Weather Statistics Thread

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

For those of us that can't get enough of numbers here's the place to post them.

I thought I'd start off with the basics, the 65 largest snow storms in Central Park since records have been kept in 1869. I post this knowing that many of these numbers are flat out incorrect and almost all without fail are under measured. Unfortunately it's the only stats we have so here they are. Thought it might be helpful when people reference past storms.

65 Largest Snowstorms All Time
Central Park in NYC
(through Jan 17, 2017)
Rank.Amount..Date
1……..27.5…..January 23, 2016
2……..26.9…..February 11-12, 2006
3……..25.8…..December 26-27, 1947
4……..21.0…..March 12-14, 1888
5……..20.9…..February 25-26, 2010
6……..20.2…..January 7-8, 1996
7……..20.0…..December 26-27, 2010
8……..19.8…..February 16-17, 2003
9……..19.0…..January 26-27, 2011
10…..18.1…..March 7-8, 1941
11…..18.1…..January 22-24, 1935
12…..18.0…..December 26, 1872
13…..17.7…..February 5-7, 1978
14…..17.6…..February 11-12, 1983
15…..17.5…..February 4-7, 1920
16…..17.4…..February 3-4, 1961
17…..16.0…..December 19-20, 1948
18…..16.0…..February 12-13, 1899
19…..15.3…..February 9-10, 1969
20…..15.2…..December 11-12, 1960
21…..14.5…..March 3-4, 1960
22…..14.5…..March 1-2, 1914
23…..14.0…..December 5-7, 2003
24…..13.8…..January 22-23, 2005
25…..13.7…..December 21-22, 1959
26…..13.6…..January 19-20, 1978
27…..13.0…..January 15-16, 1879
28…..13.0…..January 1-2, 1877
29…..12.8…..February 11, 1994
30…..12.7…..February 19, 1979
31…..12.7…..December 15, 1916
32…..12.5…..February 13-14 2014
33…..12.5…..February 7, 1967
34…..12.5…..January 12-13, 1964
35…..12.5…..February 20, 1921
36…..12.0…..December 30, 2000
37…..12.0…..February 9-10, 1926
38…..12.0…..March 15-16, 1896
39…..11.8…..March 19-20, 1958
40…..11.6…..March 18-19, 1956
41…..11.5…..January 2, 1925
42…..11.5…..January 21-22, 2014
43…..11.4…..December 24, 1912
44…..11.4…..February 8-9, 2013
45…..11.2…..December 26, 1933
46…..11.0…..February 3-4, 1876
47…..11.0…..January 24-25, 1905
48…..11.0…..February 4-5, 1907
49…..10.9…..December 19-20, 2009
50…..10.8…..February 4, 1995
51…..10.7…..February 20-21, 1947
52…..10.7…..February 16-17, 1996
53…..10.6…..March 13-14, 1993
54…..10.4…..February 3-4, 1926
55…..10.3…..January 28, 2004
56…..10.2…..April 3-4, 1915
57…..10.0…..April 13, 1875
58…..10.0…..March 2, 1896
59…..10.0…..January 27-28, 1897
60…..10.0…..November 26-27, 1898
61…..10.0…..February 17, 1902
62…..10.0…..January 23-24, 1908
63…..10.0…..January 14-15, 1910
64…..10.0…..February 11, 1933
65…..10.0…..February 10, 2010

One of the things that sticks out to me in the above list is the superstorm of March 13 1993 was not so super, at least for snowfall rankings in NYC. It no longer ranks even in the top 50 all time. Of course many in our areas N and W of the city received over two feet from that storm so like many storms in our area Central Park totals are often times misleading for how a storm impacted our area.

