September 2023

[lee59]

Gloria hit eastern Nassau and east the hardest. Numerous trees down and many lost power for days. The hype with Gloria was very high, so areas from the city on West that didn't get the strongest winds might have felt it was not so bad. If it hit at high tide, coastal flooding would have been much worse. I believe the center past close to the Nassau Sulfolk border.

 

[psv88]

11 minutes ago, lee59 said:

Gloria hit eastern Nassau and east the hardest. Numerous trees down and many lost power for days. The hype with Gloria was very high, so areas from the city on West that didn't get the strongest winds might have felt it was not so bad. If it hit at high tide, coastal flooding would have been much worse. I believe the center past close to the Nassau Sulfolk border.

 

I was living in Melville for Gloria. Eye passed right over head. I was a baby but my parents showed me photos. Area was crushed. My parents house lost all their trees. Gloria set the bar until Sandy

[donsutherland1]

In the wake of Ophelia, cooler than normal weather will continue through much of the remainder of the month. As a result, September now looks to wind up near normal to somewhat warmer than normal. Another significant rainfall (generally 1"-3" is likely in the region Friday into Saturday).

In the medium and longer range, a warmer than normal pattern will likely develop in eastern North America as October begins.

The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was +2.8°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was +1.7°C for the week centered around September 20. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged +2.98°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged +1.55°C. El Niño conditions will likely continue to strengthen into the fall with the current East-based event transitioning to a basinwide El Niño for the upcoming winter.

The SOI was -3.21 today.

The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was -0.096 today.

Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied 65% probability that New York City will have a warmer than normal September (1991-2020 normal). September will likely finish with a mean temperature near 69.5° (0.3° above normal).

 

[uofmiami]

24 minutes ago, lee59 said:

Gloria hit eastern Nassau and east the hardest. Numerous trees down and many lost power for days. The hype with Gloria was very high, so areas from the city on West that didn't get the strongest winds might have felt it was not so bad. If it hit at high tide, coastal flooding would have been much worse. I believe the center past close to the Nassau Sulfolk border.

 

My grandma’s house in Islip had tons of tree damage and huge limbs down all over the place.  The wind snapped the trees tops down on her side yard and knocked off a street light on power pole across street. Lots of power lines down. Compared to Great Neck where we had some gusts and a branch or two down.

[guinness77]

43 minutes ago, lee59 said:

Gloria hit eastern Nassau and east the hardest. Numerous trees down and many lost power for days. The hype with Gloria was very high, so areas from the city on West that didn't get the strongest winds might have felt it was not so bad. If it hit at high tide, coastal flooding would have been much worse. I believe the center past close to the Nassau Sulfolk border.

 

I grew up in North Babylon. I was 8. We went outside when the eye passed over. The most hellacious part of the storm was when it restarted. Lightning hit the tree in front of my house. We had 2 trees end up in our (new at the time) pool. Didn’t go to school/no power for a week. It was the first thing in my life that piqued my interest in weather. Just amazed me what weather could do.  

[guinness77]

8 hours ago, Superstorm93 said:

I was mainly referring to the track and speed when it was near the area, but yes. You are right! 

Irene was more of a northern straight shot that came in significantly west of Gloria. Gloria came in right through the heart of LI and on more of an angle off the NC/VA coast. 

[SACRUS]

 

Records 9/27

 

Highs:


EWR: 91 (1998)
NYC: 90 (1933)
LGA: 90 (1988)



Lows:

EWR: 35 (1947)
NYC: 41 (1957)
LGA: 43 (1947)

Historical:

 

1816 - A black frost over most of New England kills unripened corn in the north resulting in a year of famine. (David Ludlum)

1822: Using various documents and meteorological observations determined a hurricane moved ashore on this day in South Carolina. One account from Bull Island, South Carolina records the eye passing directly over that location.

1906: The second September storm of 1906 was one of great violence. On the 27th the hurricane reached the central Gulf Coast with destructive winds and unprecedented tides. At Pensacola, FL, the tide was 10 feet above normal. At Mobile, AL property damage was severe. An estimated 134 lives were lost from Pensacola, FL to Mississippi from this storm.

1959 - A tornado 440 yards in width traveled twenty miles from near Hollow, OK, to western Cherokee County KS. Although a strong tornado, it was very slow moving, and gave a tremendous warning roar, and as a result no one was killed. (The Weather Channel)

1970 - Afternoon highs of 103 degrees at Long Beach, CA, and 105 degrees at the Los Angeles Civic Center were the hottest since September records were established in 1963. Fierce Santa Ana winds accompanying the extreme heat resulted in destructive fires. (The Weather Channel)

 

1985: Hurricane Gloria swept over the Outer Banks then rushed across Long Island, New England, and Canada. It was the first significant hurricane to hit New England in twenty-five years and brought heavy rains and high winds to the Mid-Atlantic states as well. 

