2023 Weather Highlights in New York
JANUARY
1 - Temperatures were nearly as mild as a year ago (high/low of 55°/49°) but this year differed as the day featured sunny skies.
6 - This was the ninth day in a row with a mean temperature 10 degrees or more above average, the longest such streak since another one of nine days in December 2015 (there was a 10-day streak in October 1990). The average high/low during this streak was 56°/46°, sixteen degrees above average. And although this was the last day of the streak, tomorrow would still be well above average (+7 degrees).
14 - For the first time this year the temperature fell to 32°. Only 2005 started with a longer streak, with its first reading of 32° or colder happening on 1/15. Additionally, the day's high of 38° would be the coldest high of the month, the mildest temperature on record to be the coldest high in January. Finally, this was also the 18th day in a row with above average temperatures.
16 - This morning's low of 28° would be the coldest reading of the month - the mildest coldest reading of any January on record, breaking the previous record of 25° in January 1937. (January 2023 would become the mildest January on record.)
29 - The winter of 1973's record for latest date of the first measurable snowfall was broken today - and it would continue to be broken into February. (The average winter in Central Park has 14.2" of snowfall by the end of January.)
FEBRUARY
1 - At long last Central Park had its first measurable snow of the winter as 0.4" accumulated in the pre-dawn hours. This is the longest NYC had to wait for this event (the previous record was 1/29 during the winter of 1973). Not only was today the end of the City's record snowless streak, it was also the end of its record 35-day streak with above average mean temperatures. Today was 2 degrees colder than average (high/low of 38°/26°). And, finally, this morning's low was the coldest reading since the day after Christmas.
4 - This morning's frigid low of +3° was Central Park's coldest reading in four years (+2° on 1/31/19) and the coldest reading in February in seven (-1° on 2/14/16). And from 3-7 AM howling winds gusting between 25-35 mph produced wind chills between -10° and -15°. Today's reading was in sharp contrast to January's coldest of 28° (the mildest coldest reading in January on record). Finally, although today's reading was the coldest of the winter, the coldest day of the winter (based on average temperature) remained 12/24, with a high/low of 15°/7° (today's high reached 27° shortly before midnight).
Today's low was the ninth time since 2000 that a reading of 3° or colder occurred (and the fourth time it's happened in February).
14 - Through today, just 0.05" of precipitation fell in Central Park this month, making this the second driest first half of February on record. Only February 1980 had a lesser amount.
16 - The day after a high of 67° today was even milder as the high reached 70°, one degree shy of tying the record for the date. This was the mildest reading in February since 2018, when the warmest reading of any February, 78°, occurred on 2/21. And it was the earliest date for a year's first reading of 70+ since 2007 (when it occurred on 1/6). Showers in the afternoon produced a rather meager 0.07" of rain, but it was more than what fell in the first 15 days of the month (0.05").
Finally, this was the ninth day in a row in which the temperature remained above freezing, a period that was 14 degrees above average (average high/low of 56°/44°).
20 - Although the warmest high temperature on Presidents' Day is 64° in 2008, President's Day 2023 has the distinction of having the mildest mean temperature, with a high/low of 61°/47° (2008's low was 40°), 17 degrees above average.
23 - A new winter record (meteorological winter) was established as Central Park had its 59th frost-free day, surpassing the 58 days experienced during the winters of 2012 and 1998. Average number is 35 days.
27 - The second measurable snowfall of the winter (the first was on 2/1) began this evening and brought 1.8" of snow (half of it fell today, the other half in the overnight hours). Three to six inches fell in outlying suburbs, where temperatures were colder. This would be the biggest snowfall of a winter that would be the least snowiest on record.
MARCH
7 - after daybreak, light precipitation that began briefly as snow accumulated 0.1" and would be the last measurable snowfall of a winter that was the least snowy on record with just 2.3" reported (all but today's fell in February); this was 0.5" less than the previous least snowiest winter (1972-73).
30 - It was a chilly home opener for the Yankees with game time temperatures only in the mid-40s, ten degrees colder than average, along with breezy conditions. However, the game was played under sunny skies. The day's low of 31° was one of only four days with a low of 32° or colder in March (the average number is ten).
