Today in New York Weather History: October 17

 

1938 (Monday)

Today's high was a sizzling 90°, the latest date on record for a 90-degree reading - a record that still stands.  This high was 27 degrees above average.

 

 

2014 (Friday)

This was the tenth day in the past five weeks to have a high of 71°.  On the first day with this high, 9/14, the reading was four degrees below average, but when the mercury reached 71° today it was eight degrees above average.

 

 

2016 (Monday)

After nine days in a row with highs in the seasonable 60s, today's high jumped to 81°, the first reading in the 80s since 9/23, and the first reading in the 80s in October in three years. This was also the 100th day this year to have a high of 80° or warmer, just the seventh year to reach this threshold.  It came a year after the record for the most 80-degree days was set - 114.

2021 (Sunday)

Today was the first day since 10/1 to have a below-average mean temperature, as the high/low of 61°/51° was one degree below average.  (The low on 10/1 was also 51°.)

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Autumn Warm Spells - When Summer Keeps Hangin' On

 

 

Although the general public often refers to warm spells in the fall as "Indian Summer," most occur before the first frost arrives (which, compared to the suburbs, comes weeks later to Manhattan/Central Park).  This analysis goes back to 1950 and looks at warm spells that have occurred mostly in October and November (with some beginning in late September).  For my purposes I focused on those that were at least four days in length.

 

LENGTHIEST

Two-thirds of the years since 1950 have had warm spells of four or more days (including the ten of the eleven years between 2010 and 2020).  Seventeen years had two or more, with 1953 experiencing four.  There have been ten warm spells that lasted ten days or more, the most recent being in the autumn of 2006.  The lengthiest was twenty-one days, which has occurred twice, in 1959 and 1984.

 

MOST ABOVE AVERAGE

There have been thirty-nine warm spells in autumn that averaged ten degrees above average or more (based on daily mean temperature).  The five-day heat wave of Sept. 22-26, 1970 was the most above average, +18 degrees, with four of the five days experiencing highs in the 90s. 

 

LENGTHIEST AUTUMN WARM SPELLS
(SINCE 1950)
		# of	Average		Degrees
Year	Dates	Days	High	Low	Above
1959	Sept 21-Oct 11	21	81	65	+11
1984	Oct 11-31	21	70	57	+ 8
1973	Sept 27-Oct 15	19	74	57	+ 6
1995	Oct 2-14	13	76	58	+ 7
1986	Sept 23-Oct 4	12	79	64	+ 8
1979	Nov 18-28	11	65	52	+14
1994	Oct 30-Nov 9	11	69	52	+ 9
1990	Oct 6-15	10	80	65	+13
2006	Nov 8-17	10	63	53	+10
1970	Oct 6-15	10	74	60	+ 9
WARM SPELLS WITH GREATEST DEPARTURE
FROM AVERAGE
		# of	Average		Degrees
Year	Dates	Days	High	Low	Above
1970	Sept 22-26	5	90	72	+18
1950	Oct 29-Nov 2	5	79	58	+17
2020	Nov 6-11	6	73	58	+16
1979	Oct 20-23	4	81	65	+16
1991	Nov 19-23	5	67	54	+16
1954	Oct 10-15	6	82	64	+15
1961	Nov 3-6	4	73	59	+15
1963	Oct 24-27	4	79	57	+15
1979	Nov 18-28	11	65	52	+14
1971	Oct 26-Nov 3	9	72	60	+14
1975	Nov 2-10	9	72	57	+14
2007	Oct 3-9	7	82	66	+14

 

 

 

 

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80-Degree Weather in April and October

 

 

On average, temperatures reach the 80s, or hotter, on 1.4 days in April and 1.1 in October (since 1970).  Interestingly, despite the higher likelihood in April, its average high temperature is a few degrees cooler than October's.  In the years between 1970 and 2019, April has had about 25% more 80/90-degree days than October (72 vs. 57 days).  However, this disparity didn't start until 2000.  Between 1970 and 1999 the two months were relatively close (35 days in the 80s in April vs. 31 in October), but since 2000 April has had 37 such days while October has lagged behind with 26.