1985 - A record early season snowstorm struck the Central High Plains Region. The storm left up to nineteen inches of snow along the Colorado Front Range, and as much as a foot of snow in the High Plains Region. (Storm Data)

1987 - While those at the base of Mount Washington, NH, enjoyed sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s, the top of the mountain was blanketed with 4.7 inches of snow, along with wind gusts to 99 mph, and a temperature of 13 degrees. Severe thunderstorms developed along a cold front in the south central U.S. A thunderstorm west of Noodle TX produced golf ball size hail and wind gusts to 70 mph. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Thunderstorms developing ahead of a cold front produced large hail in southeastern Wyoming during the afternoon, with tennis ball size hail reported at Cheyenne. Strong winds ushering the cold air into the north central U.S. gusted to 59 mph at Lander WY. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Freezing temperatures were reported in the Great Lakes Region and the Ohio Valley. Houghton Lake MI reported a record low of 21 degrees. Thunderstorms in the western U.S. produced wind gusts to 50 mph at Salt Lake City UT, and gusts to 58 mph at Cody WY.(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

[SACRUS]

Gloria

https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Sep271985EventReview 

 

[CIK62]

The last 3 days of September are averaging   62degs.(58/66) or -3.

Month to date is   70.3[+0.5].      September should end at   69.6[+0.3].

Reached 67 at 4pm yesterday.

Today:   60-64, wind ne., m. cloudy, Rain by 10pm., 58 tomorrow AM 

58*(86%RH) here at 7am{was 57 earlier}.      60* at 9am.      63* at Noon.       65* at 2pm.

 

[Stormlover74]

I've never seen this before 

COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TO 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 AM EDT FRIDAY...

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM FRIDAY TO MIDNIGHT EDT FRIDAY NIGHT...

[SACRUS]

 

57 / 53 and clouds have returned for the next 55 hours.  Cloudy and raw today with onshore N-ENE flow.  Stuck up pattern keeping the flow onshore and tendency for low undercutting / cutting off and  inverted troughs like we'll see tomorrow.  Where the rains are focussed look for 2 - 5 inches with local spots to >6-7 inches.   That thread is covering the storms.

 

 

Beyond there  10/ 1 - 10/9  (overall warmer) - warmer air in the overall EC ridging builds down and around. Flow comes around with projected 850 MB temos >17c Tue (10/2)  - Fri (10/6).  So 80s in the warmer spots and perhaps mid 80s at the peak between Tue - Thu.  Trough into the midsection by the 7th slowly coming east on most guidance with ridge going up into the PNW.   So Mid month cool down and likely wet again as the trough meets resistance and fronts hung up and hug the coast potentially.

 

[steve392]

1 hour ago, Stormlover74 said:

I've never seen this before 

COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TO 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 AM EDT FRIDAY...

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM FRIDAY TO MIDNIGHT EDT FRIDAY NIGHT...

Hackensack river flooding by me already.  I'm on the south end of it so it backs up when we have coastal flooding. 

[Stormlover74]

2 minutes ago, steve392 said:

Hackensack river flooding by me already.  I'm on the south end of it so it backs up when we have coastal flooding. 

I just meant why divide into 3 separate time frames 

[jm1220]

12 hours ago, SACRUS said:

Gloria

https://www.weather.gov/mhx/Sep271985EventReview 

 

Also very lucky that it hit LI during low tide. There was some surge flooding but nothing extreme like Sandy at high tide. 

[STORMANLI]

This was 2 days before I was getting married.  I was in Queens and only lost phone service.  Winds appeared stronger as Gloria exited.  My bride-to-be in Hicksville lost power and was flipping out until it was restored 21 hours before the ceremony.  The 29th was such a beautiful,warm day- 81°.  Honeymooned upstate and remember seeing newspaper reports of parts of Long Island being w/o power 9 days later.

[SACRUS]

 

Records:

 

Highs::

 

EWR: 87 (2014)
NYC: 88 (1881)
LGA: 84 (2014)


Lows:

EWR: 38 (1947)  - 1947 cool Sep
NYC: 41 (1947)
LGA: 42 (1947)

 

Historical:

 

1836 - The first of three early season snows brought four inches of snow to Hamilton, NY, and two inches to Ashby MA. (David Ludlum)

 

1837: The first recorded storm to rake the entire Texas coast was Racer’s Storm, named for a British sloop of war which encountered the system in the extreme northwestern Caribbean on September 28th. It is remembered as one of the most destructive storms of the nineteenth century due to its extreme duration and 2000 mile path of destruction.

 

1874: A strong category 1 hurricane went by Charleston and Georgetown, South Carolina. The tide was unprecedented height, inundating the entire riverfront of the city of Charleston. 

