Today in New York Weather History: January 24

 

1970 (Saturday)

The day's low was 15°, the eleventh day since Jan. 8 with a low of 15° or colder.  The mean temperature during the Jan. 8-24 period was 11 degrees below average (high/low of 28°/14°).

 

 

1979 (Wednesday)

Most of today's 2.18" of rain fell during the afternoon, the second record-setting rainfall in the past three days.  With today's rain, this became the wettest January on record, passing last January's total of 8.27".  January 1979 would end up with 10.52".

 

 

 

1999 (Sunday)

This was the eighth day in a row with temperatures 10 degrees or more above average.  The high/low during these days was 51°/38°, fourteen degrees above average.  Today's high was 60°, with 1.04" of rain falling during the daytime hours.

 

2005 (Monday)

This was the third year in a row to have a low in the single digits on this date, the third time a streak like this has occurred.  Today's low was 8°,  last year's was 9°, and in 2003 it was 7°.  The other two streaks occurred from 1920 to 1922 on Jan. 25, and on Feb. 5 from 1893 to 1895.

 

 

2011 (Monday)

A high/low of 24°/6° made this the coldest day of the winter.

 

2015 (Saturday)

A fast-moving system dropped 3.6" of heavy, wet snow overnight that was over by 7 AM.  This amount was on the low end as most New Jersey and Westchester County suburbs received between five and seven inches. 

 

2019 (Thursday)

Rain started around daybreak and continued thru mid-afternoon, amounting to 1.33" (the rain fell heaviest during lunchtime).  This was the sixth rainstorm to drop more than an inch of rain in the past six weeks.  During this period more than nine inches of rain fell. 

In addition to the rain, today experienced very mild temperatures as the high rose to 59° late in the morning (but fell to the mid-30s by midnight).  This came just three days after a low of 4°.  Today was also the first day in two weeks not to have a low of 32° or colder.

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2024 Ranks As New York's 2nd Warmest Year on Record

 

 

Although three of the last five months of 2024 had temperatures slightly below average, the first seven months of the year were so above average that 2024 ended up being New York City's second warmest year on record; the warmest year, 2023, held on to its #1 position by the skin of its teeth.  (However, for average high, 2024 ranked third, 2023 fourth.)

 

 

The biggest story of 2024, however, was drought.  During the fall, Central Park suffered through its second longest streak, with 29 days of no measurable precipitation (behind a 36-day streak in 1924).  And October, with just 0.01" of rain, became the driest month on record (passing July 1949, which had 0.02").  Furthermore, the 52-day period from Sept. 30 until Nov. 20 had just 0.19" of rain (a period when seven inches is the norm).

 

Despite these drought conditions (a drought warning was issued for the region on 11/20), and three other months with less than 2.06" of precipitation, the year was just three inches below average (46.37").  Since 2000, ten years have had less precipitation than 2024.

 

WARM-TEMPERATURE HIGHLIGHTS:

>    2024 had the 4th warmest winter (includes Dec. 2023); 4th warmest spring; 12th warmest summer; and the 7th warmest fall.

>    A 22-day streak with above average temperatures from Jan. 23 to Feb. 13 was the longest such streak since January 2023.

>    A 38-day streak with highs of 80+ (including every day in July) was the sixth longest on record

>    A high of 80° on 11/6 was the third latest date for a reading in the 80s.  (And the high of 81° on Halloween tied the record high from 1946.)

>    Through Aug. 6, 20 days had highs in the 90s; they were concentrated in a 7-week period that began 6/20.  (After that, there was just one more 90-degree reading, on 8/28.) Looking at meteorological summer, 2024 ranked 16th for number of days of 90+. 

>     The hottest reading of the year was 95°, which happened on 7/8 and 8/1; but 7/8 had the hottest mean temperature as its low was one degree warmer than 8/1's.

>    The summer had four heat waves, three that were four days long, and one of three days.

 

The nine months that were warmer than average all rank among the 25 mildest of their respective months. Six of them were three or more degrees above average.

• January: 25th mildest (3.3 degrees above average)
• February: 10th mildest (+4.2)
• March: 8th mildest (+5.1)
• April: 11th mildest (+1.9)
• May: 24th mildest (+1.8)
• June: 4th hottest (+3.1)
• July: 11th hottest (+2.1)
• October: 12th mildest (+3.1)
  
• November: 17th mildest (+3.4)

 

And here are the three months that were cooler than average:

• August (1.0 degree below average)
• September (-0.4)
• December (-0.9)

 

AND FURTHERMORE ...

There was a record number of days with low humidity (25% or lower at some point in the day).  With 43, this was one more than 2023.

