On the heels of the drought of 1995 and the blizzard and deluge of 1996, the year 1997 is starting out normal for both precipitation and temperature, according to climatologists at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.

"You'd expect one out of three years to be close to normal, and maybe this is the year," said Keith Eggleston, climatologist with the center. "This year hasn't been as wet as 1996, so far, and it has been kind of dry at the southern end of the region. The temperatures weren't terribly exciting. Bad weather would certainly make it more interesting, as 1997 is starting out rather dull."

The average temperature for the 12-state Northeast region was 0.8 degrees warmer than normal. All states reported positive departures for the month, ranging from 0.1 degrees above normal in Maine to 2.2 degrees warmer than normal in Connecticut, Eggleston said.

Areas reporting monthly average temperatures that were cooler than normal were the extreme northern portions of New York and New England.

Precipitation -- rain plus the liquid equivalent of the snowfall -- averaged 2.68 inches across the Northeast. This amount represented 94 percent of the long-term average and was about half of the amount measured last January, which was the first month of the wettest year in more than a century.

Monthly precipitation totals varied quite a bit from north to south. Precipitation was below normal in the south, with West Virginia reporting only 58 percent of normal for their 10th driest January on record. Precipitation was above normal across most of New York and New England. The state of Maine received 128 percent of normal for the region's largest departure this month.

Elkins, W. Va., is leading the Northeast in snow deficit so far this season, after receiving only 32.7 inches through Feb. 9, which is 13.9 inches below what they normally expect, said Eggleston. Last year Elkins received a whopping 91.2 inches for the entire season. Other cities in that state show snow deficits as well: Huntington, W. Va., is 10.3 inches below normal snowfall, and Charleston, W. Va., is 10 inches below normal. (A chart of snowfall deficit for major cities in the Northeast is attached.)

Seasonal Snowfall Summary for the Northeast (all values in inches)

City	                       Seasonal  Departure      Seasonal	
                            Snowfall	 from	1995-96    Total
                      	Through 2/9/97	 Normal	        November-January	

Elkins, W.Va.                 32.7    -13.9           91.2    
Bridgeport, Conn.              5.1    -11.2           36.9     
Hartford, Conn.               18.9    -11.0           68.7     
Huntington, W.Va.              5.9    -10.3           31.0     
Charleston, W.Va.             13.3    -10.0           70.6     
Newark, N.J.                   6.1     -9.8           47.4     
Philadelphia,                  5.1     -9.1    
Ithaca, N.Y.                  33.7     -8.9           71.7     
Pittsburgh                    18.6     -8.5           49.9     
Albany, N.Y.                  34.1     -8.4           59.3     
Richmond, Va.                  1.7     -8.3           13.4     
Boston                        17.4     -7.6           68.0     
Providence, R.I.              15.1     -6.7           60.9     
New York City                  7.1     -6.7           40.5     
Williamsport, Pa.             20.6     -6.5           71.5     
Caribou, Maine                68.0     -4.2           52.4     
Baltimore                     11.4     -2.2           35.9     
Concord, N.H.                 43.4      1.8           62.3     
Burlington, Vt.               55.5      3.0           70.4     
Rochester, N.Y.               66.2      6.2           80.8     
Cleveland                     41.9      6.8           61.4     
Buffalo, N.Y.                 74.3      9.1          101.4     
Binghamton, N.Y.              60.7      9.6           94.9     
Erie, Pa.                     72.4      9.6           83.3     
Syracuse, N.Y.                89.5     15.0          115.3     

Data compiled by the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.

New Weather Records
Maximum Temperature Records

City                          Date     New     Previous

Allentown, Pa. 3rd 60¡ 57¡ in 1950 Atlantic City Marina, NJ(tie) 3rd 56¡ 56¡ in 1903 Baltimore (Airport) 3rd 67¡ 61¡ in 1950 Beckley, W.Va. 3rd 65¡ 54¡ in 1993 Binghamton, N.Y. (tie) 3rd 47¡ 47¡ in 1992 Bridgeport, Conn. (tie) 3rd 53¡ 53¡ in 1960 Central Park, N.Y. 3rd 62¡ 60¡ in 1950 JFK Airport, N.Y. 3rd 59¡ 55¡ in 1992 Newark, N.J. 3rd 62¡ 60¡ in 1950 National Airport, D.C. 3rd 66¡ 64¡ in 1874 Williamsport, Pa. 3rd 59¡ 56¡ in 1950 Wilmington, Del. 3rd 62¡ 61¡ in 1950 Beckley, W.Va. 4th 68¡ 65¡ in 1993 National Airport, D.C. 4th 73¡ 71¡ in 1950 Baltimore 5th 69¡ 68¡ in 1950 Beckley, W.Va. 5th 59¡ 57¡ in 1993 Buffalo, N.Y. 5th 62¡ 57¡ in 1946 National Airport, D.C. 5th 71¡ 69¡ in 1950 Pittsburgh 5th 66¡ 62¡ in 1917 Philadelphia 5th 66¡ 65¡ in 1993 Rochester, N.Y. (tie) 5th 57¡ 57¡ in 1946 Caribou, Maine (tie) 23rd 42¡ 42¡ in 1957

Minimum Temperature Records

City                          Date     New     Previous
Newark, N.J. (tie)            1st     11¡      11¡  in 1963
Montpelier, Vt.               19th   -27¡     -21¡  in 1971