I also wanted to add this comment from the above list. The ridiculous measurement from the blizzard of 1888 of 21.0 inches in Manhattan, (I'm not sure where they measured in Manhattan at the time) is a measurement that even the zookeeper and the Conservancy would laugh at. There were verified measurements at the time of 36 inches in Brooklyn and 45 inches in New Haven and in between the two good old Manhattan measured 21. If you've ever studied pictures of Manhattan the day after the storm they had at least three feet of snow. They actually found people dead in the snow, one a prominent politician, who died trying to cross the street in midtown Manhattan at the height of the blizzard and got stuck in the snow.

Common sense should rule and you would think they would revise the total at some point, but almost 130 years later and nothing. The more things change the more they stay the same.

BTW - Albany NY recorded 48 inches and Saratoga Springs NY 25 miles north of Albany 58 inches.

[Guest]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now) We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6". Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20". Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK. They easily had 20"+. Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view. They went up to the roof. The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area. Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

[Frank_Wx]

The blizzard last year was amazing. I want to see a region-wide Roidzilla or Frankzilla. From DC to Boston and all of the interior.

[Guest]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now)  We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6".  Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20".  Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK.  They easily had 20"+.  Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view.  They went up to the roof.  The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area.  Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

The 93 storm was the weather highlight of my life. 24.9" was the official measure at the airport, but I think it was closer to 30" where I live. In contrast, the worst winter was in the early 2010's where a grand total of 9" fell for the whole winter. Or, as I call it, "The Winter That Snow Forgot"

[billg315]

The 1996 storm I think fit that bill in terms of dumping huge snow totals on just about everyone (unless you're counting up-state New York which got the shaft) I remember being in Central PA and thinking we got screwed because we ONLY got about 10-12" while the DC-Phila.-NY-Boston corridor almost all fell in the 20-30" range.

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now)  We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6".  Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20".  Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK.  They easily had 20"+.  Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view.  They went up to the roof.  The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area.  Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

The 93 storm was the weather highlight of my life. 24.9" was the official measure at the airport, but I think it was closer to 30" where I live. In contrast, the worst winter was in the early 2010's where a grand total of 9" fell for the whole winter. Or, as I call it, "The Winter That Snow Forgot"

Syracuse NY received 43 inches from the superstorm of 93, they're largest non lake effect snow ever. I know you're southwest of Syracuse but don't know the distance.

[Guest]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now)  We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6".  Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20".  Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK.  They easily had 20"+.  Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view.  They went up to the roof.  The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area.  Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

The 93 storm was the weather highlight of my life. 24.9" was the official measure at the airport, but I think it was closer to 30" where I live. In contrast, the worst winter was in the early 2010's where a grand total of 9" fell for the whole winter. Or, as I call it, "The Winter That Snow Forgot"

Syracuse NY received 43 inches from the superstorm of 93, they're largest non lake effect snow ever. I know you're southwest of Syracuse but don't know the distance.

It's around 100 miles or so south-southwest of Syracuse. The easiest way to see where I live is to look at I-86. I'm about 70 miles west of Binghamton about 15 miles north of the NY/PA border. I was going to see about getting onto the members map, but I figured I'm so far out of the way that nobody would ever see my map marker.

[Dtone]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now)  We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6".  Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20".  Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK.  They easily had 20"+.  Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view.  They went up to the roof.  The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area.  Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

March 93 storm I have to admit CPK probably wasnt that off. It was the storm of the century because of its national impact, locally not really. I was about 13 then but as I remember it there was too much mixing to get much over a foot of snow. Me and my brothers ended up walking several blocks home in the height of it and that was the most severe sleet assault of my life. Brutal heavy windswept sideways sleet. Again I was a kid then but I remember once it went to sleet it never went back to all snow again. Maybe the precip already ended in the city when cold air came back into play?
I remember it cuz i was super excited to get a foot of snow in NYC proper which up to that point in my life just doesnt happen ever.

