NEW YORK — It looks like we’re missing something, something white that we tend to see this time of year.
That’s right, it’s called snow. We almost forgot.
In a winter that has seen parts of the country hit by historic snowstorms, including other areas of New York State, the Big Apple has been remarkably devoid of snow. Stripped may be too light a term, considering we haven’t seen any measurable snow so far, and we’re regarding three weeks into the season now.
When will we have snow? Not this week, and probably not next week either, judging by the city’s extended forecast.
When was the last time it took this long to see measurable snowfall across all five boroughs? Well, the latest date New York City has recorded snow accumulation was January 29th. As you can see above, we are not expected to have any, given temperatures well above freezing, at least until next Thursday.
And if we go as far as January 19, which it looks like we will, it would rate as one of the five most recent dates for a measurable first snowfall.
The latest date for a first measurable snowfall in New York City was January 29, a record set in 1973. So if we can get another 19 days without measurable snow, we can at least take solace in the fact that we’ll tie or we will even break a record. It’s too far off to accurately predict our chances beyond 10 days at this point, but we promise we’ll keep you posted.
Yes, we have technically seen snowflakes this season, but small amounts of snow mixed with rain do not count for weather data recording purposes. (It’s not us, it’s the National Weather Service.)
Last winter, Central Park recorded its first measurable snowfall on December 23, although it was only 0.2 inches (so, you see, the “track” amounts are really nothing). The first average measurable snowfall in the city is on December 7, so we’re already a month behind average.
Looking ahead, it’s not yet clear when the first major, or even notable, snowfall of this winter will arrive in New York City.
According to the Weather Prediction Center, we may see above-normal temperatures for the rest of the month. The models themselves are not entirely definitive regarding what is in store in terms of precipitation.