September 2024 Recap: Seasonable Temperatures, Below Average Rainfall
Through 9/26, September 2024 appeared likely to become the third driest September on record as just 0.36" of rain had fallen in Central Park. Then, from 9/27-29, outer bands of showers from the remnants of Hurricane Helene produced 1.22" of rain. Although the month was still a dry one, the driest since March 2023, it ended up ranking 23rd among all Septembers. (By contrast, last September had 14.25" of rain, making it the second wettest September on record.)
Temperature-wise, the month ended up a wee bit below average (-0.4 degrees). Thru 9/11 temperatures were four degrees cooler than average, but the rest of the month was two degrees above average. This followed a cooler than average August (-1.0 degree). The last time Central Park experienced back-to-back months with below average temperatures was in May and June of last year.
The month's warmest reading was just 84° (on 9/19), which was the coolest reading to have this distinction in September since 2009. The coolest reading was 55° (on 9/8 and 9/9); only three other September have had a milder reading as their coolest temperature: Sept. 1910 (57°); Sept. 1921 (56°), and Sept. 2015 (56°).
In a typical September the difference between the coolest and warmest temperature is 38 degrees (51° and 89°, respectively). This year's gap was just 29 degrees (55° and 84°), making it the smallest gap since another 29-degree difference in September 1908 (51° and 80°).
Although there were no readings in the 90s, 9/1 had a low of 73°, the only day of the month with a low in the 70s. Only eight days had lows in the 50s, and they were all in the 55°-59° range. Additionally, there was an unusual concentration of lows in the 59° to 63° range - 20 of them. A typical September has nine.
Finally, during the three-week period from 9/2 to 9/22, the City enjoyed sixteen days with either clear or sunny skies, including nine days in a row. Then, at the end of the month, there was a 5-day streak with overcast skies. Another streak of note was one of 15 days with no rain, which was Central Park's longest dry streak in three-and-a-half years.
Here are recaps of previous Septembers:
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