Today in New York Weather History: May 21

 

1924 (Wednesday)

On a showery day, the high/low was only 50°/47°.  The high was 20 degrees below average.

 

1971 (Friday)

Although just 0.03" of rain fell (between 3-4 PM), it was the first measurable rainfall on this date in 17 years.  The day was gray and cool with a high of only 60°.

 

1985 (Tuesday)

Heavy rain fell between 5-11 PM, amounting to 1.60".  During one 15-minute period (between 6:55-7:10 PM), 0.48" of rain poured down.

 

1996 (Tuesday)

This was the second day in a row with a record high as the mercury topped out at 93°.  After today, the next day in the 90s wouldn't be for another two months (and it would be the only other 90-degree day of the summer.) 

 

 

2002 (Tuesday)

This was the last of four consecutive days with morning lows in the chilly low 40s, well below the average of 55°.

 

2012 (Monday)

After four days in a row of sunny and mild weather, today was a gray, rainy Monday.  1.40" of rain fell, with a particularly heavy downpour occurring during AM rush hour, with 0.57" measured between 9-10:00.

 

2013 (Tuesday)

Today was just the second 80-degree day of the year, coming six weeks after the first (4/9).  This was the greatest number of days between the first and second 80-degree day in eight years, when there was a gap of 45 days.  (The longest gap in the years since 1900 was 58 days in 1928).  Today's high of 86° was the warmest reading since the first week of September 2012.

 

 

2022 (Saturday)

At long last the temperature reached the 80s for the first time this year, the latest date for this occurrence since 1988 (which, ironically, had a hot summer).  This is the tenth latest date on record.  And with a high of 90°, this was just the fourth year to have the first 80 and first 90 occur on the same date (joining 1918, 1927 and 2010).  This was the first reading in the 90s in May in four years. 

Besides the heat, the air was oppressive, with afternoon dew points in the 68-70° range.  The morning low of 62° was the coolest reading on a day with a high in the 90s since 2010, when there was a low of low of 56° on 4/7 (the earliest date on record for a reading in the 90s).

 

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April 2025 Distinguished By Record-Mild Last 12 Days

 

 

Despite the first eighteen days of the month being nearly two degrees chillier than average, April 2025 ended up becoming New York's 16th mildest April on record.  This was due to the last 12 days of April being seven degrees warmer than average, making the entire month 1.6 degrees above average. With an average high/low of 74°/55°, these last twelve days were the mildest of any April on record (and more typical of mid-May).

 

The month had 12 days with highs of 70° or warmer.  Only one other April has had more, April 1921, which had 13.  (April 1977 and 1941 also had the same number as this year.)  10 of this month's 12 days were concentrated in the last 12 days of the month, with seven of them having highs of 75+, including 85° on 4/19 and 82° on 4/22.  (As for the reading of 85°, only 20% of all Aprils have had their warmest reading above this temperature.)

 

During the chillier part of the month the morning of 4/9 had a low of 31°, which was the first time in four years that a low was 32° or colder in April.  And it was the deepest into April for a reading this low since 2016.

 

The high of 40° on 4/12 (21 degrees below average) was the latest date for a high this chilly since 1940 (when it happened on 4/21).

 

Finally, 3.25" of rain was measured, about an inch below average.  (April 1898 also had 3.25" of precipitation.)  More than two-thirds of this amount fell during nine of the first twelve days of the month.  And on 4/26, a brief evening thunderstorm dumped 0.61" of rain in a 30-minute period (between 7:00 and 7:30). 

 

Here are previous recaps from April:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

 

 

March 2025 Weather Recap for NYC: Spring Makes an Early Appearance

 

 

March 2025 was 4.1 degrees milder than average, breaking a string of three consecutive months with below average temperatures; it finished in a tie as Central Park's 10th mildest March on record.  It's worth noting that the month's average high was significantly more above average than the average low (+5.6 degrees vs. +2.1 degrees). 

 

During the month there was a 19-day streak with above average temperatures that averaged six degree above average, the longest above-average streak since one of 22 days in January-February of last year.

