A blizzard warning is currently in effect for New York City. The storm is expected to be our biggest snowmaker of the season to date. It could also possibly be one for the record books.
Here is a look at the top ten snowstorms in New York City history.
All measurements are from Central Park in NYC. Source: NWS.
The summer of 2014, overall, was fairly mild in New York City. We only had 8 days reach 90°F or higher. On average, the city typically gets 15. That said, this was just one season. Looking at long-term trends, the number of 90°F days in the Big Apple has actually been increasing.
The graph below shows the number of 90-degree days recorded in Central Park by the National Weather Service every year from 1870 to 2013. While there has been variability over the years, the trend is clearly on the rise.
To date, the most 90°F days that NYC has ever had in one year was 39. That happened in both 1991 and 1993. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 1902 only had one day hit the 90° mark. Last summer, we made it to 90°F or higher 17 times.
The number of 90-degree days recorded in Central Park by the NWS every year from 1870 to 2013. Graph Credit: The Weather Gamut
On this date in 1936, the temperature in New York City soared to 106°F. It was the hottest day ever recorded in the Big Apple.
This triple digit heat was part of an extreme heat wave that impacted most of the mid-west and northeastern United States. It was an extension of the massive heat dome that built up over the Great Plains a few weeks earlier. Nationwide, this extreme heat caused approximately 5000 deaths, nearly 100 of which were in NYC.
During the 1930’s – the height of the Great Depression – air conditioning was not very common. Many New Yorkers sought relief at city beaches and parks. At night, some even slept outdoors.
More recently, it is interesting to note that between 2000 and 2009, NYC only had one 100°F day. In the last four years, however, we have had five days hit the century mark.
New Yorkers crowd the beach at Coney Island during the heat wave of 1936. Image Credit: NY Daily News
As the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson is regarded as one of this country’s Founding Fathers. He was also an astute and systematic weather observer.
For over 40 years, Jefferson kept a meticulous weather journal. He recorded daily temperature data wherever he was – at home in Virginia or while traveling. In an effort to better understand the bigger picture of climate in America, he established a small network of fellow observers around Virginia as well as contacts in a few other states. According to records at Monticello, he hoped to establish a national network for weather observations. While this plan did not come to fruition during his lifetime, today’s National Weather Service considers him the “father of weather observers.”
On July 4, 1776, Jefferson was in Philadelphia, PA for the signing of the Declaration of Independence and noted that the high temperature for that now famous day was 76°F.
Happy 4th of July!
Everyday is Earth Day, as the saying goes. Today, however, marks the official celebration.
The first Earth Day – spearheaded by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin – was held on April 22, 1970. An estimated 20 million people attended rallies across the country to protest against rampant industrial pollution and the deterioration of the nation’s natural environment. Raising public awareness and shifting the political tide, these events helped put environmental issues on the national agenda. They lead to the creation of the EPA and the passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
Today, forty-four years after the original, Earth Day is an international holiday observed in 192 countries across the globe. Some communities have even expanded the celebration into Earth Week. These continuing efforts to raise environmental awareness are more important than ever as we face the challenges of Climate Change.
To learn more about Earth Day events near you and actions you can take to help the environment, visit: http://www.earthday.org
Image Credit: NASA
No one can deny this has been a brutal winter in New York City. With persistent cold conditions over the past few months, some people may be questioning the validity of global warming. It is important to remember, however, that it was just one season. To see the big picture of climate change, we need to look at long-term trends.
The graph below shows the actual annual temperatures recorded in Central Park by the National Weather Service from 1869 through 2013. While there has been variability and some extremes – both hot and cold – over the years, the overall trend is clearly warming.
To date, NYC’s coldest year was 1888 with an annual average temperature of 49.3°F. The city’s warmest year was 2012 with an average temperature of 57.3°F. Our normal annual temperature, based on the current 30-year average, is 54.8°F.
Data Source: NOAA
A longstanding tradition in New York City, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade has marched in all types of weather. This year, with temperatures in the mid-30s, parade goers had to wear a few extra layers of green.
While today was unseasonably chilly, it was not the coldest St. Patrick’s Day the city has experienced. That dubious honor, according to the NWS, is shared by both 1916 and 1967 when the high was only 26°F. The warmest was in 1945 when the temperature soared to a balmy 75°F.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Image Credit: Stutz
Today is National Weatherperson’s Day in the United States. Observed annually, it is a day to recognize the work of all individuals involved in the field of meteorology – not just famous prognosticating groundhogs.
According to the NWS, February 5, 1744 was the birthday of Dr. John Jeffries – one of America’s first weather observers. As a Boston based physician with a deep interest in weather, he kept daily records from 1774 to 1816. He also took the first known weather observation from a hot air balloon in 1784.
Recognizing the significant contributions Dr. Jeffries made to the science of weather, this day was chosen in his honor.
The New York City section of the Hudson River almost never freezes completely. But, with high temperatures only in the teens the past few days, the river is currently churning with ice.
Near the city, the Hudson is an estuary. Fresh water flows down from the north and salt water moves in from the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Since salt water has a lower freezing point than fresh water, it is usually only the fresh water, floating on top of the denser salt water, which freezes. This process forms ice floes – sheets of floating ice that oscillate with the tide.
The last time the Hudson River froze completely, according to historical records, was January 25, 1821. The temperature in the city that day was a frigid -14°F.
Looking west, toward NJ, a NY Waterway Ferry navigates the Icy Hudson River. Image sent in by David M, a Weather Gamut reader.
Detail of ice floes on Hudson River, January 23, 2014. Image Credit: The Weather Gamut.
October is not a month known for snow in New York City. That said, it is not unheard of.
On this date back in 1979, snowflakes filled the air in the Big Apple. Nothing accumulated, but it marked the earliest trace of snow on record for NYC. According to the NWS, measurable snow, defined as 0.1 inches or more, has been recorded four times during the month of October. The earliest occurred on October 15, 1876 when 0.5 inches was noted in Central Park. The record for accumulation is 2.9 inches, which came down during the snowstorm of October 29, 2011.
While there is no snow currently in the forecast, the first nor’easter of the season is working its way up the coast. It is expected to bring the city rain, wind, and overall grey conditions during the next few days.