Greatest Rebounds in Temperature Following Sub-Zero Cold

 

 

This post was inspired by the winter of 2016, when the high reached 61° on Feb. 20, six days after a frigid low of -1° (the only sub-zero reading so far this century).  In researching other big rebounds following a sub-zero reading I uncovered one that was even more dramatic.  It occurred in February 1943 when the temperature soared to 63° just five days after a low of -8° (the first of five days in a row in the 60s).  However, winter 2016 can lay claim to a tie for the quickest rise to 50° after a sub-zero - two days later (it also happened in the winters of 1934 and 1918).  The chart below looks at the shortest and longest rebounds to temperatures in the 50s since 1900.

 

 

Comments

[William]

what, by far, has been the coldest winter(s) not to experience a reading of 0° or chillier? and what is more rare to occur in NYC? a sub zero reading or a 100° reading?

[Rob]

The winter of 1892-93, ninth coldest on record, is the coldest not to have any below zero readings. Average temperatures: Dec. (32.2); Jan. (23.7); and Feb. (29.4). The coldest winter of the past 50 years not to have a sub-zero low was the winter of 1969-70: Dec. (33.4); Jan. (25.1); and Feb. (33.0).

There have been slightly more days of 100+ than sub-zero days, 60 vs. 55. However, there's been a much bigger difference between the two since 1980, with there being 16 highs in the triple digits but only four lows that have been below zero.