 

5.52” of precipitation was measured (1.23" above average), which was the most in one month since last August.  (Among all Marches it ranks as 26th wettest.)  Three days had an inch or more of rain, one other had 0.92”.  These four days accounted for nearly 90% of the month’s rainfall and were characterized as being of  relatively short duration as opposed to all-day events.

 

There was no snow during the month, not even a trace, making this just the fifth March on record with 0.0” reported (nineteen Marches have had "trace" amounts).  In the years between 2013 and 2019, March averaged 8.3" of snow, but since then the average has been only 0.1".

 

A record number of days had low humidity (25% or lower at some point during the day), 15 in total.  This is one more than the previous title holder, May 2023.   

 

March's coldest reading was 20° (3/2), the warmest reading was 81° (on 3/29).  This 61-degree difference between the extremes was well above the usual difference for March, which is 51 degrees (20° and 71°). 

 

On the day that saw the 81° high, the passage of a back-door cold front a few hours later dropped the temperature 26 degrees in an hour, which was the second greatest hourly temperature drop on record (the greatest was a 28-degree decline on March 28, 1921).  Then the next day's high temperature was just 48°, the chilliest reading to follow a day with the first 80+ reading.      

 

Finally, this March followed a March that was even milder (ranked eighth) and wetter (fourth wettest on record).

 

Below are links to previous weather recaps for March.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

February 2025 - NYC's Third Consecutive Month With Colder Than Average Temperatures

 

 

On the heels of New York's two mildest years on record, February 2025 was the third month in a row that was colder than average, the longest such below-average streak since another one of three months seven years ago (Nov. 2017 thru Jan. 2018).

 

The month was 0.8 degrees colder than average (average high/low of 41°/29°), but up until 2/22 it was 3.3 degrees colder than average. (A similar mild stretch at the end of January moderated its average temperature as well.).  And while the average low was just 0.2 degrees below average,  the average high was 1.4 degrees below average.

 

The month's coldest reading was 17°; only 14 other Februarys have had a coldest temperature milder than 17°.  Four days had highs of 32° or colder, four had lows in the teens. Four days were ten degrees+ colder than average, three days were ten degrees+ milder than average. 

 

The mildest reading was 57°.  Jan-Feb had no days with highs 60° or warmer (joining six other Jan-Feb combos this century with no highs of 60+ (in the 19th century {1869-1899}, 80% of the years had no highs of 60+ in Jan-Feb.)

 

The coldest period in February was a six-day stretch (Feb. 17-22) that was 10 degrees below average (high/low of 33°/20°).  This was followed by the mildest stretch of the month (Feb. 23-28), which was 8 degrees milder than average (high/low of 52°/41°).

 

With 2.59” of precipitation, this February was somewhat drier than average (3.19") and drier than two-thirds of all Februarys. (February tends to be Central Park's driest month.)  Just 0.01” of the month’s precipitation fell during the last 12 days of the month. 

 

January-February 2025 was the driest since 2002, and the sixth driest combo on record.

 

7.1" of snow fell during the month, which was the most snow in February since 2021 (which had 26.0”).  Still, this was three inches below average. The biggest snowfall was 3.1” on Feb. 8-9 (0.1” less than last winter’s biggest accumulation [on Feb. 13]).

 

Although the amount of snow that fell in February was less than average, there were eight days that reported measurable snow, double the average number. It joined 15 other Februarys with eight or more days of measurable snow.  However, these other years all had significantly more snow, averaging 17.6". 

 

Finally, winter 2025 (meteorological winter) was the coldest in ten years and the 10th coldest winter of this century.  Its coldest reading was 10° in on 1/22, the mildest reading was 60° on 12/11 and 12/29.  There was 12.9" of snow, about 11 inches less than average. (However, four winters since 2019 had less snow.) 

 

Here are February recaps from previous years.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2015

 

2025 Weather Highlights in New York

 

 

JANUARY 

9 - Today and the previous two days, NYC was buffeted by high winds gusting between 35-45 mph each day.  Although there was no precipitation to contend with, temperatures were seven degrees colder than average, with highs/lows of 33°/19°, 30°/23°, and 33°/22° (today).   

