Today in New York Weather History: May 29
1968
After starting last night at around 10:00, heavy rain continued thru this morning. By the time it ended, shortly before 12:00-noon, 4.88" had flooded the City, snarling the Wednesday morning commute. The 3.99" that fell today set the daily record for the month of May (breaking the previous record of 3.82" on May 9, 1908).
1969
Not only did today have the first reading in the 90s of the year, but, with a high of 97°, it would be the hottest reading all year (there would be highs of 96° on June 28 and July 17).
1990
Beginning at 9 AM, and continuing for the rest of the day, 2.40" of rain fell. This was a little less than two weeks after 2.32" fell, and brought the month's rainfall up to nine inches. Today's heavy rain kept the temperature well below average, as the high was only 60°, fourteen degrees below average.
1995
During a severe nighttime thunderstorm on Memorial Day, 0.50" of rain fell in just 30 minutes (10:40-11:10 PM). The storm was also accompanied by hail.
1999
The Memorial Day weekend began today, and all three days were marked by sunny skies and high temperatures in the upper 80s (87°-88°-89°).
2001
Including today's 0.18" of rain, all but 0.07" of the month's 2.03" rainfall came in the past nine days (the first seventeen days of the month had no measurable rain).
2006
Today was Memorial Day, and for the first time since 1999 the temperature rose into the 80s. The afternoon high of 88° was fourteen degrees above average.
2012
Under sunny skies, chances appeared very good that the year's first 90-degree reading would happen today. Alas, we came up short by one degree, mirroring yesterday's high of 89°. However, very high humidity (the dew point was in the low 70s) pushed the heat index into the mid-90s.
2016
Today was the fifth day in a row with a high temperature of 87° or warmer, and a mean temperature that was ten degrees or more above average (two days had highs in the 90s). Temperatures during this five-day period were 14 degrees above average.
2017
Overcast skies and light rain from 6 AM until 1 PM kept temperatures on Memorial Day stuck in the upper 50s for much of the day (the official high, 61°, occurred shortly after midnight). This was the chilliest Memorial Day since 2003, when the high was 56°.
2017 was actually the chilliest Memorial Day since 2003, when the high was 55°. at least i think this is true.
Posted by: William | 05/30/2017 at 01:56 PM
Hi William,
Yes, the year is 2003 not 2004 - thanks for catching it. Regarding the high temperature, the source I use for all temperature data is the monthly Local Climatological Data report published by NOAA/Nat'l Climatic Data Center. It reports that the high on Memorial Day in 2003 (May 26) was 56 degrees.
Posted by: Rob | 05/30/2017 at 04:53 PM