Longest Periods of Time With Less Than an Inch of Rain in New York City

 

 

In the fall of 2013 New York experienced a 60-day stretch in which just 0.95" of rain fell (beginning Sept. 23 and lasting thru Nov. 21).  Since 1950 this was the third longest streak with less than an inch of total rainfall, ranking behind one of 81 days in the summer of 1999 and one of 61 days in the summer of 1964.  (Since 1900 New York has had more than 50 months with less than an inch of rain.  However, there have been nearly three times as many 30-day periods with less than an inch that have crossed months.)

 

 

2013's long stretch of dry conditions came four months after a near-record period of wet weather in May and June that saw rainfall of 18 inches in just seven weeks.  These two extremes in precipitation may very well balance each other out and result in the year's total precipitation being not far from average (the year would end up with 46 inches, about four inches below average).  And lengthy dry periods don't always mean that the entire year will have below average precipitation.  For example, 2005 and 2006 both had seven-week periods with less than an inch of rain but their total precipitation was well above average (56 and 60 inches, respectively).