18 - Until today the only precipitation that had fallen this month was snow, but when 0.09" of rain fell this afternoon, it was the deepest into January for its first measurable rainfall since 1896 (when the month's first rain fell on 1/24).

31 - This was just the fifth day this month to have measurable rain.  The 0.16” that fell, mostly after dark, brought the month’s paltry total to 0.61”, finishing with just 0.03” more than Central Park’s driest January on record, in 1981.

 

FEBRUARY

6 - Although today's accumulation of snow/ice (before dawn) was just 0.5", this was the first accumulating snow to fall on 2/6 in Central Park since 2004 (when 0.7" "piled" up). Despite this lengthy hiatus, Feb. 6 is tied with Jan. 27 as the second most likely date to report measurable snowfall. (Feb. 3 is ranked #1, having had 30 years w/snow, one more than Feb. 6 and Jan. 27.)

 

MARCH

1 - Today' s high of 64° was the first reading in the 60s this year (about a month later than usual) and the mildest reading since 11/18.  (This rise into the 60s was a surprise as the predicted high was mid-50s). But this touch of spring lasted just a few hours as an Arctic front moved through after 2 PM, dropping the temperature to the upper 20s as midnight approached (on the way to a low of 20° at daybreak on 3/2).  This 36-degree slide in temperature was the greatest drop during a calendar date since a drop of 50 degrees on Dec. 23, 2022 (from 58° to 8°).

5 - A rainstorm lashed the area between 4-11:30 PM, producing 1.71" of rain; this was 0.10" below the record amount for the date in 1920.  Between 6-7 PM 0.63" poured down, which was more than what fell in all of January.   This was Central Park's biggest daily rainfall since 8/18, when 2.29" was measured.

7 - Just two days after a soaking rain, the humidity dropped to 16% this evening.  This was the lowest humidity reading since last April (15% on 4/26).  It was also the tenth day this year with very low humidity (a reading of 25% or lower), the most by this date of any year this century (on average, there are three by 3/7).

22 - Today was the last day of a 19-day streak with above average temperatures, a period that was six degrees above average.  This was the longest above-average streak since last winter when there was one of 22 days.  (And the previous winter there had been a streak of 36 days.)

27 - Late this afternoon, Central Park's humidity level fell to 13%, making this the 15th day this month with a humidity level of 25% or lower - the most days of any month this century. This broke a tie with May 2023. A typical March has five days with very low humidity (the previous high in March was 12 in 2023).

29 - Until today, the mildest reading of the year had been 66° nearly three weeks ago, but this afternoon's high soared to 81°, making 2025  just the ninth year that Central Park's first reading in the 80s occurred in March.  And it was third year to have 3/29 as the date for its first-80 (the other years were 1977 and 1985.) The previous time a first-80 was in March was four years ago. (Average date is 4/21.)  Additionally, this year was the 12th to share the date of its first-80 with the date of its first 70+ reading.

A few hours after this high was reached the mercury tumbled by 26 degrees in just one hour, between 5-6 PM (from 79° to 53°), the result of a back-door cold front.  And by midnight the temperature had fallen an additional ten degrees.  This 38-degree plunge bested the 37-degree drop on 3/1. 

This drastic change came the day after the anniversary of Central Park's greatest one-hour drop on record - 28 degrees on March 28, 1921 (from 81° to 53°).

30 - The day after NYC had its first reading in the 80s this year, today's high was only 48° (seven degrees below average).  This is the first time on record that a first-80 was followed by a high in the 40s.  

 

APRIL

4 - Overnight temperatures stayed in the low 70s (where they'd been since late afternoon yesterday), which was thirty degrees milder than average for the pre-dawn hours during the first week of April.  This would be the warmest part of the day, but temperatures stayed in the 60s, still well above average.  AM clouds became mixed with sunshine as the afternoon progressed.  Today was Opening Day for the Mets, who shut out Toronto.    

7 - Today was the ninth day of the past eleven in which Central Park received measurable rain.  During these days 2.61" of rain was measured (0.13" fell today, mostly during the afternoon).  On this dreary, raw day, the temperature was stuck at 42° during the PM hours.

