Tag Archives: stats

October 2019: Unusually Warm and Wet in NYC

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October was unusually warm in New York City this year. We had 19 out of 31 days post above-average readings with one day reaching a record-breaking 93°F. This unseasonable heat helped drive the city’s mean temperature for the month up to 59.9°F, which is 3°F above normal.

On the precipitation side of things, October was rather soggy. Overall, 15 days produced measurable rainfall that added up to 6.15 inches in Central Park. Of this total, more than half fell during just two storms. On average, the Big Apple gets 4.4 inches of rain for the month. It is also interesting to note that October marked the first month since July that the city received above-average rainfall.

Credit: The Weather Gamut

September 2019: Earth’s Warmest September on Record

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Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month. September 2019 tied September 2015 as the warmest September ever recorded on this planet.

According to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 60.71°F. That is 1.71°F above the 20th-century average. September also marked the 417th consecutive month with a global temperature above its long-term norm. That means the last time any month posted a below-average reading was December 1984.

Furthermore, the ten warmest Septembers have all occurred since 2005, with the last five years being the five warmest on record.

While heat dominated most of the planet this September, some places were particularly warm, including Alaska, the southeastern United States, and large parts of Asia and Canada. For the contiguous US as a whole, the month tied September 2015 as the second warmest September on record.

With ENSO neutral conditions prevailing in the Pacific, these soaring temperatures are largely attributed to the long-term trend of human-caused climate change. As greenhouse gases continue to spew into the atmosphere, global temperatures are expected to continue to rise.

Year to date, the first nine months of 2019 were the second warmest such period of any year on record. At this point, it is very likely that 2019 will finish among the top five warmest years on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.

September 2019 was Earth’s warmest September on record. Credit: NOAA

October Begins with Weather Whiplash in NYC

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Autumn is a transitional season where a few warm days still pop up as cooler temperatures gradually take hold. This week in New York City, however, it felt like we jumped from mid-July to late October in only one day.

On Wednesday, the temperature soared to a sweltering 93°F, setting a new record high for the date. The previous record of 90°F had been in place since 1927. Then, the temperature plummeted overnight. On Thursday, the mercury only made to 63°F.  While not a record-breaker, it was the coolest day the city has seen in months.

The normal high for this time of year in the Big Apple is around 70°F.

Credit: The Weather Gamut

Record Breaking October Heat in NYC

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The season officially changed to autumn last week, but it felt more like summer in New York City on Wednesday.

The temperature in Central Park soared to 93°F, setting a new record high for the date. The previous record of 90°F had been in place since 1927. Wednesday also marked the second warmest October day ever recorded in the Big Apple. Only October 5, 1941, was warmer when the temperature hit an unseasonably sultry 94°F.

This type of heat is unusual for NYC in October. In fact, this was only the sixth time temperatures ventured into the 90s during the month since record-keeping began in 1869.

At this point in October, the normal high in the city is 69°F. But with a stubborn ridge of high pressure sitting over the region, warm air is flowing further north than it normally would at this time of year.  It is also important to note that as our climate changes, record warm days are occurring more often and the autumn season as a whole is heating up.

Credit: The Weather Gamut

September 2019: 8th Driest September on Record for NYC

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September 2019 felt like a weather roller coaster in New York City. Highs ranged from a balmy 89°F to a chilly 67°F. But, with 18 out of 30 days posting above-average readings, the warmth won out in the end. The city’s mean temperature for the month was 70.4°F, which is 2.4°F above average.

In terms of precipitation, September was a month for the record books. The city only received 0.95 inches of rain in Central Park, marking its eighth driest September on record. It was also the second month in a row to deliver below-average rainfall in NYC. On average, the Big Apple gets 4.28 inches of rain for the month.

Celebrating Eight Years of Writing about Weather and Climate

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It is hard to believe, but today marks the eighth anniversary of The Weather Gamut.

Initially begun as a way to deepen and share my knowledge about weather and climate change, this blog has allowed me to expand on my interests and concerns in ways that I never thought possible. This past year, I gave a variety of presentations on creative climate communication and was invited to share my climate-related artwork in several exhibitions around the world.

Producing this blog has been an interesting journey that has taught me a great deal about the science of weather and climate as well as the art of writing. It has also put me in touch with many wonderful people working in this fascinating field. I am grateful for all their support and encouragement.

