NEONOW FILE PHOTO
Think this winter has been a cold one? Well, you’re right. In fact, it’s been one of the coldest winters in the past 87 years.
David Robertson, hydrologic technician with the USDA’s Agricultureal Research Service in Pendleton, said his research tells him that the months of December and January have been much colder than normal.
“I have had some long-term residents tell me that this cold weather used to be normal, so I looked at our long term record here,” he said. “For the combined months of December and January using the record since 1930 on the station, we had the sixth coldest average minimum temperatures, and the fifth coldest average maximum temperatures for the 87 year record.
Robertson said you would have to go back to 1970 to find colder minimum temperatures than we’ve had this winter, and 1985 to find colder maximum temperatures.
“There are certainly periods of shorter, deeper cold snaps, but as an average this appears to be abnormally cold,” Robertson said.
The good news is that the coldest days appear to be behind us. Temperatures are expected to reach up to the mid-40s by later in the week.
