Likely reaction then: Nah. Now: obviously.
Despite record-breaking temperatures in the 60s and 70s early this January, a government meteorologist predicted last week that residents in coastal Delaware and across the region could soon expect chilly winter weather, and a full season of it.
As it turns out, he was right – at least in the short term. Temperatures locally dropped 30 degrees in less than 24 hours earlier this week, seemingly kicking off what will be a real winter after all.
“Two or three weeks from now, we could be in 2 feet of snow. Temperatures are a pendulum,” National Weather Service meteorologist Roy Miller said last week when asked about unseasonably warm January weather. “The long-range forecast is for it to be a near-normal winter.”
After temperatures reached 68 degrees in Georgetown on Monday, Tuesday began like that and so many other days this January, with temperatures nearing record levels. At 3:08 a.m., National Weather Service officials recorded a temperature of 64 degrees in Georgetown. By 11:54 p.m., the temperature there had dropped to 34 degrees with a 26-degree wind-chill — some of the nippiest weather locals have experienced yet this season.
Temperatures had dropped into the upper-20s with a 17-degree wind chill at it neared 11 a.m. Wednesday.
About 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Ocean View resident Zofia Bremser took her regular 2.5-mile walk along Bethany Beach’s boardwalk, shielded somewhat from temperatures in the low-30s by a winter hat, a hooded jacket and gloves.
“It was scarier on TV than it really is,” Bremser said of the sudden drop, adding that the unclouded sunshine made Wednesday nice despite the frigidness. “I enjoyed (the warm weather) before, (but) it’s still nice. It’s winter.”
Weather was expected to remain chilly through the middle of this week and National Weather Service officials predict temperatures in the 30s and low 40s this weekend and through Monday. Snow is possible tonight, as well as on Sunday night and on Monday, officials predicted earlier this week.
The dominance of high-pressure systems, which circulate warm air from the south, was the main cause of warmer weather this month, according to Miller. Low-pressure systems, which circulate air counter-clockwise from Canada and other points north, do not usually begin to dominate until late January and early February.
Long-range National Weather Service forecasts through March predict an average temperature of 37 degrees throughout the upcoming two-and-a-half month period.
“The season is just starting,” Miller said. “The long-range forecast is for it to be a near-normal winter. It’s nothing unusual.”
Earlier this month — and even this week — the weather likely seemed unusual to most residents and visitors in coastal Delaware, who took advantage of warmer weather, parading along Bethany’s boardwalk and through the shops on Garfield Parkway in short-sleeved shirts.
On Saturday, Jan. 6, National Weather Service officials recorded a record-setting temperature of 71 degrees at 3:16 p.m. in Georgetown, beating the former record of 70 degrees recorded in 1950 and exceeding the “normal” temperature for Jan. 6 by 27 degrees.
Last year’s Jan. 6 high only hit 44 degrees with a low of 31 degrees — 20 degrees colder than the low recorded on the early-2007 Saturday.