The daily weather log
Two 21st century records were broken on the 3rd: the daily maximum was 43.7°, and the relative humidity fell to 2%. A west wind of 30 km/hr blew all that day. The early morning dew point on the 6th was a record January low of minus 3.3 degrees. A second warm spell came about the 15th. Subsoil temperature fell from high to normal during the month.
Rain of 1.8 mm was recorded on the 20th.
Comparing January months
As well as having almost no rain, this month had by far the lowest January dew point of the century: 6.9°, which is 7.3° below normal! Compared to January 2013, which was very hot, days were much the same (35.9°), but nights were cooler (18.5°). By contrast, January 2012 had been very cool and cloudy.
The total rainfall of 1.8 mm was the lowest January value in the 131-year record. The next lowest was 7 mm in January 1940.
Counting more than one month, the six-month rainfall total of 184 mm is the worst shortage at this time. It is in the 11th percentile of all six-monthly totals. However, such low totals usually come in August or September. It is rare for six-monthly totals as low as 184 mm to come in a summer month: it has happened only thirteen times. The lowest six-monthly total for a summer month was 145 mm for December 1946. Next was 151 mm for December 1951.
Data. Rainfall data is from Manilla Post Office, courtesy of Phil Pinch. Temperatures, including subsoil at 750 mm, and other data are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla.