Tag Archives: stats

Warmest June on Record for Planet Earth

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This past June ranked as the 33rd warmest for the United States. The average temperature for the Earth as a whole, however, soared to a record high for a second straight month.

According to a report released on Monday by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, June 2014 was the warmest June ever recorded for the entire planet.  Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 61.2°F.  That is 1.3°F above the 20th century average. June 2014 also marked the 352nd consecutive month that our global temperature was above its long-term norm.

Rising ocean temperatures, according to NOAA, helped fuel this record warmth. In fact, the June global sea surface temperature was 1.15°F above its long-term average of 61.5°F. That is the highest for any June on record and the highest departure from average for any month. Large parts of both the Pacific and Indian Oceans either hit record-high temperatures or posted readings that were significantly above normal.

The report also noted that, year to date, 2014 is currently tied with 2002 as the Earth’s third warmest year on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.

Credit: NOAA

Credit: NOAA

NYC Monthly Summary: June 2014

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June was warm and fairly seasonable in New York City this year. We had a few hot and humid days where the mercury made it into the upper 80s, but not a single day made it to 90°F.  That marks only the second time in ten years that the city did not see a 90°F day in June. Nonetheless, the city’s average temperature for the month was 72.5°F. That is 1.5°F above normal.

Despite getting off to a soggy start, the Big Apple came up a bit short this June in terms of precipitation. Most of the 4.26 inches of rain measured in Central Park came down in three significant events early in the month.  In the end, though, we were  0.15 inches below normal.

Credit: The Weather Gamut

Credit: The Weather Gamut

Credit: The Weather Gamut

Credit: The Weather Gamut

Warmest May on Record for Planet Earth

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This past May was fairly warm across most of the United States, including here in New York City. The average temperature for the Earth as a whole, however, soared into the record books.

According to a report released on Monday by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, May 2014 was the warmest May ever recorded for the entire planet.  Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 59.93°F.  That is 1.33°F above the 20th century average. May 2014 also marked the 351st consecutive month that our global temperature was above its long-term norm.

The report also noted that four of the five warmest Mays on record have occurred in the past five years: 2010 (second warmest), 2012 (third warmest), 2013 (fifth warmest), and 2014 (warmest); 1998 holds fourth place. Additionally, it highlighted the fact that this past meteorological spring (March, April, and May) was the planet’s second warmest on record. For the same period, only 2010 was warmer.

Year to date, 2014 is currently ranked as the Earth’s fifth warmest year on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.

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Image Credit: NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center

NYC Monthly Summary: May 2014

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May 2014 was fairly warm in New York City. High readings in the 80s on six separate days helped push the city’s average temperature for the month up to 64°F, which is 2°F above normal. Following what felt like an endless winter, May was the first time all year that NYC had an above average monthly temperature.

In terms of precipitation, the city received 4.37 inches of rain. Most of this fell during two significant rain events, 1.54 inches on May 16th and 0.91 inches on May 23rd. On average, the Big Apple normally gets 4.19 inches for the entire month.

Graph: The Weather Gamut

Graph: The Weather Gamut

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

NYC Monthly Summary: March 2014

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March 2014 was a month of volatile temperature swings in New York City. We had highs ranging between a frosty 29°F and a relatively balmy 66°F.  In the end, however, with twenty out of thirty-one days posting cooler than normal readings, the cold won out. The city’s average monthly temperature was 37.7°F, which is 4.3°F below normal.

In terms of precipitation, March was mostly dry. The city received 3.67 inches of rain, which is 0.69 inches below normal. Of this total, almost half fell on a single day.

Snow was also scarce with a mere 0.1 inches measured in Central Park.  On average, the month usually brings the Big Apple 3.6 inches. Closing out NYC’s 7th snowiest winter on record, March was the first time all season that the city received below average snowfall.

Graph Credit: The Weather Gamut

Graph Credit: The Weather Gamut

7th Snowiest Winter in NYC

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The winter of 2013-14 brought an exceptional amount of snowfall to New York City. In fact, it was one of our top ten snowiest.

Looking back, every month this winter, with the exception of March, was an overachiever in terms of snowfall.  December brought the city 8.6 inches, January produced 19.7 inches, and February delivered an impressive 29 inches.

With a grand total of 57.4 inches of snow in Central Park, this winter was the Big Apple’s 7th snowiest on record. New York City, according to the NWS, normally gets 25.1 inches for the entire season.

In terms of temperature, NYC was cold this winter, but not in record territory.  Despite numerous arctic outbreaks and the popularization of the term polar vortex, the city’s average temperature this winter season (December, January, and February) was 33°F.  That is only 2°F below normal.

Chart Credit: The Weather Gamut

Chart Credit: The Weather Gamut

Chilly St. Patrick’s Day in NYC

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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

Image Credit: Stutz

Winter 2013-14: The 34th Coldest for Contiguous U.S.

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The winter of 2013-14 has been long and cold for many parts of the United States. For the nation as a whole, it was our coldest winter since 2009-10, but not a record breaker.

According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, this meteorological winter (Dec-Feb) was the 34th coldest on record for the contiguous U.S.  With an average temperature of 31.3°F, the country was 1°F below its long-term norm.

While the Northeast and Midwest experienced extended bouts of frigid temperatures and abundant snow, the West was unusually warm and dry.  This difference, produced by a highly amplified jet stream, balanced out the national average.  Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that even though this winter was among the top ten coldest for a few mid-western states, none posted an all time record cold season.  California, by contrast, experienced its warmest winter on record.

NYC Monthly Summary: February 2014

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February is generally the snowiest month on the calendar for New York City, and this year it was extreme.  With 29 inches of snow accumulating in Central Park, it was the city’s second snowiest February on record.  First place belongs to February 2010, with 36.9 inches.  On average, we typically get 8.8 inches of snow for the entire month.

Rainfall was also abundant in NYC this February. We received 5.48 inches, which is 2.39 inches above average.

In terms of temperature, the Big Apple was unusually cold. Overall, we had 11 days where our high temperature did not get above freezing.  While we also had a few unseasonably warm days, the extended periods of extreme cold brought the city’s average monthly temperature down to 31.7°F.  That is 3.3°F below normal.

Feb_TempsGraph Credit: The Weather Gamut