The year's coldest day was in December as the high/low was 21°/13° on 12/22. (The previous coldest reading was 24°/17° on 1/17.)

June's coolest reading was 59°, which is the mildest reading to have this distinction in June.  Then August had its first reading in the 50s since 2013; at 57°. it was the coolest August reading since 2007.

Looking at calendar years, only eight had less snow than 2024 (10.3").  This followed 2023, which had the least amount of snow (2.3").  2024's biggest snowfall was 3.2" on 2/13.

 

 

February not only had its mildest coldest high on record for that month (36°), it also had the mildest coldest low (23°).  And March would have the mildest coldest high on record for March (43°).

December's 17 days with measurable precipitation was the most for a month since July 2021.  And seven of these days were consecutive, which was the longest streak since May 2019.

Finally, 2024 ended with the first white Christmas since 2009; then, during the night of New Year's Eve, a thunderstorm with vivid lightning, swept through the City.

 

Here are recaps of the years since 2015:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 

 

 

 

Recap of December 2024: Biting Cold Prevails In a Battle Between Cold Snaps & Mild Spells

 

 

December 2024 started out cold and dry and ended mild and wet.  Overall, the month was 0.9 degrees colder than average, it received an average amount of precipitation, and snowfall was below average. The month's coldest reading was 13° - which was also the coldest reading of the entire year.  Its mildest reading was 60°. 

 

On average, December is close to six degrees milder than January, but this year it appeared it might be the colder of the two months. However, this possibility went out the window when the last four days of the month had temperatures 16 degrees milder than average.  As a result, Dec. 2024 ended up being 1.2 degrees milder than January (38.2° v 37.0°).

 

The month experienced three cold periods and three mild ones.  The cold periods covered 17 days and were eight degrees below average, while the mild periods covered 11 days and were eleven degrees above average.  

 

 

The month had an equitable distribution of days that were either 10 or more degrees below average or 10+ above average, with there being seven of each.  (It's unusual for a month to have so many days that are well below and well above  average.)

 

   

This was the fifth December in a row that ended with temperatures that were well above average:

 

Dec. 28-31, 2024 - 16 degrees above average

Dec. 24-31, 2023 - 11 degrees above average

Dec. 29-31, 2022 - 15 degrees above average

Dec. 28-31, 2021 - 10 degrees above average

Dec. 28-31, 2020 - 6 degrees above average

 

Although December's 4.53" of precipitation was an average amount, there were 17 days with measurable precipitation, which was the most in any month since July 2021 (which had 18).  Among these 17 days were seven in a row (12/15-12/21), making this the longest streak since one of eight days in May 2019.  The month's precipitation was concentrated among a handful of days, with a little more than half falling on three days: 0.85" on 12/11; 0.91" on 12/16; and 0.56" on 12/28.

 

Although December's precipitation was an average amount, it was nearly as much as what fell in the three preceding months (4.94" in Sept-Oct-Nov, versus 4.53" in December).

 

There were two days with measurable snowfall, totaling 2.8": 1.8" on 12/21, 1.0" on 12/24.  (The average amount in December is 4.9".)  Despite it being a below average amount, this was the snowiest December since 2020 (when 10.5" fell from one storm).  Because the two snowfalls were just a few days apart, enough snow remained on the ground to provide Central Park with its first "white Christmas" since 2009.

 

As mentioned earlier, the month’s coldest temperature was 13° (on consecutive days), which was also the coldest reading of the entire year (besting a reading of 17° in January) .  The two days with lows of 13° also had sub-freezing high readings.  One of them, 12/22, had a high/low of 21°/13°, making it the coldest day of the year (and with winds gusting between 35-45 mph, wind chills were in the single digits).  Lastly, the month's mildest reading, 60°, also occurred on two days (but not consecutive). 

 

Here are links to past December recaps:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

November 2024 Weather Recap: Warm Start, Rainy Finish

 

November 2024 was 3.4 degrees above average (the sixth month this year that was three degrees or more warmer than average).  The month started off well above average, as the first eight days were nine degrees warmer than the typical first week of November (high/low of 68°/52°).  Then the middle twelve days of the month were three above average, and the last ten days were at seasonable levels.  The average high was 4.2 degrees above average, the average low was +2.6. 

 

The last day of the month, with an unseasonably cold high/low of 39°/30° (nine degrees below average), prevented the month from placing among the ten mildest Novembers, ending up as twelfth mildest (just a smidge behind Nov. 1902).