[billg315]

For the 1993 Superstorm I was still living at home in Bellerose (near where Math lives now)  We had 12.5" before a 3-4 hour period of heavy sleet which compacted all the snow down to about 6".  Then we got another 6-8" of snow on top of that after it changed back over, for a total of near 20".  Keep in mind this is about 20 miles east of CPK.  They easily had 20"+.  Up in the catskills it was the first year we owned the upstate house which at the time was only 1 story, and the drifts completely obscured the house from view.  They went up to the roof.  The supersorm dropped between 36-41" in that specific area.  Over 2 weeks later I was fishing for trout in shorts on April 4th in 2 feet of snow.

March 93 storm I have to admit CPK probably wasnt that off. It was the storm of the century because of its national impact,  locally not really.  I was about 13 then but as I remember it there was too much mixing to get much over a foot of snow.  Me and my brothers ended up walking several blocks home in the height of it and that was the most severe sleet assault of my life. Brutal heavy windswept sideways sleet.  Again I was a kid then but I  remember once it went to sleet it never went back to all snow again. Maybe the precip already ended  in the city when cold air came back into play?
I remember it cuz i was super excited to get a foot of snow in NYC proper which up to that point in my life just doesnt happen ever.

Similar experience here in 1993 when I was in Philly. The morning (this is just from my memory which may be slipping by now) started great with heavy snow and strong gusty winds, but then around mid-day some mixing with sleet started and it never really regained full strength. I think we got about a foot -- which was a lot, but not what I was expecting from the "Storm of the Century." For me the 1996 storm ended up being more like a Storm of the Century.

[Math23x7]

I posted this last February but since this is a stat thread, I'll post it here to include updates:

Here are the snow totals for Central Park by decade.  I decided to do 1870-1879, 1880-89, etc. rather than 1871-1880, 1881-1890, etc.:

1870's: 335.1"
1880's: 324.8"
1890's: 352.3"
1900's: 298.1"
1910's: 305.2"
1920's: 292.0"
1930's: 241.3"
1940's: 326.7"
1950's: 215.3"
1960's: 310.5"
1970's: 222.0"
1980's: 199.4"
1990's: 238.3"
2000's: 292.0"
2010's: 285.0" (through 1/17/17)

Here are the decades re-arranged from highest to lowest in terms of total snow:

1890's: 352.3"
1870's: 335.1"
1940's: 326.7"
1880's: 324.8"
1960's: 310.5"
1910's: 305.2"
1900's: 298.1"
1920's: 292.0"
2000's: 292.0"
2010's: 285.0" (through 1/17/17)
1930's: 241.3"
1990's: 238.3"
1970's: 222.0"
1950's: 215.3"
1980's: 199.4"

God forbid NYC gets no snow between now and the end of December 2019, this will be the 10th snowiest decade out of 15 decades.  Now, if from 2017-19 (including the past two weeks), NYC averages 24.8" of snow, the 2010s will surpass the 1870s for the snowiest decade on record.  While the 1980s was obviously before my time, I think the older folks on this board will bring up how relatively dull that time period was.  I'd say outside of the April 6th-7th, 1982 and February 11th-12th, 1983, it was torture for snow lovers.

[algae888]

Mike it was. even the seventies, although it was very cold, that decade snow seemed to elude us. I lived through the seventies eighties and nineties very frustrating decades except for the two 90 years 93/94 95/96. Since 2000 it's quite remarkable the amount of snow we've had especially with a very rapidly warming climate.

[Guest]

There are areas of the mountain west that receive as much snow in one season as we do in a decade!!!

[Guest]

I remember reading a scientific publication a few years ago that said IF global warming was real (I personally believe it is, but not because of humans just a natural cycle) and the polar ice caps melt, the result would be a huge infusion of fresh water into the oceans which would disrupt currents. this would include the Gulf Stream which would be suppressed sout to no higher than North Carolina, thus reducing it's warming effects up here and reducing the avg. temperature for the NYC area by 12 degrees on average. My point is if this is true, and humans are accelerating the process then bring it on and tell me what I can do to contribute.