1893 - Albuquerque, NM, was soaked with 2.25 inches of rain, enough to establish a 24 hour record for that city. (The Weather Channel)

1917 - A hurricane hit Pensacola, FL. Winds gusted to 95 mph, and the barometric pressure dipped to 28.50 inches. Winds at Mobile AL gusted to 75 mph. (The Weather Channel)

 

1929: A hurricane-spawned tornado hit Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While the path length of this estimated F2 tornado was 0.8 miles, it caused 16 injuries.

1987 - Thunderstorms produced up to ten inches of rain in southern Kansas and north central Oklahoma overnight. The Chikaskia River rose 2.5 feet above flood stage at Blackwell OK during the day causing flooding in Kay and Grant counties of north central Oklahoma. Early morning thunderstorms in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas produced 3.07 inches of rain in six hours at McAllen. Thunderstorms produced up to six inches of rain in southeastern Texas later in the day. (National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Thunderstorms developing ahead of a cold front in the central U.S. produced severe weather from northern Texas to the Lower Missouri Valley during the late afternoon and evening hours. Hail three inches in diameter was reported at Nolan TX, and wind gusts to 80 mph were reported at Lawrence KS. Thunderstorms drenched downtown Kansas City MO with up to four inches of rain, leaving some cars stranded in water six feet deep. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - Thunderstorms over northeastern Florida drenched Jacksonville with 4.28 inches of rain between midnight and 6 AM EDT. Unseasonably cool weather prevailed in the northeastern U.S. Five cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Binghamton NY with a reading of 30 degrees. Morning lows were in the 20s in northern New England. Unseasonably mild weather prevailed in the northwestern U.S., with afternoon highs in the upper 70s and 80s. In Oregon, Astoria reported a record high of 83 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

 

1998: On the morning of September 28th, Hurricane George made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi with maximum winds of 110 mph and a minimum pressure of 964 mb, making it a Category 2 hurricane. After landfall, Georges moved very slowly across southern Mississippi and weakened to a tropical depression by the morning of the 29th when the center was about 30 miles north-northeast of Mobile, Alabama. The storm dissipated near the northeast Florida/southeast Georgia coast by the morning of October 1, 1998. 

 

 

[CIK62]

The last 2 days of September are averaging  58degs.(56/60) or -7.

Month to date is   70.4[+0.4].      September should end at 69.2[-0.1).

Reached 68 here yesterday at 4pm.

Today:   59-62, wind ne.-breezy, Rain All Day, 58 tomorrow AM.

60*(99%RH) here at 7am{was 59 earlier}  Rain/Thunder.     59*-61* all PM.    

[SACRUS]

 

59 / 58 and moderate rain 1.62 in the bucket.  Rain lovers in their glory the last 9 days.  One more day of pure precipitation pleasure before the big dry out begins Saturday (9/30).  3 - 6 inches amounts on top of the 3 - 6 inch amounts from last week. An oasis of cool and rainy in an otherwise (ridgey / warm pattern) has stuck in this region the last 10 days.

 

Overall 10/1 - 10/9 warm with 2-3 days much above normal as 850 MB temps push >17c by Wed (10/4).  Still persistent onshore flow but flow comes around between Tue and Thu.  Trough digs into the GL/MW as ridge builds into the WC/PNW - pushing east by next weekend 10/7 and beyond.  Period 10/9 and through 10/17 looks to fall back to nd below normal with more rain chances.  IN the way beyond we'll if the trough digs back into the WC/NW and ridging comes east the  last third of Oct.

 

[SACRUS]

 

 

Records:

 

Highs:

EWR: 89 (1945)
NYC: 88 (1945)
LGA: 86 (1945)


Lows:

EWR: 40 (1942)
NYC: 42 (1942)
LGA: 43 (1942)

Historical:

 

 

1927 - An outbreak of tornadoes from Oklahoma to Indiana caused 81 deaths and 25 million dollars damage. A tornado (possibly two tornadoes) cut an eight-mile long path across Saint Louis MO, to Granite City IL, killing 79 persons. The damage path at times was a mile and a quarter in width. The storm followed a similar path to tornadoes which struck in 1871, 1896, and 1959. (The Weather Channel)

 

1959 - A storm produced 28 inches of snow at Colorado Springs, CO. (David Ludlum)

1982: An early snowfall in the Black Hills resulted in the breakage of tree branches and caused power outages in parts of Lead and Nevada Gulch.