 

The greatest number of 80-degree days to occur in April is five, which happened twice, in 1985 and 2002.  October 1990 had six 80-degree days and five in 1995 and 2007. The most years in a row without an 80-degree temperature being reported in April is three; the same holds true with October.  However, while the most consecutive years with 80-degree readings (or warmer) in October is four (2016-2019), April, has had a streak of thirteen years (2001-2013).

 

 

Since 1970 thirteen of April's days above 80 degrees have been in the 90s, but just one such day has occurred in October (it was in 2019 and was the first high of 90+ in October since 1941). 

 

 

Finally, there have been ten 80-degree days before April 1, but just one after November 1.  (March and November totals aren't included in this analysis.)

 

 

 

 

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New York Weather History: October (1869 - 2024)

 

 

 

Oct 1

Oct 2

Oct 3

Oct 4

Oct 5

Oct 6

Oct 7

Oct 8

Oct 9

Oct 10

Oct 11

Oct 12

Oct 13

Oct 14

Oct 15

Oct 16

Oct 17

Oct 18

Oct 19

Oct 20

Oct 21

Oct 22

Oct 23

Oct 24

Oct 25

Oct 26

Oct 27

Oct 28

Oct 29

Oct 30

Oct 31

 

 

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Today in New York Weather History: Halloween (October 31)

 

 

1933 (Tuesday)

Today's high of 76° was the warmest reading since 10/1 and occurred less than a week after two days had morning lows of 32°. 

 

1946 (Thursday)

Today's weather was an absolute treat as the temperature soared to a record 81°.  This followed yesterday's record high of 82°.

 

1947 (Friday)

Today's chilly high of 47° was the first day this month with a high below 60°.  Ironically, 10/1 had the month's first, and only, low in the 30s (today's low was 44°).  In between, the days were mild enough to make this the mildest October on record.

 

1956 (Wednesday)

2.41" of rain fell, making this the rainiest Halloween on record (3.30" rain was measured at LaGuardia Airport).  And although the bulk of the rain occurred between 11 AM and 4 PM, when 1.74" was measured, rain was still falling in the evening hours (0.33" was measured between 7-11 PM).  Until today, October had received just 1.20" of rain.

 

1972 (Tuesday)

Partly cloudy and chilly, with a high/low of 48°/35°, eleven degrees below average.  When the kiddies were out at 7 PM, ringing doorbells and collecting their treats, the temperature was a brisk 42°.  This was an appropriate end to the most below average October (-4.8 degrees) since 1925.

 

1974 (Thursday)

A very chilly October (4.6 degrees below average) ended on a mild note, with a high/low of 70°/60° (11 degrees above average).  This was the only day with a low temperature of 60° or milder.  At peak trick-or-treat time (7 PM) the temperature was still a pleasant 66°.

 

 

1975 (Friday)

Sunny and cold, with a high/low of 50°/31°, eleven degrees below average.  When trick-or-treaters were out and about the temperature was a nippy 43°.  The morning low was the first temperature of 32° or colder this fall, a few weeks earlier than usual.

 

1984 (Wednesday)

Temperatures during the past two weeks were 10 degrees above average.  Half of the days had highs in the 70s, including today which topped out at 72° (average high is around 60°).

 

1988 (Monday)

This morning's low of 31° was the earliest sub-freezing reading since 1976.  And it matched the 31° low of Halloween 1975.

 

1989 (Tuesday)

It was a rainy Halloween.  Over a 12-hour period (11 AM-11 PM), 0.89" fell.  On the positive side, it was the sixth day in a row with temperatures ten degrees or more above average (high/low of 66°/60°).  Today's rain was the first to fall on this date since 1976.

 

1991 (Thursday)

An intense nor'easter (made famous by Sebastian Junger's book The Perfect Storm) brought gusty winds of 30-40 mph, but stayed far enough offshore that NYC received just a a trace of rain.  

 

 

 

1993 (Sunday)

Rain that began yesterday morning continued thru 11:00 tonight.  During this day-and-a-half of inclement weather, 1.68" of rain fell, 0.71" of which fell today.  For the entire event, the rain came down hardest during the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade as 0.25" fell between 8-9 PM.

 

1994 (Monday)

Today's high of 73° made this the warmest Halloween since 1961 (when the high reached 76°).