[frank 638]

besides the blizzard of 96 being was the best blizzard i also have to go with the dec blizzard 2010.i would never forget esp at night how heavy the snow was we had snow fall rates at 2 to 3 inches per hour lighting and thunder that lasted for at least 10 mins and the wind that sounded like a fright train .when will we see this again and please tell not next winter

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

besides the blizzard of 96 being was the best blizzard i also have to go with the dec blizzard 2010.i would never forget esp at night how heavy the snow was we had snow fall rates at 2 to 3 inches per hour lighting and thunder that lasted for at least 10 mins and the wind that sounded like a fright train .when will we see this again and please tell not next winter

Never.

According to Syos the oceans around the northeast will freeze over in the future taking away the fuel for any major noreasters to develop. It was fun while it lasted.

[frank 638]

really so no more noreaster

[Guest]

Funny CP. the oceans would not freeze over but they would be cooler for sure. However the Gulf Stream waters wouldn't have as much of a warming effect on the climate. This is not my opinion it's something I read

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

Funny CP. the oceans would not freeze over but they would be cooler for sure. However the Gulf Stream waters wouldn't have as much of a warming effect on the climate.  This is not my opinion it's something I read

Basically the premise of the movie "The day after tomorrow". Great first hour just for the effects and the snow, the stupidest last hour to a movie ever, IMO.

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

really so no more noreaster

JK my friend, basically using your post to bust Syos chops for something he wrote earlier.

[frank 638]

OK I see what u mean

[CPcantmeasuresnow]

All three NYC reporting stations are 5.4 to 6.2 degrees above normal so far for January. Through January 22nd all are also in the top 15 warmest Januarys ever.

It's been above normal for sooooo long now, I think we're forgetting what normal temperatures this time of year should be.

For the 30 year averages 1981-2010 the Normal is
38/27 in NYC
35/15 in the HV (Poughkeepsie)
38/23 in LI (Islip)
37/23 in Bridgeport
39/23 in Trenton
33/18 in Scranton

[Frank_Wx]

Wow

[Quietace]

I remember reading a scientific publication a few years ago that said IF global warming was real (I personally believe it is, but not because of humans just a natural cycle) and the polar ice caps melt, the result would be a huge infusion of fresh water into the oceans which would disrupt currents.  this would include the Gulf Stream which would be suppressed sout to no higher than North Carolina, thus reducing it's warming effects up here and reducing the avg. temperature for the NYC area by 12 degrees on average.  My point is if this is true, and humans are accelerating the process then bring it on and tell me what I can do to contribute.

This is true. The large infusion of freshwater would disrupt the thermohaline circulation and thus would eliminate the heat transport in the deep ocean currents as the salinity of the oceans would be drastically altered in varying locations(The THC functions off salinity gradients and temperature and thus density). this phenomenon would cause the poles to cool rapidly, while equatorial regions warm unabated due to the elimination of oceanic heat transport. It has happened before per research.

[docstox12]

Mike it was. even the seventies, although it was very cold, that decade snow seemed to elude us. I lived through the seventies eighties and nineties very frustrating decades except for the two 90 years 93/94 95/96. Since 2000 it's quite remarkable the amount of snow we've had especially with a very rapidly warming climate.

BINGO Al!

You had to live through the 70's, 80.s and 90.s to see this.The only decade to compare to the 2000's was the 1960's.

[Dtone]

yday was around +17 which gave the monthly departures quite a boost. They will probably stay about the same then fall slightly but the damage has been done. Central Park hasn't been below freezing since the 16th & only 10 days this month overall.  At most only half of Jan will have below freezing lows, maybe less.
Despite that snowfall for Jan has still managed to be mostly above norm (esp at JFK, but only slightly so at CPK for obvious reasons)

Jan to date:
CPK 38.5, +5.9  
LGA 40.1, +7.2 (!)
JFK  39.1, +6.4
EWR 38.3, +6.7

HPN 35.7, +7.5 (!)
Islip 36.7, +6.1

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