Today in New York Weather History: November 16
1933
The day after a winter-like high/low of 32°/21°, today was even colder, with a high/low of 30°/17° (twenty degrees colder than average). Today's low, a record for the date (that still stands), is the earliest reading in the teens. Also, this was the fourth November in the past five with a reading in the teens (the average coldest reading is in the mid-20s).
1978
The 0.05" of rain that fell overnight was the first precipitation this month (and since Oct. 27).
1983
Overnight, New York's all-time annual precipitation record was set, exceeding the 67 inches that was measured in 1972. Still, reservoirs were only filled to 42% of capacity as the City's heavy rains had regularly missed these upstate watershed areas. (And at the end of the year it was revealed that the rain gauge in Central Park had been malfunctioning since the spring, thus calling into question the year's reported precipitation.)
1985
2.39" of rain fell, a record for the date. Most of it fell after 12:00-noon, and it came down heaviest between 9-11 PM when 1.11" was measured.
1996
Today was the sixth day in a row with temperatures 10 degrees or more colder than average. The average high/low of 41°/32° during these days was 12 degrees below normal. Five of the days had morning lows of freezing or below.
1997
Temperatures today and the past two days were very similar and never got out of the 30s; highs/lows were: 38°/32°, 37°/32° and 39°/31° (today). These temperatures were thirteen degrees below average.
2011
Today was the first dreary, rainy day since the area's freak snowstorm two-and-a-half weeks ago. Rain fell for much of the day and amounted to 0.75".
2019
It was a clear, windy and unseasonably cold day (high/low of 42°/31°), with exceptionally low humidity. Falling to 13% during the afternoon, this was the driest air reported in November so far this century. It was also the only date outside of March and April with a humidity level this low (earlier this year the humidity fell to 13% on 3/24).
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