 

2007 (Wednesday)

This October tied October 1947 as the mildest on record, a whopping seven degrees above average.  And today was one of the twenty-five days this month with above-average temps (high/low of 64°/49°, five degrees above average).

 

2009 (Saturday)

It was a very mild day (high of 71°), but light rain began falling just as the Greenwich Village Halloween parade was getting underway.  Although just 0.17" fell over five hours, this was the first rain to fall on Halloween night in 14 years.    

 

2012 (Wednesday)

In 2011 many of New York's suburbs postponed or cancelled trick-or-treating because of power outages caused by the unprecedented snowstorm two days earlier.  This year, most Halloween festivities were once again cancelled, this time due to power outages caused by superstorm Sandy which struck two days earlier.  And for the first time in its 39-year history Greenwich Village's Halloween parade was cancelled.  The day itself was chilly and mostly overcast with a high of just 50°. 

 

 

2013 (Thursday)

The 0.06" of rain that fell from showers during lunchtime and after 11 PM was just enough to keep this month from becoming one of the ten driest on record.  With only 0.36", October 2013 ranked twelfth and was the driest month since August 1995 (when 0.18" was measured).

 

2017 (Tuesday)

As the warmest October on record came to a close, today had the chilliest high temperature of the month.  But at 57° it was only two degrees chillier than average.  And it was a beautiful day under clear skies. 

 

2019 (Friday)

It was a very mild day, with the warmest readings occurring after dark.  The high of 71° didn't occur until close to midnight.  This was the mildest reading since 10/14 and the mildest reading on Halloween in ten years (another high of 71°).  Besides being so mild (the low was 60°) it was also uncomfortably humid, with the dew point in the mid-60s, and humidity in the 85-90% range.  Luckily for trick-or-treaters, showers that produced 0.54" of rain were over by noon.  (Also, a strong cold front that triggered some violent storms didn't reach the City until after midnight.) 

 

2020 (Saturday)

This morning's low was a frosty 32°, the first reading of freezing or colder in October since 1988 (which also occurred on Halloween).  This was three weeks earlier than the average date of the first low of 32° or below.  And it was the coldest reading this year since March 1 (when the low was 25°). 

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Today in New York Weather History: October 30

 

1925 (Friday)

At the time, today's high of 38° was the earliest date for a maximum daily temperature in the 30s (later topped by Oct. 26, 1962).  And 0.8" of snow fell (an amount that wouldn't be topped until 1/9, when 2.3" fell).  The next day's low of 29° was also a record, and the third day in a row with a low colder than 32°.  And tomorrow would be the fourth day in a row with a low of 32° or colder (but it wasn't a record).

 

 

 

1989 (Monday)

For the sixth day in a row the area basked in temperatures in the 70s.  This stretch of days, which included four with highs of 76°+, averaged 15 degrees above average.

 

 

1992 (Friday)

The 0.01" of rain that fell between 11 PM and midnight was the first measurable rain to fall on this date since 1976.  (It should be noted that the National Weather Service uses Standard Local Time year-round for its records, but this rainfall actually fell between midnight and 1AM  on 10/31 based on Daylight Saving Time, which was still in effect on this date.)

 

1994 (Sunday)

Today's high of 75°, fifteen degrees above average, was the warmest reading of the month, and the mildest reading in five weeks.

 

2021 (Saturday)

After a coastal storm brought 0.41” of rain last night, an additional 0.53” fell this morning (most of it before sunrise).  Today’s rain (an additional 0.04" fell tonight) brought total rainfall since 10/25 to 4.67”, making this the rainiest last week of October on record.  This more than made up for the 0.15” of rain that was measured in the first half of the month (the driest first half of October since 2000).

 

 

 

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Today in New York Weather History: October 29

 

1929 (Tuesday)

Wall Street's "Black Tuesday", which presaged the Great Depression, was partly cloudy and chilly with a high/low of 49°/37°, about ten degrees below average.

 

 

1971 (Friday)

One day after a high of 77°, today's reached 78°, a record for the date (and 19 degrees above average).  This was the City's mildest reading since Sept. 16. 

1973 (Monday)

A heavy, all-day rain amounted to 3.67", a record for the date.  Up until today just 0.03" had fallen in October (and it fell twenty-seven days earlier).

