The average January temperature was 54.5 degrees, 4.2 degrees above normal. The average high was 63.7, and the average low was 45.3. Heating degree days 336 and cooling degree days 19. The highest temperature reached 80 on the 2nd and 3rd. The lowest was 29 on the 27th. Highest wind gust was 41 mph from the northwest in wake of a Pacific Cold Front on the 26th. Rainfall was 2.31 inches, 0.99 inches above normal. Rainfall from January 1st to January 31st, 2004... 2.31 inches or 0.99 inches above normal.

January 2004 was warmer and wetter than normal. After a dry mid to late Fall Season, cloud cover and rain increased in January 2004. Many cloudy days came in the early part of the month; however from the mid to late part of the month a few more sunny days showed up. Overall January 2004 was mild for January standards; however, a few, brief cold outbreaks came between periods of mild weather. The unusually mild first few days of the month and intermediate warm-up periods after cold outbreaks, helped to make the average monthly temperature end up above normal.

On January 1st, as a mild and relatively humid air mass rushed back over the area, light rain, drizzle and patchy fog started the month out on New Years Day, as a cloudy, mild January day with light precipitation. Strong southerly flow brought in much warmer temperatures the 2nd and 3rd, as daytime highs rose to the upper 70s to lower 80s. The mild and warm conditions continued for part of Sunday the 4th, ahead of a cold front that came across South Central Texas Sunday afternoon and evening of January 4th. Much colder conditions followed the cold front on the 5th, 6th and 7th. Lows on the 6th were in the 20s over the Hill Country to around 30 further south. Highs stayed in 30s over the Hill Country and parts of Central Texas to around 40 to lower 40s over South Central Texas. As conditions moderated ahead of a rain making system on night of Wednesday the 7th and in the early morning of the 8th, light precipitation returned mainly in the morning.

As partly cloudy conditions returned during the daylight hours of the 8th, afternoon highs rose to the 70s at many locations. A surge of cooler air came through the area the night of the 8th and morning of the 9th, leaving partly cloudy conditions and daytime highs in the 60s on Friday the 9th. Just the first 9 days of the month saw air mass changes flip flop from maritime tropical to arctic to maritime tropical and finally to modified Pacific.

Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th were mostly clear days, followed by increasing high clouds on Sunday the 11th. Mild afternoons and cold nights were the main weather features. Lows fell to the low 20s over the hill country to the upper 20s and lower 30s over South Central Texas. Highs reached the 60s as high clouds came from west. Clouds increased the night of the 11th and remained cloudy Monday the 12th.

The 5th rain making system that had affected the area since late December came in the week of January 12 to 17. Light precipitation and areas of fog came on Wednesday the 14th, as southerly flow set up again, ahead of a rain maker on the 16th. The 15th brought more precipitation and coverage, ahead of the Friday the 16th rain maker. As the rain making low to the west got closer on Friday the 16th, the most rain to fall in the area in 2 to 3 months came on Friday the 16th. Widespread rain came with this Mid January rain maker, with 0.75 to 1.50 inch rains over a big area, and some areas had 2 to near 3 1/2 inch rains. After this weather system moved out of the region on the 17th, westerly winds caused afternoon highs to rise to the 70s on the 17th. On Sunday the 18th, as the low pressure system over North Texas began to move east, a surge of cooler air came over the area on Sunday the 18th. The resulting clouds in the day disappeared the next day, as clear skies took hold. High clouds increased again ahead of the next winter rain making weather system in the day of the 20th. Cloudy days came the 22nd and 23rd with patchy light precipitation. Another rain making system came across the area the night of the 23rd and on the 24th, leaving widespread light to moderate rains.

Sunny and mild conditions followed the 25th, as highs once again jumped back to the 70s. A dry cold front followed Monday the 26th, sweeping across the area like the December 9th, 2003 cold front. Strong northwesterly winds gusted to near 40 mph. The strongest wind gusts of the month came on this day. Patchy dust came in the late afternoon and evening, and much colder temperatures the night of Monday the 26th. Lows the following morning were near 40 to near 50 degrees below the previous days highs. A sunny and cool day prevailed Tuesday the 27th. The 28th began as a sunny day, then changed to cloudy as low clouds moved northward in the afternoon. The 29th was a cloudy day with occasional light precipitation and patchy fog. The fog continued into the evening and left the following morning after sunrise as cooler air came across from the north. Fog returned the night of the 30th and early morning of the 31st, followed by partly cloudy to mostly sunny conditions in the afternoon.

January 2004 was warmer and wetter than normal. As February begins, February 2nd brings the halfway point of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. Such days that mark the mid point of a season are also called cross-quarter days. Other cross-quarter days in the year include May 1st, for Spring; August 1st, for Summer; and Halloween, October 31st, for Fall.

Winter 2003/2004 ends March 20, 2004 at 1249 AM CST, when Spring 2004 officially begins.