9 - This morning's low of 31° was Central Park's first low of freezing or colder in April since 2021, and the latest date for a sub-freezing reading since 2016 (when it fell on 4/10).  It was also the first low this cold since 3/23.

10 - Including today, the last four times measurable rain fell on this date the amount was 0.01" (2025, 2021, 2020, and 2018).  

12 -  Rainy and cold with a high/low of 40°/36°.  The high was 21 degrees below average and was the coldest daily high since 3/3 (when the high was 39°).  Since yesterday evening 1.04" of rain fell in Central Park (0.63" of it fell today). This was the ninth day this month with measurable rainfall. 

19 - One week after the high struggled to reach 40° (21 degrees colder than average), today's high jumped to 85° (22 degrees warmer than  average).  This was the warmest reading in Central Park since the end of August.

20 - It was a beautiful Easter Sunday, with nary a cloud in the sky.  Afternoon temperatures were slightly above average, rising into the upper 60s (however, the day's high was 73°, occurring between midnight and 1 AM).  Late in the afternoon the humidity fell to 15%, which was similar to the humidity level on Easter Sunday two years ago.

26 - A quick-moving evening thunderstorm dumped 0.61" of rain between 7:00-7:30.  It was a mild day with a high of 74°, but cooler air behind the storm dropped the temperature to 53° as midnight approached.  This was the fifth day in a row with a high in the 70s/80s (and the seventh of the past eight), the longest such streak since Oct. 19-23.  

 

MAY

3 - After a balmy, summer-like day that saw the high temperature reach 85° (the day after a high of 84°), a strong thunderstorm tonight dumped 0.95" of rain in less than an hour - and almost all it rain poured down in about 20 minutes (10:20-10:40).  This storm was very localized as just 0.27" of rain fell at Newark Airport, and no rain was measured at LaGuardia or JFK.  This deluge came a week after  0.61" fell in a 30-minute period (7:00-7:30).   

 

2025 Starts With A Cold & Dry January

 

 

January 2025 was 2.5 degrees colder than average, with an average high of 36.5° (three degrees below average) and an average low of 25.9° (two degrees below average).  This was the most below average month in three years (since January 2022).  From Jan. 4 through Jan. 25, temperatures were five degrees below average, with the coldest period being  Jan. 20-23, which was fourteen degrees below average (including the month's coldest reading of 10° on the 22nd). 

 

The end of January (the 26th through the 31st) saw somewhat of a thaw as temperatures were four degrees above average (including the mildest reading of the month, 52°, on the 29th).  

 

This was the second driest January on record, with just 0.61" measured.  Just five days had measurable precipitation. Up until the evening of 1/31, the month was set to become the driest January, but then showers dropped enough rain into Central Park's rain gauge to bring the month's total 0.03" above January 1981's total. 

 

Despite the cold conditions, not much snow fell as three snowfalls produced just 3.0": 0.9" on  1/6; 0.5" on 1/11; and 1.6" on 1/19. (Interestingly, despite January 1981's bone-dry conditions, it had significantly more snow than this January, with 8.0" measured from six days with snow.)

 

Despite snowfall being well below the January average of 8.8", there have been ten Januarys since 2000 with even smaller amounts.  But focusing on cold Januarys since 1869, just a handful have had even more paltry amounts of snow than Jan. 2025.

 

In addition to eight days with highs of 32° or colder this January (one more than average), there were six days with highs of 33°(well above the January average of one).  The 14 days with highs of 33° or colder was the most since Jan. 2014.

 

  Here are recaps of previous Januarys:

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2015

2014

 

 

2024 Ranks As New York's 2nd Warmest Year on Record

 

 

Although three of the last five months of 2024 had temperatures slightly below average, the first seven months of the year were so above average that 2024 ended up being New York City's second warmest year on record; the warmest year, 2023, held on to its #1 position by the skin of its teeth.  (However, for average high, 2024 ranked third, 2023 fourth.)

 

 

The biggest story of 2024, however, was drought.  During the fall, Central Park suffered through its second longest streak, with 29 days of no measurable precipitation (behind a 36-day streak in 1924).  And October, with just 0.01" of rain, became the driest month on record (passing July 1949, which had 0.02").  Furthermore, the 52-day period from Sept. 30 until Nov. 20 had just 0.19" of rain (a period when seven inches is the norm).

