No surprise, 2020 is hot, dry and windy

The people of the plains are no strangers to hot, dry, windy weather, but in usual 2020 fashion, last year seemed especially brutal.

Total precipitation, which includes moisture from both rain and snow, was 12.94 inches for the year, as reported by Holyoke’s official weather observer Dan Kafka.

Holyoke hasn’t been this dry since 2012. Precipitation has seen its ups and downs in the last decade — 18.02 inches in 2019, 14.64 inches in 2018, 19.93 inches in 2017, 19.44 inches in 2016, 18.98 inches in 2015, 22.42 inches in 2014, 13.99 inches in 2013, 10.34 inches in 2012, 19.55 inches in 2011 and 17.05 inches in 2010.

July was the wettest month of 2020 with a total of 4.42 inches. Monthly precipitation included 0.34 inch in January, 0.31 inch in February, 1.06 inch in March, 0.58 inch in April, 2.35 inches in May, 0.93 inch in June, 4.42 inches in July, 0.6 inch in August, 1.34 inch in September, 0.23 inch in October, 0.25 inch in November and 0.53 inch in December.

Snowfall in 2020 totaled 37.9 inches. The snowiest month was February with 9.5 inches.

Holyoke’s average high temperature in 2020 was 66 F, four degrees higher than the average in 2019. The average low temperature in 2020 was 34 F, compared to 33 F in 2019.

The hottest day of 2020 was recorded by Kafka at 103 F on July 13.

Jan. 11 and Feb. 12 tied for the coldest temperatures of the year at -7 F.

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