APRIL
6 - Afternoon temperatures were more than 30 degrees warmer than 24 hours earlier; today's high of 80°, a record for the date, was the warmest reading in Central Park since 9/21. This would have been one of the Mets' nicest home openers, weatherwise, but the team postponed today's game yesterday based on a forecast of showers and thunderstorms, which ended up staying well to the south of NYC.
7 - The Mets home opener, delayed by one day, was played in seasonable temperatures (mid-50s) and under mostly sunny skies. Similar to last year's home opener, afternoon humidity was very low and dipped to 16% as the game was getting under way. As for the game, the Mets easily topped Miami, 9-3.
9 - Easter Sunday featured brilliant sunshine and low humidity; temperatures were a few degrees below average (high/low of 57°/40°). In the early afternoon the humidity dropped to 15%. This was the 23rd day this year to have humidity fall to 25% or lower, something that didn't happen last year until 8/12.
13 - The temperature reached a sizzling 90°, which not only was a record for the date but the hottest reading in April since 2010 (when it occurred on 4/7, the earliest reading in the 90s on record). This was just the fourth 90+ day in the first half of April. (Typically, the first 90+ occurs around Memorial Day.)
Today was also the seventh day in a row with very low humidity (25% or lower), the longest streak of its kind this century. Over these seven days the humidity dropped to between 12% and 21% on each day. Because of the low humidity this afternoon's feels-like temperature was five degrees lower than the day's high. (An even longer streak, one of 11 days, would occur in May.)
14 - For the second day in a row a record high was set. Today's high of 91° (thirty degrees above average) was one degree hotter than yesterday. This was just the third time in April to have two or more consecutive days with highs in the 90s. (The average date for a year's second high in the 90s is 6/9.) Finally, this was the seventh day in a row with sunny skies (and thirteenth in a row with no measurable rain).
Additionally, today's low of 70° was the earliest low of 70° or milder on record, besting the former record by three days (74° on April 17, 2002). Only two other dates have had lows in the 70s in April (70° on April 18, 1976 and 76° April 18, 2002). Interestingly, the next low in the 70s wouldn't be until 6/25.
15 - Four streaks ended today: 13 days in a row with no measurable rain (0.02" fell today during the evening); eight consecutive days with very low humidity (ranging from 13% to 21%); eight days in a row with sunny skies; and three consecutive days with highs in the 80s or 90s. (However, a streak of days with highs of 75° or warmer reached five days.)
21 - With just 0.40" of rain measured through today this was the driest first three weeks in April since April 1968 (when 0.18" was reported). And since 4/2 just 0.02" of rain fell (and less than an inch since 3/15).
22-23 - A frontal system produced thunderstorms and heavy rain tonight that lasted thru tomorrow morning. The 0.68" of rain that fell thru midnight was the most to fall in one day in seven weeks. And between 10-11 PM the 0.40" of rain that poured down was equal to the amount that fell in the first three weeks of April (which was the driest first three weeks of April since April 1968). An additional 1.51" of rain would fall on 4/23 during the morning, making the storm total of 2.19" the greatest amount from a storm since the first week of October.
29 - For the first time (going back to 1869) more than an inch of rain fell on this date. Today's rainfall of 2.46" broke the previous record of 0.91" in 1909. (This leaves Sept. 9 as the only date to never have had a rainfall of an inch or more.) The previous ten years in which rain fell on 4/29 the amounts were all less than 0.10".
30 - After drying out overnight from yesterday’s deluge, more rain moved in after 11 AM and it turned heavy between 3-7 PM when 1.57" poured down; by midnight 2.32” had fallen. This brought April’s total rainfall to 7.70”, making it the seventh wettest April on record. This was quite an accomplishment considering that in the first three weeks of the month just 0.40” had fallen.
Finally, despite this being the seventh day in a row with below average temperatures (averaging five degrees chillier than average) the month ended up being the second mildest April on record, behind April 2010. This followed January being the mildest on record, February the third mildest, and March the 25th.
