Daily Archives: May 1, 2014

NYC Monthly Summary: April 2014

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April 2014 felt like a weather roller-coaster in New York City. We had highs that ranged from a chilly 47°F to a balmy 77°F.  All together, though, these extremes balanced each other out and produced an average monthly temperature of 52.3°F.  That is only 0.7°F below normal.

In terms of precipitation, April’s famous showers were intense this year. The city received a remarkable 7.85 inches of rain in Central Park. Of this impressive total, 4.97 inches fell in a single day – April 30th. According to the NWS, that is the 10th highest daily rainfall total on record for NYC. The Big Apple normally gets 4.50 inches for the entire month.

The city also received a trace amount of snow this April. While this is normally nothing to get excited about, it is worth mentioning as it came on the heels of our warmest day of the year so far. What a month of extremes!

Graph Credit: The Weather Gamut

Graph Credit: The Weather Gamut

A Day of Drenching Rain in NYC

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April is famous for its showers, but yesterday’s precipitation was extreme. Torrential downpours brought New York City more than a month’s worth of rain in a single day.

According to the NWS, 4.97 inches of rain was measured in Central Park. Not only is that a new daily record for the date, it was the 10th rainiest day ever recorded in NYC. On average, we normally get 4.50 inches of rain for the entire month of April.

Up until yesterday, the city’s rainfall total was running below average for the month. So, while the rain was beneficial for the area, the rate at which it came down and its extended duration caused a number of localized flooding problems.

Scientists say the frequency of extreme rain events like this one will increase as global temperatures rise and our climate changes.