January 2026 was warmer than average with above average precipitation. The average temperature was 29.0 degrees, about 3.6 degrees above average. This value was not exceptional, not like the warmth of November and December 2025. January 2026 was warm enough though to make the 3 months of Nov-Dec-Jan the warmest on record (second warmest was 2017-18, and third place was 1910-11).

Precipitation for the month was 1.02 inches at my northside location, nearly a third of an inch above average. Similar amounts from about 0.80 to 1.10 inches fell across the valley during the month. Almost all of the precipitation fell as snow, with a total of 12.3 inches for the month. By the end of January, almost all of the snow had melted.

The month started out very warm during the first week with highs in the upper 40s to mid 50s and lows in the 20s. A record daily warm high of 57 degrees was recorded on the 4th. A rather significant snowstorm, producing a record daily amount of precipitation and snowfall, occurred mainly on the 9th, with around 6 to 8 inches of snowfall plus much colder temperatures.

It gradually warmed up and remained dry through the middle two weeks of the month, as highs reached into the 40s with lows in the teens. Another storm system, weaker than the first one, hit the area on the 23rd and 24th, bringing about 2 to 3 inches of snow as highs fell into the upper 20s to low 30s. The last week was dry with a warming trend, as highs warmed into the 40s to near 50.

The warmest high was 57 degrees on the 4th, while the coldest high was 27 degrees on the 10th. The coldest low was minus 8 degrees on the 10th, while the warmest low was 27 degrees on the 1st.

Overall, wind speeds for the month were about average, with only 5 days having peak gusts over 25 mph. Strongest winds occurred on the 2nd and the 8th, with a peak gust of 32 mph on the 2nd.

Here are the actual numbers for the month at my location…

Average Temp . . . . 29.0 degrees, +3.6 degrees above average

Average High . . . . . 43.8 degrees, +3.8 degrees above average

Average Low. . . . . . 14.1 degrees, +3.2 degrees above average

Total Pcpn . . . . . . . . 1.02 inches, +0.31 inches above average

Total Snow . . . . . . . 12.3 inches, +4.1 inches above average

JAN 2026 DAILY DATA for 4 NNW Taos

DATE	HIGH	LOW	DAILY DEP.	MON. DEP.	PCPN	SNOW	REMARK
1	48	27	+13.9	+13.9
2	49	25	+14.3	+14.1	T
3	55	19	+14.3	+14.1
4	57*	24	+17.5	+15.0			*Record warm high
5	49	22	+11.9	+14.4
6	48	18	+9.4	+13.6
7	51	18	+10.5	+13.1	0.04″	0.4″
8	41	27	+9.9	+12.7	0.05″	0.7″
9	31	6	-6.5	+10.6	0.68″*	8.4″*	*Record pcpn & snow
10	27	-8	-15.8	+7.9
11	39	1	-5.2	+6.8
12	42	7	-0.2	+6.2
13	46	12	+4.5	+6.0
14	49	19	+8.8	+6.2
15	50	18	+8.7	+6.4
16	46	16	+5.0	+6.3
17	38	13	-0.7	+5.9
18	47	11	+3.0	+5.7
19	45	18	+5.0	+5.7
20	47	13	+3.7	+5.6
21	47	14	+5.2	+5.6
22	46	19	+7.8	+5.7
23	42	24	+7.8	+5.8	0.04″	0.2″
24	33	23	+2.0	+5.6	0.21″	2.6″
25	29	12	-6.6	+5.1	T	T
26	33	-2	-12.1	+4.5
27	41	3	-5.7	+4.1
28	45	6	-2.0	+3.9
29	42	8	-2.4	+3.7
30	45	9	-0.9	+3.5
31	51	14	+4.1	+3.6
AVGS/ TOTAL	43.8	14.1	29.0	+3.6	1.02″	12.3″

DAILY DEP. – Departure from the long term daily average temperature

MON. DEP. – Cumulative departure from the long term monthly average temperature

PCPN – Precipitation

T – Trace of precipitation

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