MAY
6 -Today’s mean temperature was average for the date which meant the end of a 12-day streak with below average temperatures, which was the longest such streak since one of 16 days in April 2020. During this 12-day streak temperatures were six degrees below average. With that streak ended, today was the first day of a 14-day streak with sunny or clear skies.
7 - Today’s high of 78° was the warmest since the high reached 91° on 4/14. Today was also the 29th day this year in which the humidity dropped to 25% or lower. This was one more day than all of last year and the most annual days since 2010 which had 33.
14 - With a high/low of 74°/59° (four degrees above average) this was the mildest Mother's Day in eight years when the high/low was 83°/61° (eleven degrees above average). Skies were clear and the humidity in the afternoon dropped to 20%.
19 - Today was the last day of a 14-day streak with sunny or clear skies. Temperatures were 2.5 degrees above average during this streak. Embedded in this two-week period was a 12-day streak in which humidity during the afternoon dropped to 25% or lower.
20 - The extended streak with sunny or clear skies ended today as rain soaked the City mostly during the afternoon. The 0.77" that was measured in Central Park was nearly double the amount that fell in the first 19 days of the month. Rain totals on Long Island, Westchester Co. and in Connecticut were much higher than NYC's, with many town receiving between 1.50" and 2.50".
29 - It was a beautiful Memorial Day, with sunny skies and a high/low that was identical to yesterday's (79°/59°).
JUNE
1 - The first day of meteorological summer fit the bill as the high jumped to 87° under clear skies. The last time it was this warm was three weeks ago. Today's sunshine continued the near monopoly of fair skies experienced since 5/6.
3 - After yesterday's sunny and hot conditions (high of 91°) today was overcast and cool with afternoon temperatures only in the mid-60s after winds shifted to an easterly-northeasterly direction.
4 - The morning low of 49° was the first low in the 40s in June since 2000. This reading came less than 48 hours after a high of 91°, and seven weeks after the earliest low in the 70s on record (on 4/14).
7 - A northerly wind drove smoke from major wildfires in Quebec into the area, producing a thick, orange haze that kept visibility below 2 miles during the afternoon and evening. The daily average Air Quality Index was the highest since recording in New York began in 1999. (The second-highest level was yesterday.) One saving grace was that the choking smoke wasn't accompanied by searing heat as the haze and overcast skies kept the temperature in the 60s during the afternoon. The poor air quality forced the Yankees to postpone today's game, and my late afternoon flight from Pittsburgh to LaGuardia was delayed two-and-a-half hours because of visibility issues.
25 - Although thunder showers were predicted it turned out to be a nice, summery day with a mix of sun and puffy cumulus clouds. With a high/low of 85°/71°, this was the warmest day since 6/2 (91°/66°). And the day's low temperature was the first in the 70s in more than two months (4/14).
JULY
4 - A heavy downpour late in the morning produced 0.63" of rain, making this the rainiest Independence Day since 1981 (when 1.76" fell). This brought the rainfall in the first four days of July to 1.66", which was more than what fell in all of June (1.62"). Shortly after the morning deluge the dew point reached 75°. By mid-afternoon skies cleared and the evening was ideal for watching fireworks.
6 - On the day that scientists reported was the hottest globally of the past 125,000 years, it was a hot day in Central Park, with a high/low of 90°/75°, six degrees warmer than average. (Yesterday's high was 93.)
16 - For the second year in a row more than an inch of rain fell on this date. 1.32" fell between sunrise and early afternoon, with 0.91" of it pouring down in the two hours between 11 AM and 1 PM. NYC escaped the heaviest rain which fell in Suffolk County and southern New England.
The rain and overcast skies kept the high temperature below 80° for the first time since 6/27 and the mean temperature was below average for the first time since 6/29. Despite the temperature being stuck in the 70s all day (the high/low was 78°/74°) the air was very uncomfortable as the dew point was 74° or 75° for 25 of the 2 hours between 5 PM yesterday and 7 PM today.
23 - Low temperatures today and the past three days: 69° (today)-70°-71°-72° (7/20). This was just the third day this month with a low cooler than 70° (average number is 15). Finally, today had the seventh high of 88° this month, the most of any July (going back 100 years).
