January 70 degree days used to be much more common in the US. There were spikes around 1910 and 1950. In January 1950, almost one day out of eight in the US reached 70F.
The areal coverage of 70 degree days also peaked around 1910 and 1950. In January 1950, almost half of the US reached 70F.
On January 25, 1950 about half of the US was over 60F, and most of the rest was below 0F. Temperatures ranged from -45F (-43C) at Glasgow, Montana to 90F (32C) at Rio Grande, Texas and Greenville, Mississippi.
The US experienced a 135 degree spread across the US on the same day. Experts say that a two degree temperature change would kill us all. New Mexico experienced a 79 degree spread that day.
In January 1906, 70% of US stations reached 60F.
It may have been even warmer, when George Washington was president.
The warmth during January 1950 was totally natural warmth, in harmony with Bambi and the rest of nature. Not at all like this unnatural warmth of December 2015, clearly caused by greedy, capitalist pigs that hate Bambi, minorities and women.
Those were TOBS issues. When observed from 21st century, it really wasn’t that hot.
Here in my neck of the central Indiana woods we have a high of 36 deg. F and a cold south wind. We are forecast to have highs in the 30s or 20s and lows in the 20s or teens though the first half of January. If things go as usual the real cold won’t hit until Feb.
My wife has a fire going in the fireplace and is relaxing playing here word games on her tablet after she and I put away Christmas this morning. I just returned from a fruitless trip to Comcast to exchange modems. (We put the tree and decorations and lights up just after Thanksgiving and take them down after New Years day). Checked the hours at the Comcast website and it showed their Saturday hours were from 10 AM to 2 PM at their local facility. I arrived there at 1:19 PM and they had closed at 1:00 PM. Sooo typical!