similar warm stretch two years ago, Nov. 4-11, 2020, actually slightly out-performed this year's counterpart.  This early November was in stark contrast with the chill and gloom a month earlier.  Read previous article for those details.

Rainfall during the first five days of this October 2022 amounted to 3.39" at LPWB and brought significant drought relief by reducing long-term deficiencies by more than 2.5".  Running yearly (2022) and last-365-day precipitation totals of 34.72" and 40.70" respectively as of 30 September were 5.53" and 12.09" below normal.  The rains came in episodes and no more than 1.70" within 24 hours which allowed thirsty grounds to soak up all the water as grounds remained well short of saturation.  Any flooding was isolated and very minor.  A few more copious rain events during the next few months would still be needed to completely eliminate long-term shortfalls.  Measured rainfalls during these five days within 5 miles of LPWB ranged from slightly less than 3 to slightly over 4 inches.  This rainy spell, which some attributed to the remnants of Hurricane Ian, were rather results of a mid-latitude nor'easter which was stalled near the Mid-Atlantic coast for five days but devoured the remnant low of Ian during Sunday 2 October, thus having an indirect effect of Ian.  

While a high temperature of 77 on 6 September would not be considered unusual, it was the first day since 23 June which failed to warm to at least 80 degrees.  The days in between which did amounted to 74.  Similarly, the high of 67 on 23 September was first day since 8 May which failed to warm to at least 70, allowing 137 consecutive days which did.  Both of these streaks are easily longest of their kinds during 40 years of record at LPWB.  Reading PA (RDG) officially marked the same streaks and were new records during 125 years for their kinds, surpassing 61 days from late summer 2016 and 133 days from 1970 respectively.

Despite no severe heat, consistently seasonably warm to moderately hot and a minority of slightly cool weather combined to produce an average monthly temperature of 78.4°F this August, which is well above the previous warmest of 77.9 from 2016.  Officially for Reading PA (RDG), the average of 78.7 become a new warmest August during 125 years of record.  Further, several episodes of areal scattered downpours delivered only paltry amounts of rain at LPWB.  General soaking rains were absent.  As a result, only 0.45" of rain accrued during the whole month to rank second least to only 0.22 from August 1995.  The only other month less was July 1999 with 0.29.  The 1.07 at RDG was good for tenth driest August in 154 years.  The dominance of mostly sunny days, clear nights and stressed vegetation resulted in the daily highs averaging 89.8, a new record in that category.  The daily lows average of 66.9 was below the record of 68.3

A severe thunderstorm struck LPWB at 2 PM EDT and included pea- to quarter-size hail, strong gusts, and 0.48" of rain in ten minutes ending 2:12 PM.  See Gallery for a picture of  one of the larger stones.  Thunderstorms continued prowling with light rain during 3 PM hour and heavy rain at times during the 4 PM hour, bringing total rainfall to 0.91" for the day.  Eventually, a few roof damage claims were filed in Lincoln Park due to this hail bombardment.

Easter 2022 , Sunday 17 April, was chilly with high/low of 52/33 at LPWB, which was colder than Christmas 2021 which boasted a high/low of 54//39.  And last Christmas was not among the warmest ones.   Further,  daytime temperatures during Easter were mainly in the 40s, spiking to low 50s briefly.  And blustery NW winds and some sprinkles conspired to feels-like temperatures several degrees colder than actual.  During last Christmas, light winds and a little sun produced feels-like temperatures a few degrees warmer than actual.  Adding to the insult is that this Easter was later in spring than most, when the probability of a warm Easter is greater.  Easter was indeed really warm the last year Easter came late; specifically high/low of 87/54 on 16 April 2017. 

An early spring cold wave chilled the region which includes LPWB from Saturday 26 March through Tuesday 29 March on blustery NW winds.  Before the cold was fully entrenched, showers of rain, graupel, and small hail peppered the area on Saturday while temperatures were in the middle 40s.  The cold peaked on Monday the 28th with a high temperature of only 35.  The high of 34 at RDG marked a new record cold high for the date, bettering 35 from 1937.  Neither of the consecutive lows of 27, 24, 24, and 23 were record cold lows.  Snow showers accompanied this frigid Monday.  Snow was sub-measurable at LPWB.  However, an isolated snow squall late morning abruptly blinded drivers along a stretch of I-81 approx 35 miles NW of LPWB and triggered an 81-vehicle pileup in which 6 people died.  The temperature moderated rapidly after Tuesday and rebounded to 70 on Thursday 31 March prior to strong evening thunderstorms to place an exclamation mark on the meteorological madness of this March 2022.  

Read previous article for those details.  

This March 2022 has supported the impression of March being a fickle weather month with abrupt changes between winter and mid spring conditions.  Could such wild weather changes be the real meaning of March Madness?   At LPWB, record high temperatures of 74 and 75 on Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th respectively collapsed to a storm of wet snow and rain with high of 39 by Wednesday the 9th.  Temperatures recovered quickly to a high of 60 on Friday the 11th.  Then the ensuing change back to wintry weather during Saturday the 13th outdid that of earlier in the week.  Rain changed to slushy then powdery snow during the morning as temperatures plummeted to freezing then into the mid 20s by afternoon.  About an inch accumulated on pavements.  However, accumulation on most other surfaces was 3.6" or close.  Amazingly, the weather came full circle a second round in eight days.  After a frigid Sunday of negligible melting with low/high of 19/33, temperature rebounded to 59 with rapid snowmelt on Monday, then all the way to 70 on Tuesday the 15th, a nice outcome for this Ides of March.