 

On 11/6 the high reached 80°, the first time since 1993 that a day in November reached the 80s. (And the high on 11/1 was 79°.)  Besides these two Novembers, highs in the 80s have also occurred in Nov. 1974 and Nov. 1950 (which had two days that warm).

 

Just 0.18” of rain fell in the first 20 days of the month (last November saw even less rain in the first 20 days - 0.07").  Then 3.17” fell between 11/21 and 11/28, including 1.58” that fell on the 21st, which was a record amount for the date.  And on the 28th, which was Thanksgiving Day, 0.86" was measured in Central Park, making this the rainiest Turkey Day since 2006. 

 

November's total precipitation of 3.35" was slightly below average, but more than double the combined amount of September (1.58") and October (0.01").

 

When significant rain fell on 11/21, it ended a 52-day period in which just 0.19” of rain was measured in Central Park.  Because of this extended dry spell a drought warning was issued a few days before 11/21's rainfall.  

 

There were seven days with humidity of 25% or lower, the most of any November in the years since 2000.  (October also had seven low-humidity days.)  These readings were concentrated among the first seventeen days of the month.   

 

Here are recaps of past Novembers:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

Today in New York Weather History: November 7

 

1938 (Monday)

This was the third day in a row with very mild temperatures, with highs/lows of 74°/63°, 70°/64°, and 78°/63°.  Today's high of 78° was a record (which still stands).

 

1963 (Thursday)

Beginning late on Nov. 5 and continuing through early afternoon today, a nor'easter dumped 4.30" of rain, with nearly three inches falling today (a record for the date, which still stands).  This deluge followed a near rain-free October (at the time its 0.14" made it the second driest month on record; it's now ranked third).  Furthermore, the amount of rain from this storm was greater than what fell in any month in 1963, and it prevented this year from becoming the driest on record.

 

 

1977 (Monday)

One of New York's greatest rainstorms began in the morning and continued through the afternoon of Nov. 8.  The first wave of rain that moved through today, largely between 9 AM and 5 PM, amounted to 1.79".  However, the steady downpours that made this a historical storm would fall tomorrow.

 

1995 (Tuesday)

The 0.68" of rain that fell between noon and 10 PM was the first rain on this date in 15 years.

 

2012 (Wednesday)

Just nine days after the region was raked by hurricane Sandy's high winds and record storm surge, a nor'easter lashed the area.  It moved far enough off the coast to pull cold air into the region, changing the rain to snow by 2 PM.  4.7" accumulated (4.3" of it today), making this the earliest 4-inch snowfall on record (the previous record was in 1989 when 4.7" fell on Nov. 22-23).  This was just the fifth snowfall of one-inch or more to occur in November in the past 40 years - and the first since 1997.  It would also be the largest accumulation of the calendar year, topping the 4.3" that fell on Jan. 21. 

 

 

2015 (Saturday)

The day's high temperature was reached shortly before 2 AM - 72°.  This made it the fifth day in a row with a high in the 70s - at the time, the longest streak of highs in the 70s of any November (later broken in 2020 by a six-day streak).  The temperature then fell slowly, but it was still a relatively mild 53° at midnight.  During the first week of November the high/low averaged 70°/56° - 11 degrees milder than average and more typical of late September.

 

2021 (Sunday)

Today was the 50th running of the NYC Marathon, and conditions were close to optimal for runners as temperatures were in the mid-40s to lower-50s range, there was little wind to speak of, afternoon humidity was on the low side, and skies were fair (transitioning from clear in the morning to hazy during the afternoon).  High temperatures today and the previous three days: 53° (today)-52°-51°-50° (average high in the first week of November is in the upper-50s).

 

   

2022 (Monday)

This was the fourth day in a row with a high in the 70s, and at 77° it was the warmest of them all.  The average high during this streak was 74.5°, which was 17 degrees above average.  Today also featured clear skies and humidity that dropped sharply in the afternoon, bottoming out at 15% at 6 PM; this was the second lowest reading in November in the years since 2000 (lowest was 13% on 11/16 in 2019).

The morning low of 68° would have been the mildest low on record in November but chillier air moved in after 8 PM, dropping the temperature to 54° by midnight (still 10 degrees above the average low for the date).

 

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October 2024 Weather Recap - The Month That Rain Forgot

 

 

2024 already experienced two dry months as June and September each had less than two inches of rain (and February had 2.05").  Then came October, which became Central Park's driest month on record as just 0.01" of rain fell, passing June 1949, which had 0.02".  The rain fell in the early afternoon on 10/29, breaking a dry streak that began on 9/30.  This 29-day streak is the second longest on record.  (The longest was 100 years ago, when there was one of 36 days.) 