 

Despite these drought conditions (a drought warning was issued for the region on 11/20), and three other months with less than 2.06" of precipitation, the year was just three inches below average (46.37").  Since 2000, ten years have had less precipitation than 2024.

 

WARM-TEMPERATURE HIGHLIGHTS:

>    2024 had the 4th warmest winter (includes Dec. 2023); 4th warmest spring; 12th warmest summer; and the 7th warmest fall.

>    A 22-day streak with above average temperatures from Jan. 23 to Feb. 13 was the longest such streak since January 2023.

>    A 38-day streak with highs of 80+ (including every day in July) was the sixth longest on record

>    A high of 80° on 11/6 was the third latest date for a reading in the 80s.  (And the high of 81° on Halloween tied the record high from 1946.)

>    Through Aug. 6, 20 days had highs in the 90s; they were concentrated in a 7-week period that began 6/20.  (After that, there was just one more 90-degree reading, on 8/28.) Looking at meteorological summer, 2024 ranked 16th for number of days of 90+. 

>     The hottest reading of the year was 95°, which happened on 7/8 and 8/1; but 7/8 had the hottest mean temperature as its low was one degree warmer than 8/1's.

>    The summer had four heat waves, three that were four days long, and one of three days.

 

The nine months that were warmer than average all rank among the 25 mildest of their respective months. Six of them were three or more degrees above average.

• January: 25th mildest (3.3 degrees above average)
• February: 10th mildest (+4.2)
• March: 8th mildest (+5.1)
• April: 11th mildest (+1.9)
• May: 24th mildest (+1.8)
• June: 4th hottest (+3.1)
• July: 11th hottest (+2.1)
• October: 12th mildest (+3.1)
  
• November: 17th mildest (+3.4)

 

And here are the three months that were cooler than average:

• August (1.0 degree below average)
• September (-0.4)
• December (-0.9)

 

AND FURTHERMORE ...

There was a record number of days with low humidity (25% or lower at some point in the day).  With 43, this was one more than 2023.

The year's coldest day was in December as the high/low was 21°/13° on 12/22. (The previous coldest reading was 24°/17° on 1/17.)

June's coolest reading was 59°, which is the mildest reading to have this distinction in June.  Then August had its first reading in the 50s since 2013; at 57°. it was the coolest August reading since 2007.

Looking at calendar years, only eight had less snow than 2024 (10.3").  This followed 2023, which had the least amount of snow (2.3").  2024's biggest snowfall was 3.2" on 2/13.

 

 

February not only had its mildest coldest high on record for that month (36°), it also had the mildest coldest low (23°).  And March would have the mildest coldest high on record for March (43°).

December's 17 days with measurable precipitation was the most for a month since July 2021.  And seven of these days were consecutive, which was the longest streak since May 2019.

Finally, 2024 ended with the first white Christmas since 2009; then, during the night of New Year's Eve, a thunderstorm with vivid lightning, swept through the City.

 

Here are recaps of the years since 2015:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 

 

 

 

Recap of December 2024: Biting Cold Prevails In a Battle Between Cold Snaps & Mild Spells

 

 

December 2024 started out cold and dry and ended mild and wet.  Overall, the month was 0.9 degrees colder than average, it received an average amount of precipitation, and snowfall was below average. The month's coldest reading was 13° - which was also the coldest reading of the entire year.  Its mildest reading was 60°. 

 

On average, December is close to six degrees milder than January, but this year it appeared it might be the colder of the two months. However, this possibility went out the window when the last four days of the month had temperatures 16 degrees milder than average.  As a result, Dec. 2024 ended up being 1.2 degrees milder than January (38.2° v 37.0°).

 

The month experienced three cold periods and three mild ones.  The cold periods covered 17 days and were eight degrees below average, while the mild periods covered 11 days and were eleven degrees above average.  

 

 

The month had an equitable distribution of days that were either 10 or more degrees below average or 10+ above average, with there being seven of each.  (It's unusual for a month to have so many days that are well below and well above  average.)