As always, thank you for reading!

Earth Posts 2nd Warmest August and 2nd Warmest June-August Season on Record

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Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month. August 2019 marked not only Earth’s second warmest August, but also closed out the planet’s second warmest June-August season on record.

According to the State of the Climate Report by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for August – over both land and sea surfaces – was 61.76°F, which is 1.66°F above the 20th-century average. This August also marked the 416th consecutive month with a global temperature above its long-term norm. That means the last time any month posted a below average reading was December 1984.

The three-month period of June, July, and August – meteorological summer in the northern hemisphere – was also unusually warm. NOAA reports that Earth’s average temperature for the season was 1.67°F above the 20th century average of 60.1°F. That makes it the second warmest such period on record. It is also important to note that nine of the ten warmest June-August periods have all occurred since 2009.

While heat dominated most of the planet this August, some places were particularly warm, including Europe, Africa, and parts of Hawaii and Alaska. For the contiguous US as a whole, August 2019 tied August 1955 as the 13th warmest on record.

These soaring temperatures are largely attributed to the long-term trend of human-caused climate change. As greenhouse gases continue to spew into the atmosphere, global temperatures are expected to continue to rise.

Year to date, the first eight months of 2019 were the third warmest such period of any year on record. At this point, it is very likely that 2019 will finish among the top five warmest years ever recorded. Global temperature records date back to 1880.

Credit: NOAA

Climate Indicator: Record Highs Outpacing Record Lows

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There are a variety of indicators that show our climate is changing, including increasing average temperatures, melting glaciers, and sea-level rise. Nevertheless, it is extreme events, such as record heat, that usally garner the most attention.

Around the globe, the number of record high temperatures are out-numbering record low temperatures. In the US, according to an analysis by the AP, record warm days have out-paced record cold days by a ratio of 2:1 since 1999. This is a clear sign of our climate is shifting to a “new normal”.

In a stable climate, record highs and lows would be more balanced, with the ratio being closer to 1:1.

While climate change is a global phenomenon, we can see it playing out at a local scale. Here in New York City, we still get the occasional cold snap in winter, but the record highs have been outpacing the record lows for decades.

Credit: Climate Central

NYC Weather Wrap-up: August 2019

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August 2019 was another month of noticeable temperature swings in New York City. Highs ranged from an unseasonably cool 74°F to a balmy 90°F. In the end, however, the extremes balanced each other out. The city’s mean temperature for the month was 75.5°F, which is only 0.3°F above average.

In terms of precipitation, the city was unusually dry. Overall, eleven out thirty-one days posted measurable rainfall that added up to only 3.70 inches for the month. Of those eleven days, two produced strong storms that delivered more than an inch of rain each. This was the first time since March that the city received below-average rainfall. New York City, on average, gets 4.44 inches for the month.

Credit: The Weather Gamut

July 2019: Earth’s Warmest Month on Record

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Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month with July 2019 marking not only the warmest July on record, but also the warmest month ever recorded for the entire planet. The previous record was set just three years ago in July 2016.

According to a report by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 62.11°F. That is 1.71°F above the 20th-century average. Since July is the Earth’s warmest month of the year climatologically, the July 2019 global temperature is now the highest temperature for any month on record.

July 2019 also marked the 415th consecutive month with a global temperature above its long-term norm. That means the last time any month posted a below-average reading was December 1984. Furthermore, nine of the ten warmest Julys have occurred since 2005, with the last five years producing the five warmest Julys on record. July 1998 is the only year from the last century on the top ten list.

While heat dominated most of the planet this July, some places were particularly warm, including Europe as well as parts of Asia, Africa, and Australia. In the United States, Alaska posted its warmest month ever recorded. For the contiguous US, the month tied July 1917 as the 27th warmest July on record.

These soaring temperatures are largely attributed to the long-term trend of human-caused climate change. As greenhouse gases continue to spew into the atmosphere, global temperatures are expected to continue to rise.

Year to date, the first seven months of 2019 tied 2017 as the second warmest such period of any year on record. At this point, it is very likely that 2019 will finish among the top five warmest years on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.

July 2019 was the warmest month ever recorded on this planet. Credit: NOAA