 

 

The metro area's three airports were equally parched as Newark reported no measurable rain, while LaGuardia and JFK, like Central Park, had just 0.01".

   

After an August and September that were slightly cooler than average, October was 3.0 degrees milder, ranking as the 17th mildest October on record.  The average high was 4.2 degrees above average, while the average low was 1.7 above average. 

 

The last 12 days of the month were seven degrees above average and had the month's warmest readings, 81° on 10/22 and on Halloween (the warmest Halloween in 50 years).  Only three other years have had a high in the 80s after 10/31.

 

The vast majority of days, 24, had clear or sunny skies, including 14 days in a row from 10/15 thru 10/28. 

 

Before October 2024 there had been only two days in October (since 2000) that had humidity drop to 25% or lower.  This October, by contrast, had seven (all from 10/12 thru 10/27).

 

Finally, the month's coolest reading was 43°.  Only four other Octobers have had a milder temperature as the chilliest reading (including last October and Oct. 2021.)

 

Here are recaps of previous Octobers:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

 

 

   

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:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

 

Recap of August 2024: First Month of 2024 To Be Cooler Than Average

 

 

Despite starting with highs in the 90s on five of the first days of the month, August 2024 was the first month since November 2023 with a cooler than average monthly temperature (1.0 degree below average).  This was also the first August since 2013 to have a low temperature chillier than 60°.  And the low of 57° on 8/21 was the chilliest August reading since 2007.  It was also the first August since 2008 with two lows in the 50s.

 

This was the second rainiest month of 2024, with 7.02” measured (March had 9.06").  Two days picked up more than two inches (2.08" on 8/6, 2.29" on 8/18).  Among all Augusts, August 2024 ranks as 27th wettest (out of 156 going back to 1869).

 

Five of the first six days of the month had highs in the 90s (8/1 had the hottest high of the month, 95°) and those days were five degrees warmer than average.  Then the rest of the months was two-and-a-half degrees below average (8/28 was an outlier, with a high of 91°).

 

August 2024 and August 2023 had similar average temperatures (75.1° and 75.0°, respectively) and similar rainfall, but there was a big difference in the range between each month's coolest and hottest temperatures (38 degrees vs. 25 degrees, respectively). 

 

  

On average, August is 4.1 degrees warmer than June, but this year both had the same temperature.  This was the 13th year in which both months had very similar temperatures.

 

 

The sixth longest streak of highs of 80+, 38 days, ended on 8/6.  This was the longest such streak since the summer of 2015, which had the longest on record (62 days).

 

After 31 of 38 days had lows in the 70s between June 30-Aug. 6, only five of the next 25 days (thru Aug. 31) had lows that warm.

 

After June-July 2024 was the third warmest on record, meteorological summer 2024 had a shot at being hottest of all time, but with August being one degree below average, the summer ended up as New York's 15th hottest (still a very high rank).  If August had an average temperature, it would have made 2024's meteorological summer the third hottest. 

 

Here are recaps of previous Augusts:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

 

July 2024 Weather Recap: Hot First Half, Seasonable Second Half

 

During the first half of July 2024 it appeared the month might become one of the three hottest Julys on record.  Between July 1-17 the average temperature was four degrees above average, with nine days reporting highs in the 90s and seven days with lows of 75° or warmer.  Then the weather pattern shifted and the last two weeks of the month cooled down to seasonable readings, and the month entered the record books tied for 11th hottest with July 1949 (2.1 degrees warmer than average). 

 

This July was just the fourth month on record to have no high temperatures cooler than 80° (the average number is six).  And its 24 days with lows of 70° or warmer was the third most of any July (tied with nine other Julys, including 2023 and 2022).

 

The hottest periods of July were July 4-11 (with every day having a high of 89° or hotter) and July 14-17 (every day in the 90s); both periods had the same average high/low of 91°/75°, six degrees above average.  (The month’s other 19 days had an average high/low of 84°/70°.)  The hottest reading of the month was 95° on 7/8, the warmest low was 79° on 7/7. 

 

The last of the month's nine days in the 90s was on 7/17.  At that point, Central Park had experienced 15 days of 90+ for the year (all of the them between 6/20 and 7/17), which was the 14^th most on record by that date (going back to 1869). 

 

Going into the evening of 7/31, it appeared the month would be the 10^th hottest July on record.  However, a brief shower at 9:30 cooled the temperature from 88° to 73°, which was five degrees below the morning’s low of 78°.  This change was enough to  knock it out of 10^th place (behind July 1966).   

 

July's coolest temperature was 64°, which was reported on 7/1.  Only six Julys have had a milder reading for their coolest temperature (eight others also had 64° as their coolest reading). 