1989 (Sunday)

Today and the past three days had unseasonably warm high temperatures that were very similar: 77°-76°-77°-76° (today).

2000 (Sunday)

Although it was just 0.01", the rain that fell today was the first on this date since 1984 (when just 0.02" fell).

2003 (Wednesday)

Until yesterday it had been a dry month, with just 1.26" of rainfall measured.  Then 3.62" fell in the past three days, including 1.63" that fell today.

2011 (Saturday)

An intense nor'easter lashed the area with high winds and outrageously early snowfall.  The 2.9" of heavy, wet snow that was measured in Central Park was the most to ever fall in October (5.2" fell in Newark, and over a foot buried northern NJ, parts of the Hudson valley, Connecticut, western Massachusetts and New Hampshire).  Since the temperature never fell to freezing, there was mostly just slushy accumulation on City streets.  However, the day's low of 33°, which occurred in the early afternoon, was the coldest reading in October since 1988.  Total liquid precipitation from the storm was two inches.  Remarkably, the next measurable snow wouldn't be for another twelve weeks (when 4.3" fell on Jan. 21, 2012).

 

 

2012 (Monday)

Unbelievably, an even more devastating storm than last year's nor'easter - hurricane/nor'easter Sandy - struck between noon and midnight.  And it more than lived up to its hype.  Although rain wasn't the issue (less than an inch fell), its 60-80 mph wind gusts and record storm surge wreaked havoc on New York's transportation system and power grid.  Not only did the storm surge strike at high tide, but also during a full moon, resulting in flooding never before experienced in Manhattan.  

 

 

2017 (Sunday)

On the five-year anniversary of superstorm Sandy, an intense nor'easter lashed the area with gusty winds and an all-day rain that amounted to 3.03".  This was more rain than fell in the past 60 days, and the biggest rainstorm of the year, passing the rainstorm of 5/2 by 0.01".   

2020 (Thursday)

The remnants of hurricane Zeta (which struck the Gulf Coast last night) combined with the energy from a winter storm that struck the southern Rockies and Plains earlier in the week, resulting in rainy and raw conditions in the Mid-Atlantic states.  Rain began here around 7 AM and continued until mid-day on the 30th.  1.53" fell today, 0.64" the next morning.  The rain fell heaviest from 10 AM until 3 PM today, with nearly an inch measured.  After the rain became lighter gusty winds of 25-30 mph moved in. 

2021 (Friday)

This was the third day this month with a low of 47°, which was the chilliest reading of the month - and the mildest reading on record for this designation in October (the previous record, 45°, was in 1946 and 1971).   October's coldest reading is typically in the upper 30s.  And today's high of 56° was the chilliest high temperature this month, just two degrees shy of the mildest chilliest high for October (in 1971).

2023 (Sunday)

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. 

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Today in New York Weather History: October 28

 

1919 (Tuesday)

Today's high of 83° was a record, and 24 degrees warmer than average.  However, a strong cold front moved through later in the day, dropping the temperature to 48° shortly before midnight (which was the average low for the date).

 

1947 (Tuesday)

Today was the tenth day since 10/14 with a high of 77° or warmer.  (Highs during the second half of October are typically in the 60°-64° range.)  Not only was it unseasonably warm, but dry as well as just 0.01" of rain fell during this fifteen-day period.  (And just 0.11" fell between 9/27 and today.)  Not surprisingly, this would become the mildest October on record (later tied in 2007) - which, ironically, began with a record low.   

 

1963 (Monday)

Today's 0.10" rainfall (during the morning and afternoon) made this the rainiest day of the month, a month that would be the second driest on record (behind June 1949, which had 0.02").  Only one other day this month had rain, which was more than three weeks ago, when 0.04" fell on Oct. 3.  

 

1973 (Sunday)

Today was the 26th day in a row with no measurable precipitation, the longest dry spell since before 1960 - and it wouldn't be topped until June 1999.  Furthermore, from Sept. 15 thru today, a total 44 days, just 0.91" of rain fell.  Not only was this the longest streak with less than an inch of rainfall since a 45-day streak in Jan./Feb. 1968, it exceeded by two days a streak of 42 days that ended on Sept. 13 of this year.  

