By SALINA POST
Salina was slightly warmer and a bit more dry than normal in 2021.
The average annual temperature of 57.4 degrees was 1.6 degrees warmer than normal, according to the National Weather Service. That tied for 23rd warmest year since records began in 1900, and it was the warmest since 2017.
Additionally, the warmest daily temperature was 106 degrees on June 17 and 18 and the coldest was 14 degrees below zero on Feb. 16. The all-time high was 118 on Aug. 13, 1936, and the all-time low was 31 degrees below zero on Jan. 13, 1905.
Salina also was more dry than normal in 2021. The weather service reported that 26.11 inches of precipitation was measured in 2021, which was 3.58 inches drier than normal. It was the driest year since 2017.
The highest amount of precipitation recorded was 58.08 inches in 1993, while the least amount recorded was 12.98 inches in 1966, the weather service reported.
The average wind speed for the year was 10.5 mph. Of course, the highest wind speed was 61 mph, which was recorded during the destructive wind storm of Dec. 15. Likewise, the highest wind gust, 88 mph, also was recorded on Dec. 15.
The weather service also provided the following breakdown by weather condition.
Days with a thunderstorm: 44
Days with mixed precipitation: 0
Days with heavy rain: 25
Days with rain: 29
Days with light rain: 67
Days of freezing rain: 1
Days with light freezing rain: 2
Days with hail: 0
Days with heavy snow: 0
Days with snow: 2
Days with light snow: 13
Days with sleet: 0
Days with fog: 100
Days with fog during which visibilty was less than a quarter mile: 6
Days with haze: 34