Date: 02/03/2009

January 2009 was among the hottest on record, according to San José State meteorology professors John Abatzoglou and Eugene Cordero. Temperatures hit 79 degrees Fahrenheit in San José. Unusually warm weather correlates with all sorts of phenomena including poor air quality (remember all those Spare the Air Days?), clear skies (sunscreen anyone?) and low rainfall.

Here's more from the professors: "January 2009 was among the 10 warmest since 1895, with maximum daytime temperatures ranking among the top five in record-keeping history. In fact, this January's temperatures were more typical of February. Couple this with January 2009 being among the driest on record -- eighth in 115 years, to be exact -- and it's no wonder that many trees and flowers are already blooming and California farmers are worried about what the coming months will bring."????

Read a San Jose Mercury News story quoting Cordero.

View Abatzoglou's weather site.

Read more on Cordero's book, Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming.