January Weather COLD Tom Hoverstad SROC [Listen]

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n my opinion there are two words to describe our weather in January of 2022, "darn cold." Well, a couple others popped into my head but it is best not to mention them? Tom Hoverstad Scientist at the Southern research and Outreach Center at Waseca said we had 22 days in January of 2022 that were below zero! Putting that in perspective, the Polar Vortex outbreak in February of 2021 with life threatening cold down to Texas, we only had 20 days below zero!

Actual temperatures in January averaged 6 degrees below normal which is a lot for a monthly average. Snowfall was right about normal. The frost depth is at 19 inches which is within the normal range. The frost depth would be much deeper if it were not for a little snow cover that we have seen. Tom said he was over in Lamberton last week for their Winter Crops Day. They have had very little snow and their frost depth is at about 36 inches.

attachment-TOM SROC JAN WEATHER (2)

The soil temperature at the 4 inch depth is around 23 degrees. Earlier this winter when we had very little snow cover the temperature dipped down to around 15 degrees. That may have been low enough to kill some of the western corn rootworms that are overwintering in the soil. Guess you could say that is one of the few benefits of really cold weather? Click on the link and listen to Tom talk about our January weather!