28 - Today's hot and steamy high/low of 92°/75° was the same as yesterday's, the third time this year a pair of consecutive days had similar highs and lows (the others were 4/25-26 and 5/28-29, with respective highs/lows of 60°/46° and 79°/59°. This was the seventh year in which July 27-28 had identical highs/lows, the most of any pair of calendar dates.
29 - Central Park missed by one degree of having the year's first heat wave. However, with a high of 89° today was the 15th day in the past four weeks to have a high of 88° or hotter. (Five days were in the 90s, three had highs of 89° and seven reported a high of 88°).
AUGUST
16 - A morning deluge soaked Central Park with 1.26” of rain in a 90-minute period between 3:30-5 AM. This was the third day of the past four to have a period of torrential rain in the pre-dawn hours. Yesterday had 0.55” fall between 1:30-2:30 AM, and 0.69” fell on 8/13 between 3-4 AM.
SEPTEMBER
4 - Today was Labor Day and the high/low of 89°/73° was nearly identical to last year's holiday (88°/73°). Also like last year, Labor Day was warmer than either 4th of July (83°) or Memorial Day (79°).
5 - Today's sultry high/low of 92°/75° made this the first day with a high in the 90s since 7/28, when the high/low was the same as today's (7/27 also reported 92°/75°). The day's mean temperature was 11 degrees warmer than average, which was the most above average day since 6/2 when it was 91°/66°.
6 - Under clear skies conditions were hot and humid with a high/low of 93°/77° (13 degrees above average). Although the day's high tied 7/5 for hottest reading of the year (7/5's low was 72°), and the day's low tied 7/13 for the year's warmest low (7/13's high was 88°), its mean temperature was the hottest of the year.
7 - This was the third day in a row with a high in the 90s (93°), making this the only heat wave of the year.
8 - Today's high reached 90°, the fourth day in a row with afternoon readings in the 90s . This was the first four-day heat wave in September since 1973 (when there was one of eight days that began on 8/28). Dew points were in the uncomfortable low 70s throughout the day, peaking at 74° in the early afternoon. Scattered showers and thundershowers produced the first measurable rain this month and ended a seven-day streak with mostly clear skies.
10 - Two periods of heavy rain that fell about 12 hours apart produced a record amount for the date (1.80"). Most of it fell between 10:30 and noon (0.65") and 11 PM-1 AM (0.88"). During the first round the temperature fell to 69°, breaking a six-day streak with lows in the 70s (and three in a row were 75°+). This was the longest September streak since another of six days in 1985.
11 - For the second day in a row more than an inch of rain was measured in Central Park (1.66"). Much of it fell during the evening rush hour when 1,32" poured down between 5:30-6:30. This was the second time this year to have back-to-back days with an inch or more of rain; the first time was on 4/29 and 4/30 when 2.46" and 2.32" was reported, respectively.
15 - Today, with a high/low of 69°/58°, had the first high in the 60s and first low in the 50s since 6/7 and 6/10, respectively. Only three other Septembers have had their first reading in the 50s occur later (last year it happened on 9/16 and in 2016 and 1947 it fell on 9/17). And the 98 days between the years last two lows in the 50s was the second longest gap on record (behind 1996's 104 days).
18 - Beginning last night rain fell off and on throughout today. 1.55" fell in total, with 1.33" measured today. The day's temperatures were stuck in the 6os, with a high/low of 69°/60°. The last four times it's rained on this date the amounts have been over an inch. Besides today's amount, 1.16" fell in 2018, 1.06" fell in 2012 and 2.18" fell in 2004.
24 - Tropical storm Ophelia brought steady rain and breezy conditions to NYC for a second consecutive day as the system moved very slowly north/northeast. Yesterday's rainfall of 0.96" was followed by an additional 1.25" today. (Today was the fourth day this month with an inch or more of rain.) Temperatures were stuck in the 60s all day (high/low of 66°/62°), making this the tenth consecutive day with below average temperatures.
