The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information has released its latest climate change figures and the U.S. is continuing to experience record temperatures, particularly on the East Coast. The average temperature in January 2023 was 35.2 F. This is 5.1 F above average, making January the sixth-warmest on record. 

New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maine all had their warmest January on record. Rainfall was also above average in January at 2.85 inches 0.54 inches above normal rainfall levels. This makes January the third wettest in recorded history.

The NOAA highlighted several events as indicators of climate change, including floods, power outages and mudslides in California. These phenomena resulted in 21 deaths, 1,400 rescues and 700 landslides. 

January also saw a record number of tornadoes. For the first time since 2017, and the third time since 1950, more than 100 tornadoes were reported by the National Weather Service. 

The NOAA believes that 2023 will be among the driest on record. As of January 31, 42.7 percent of the U.S. was experiencing drought conditions, particularly in the areas of the Great Basin to Pacific Coast. Drought conditions have also reached severe levels in the Great Plains to Mississippi Valley. Moderate to severe conditions have been experienced in the Great Lakes and Southeast, while moderate drought has been recorded in parts of the Northeast and Hawaii.

Temperatures across the U.S. were above average in January. New York, Pennsylvania and Indiana ranked the second-warmest states in the U.S. in January, while 17 additional states were experiencing a “top-10” record warmest January. Areas east of the Rockies experienced near or below average temperatures.