HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The climate of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
(state) is generally
humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
, while the extreme southeastern portion of the state (New York City and Long Island area) lies in the warmer
humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
climate zone. Winter temperatures average below freezing during January and February in much of the state of New York, but several degrees above freezing along the Atlantic coastline, including New York City. Seasonally, summer-like conditions prevail from June to early September statewide, while areas in far southern New York and New York City have summer conditions from late May through early-mid October.
Cold-air damming Cold air damming, or CAD, is a meteorological phenomenon that involves a high-pressure system (anticyclone) accelerating equatorward east of a north-south oriented mountain range due to the formation of a barrier jet behind a cold front associated ...
east of the Appalachians leads to protracted periods of cloud cover and precipitation east of the range, primarily between the October and April months. Winter-like conditions prevail from November through April in northern New York, and from December through March in southern New York. On average, western New York is much cloudier than points south and east in New York, much of it generated from the Great Lakes.
Greenhouse gas emission Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...
is low on a per-capita basis when compared to most other states due to the extensive use of mass transit, particularly across New York City. The significant urbanization within New York city has led to an
urban heat island An urban heat island (UHI) is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent ...
, which causes temperatures to be warmer overnight in all seasons. Annual precipitation is fairly even throughout the year across the state of New York. The Great Lakes region of New York sees the highest annual rain and snow amounts in the state of New York, and heavy
lake-effect snow Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up throug ...
is common in both western and central New York in winter. In the hotter months, large, long-lived complexes of thunderstorms can invade the state from Canada and the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
, while
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dep ...
s can bring rains and winds from the southwest during the summer and fall. Hurricane impacts on the state occur once every 18–19 years, with major hurricane impacts every 70–74 years. An average of ten
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...
es touch down in New York annually. Governors Island, Manhattan, in
New York Harbor New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York Bay near the East River tidal estuary, and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors in ...
, is planned to host a US$1 billion research and education center poised to make New York City the global leader in addressing the
climate crisis ''Climate crisis'' is a term describing global warming and climate change, and their impacts. The term and the alternative term ''climate emergency'' have been used to describe the threat of global warming to humanity (and their planet), and to u ...
.


Temperatures

The annual average temperature across the state ranges from around over the Adirondack Mountains to near across the Hudson Valley and
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
, to around within New York City. Weather in New York is heavily influenced by two air masses: a warm, humid one from the southwest and a cold, dry one from the northwest. A cool, humid northeast airflow from the North Atlantic is much less common, and results in a persistent cloud deck with associated
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
which linger across the region for prolonged periods of time. Temperature differences between the warmer coast and far northern inland sections can exceed 36 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), with rain near the coast and frozen precipitation, such as sleet and freezing rain, falling inland. Two-thirds of such events occur between November and April. which moves from northeast to southwest. Unlike the vast majority of the state, New York City features a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(Koppen ''Cfa''). New York City is an urban heat island, with temperatures 5–7 degrees Fahrenheit (3–4 degrees Celsius) warmer overnight than surrounding areas. In an effort to fight this warming, roofs of buildings are being painted white across the city in an effort to increase the reflection of solar energy, or
albedo Albedo (; ) is the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation out of the total solar radiation and measured on a scale from 0, corresponding to a black body that absorbs all incident radiation, to 1, corresponding to a body that refle ...
.


Summer

Summers in New York State significantly vary by region. The summer climate is cooler in the Adirondacks due to higher elevation. The Adirondacks typically experience pleasant dry weather in the summer, with temperatures in the range of 66 °F–73 °F (18–22 °C). Evenings in the Adirondacks are chilly, with temperatures ranging on average between 45 °F–54 °F (7–12 °C). Most of Western New York, Central New York, the mid-Hudson Valley and the Catskills have moderate temperatures but are usually humid, with temperatures ranging 80 °F–85 °F (26–29 °C). Nights in central New York state are often muggy, between 61 °F–67 °F (16–19 °C). The New York City area and the Lower Hudson Valley in contrast feature more sultry and tropical summers with frequent bouts of high temperatures and high dew points. Temperatures in this area are usually between 86 °F–91 °F but slightly cooler by the ocean and south-facing shorelines of Long Island and the temperatures there are between 85–90 °F. Nights are warm and muggy, between 68–75 °F (20–23 °C). The record high for New York state is , set at
Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...
on July 22, 1926.


Heat waves

Heat wave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
s are common in New York State which bring high heat and humidity. Heat waves occurs at least two times each summer and are an average of 3–5 days . Only the Adirondacks does not see oppressive temperatures during most heat waves in New York State. The Adirondacks have warm to hot temperatures with some humidity during a heat wave but it is typically cooler than the rest of the state during a heat wave.


Winter snowfall

Snowfall in New York State also significantly varies by region. Lake-effect snow takes place in Western New York and the Adirondacks with Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Lake-effect snow is very localized and areas may see feet of snow while others see only an inch or none at all. The Adirondacks see the most snowfall because of lake-effect snowfall and higher elevations which see between 100–200 inches per year and some may see more than 200 inches per year, especially western parts of the Adirondacks. Western and Central New York see between 75–150 inches per year depending on your location and where the bands hit. The Catskills see an average snowfall, between 25–50 inches and most of it is from nor-easters which are almost always snow. New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley see the least amount of snowfall because they see warmer temperatures from the warmer ocean temperatures and the nor-easters there are mixed with rain, between 10–25 inches.