 

   

This was the fifth December in a row that ended with temperatures that were well above average:

 

Dec. 28-31, 2024 - 16 degrees above average

Dec. 24-31, 2023 - 11 degrees above average

Dec. 29-31, 2022 - 15 degrees above average

Dec. 28-31, 2021 - 10 degrees above average

Dec. 28-31, 2020 - 6 degrees above average

 

Although December's 4.53" of precipitation was an average amount, there were 17 days with measurable precipitation, which was the most in any month since July 2021 (which had 18).  Among these 17 days were seven in a row (12/15-12/21), making this the longest streak since one of eight days in May 2019.  The month's precipitation was concentrated among a handful of days, with a little more than half falling on three days: 0.85" on 12/11; 0.91" on 12/16; and 0.56" on 12/28.

 

Although December's precipitation was an average amount, it was nearly as much as what fell in the three preceding months (4.94" in Sept-Oct-Nov, versus 4.53" in December).

 

There were two days with measurable snowfall, totaling 2.8": 1.8" on 12/21, 1.0" on 12/24.  (The average amount in December is 4.9".)  Despite it being a below average amount, this was the snowiest December since 2020 (when 10.5" fell from one storm).  Because the two snowfalls were just a few days apart, enough snow remained on the ground to provide Central Park with its first "white Christmas" since 2009.

 

As mentioned earlier, the month’s coldest temperature was 13° (on consecutive days), which was also the coldest reading of the entire year (besting a reading of 17° in January) .  The two days with lows of 13° also had sub-freezing high readings.  One of them, 12/22, had a high/low of 21°/13°, making it the coldest day of the year (and with winds gusting between 35-45 mph, wind chills were in the single digits).  Lastly, the month's mildest reading, 60°, also occurred on two days (but not consecutive). 

 

Here are links to past December recaps:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

November 2024 Weather Recap: Warm Start, Rainy Finish

 

November 2024 was 3.4 degrees above average (the sixth month this year that was three degrees or more warmer than average).  The month started off well above average, as the first eight days were nine degrees warmer than the typical first week of November (high/low of 68°/52°).  Then the middle twelve days of the month were three above average, and the last ten days were at seasonable levels.  The average high was 4.2 degrees above average, the average low was +2.6. 

 

The last day of the month, with an unseasonably cold high/low of 39°/30° (nine degrees below average), prevented the month from placing among the ten mildest Novembers, ending up as twelfth mildest (just a smidge behind Nov. 1902).

 

On 11/6 the high reached 80°, the first time since 1993 that a day in November reached the 80s. (And the high on 11/1 was 79°.)  Besides these two Novembers, highs in the 80s have also occurred in Nov. 1974 and Nov. 1950 (which had two days that warm).

 

Just 0.18” of rain fell in the first 20 days of the month (last November saw even less rain in the first 20 days - 0.07").  Then 3.17” fell between 11/21 and 11/28, including 1.58” that fell on the 21st, which was a record amount for the date.  And on the 28th, which was Thanksgiving Day, 0.86" was measured in Central Park, making this the rainiest Turkey Day since 2006. 

 

November's total precipitation of 3.35" was slightly below average, but more than double the combined amount of September (1.58") and October (0.01").

 

When significant rain fell on 11/21, it ended a 52-day period in which just 0.19” of rain was measured in Central Park.  Because of this extended dry spell a drought warning was issued a few days before 11/21's rainfall.  

 

There were seven days with humidity of 25% or lower, the most of any November in the years since 2000.  (October also had seven low-humidity days.)  These readings were concentrated among the first seventeen days of the month.   

 

Here are recaps of past Novembers:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Today in New York Weather History: November 7

 

1938 (Monday)

This was the third day in a row with very mild temperatures, with highs/lows of 74°/63°, 70°/64°, and 78°/63°.  Today's high of 78° was a record (which still stands).