 

As for rainfall, all but 0.39” of the month’s 4.20” fell during the week of 7/11-17.  July’s total rainfall was slightly below average (by 0.40”) and was the driest July since 2017 (which had 4.19”).  By contrast, the Julys between 2018-2023 averaged 6.60” of rain.  Most of this July’s rain came from two storm systems that were five days apart as 2.06” fell on 7/13 and 1.46” fell on 7/17. 

 

Although July's rank for average temperature was 11th, for average low (72.1°) it ranked sixth, but for average high (87.2°) it ranked 17th.

 

Finally, while Central Park and LaGuardia Airport both had nine days with highs of 90+, Newark had 14, but JFK had just one (on the last day of the month).  Looking at highs of 88+, the four sites reported 20, 16, 12, and one, respectively.  JFK isn't usually so different from the other stations, but this July regularly had winds from out of the south, off the ocean, which had a moderating effect on the daytime temperatures at JFK.

 

Here are recaps of previous Julys:

July 2023

July 2022

July 2021

July 2020

July 2019

July 2018

July 2017

July 2016

July 2015

July 2014

June 2024 Weather Recap: 4th Warmest on Record

 

 

June 2024 was the warmest June since 1994, and the fourth warmest June on record.  The hottest period was the eight days between 6/19 - 6/26 when the average high/low was 90°/73°, with six of the days reporting highs in the 90s.  The reading of 94° on 6/21 was not only the hottest reading of the month, it was hotter than any day last year. 

 

A dozen days in June were five degrees or more above average while just one was five degrees or more below average. This was the seventh month in a row that was warmer than average; five of them, including June, were three degrees or more above average (June was +3.1 degrees).

 

With 1.71” of rain measured in Central Park, this was the 21^st driest June on record (tied with June 1926).  This was the second consecutive June with less than two inches of rain (1.62" fell last year).  About half of the month’s rain, 0.77”, fell on 6/6.  After that, less than an inch of rain fell for the rest of the month.   

 

Just one day had a low cooler than 60°.  (A typical June has seven such days.) This occurred on 6/11, when the low was 59° - the mildest reading of any of June's coolest low temperatures (going back to 1869).  

 

The month's coolest high temperature was 73° (typically, June’s coolest high is in the mid-60s).  Only two other Junes have had a milder reading as their coolest high temperatures - 74° in June 1994, and 76° in June 1925 (on eight days).

 

Finally, three days had afternoon humidity levels lower than 25% (on 6/1, 6/25, and 6/28) - the most of any June in the years since 2000.

 

Here are links to June recaps from the previous eight years:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

 

May 2024 Weather Recap: Mild Nights, Average Rainfall

 

 

May 2024 was 1.8 degrees warmer than average, its rainfall of 4.11" was slightly above average.  This was the sixth consecutive month with above average temperatures and it was the 24th mildest May on record; however, it ranked eighth based on average low (which was 2.4 degrees above average), but ranked 41st based on average high (1.1 degree above average).

 

The highlight of the month was a seven-day streak (May 22-28) with lows of 65° or milder, the longest streak of its kind in May on record.  For the entire month there were eight days with lows of 65°+, the second most on record (tied with May 1908 and one fewer than May 1880).  Interestingly, no lows were in the 70s (41 Mays have had one or more ).  During this streak the temperature was eight degrees warmer than average.  (The rest of the month had average temperatures.)

 

 

On average, May’s warmest temperature is five degrees above April’s (88° vs. 83°), but this May's warmest reading of 84° (which happened on three days: 5/8, 5/22, and 5/24) was three degrees below April’s hottest temperature.  It joined twenty other Mays that had their warmest reading cooler than April's (including last May).

 

The month's coolest reading was 47° on 5/11.  Only seven Mays have had a milder reading as their chilliest (including last May); in those years the reading was either 48° or 49°.  Four other Mays have had their coolest reading also be 47°. 

 

Between 5/23 and 5/30, 2.59” of the month’s 4.11” of rain fell.  0.96" of this amount fell on Memorial Day from downpours shortly after daybreak and during mid-afternoon, making it the rainiest day of May, and the eighth wettest Memorial Day of them all.  On 5/23 the day's 0.78" of rain fell mostly between 9:30 and 11 AM (resulting in ground stops at the area's three major airports).

 

Although Memorial Day had two downpours and overcast skies, the Saturday and Sunday of the holiday weekend had sunny skies and summer-like highs/lows of  81°/66° and 82°/65°, respectively 

 

Here are past recaps of May's weather going back to 2015:

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015