25 - For a third day remnants of tropical storm Ophelia continued spinning in the Atlantic Ocean off the New England coast, bringing mostly a steady drizzle that ended by late in the afternoon. Today's rain amounted to 0.59", bringing the storm's total to 2.80". This brought September's rainfall to 8.15", making it the wettest month of the year.
29 - Three days after rains associated with tropical storm Ophelia moved out, a much bigger rain producer flooded the City today (creating a flood emergency). Starting last night, 5.38" poured down today (9th greatest daily rainfall), much of it falling between 8-11 AM. While Ophelia dropped three inches over the course of four days, today’s storm dropped that amount in just two hours (and nearly four inches in three hours).
This storm brought September’s rainfall to 14.21", making it the second wettest September on record and the fourth rainiest of any month (an additional 0.04" would fall tomorrow). Before today September was already a very wet month (among the 15 wettest Septembers) but today's deluge catapulted it to second wettest September. While it was raining the temperature was stuck in the low 60s.
OCTOBER
1 - After eight days in a row with clouds, cool temperatures, and rainfall of nearly nine inches, today featured clear skies and a high of 76°. This was the warmest reading since 9/17 and it ended two streaks: 16 days with below average temperatures and 8 days with highs cooler than 70° (the longest streak in September going back to 1960).
3 - For the first time in three weeks the temperature rose into the 80s in Central Park. This was also the first time in four years that October had a reading in the 80s.
28 - Today's high reached 80°, which was the latest date for a high of 80+ since 1993 when the high on 11/15 was 80°.
29 - 24 hours after the temperature reached 80° in Central Park, the temperature this afternoon was stuck at 53°. The day was also gray and showery.
NOVEMBER
21 - After just 0.07” of rain fell in the first 20 days of the month, 0.59” fell today (and 1.90” more would fall overnight). Before the rain moved in during the late afternoon, the day had a low of 33°, which was the coldest temperature in Central Park since late March.
22 - Rain that began yesterday in the late afternoon continued overnight and amounted to an additional 1.93” before sunrise. More than half of the storm’s total of 2.52” fell in the three hours between 2-5 AM (1.45”). Today’s amount was just 0.10” shy of the record for the date. This was the fourth biggest rainstorm this year.
25 - The low of 30° was the first reading of 32° or colder this season, a few days later than the average date. (But it was the latest date since 2016.) Today's reading was the coldest low temperature since 3/19.
29 - With a high of 38°/27°, this was the coldest day since 2/25. These cold temperatures were fitting for tonight's lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.
DECEMBER
18 - Beginning last night and continuing through lunchtime today, a strong coastal storm lashed the area with wind and rain. In total, 2.47” of rain was measured in Central Park, with 2.21” falling today. The full fury of the storm was felt between midnight and 8 AM when close to two inches poured down and winds gusted to 36 mph. (Many towns in northern NJ, the Hudson Valley, and in Connecticut received three to five inches of rain.)
Today’s rainfall set a record for the date, breaking the previous record from way back in 1876. The day’s high temperature of 62° was reached shortly after daybreak; it was the mildest reading of the month (and one degree shy of the record for the date). With today’s rain, the year’s total reached 57.68” placing it among the 15 wettest years on record (going back to 1869).
22 - Today, with a high/low of 37°/25°, was the coldest day of the month (six degrees colder than average). This was also the last day this month with a low of 32° colder. The average low during the next nine days would be 42°, eleven degrees above average. (December 2023 would be the second mildest December on record.)
28 - For the third time in a little less than three weeks, a rainstorm dropped more than 1.50” of rain on Central Park. The rain began late last night and continued through daybreak (light rain resumed later this evening). In total, 1.54” was measured (1.22” fell today, mostly in the morning). This was the third time that an inch or more of rain fell on 12/28 when it was a Thursday. The other two years were 1967 (1.27”) and 1922 (1.29”).
This storm brought December’s total rainfall to 6.66”, making this the ninth wettest December on record. Additionally, today’s rain brought the year’s total to 59.22”, ranking 2023 as New York's 11th wettest year (just behind 2021, which had 59.73”).
Comments