 

1976 (Thursday)

For the second morning in a row the low was 29°.  Today's low was a record.  This was also the end of a 12-day period in which temperatures averaged 10 degrees or more below average.  This streak was instrumental in making October 1976 the coldest since October 1925. 

 

1984 (Sunday)

On the day of the NYC Marathon, the City basked in a balmy 79°, the warmest reading of the month.  (In a case of flip-flop, the month's chilliest reading occurred at the beginning of the month.)  Later tonight heavy rain fell between 11 PM and 1AM, with 0.28" of rain fell during a five-minute downpour (11:45-11:50 PM) and 0.88" overall.

 

 

 

1986 (Tuesday)

It was a gloriously sunny and and mild day (high of 68°), perfect for the ticker tape parade in lower Manhattan celebrating the Mets World Series championship over the Red Sox.  The sunny skies were particularly welcome after being preceded by three damp and gloomy days.

 

 

1989 (Saturday)

Today's high of 77° tied 10/26 as the warmest temperature of the month.  This was also the sixth day in a row with highs in the 70s.

 

1995 (Saturday)

1.21" of rain fell in the morning, the fourth rainfall this month that exceeded one inch.  Each storm occurred about a week apart and produced a total of 7.13".  0.86" of today's rain poured down between 5-6 AM.

 

2006 (Saturday)

A nor'easter that moved in last night dumped 2.54" by the time it exited around 2:00 this afternoon.  Shortly before the last raindrops fell a final rain band dumped 0.33" in the five-minute period between 1:32-1:37 PM.

 

 

2008 (Tuesday)

Two inches of rain fell, with the greatest amount (0.87") falling between 10 AM-noon.  Besides the rain, it was also unseasonably chilly, with a high of only 47° and a low of 39°. 

 

2009 (Wednesday)

1.29" of rain fell thru mid-afternoon, making this the third year of the past four to receive more than an inch of rain on this date.

 

2012 (Sunday)

The entire Mid-Atlantic region was feverishly preparing for the worst as hurricane Sandy approached.  For the second time in 14 months New York City's entire transit system was shut down (the first time was for hurricane Irene).  To add insult to injury, today was the sixth day in a row with overcast skies.        

 

 

2015 (Wednesday)

Showers and downpours that fell throughout the day amounted to 1.40".  Today's rain accompanied a warm front that pushed temperatures into the upper 60s by nightfall (the day's high was 69°, shortly before midnight).  More than an inch of rain also fell in the three previous years that had rain on this date (in 2009, 2008 and 2006). 

2023 (Saturday)

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°.   (After today, the warmest reading for the rest of the year would be 67°.)

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Today in New York Weather History: October 27

 

1908 (Tuesday)

For the fourth day in a row lows were in the mid-to-upper 60s, about twenty degrees above average, and warmer than the typical high during this time of year (61°).  Two of the days had record-high lows which are still standing (69° on the 25th, 66° on the 27th).

 

1936 (Tuesday)

The morning low of 28° was the coldest temperature ever recorded in October in Central Park (a record that still stands).  And for ten consecutive hours the temperature was 32° or colder (from midnight thru 10 AM).  Under clear skies the afternoon high struggled to get to 43°, resulting in a daily mean temperature that was 16 degrees below average.

 

      

 

1963 (Sunday)

Today's high was a record 82° and followed three days that had highs in the upper 70s.  The average high during these four days was 18 degrees above average.  Today was the seventh day this month with a high in the 80s, and the sixteenth day with a high of 75° or warmer.

 

1977 (Thursday)

Today's high of 70° was the mildest reading this month (it also occurred on 10/1 and 10/22), making it the coolest maximum temperature in October of any of the years since 1900 (thru 2023).

 

1978 (Friday)

The 0.19" of rain that fell, mostly between 1-2 AM, was the first rain to fall on this date since 1959 (when 0.19" also fell).

 

1987 (Tuesday)

1.82" of rain fell tonight between 7 PM and 2 AM.  As the rain wound down, one last heavy band delivered 0.63" between 11 PM-midnight (it actually took place between midnight-1AM but the National Weather Service doesn't recognize Daylight Saving Time in its record keeping).  It was a record rainfall for the date, later broken in 2003 when 1.88" fell.

