December was warm and dry

Decorah meteorologist Richard Bernatz says December was warmer and drier than most previous years.

The daily average temperature in Decorah in December was 30.5 degrees -- 8.8 degrees warmer than the 127 year historical average of 21.7 degrees. Decorah's warmest temperature for the month was 53 degrees on December 25th and 26th. The coldest temperature was 2 degrees on December 10th.

December precipitation totaled 1.31 inches -- 0.09 inches above average, but December's snowfall totals were much lower than normal. Decorah only had 5 days of measurable snowfall compared to the 4 to 5 day average. The greatest 24-hour snowfall for the month was 0.86 inches on December 29th. Total snowfall for December 2019 was 1.5 inches -- 7.2 inches below the 127 year average of 8.7 inches.

Compared to all Decembers since 1893 (127 years), 49 Decorah Decembers were wetter, and 77 were drier. As far as temperatures over the past 127 years, 7 Decembers were warmer, and 119 were cooler compared to Decorah's 2019 averages.