Winter temperatures

Winter temps vary just like the summer temperatures. The Adirondacks are the coldest in New York and are almost always below freezing for almost 3 straight months. The temps are between 18–23 °F (−7 to −5 °C). Nights are cold and frigid, between −2 and 4 °F (−18 to −15 °C). Most of Central New York, Mid Hudson Valley, and the Catskills have moderate temperatures that are not very cold but not mild, Between 30–35 °F (−1 to 1 °C). Nights are cold but not frigid, between 18–23 °F (−7 to −5 °C). New York City, Hudson Valley, and Long Island are the warmest in New York State because of warmer ocean temperatures which keep these area between 37–42 °F (2 to 5 °C), warmer than locations upstate. Downstate nights typically range between 27–31 °F. The record low for New York state is , set at
Stillwater Reservoir Stillwater Reservoir is a man-made lake located by Beaver River, New York within the Western Adirondacks. The lake has a large amount of recreational uses including camping, canoeing, boating, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and cross-country s ...
on February 9, 1934 and at Old Forge on February 18, 1979. In February 2015, Rochester experienced its coldest month ever, with an average temperature of . Later, 2015 had a near-record warm November and a record-breaking December. December 2015 was about 12 degrees F warmer than average, and several degrees over the previous record.


Records


Plant hardiness growing zones

New York State growing seasons have significant variations depending on the region. The Adirondacks, which encompasses
hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
s 3 to 4, have the shortest growing season. Central New York, Western New York, the Catskills, and Mid-Hudson Valley encompass growing zones 5 to 6 and have much longer growing seasons and therefore more agriculture. Lower Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island, in growing zones 6 to 7, have the longest growing season in the state, and some areas of New York City, encompass growing zone 8, with it being due to the impact of the Atlantic and the urban heat island effect.


Cloudiness

Southeastern sections of the state near New York City have an average annual cloud cover of 59-62%, while areas of western New York around Buffalo average 71–75% cloud cover annually.


Precipitation

Average precipitation across the region show maxima within the mountains of the Appalachians. Between and of precipitation falls annually across the Northeastern United States, and New York's averages are similar, with maxima of over falling across southwestern Lewis County, northern Oneida County, central and southern Hamilton County, as well as northwestern
Ulster County Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851. The county seat is Kingston. The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster. History ...
. The lowest amounts occur near the northern borders with
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...
and
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, as well as much of southwestern sections of the state. Temporally, a maximum in precipitation is seen around three peak times: 3 a.m., 10 a.m., and 6 p.m. During the summer, the 6 p.m. peak is most pronounced. Coastal extratropical cyclones, known as
nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use o ...
s, bring a bulk of the wintry precipitation to the region during the cold season as they track parallel to the coastline, forming along the natural temperature gradient of the
Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the Unit ...
before moving up the coastline. The
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...
largely shield New York City from picking up any lake-effect snow, which develops in the wake of extratropical cyclones downwind of the Great Lakes. The
Finger Lakes The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located south of Lake Ontario in an area called the ''Finger Lakes region'' in New York, in the United States. This region straddles the northern and transitional ...
of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
are long enough for lake-effect precipitation. Lake-effect snow from the Finger Lakes (like elsewhere) occurs in upstate New York until those lakes freeze over. Annual average lake-effect snows exceed downwind of Lake Erie and downwind of Lake Ontario. During the summer and early fall, mesoscale convective systems can move into the area from Canada and the Great Lakes. Tropical cyclones and their remains occasionally move into the region from the south and southwest. The region has experienced a couple heavy rainfall events that exceeded the 50-year return period, during October 1996 and October 1998, which suggest an increase in heavy rainfall along the coast.Barry Keim (June 1999)
Current Climate of the New England Region: New England Regional Assessment.
University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant college in Hanover in connection with Dartmouth College ...
. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.


Records


Air pollution

In terms of emissions, New York ranks 46th among the 50 states in the amount of
greenhouse gas A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...
es generated per person. This efficiency is primarily due to the state's higher rate of mass transit use in and around New York City. However, New York City (particularly Manhattan) has extremely high rates of air pollution, with high particle pollution and high cancer rates, which can be explained by extreme population density, despite low per-capita emissions rates.


Severe weather

New York experiences an average of ten
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...
es per year, with one tornado every five years considered strong or violent (EF2-EF5). The return period for hurricane impacts on the state is 18–19 years, with major hurricane return periods between 70–74 years. In 2016, much of New York experienced a severe drought, including the
Finger Lakes The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located south of Lake Ontario in an area called the ''Finger Lakes region'' in New York, in the United States. This region straddles the northern and transitional ...
region, where the drought was preceded by a very mild winter with minimal snow pack.


Climate data for select cities


See also

*
Climate change in New York (state) Climate change in New York encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases, in the U.S. state of New York. It is of concern due to its impact on the people, ecosystem, and economy of th ...
*
List of New York hurricanes Eighty-five tropical or subtropical cyclones have affected the state of New York State, New York since the 17th century. The state of New York is located along the East Coast of the United States, in the Northeastern United States, Northeastern ...


References


Notes

{{North America topic, Climate of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
Environment of New York (state)