 

 

 

1991 (Sunday)

Although skies were mostly cloudy the high reached 75°, fifteen degrees above average.  This was the sixth day in a row with a high in the 70s.

 

1997 (Monday)

The 0.36" of rain that fell during the morning was the last rainfall this month and brought October's total to 2.10" - the same amount that was measured in September.  This was the fifth time for this type of phenomenon, joining May/June 1917; Nov/Dec 1945; Dec. 1980/Jan. 1981; and June/July 1985.  (And there have been nine instances of back-to-back months being 0.01" apart.)

 

2010 (Wednesday)

After a very mild low of 65° (nineteen degrees above average), the afternoon temperature hit a balmy 75°, making this the warmest day of the month.  Showers fell in the pre-dawn hours and in the middle of the afternoon, amounting to 0.19" - the fifth year in a row that rain fell on this date.

 

2019 (Sunday)

For the third time in the past four years more than an inch of rain fell on this date.  This year it amounted to 1.38"; in 2018 1.27" was measured, and in 2016 1.41" fell.  Most of today's rain fell between 10 AM and 1 PM.

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Today in New York Weather History: October 26

 

1872 (Saturday)

The center of circulation from a dissipating hurricane got very close to New York as it moved northeastward, dropping 1.56" of rain.

 

1943 (Tuesday)

A nor'easter dumped 3.40" of rain, the biggest rain producer of the year and a record for the date (which still stands).  Rain fell throughout the day, but it came down heaviest after 5 PM, with two periods of torrential rain between 5-6 PM, when 0.72" fell, and between 11 PM-midnight, when 1.05" was measured (in reality, this rain fell from midnight-1 AM on the 27th, but since the the National Weather Service uses Standard Time all year round it was credited to 10/26 rather than 10/27).  There was a peak wind gust of 41 mph.

 

 

 

1962 (Friday)

Periods of cold rain accompanied winter-like temperatures as the high/low was just 39°/34°.  This high was 21 degrees below average - and it was the earliest date on record for a high in the 30s.  In addition to rain in the morning and afternoon showers (amounting to 0.32"), a trace of snow was also reported.

 

1964 (Monday)

Today's high of 78° tied the record set just one year ago, and came two days after a low of 33°.  Skies were clear.

 

1979 (Friday)

After a scorching high of 88° on Oct. 22 (27 degrees above average), afternoon highs took a steady tumble over the next four days: 88°-78°-67°-57°-50° (today).

 

1980 (Sunday)

Conditions for this year's NYC Marathon couldn't have been more different from last year, when temperature rose to 80° and skies were sunny.  This year runners had to contend with temperatures in the 40s throughout the day and winds gusting between 25-40 mph.

 

1986 (Sunday)

A steady light rain during the daylight hours (amounting to 0.64") forced postponement of Game 7 of the World Series at Shea Stadium.  This followed the incredible comeback by the Mets last night in Game 6 when a ground ball went through the legs of Red Sox 1st baseman Bill Buckner in extra innings, giving the Mets an improbable win.

 

 

 

1991 (Saturday)

High temperatures over the past five days were well above average, and very similar: 72°-72°-71°-70°-71° (today).

 

1997 (Sunday)

It was a chilly day (high/low of 50°/38°, ten degrees below average), with rain moving in after 5 PM.  The 0.36" that fell thru midnight was the first rain on this date in 11 years. 

 

2011 (Wednesday)

After the three previous days had morning lows of 50°, the streak was broken today - with a low of 51°.

 

2019 (Saturday)

Although it was just 0.01", this was the first measurable rain to fall on this date since 2007.  (Earlier this month a 17-year rain-free streak on 10/6 ended with another rainfall of 0.01".)

 

2021 (Tuesday)

After moving in late last night, a nor’easter dumped 3.30" of rain today, with 2.51” falling this morning and 0.79” after dark (and it continued falling overnight).  This rain brought an end to what had been a dry October, with less than an inch of rain through yesterday.  Today’s rainfall came very close to the record for the date, 3.40” in 1943 (also produced by a nor’easter).  The storm’s total rainfall of 3.69” made it the third biggest rainstorm of the year, behind Henri's 8.19" in August, and Ida's 7.23" at the beginning of September.

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