Recent winter weather not normal Published Feb. 12, 2014 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Recent winter weather on the Mississippi Gulf Coast triggered a common question from Keesler newcomers, "I thought I was coming to the sunny South - what's up with this cold weather." It wasn't very reassuring to hear area natives claim, "This is unusual - some winters we don't even have a freeze!" The January climatology information from the PAE weather support operations team shows that this frigid weather isn't par for the coast. "This was the coldest January on record since 1940," said lead forecaster James Tart. The average low monthly temperature for January 2014 at Keesler was 35 degrees with an average high of 54 degrees Fahrenheit. The maximum high was 76 degrees and the extreme low was19 degrees. This compares with a historical average maximum temperature of 59 degrees and an average low of 45 degrees.