 

1963 (Thursday)

Beginning late on Nov. 5 and continuing through early afternoon today, a nor'easter dumped 4.30" of rain, with nearly three inches falling today (a record for the date, which still stands).  This deluge followed a near rain-free October (at the time its 0.14" made it the second driest month on record; it's now ranked third).  Furthermore, the amount of rain from this storm was greater than what fell in any month in 1963, and it prevented this year from becoming the driest on record.

 

 

1977 (Monday)

One of New York's greatest rainstorms began in the morning and continued through the afternoon of Nov. 8.  The first wave of rain that moved through today, largely between 9 AM and 5 PM, amounted to 1.79".  However, the steady downpours that made this a historical storm would fall tomorrow.

 

1995 (Tuesday)

The 0.68" of rain that fell between noon and 10 PM was the first rain on this date in 15 years.

 

2012 (Wednesday)

Just nine days after the region was raked by hurricane Sandy's high winds and record storm surge, a nor'easter lashed the area.  It moved far enough off the coast to pull cold air into the region, changing the rain to snow by 2 PM.  4.7" accumulated (4.3" of it today), making this the earliest 4-inch snowfall on record (the previous record was in 1989 when 4.7" fell on Nov. 22-23).  This was just the fifth snowfall of one-inch or more to occur in November in the past 40 years - and the first since 1997.  It would also be the largest accumulation of the calendar year, topping the 4.3" that fell on Jan. 21. 

 

 

2015 (Saturday)

The day's high temperature was reached shortly before 2 AM - 72°.  This made it the fifth day in a row with a high in the 70s - at the time, the longest streak of highs in the 70s of any November (later broken in 2020 by a six-day streak).  The temperature then fell slowly, but it was still a relatively mild 53° at midnight.  During the first week of November the high/low averaged 70°/56° - 11 degrees milder than average and more typical of late September.

 

2021 (Sunday)

Today was the 50th running of the NYC Marathon, and conditions were close to optimal for runners as temperatures were in the mid-40s to lower-50s range, there was little wind to speak of, afternoon humidity was on the low side, and skies were fair (transitioning from clear in the morning to hazy during the afternoon).  High temperatures today and the previous three days: 53° (today)-52°-51°-50° (average high in the first week of November is in the upper-50s).

 

   

2022 (Monday)

This was the fourth day in a row with a high in the 70s, and at 77° it was the warmest of them all.  The average high during this streak was 74.5°, which was 17 degrees above average.  Today also featured clear skies and humidity that dropped sharply in the afternoon, bottoming out at 15% at 6 PM; this was the second lowest reading in November in the years since 2000 (lowest was 13% on 11/16 in 2019).

The morning low of 68° would have been the mildest low on record in November but chillier air moved in after 8 PM, dropping the temperature to 54° by midnight (still 10 degrees above the average low for the date).

 

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October 2024 Weather Recap - The Month That Rain Forgot

 

 

2024 already experienced two dry months as June and September each had less than two inches of rain (and February had 2.05").  Then came October, which became Central Park's driest month on record as just 0.01" of rain fell, passing June 1949, which had 0.02".  The rain fell in the early afternoon on 10/29, breaking a dry streak that began on 9/30.  This 29-day streak is the second longest on record.  (The longest was 100 years ago, when there was one of 36 days.) 

 

 

The metro area's three airports were equally parched as Newark reported no measurable rain, while LaGuardia and JFK, like Central Park, had just 0.01".

   

After an August and September that were slightly cooler than average, October was 3.0 degrees milder, ranking as the 17th mildest October on record.  The average high was 4.2 degrees above average, while the average low was 1.7 above average. 

 

The last 12 days of the month were seven degrees above average and had the month's warmest readings, 81° on 10/22 and on Halloween (the warmest Halloween in 50 years).  Only three other years have had a high in the 80s after 10/31.

 

The vast majority of days, 24, had clear or sunny skies, including 14 days in a row from 10/15 thru 10/28. 

 

Before October 2024 there had been only two days in October (since 2000) that had humidity drop to 25% or lower.  This October, by contrast, had seven (all from 10/12 thru 10/27).

 

Finally, the month's coolest reading was 43°.  Only four other Octobers have had a milder temperature as the chilliest reading (including last October and Oct. 2021.)

 

Here are recaps of previous Octobers:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016