 

1983 - Heavy rains began in central and eastern Arizona which culminated in the worst flood in the history of the state. Eight to ten inch rains across the area caused severe flooding in southeastern Arizona which resulted in thirteen deaths and 178 million dollars damage. President Reagan declared eight counties of Arizona to be disaster areas. (The Weather Channel)

1986 - A week of violent weather began in Oklahoma which culminated in one of the worst flooding events in the history of the state. On the first day of the week early morning thunderstorms caused more than a million dollars damage in south Oklahoma City. Thunderstorms produced 4 to 7 inches of rain from Hobart to Ponca City, and another round of thunderstorms that evening produced 7 to 10 inches of rain in north central and northeastern sections of Oklahoma. (Storm Data)

1987 - A slow moving cold front produced rain from the Great Lakes Region to the Central Gulf Coast Region. A late afternoon thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 62 mph at Buffalo NY. Warm weather continued in the western U.S. In Oregon, the afternoon high of 96 degrees at Medford was a record for the date. (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - High pressure brought freezing temperatures to parts of Vermont and New York State. Burlington VT dipped to 30 degrees, and Binghamton NY reported a record low of 34 degrees. The high pressure system also brought cold weather to the Central Rocky Mountain Region. Alamosa CO reported a record low of 18 degrees, and Gunnison CO was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of just five degrees above zero. (National Weather Summary)

1989 - Seven cities reported record high temperatures for the date, as readings soared into the 80s and low 90s in the Northern Plateau and Northern Plains Region. Record highs included 91 degrees at Boise ID, and 92 degrees at Sheridan WY. The high of 100 degrees at Tucson AZ marked their 51st record high of the year, and their 92nd day of 100 degree weather. (National Weather Summary)

[donsutherland1]

A major to historic rainstorm is winding down. Excessive rainfall amounts include:

Hartford: 3.74" (new daily record for September 29)
New York City-Central Park: 5.58" (8th highest daily figure)
New York City-JFK Airport: 8.05" (new all-time daily record) ***storm total: 8.67" (new 2-day record)***
New York City-LaGuardia Airport: 4.10"

Tomorrow will be drier and the clouds could break. Afterward, a spell of warmer than normal weather lies ahead for much of the first week of October.

There remain indications that colder air could push into the region afterward, possibly preceded by yet another storm.

The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was +2.8°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was +1.7°C for the week centered around September 20. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged +2.98°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged +1.55°C. El Niño conditions will likely continue to strengthen into the fall with the current East-based event transitioning to a basinwide El Niño for the upcoming winter.

The SOI was -7.19 today.

The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was +0.219 today.

Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied 82% probability that New York City will have a warmer than normal September (1991-2020 normal). September will likely finish with a mean temperature near 69.4° (0.2° above normal).

 

[bluewave]

Wettest September on record at JFK and 2nd wettest in NYC.

 

Time Series Summary for JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NY - Month of Sep
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

Rank	Year	Total Precipitation	Missing Count
1	2023	12.79	1
2	1975	9.65	0
3	1960	9.60	0
4	2004	8.25	0
5	1966	7.47	0
6	2008	6.74	0
7	1999	6.73	0
8	1977	6.69	0
9	2018	5.99	0
10	1974	5.97	0

 

Time Series Summary for NY CITY CENTRAL PARK, NY - Month of Sep
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

Rank	Year	Total Precipitation	Missing Count
1	1882	16.85	0
2	2023	14.21	1
3	1934	11.96	0
4	2004	11.51	0
5	1944	10.30	0
6	1933	10.09	0
7	2021	10.03	0
8	2011	9.39	0
9	1975	9.32	0
10	1938	9.06	0

[steve392]

57 degree's this morning.  Misty skies driving to work.  

[CIK62]

The last day of September is averaging  60degs.(58/62) or -5.

Month to date is   69.7[+0.3].      September should end at   69.4[+0.1].

Week 1 of October is averaging  72degs.(64/81) or +10.

Reached 61 here yesterday.

Today:   62-65, wind n., Drizzle till 2pm, breaks, 59 tomorrow AM.

58*(99%RH) here at 7am.      57* at 9am-Rain.     60* at Noon.     63* at 1pm.

 

 

[bluewave]

Even with the cool and wet ending to the month, several stations will finish with another 70° September.

 

Data for September 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

State	Name	Station Type	Mean Avg Temperature
NY	PORT AUTH DOWNTN MANHATTAN WALL ST HEL	ICAO	72.4
NJ	NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP	WBAN	71.4
NY	LAGUARDIA AIRPORT	WBAN	71.3
NY	MONTAUK AIRPORT	WBAN	70.5
NY	WORLD TRADE CENTER	WBAN	70.4
NY	MOUNT SINAI	COOP	70.4
NY	FARMINGDALE REPUBLIC AP	WBAN	70.1

 

Time Series Summary for LAGUARDIA AIRPORT, NY - Month of Sep
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

Rank	Year	Mean Avg Temperature	Missing Count
1	2005	74.9	0
2	2015	74.1	0
3	2016	73.8	0
4	1961	73.6	0
5	2007	73.0	0
6	2018	72.8	0
7	2021	72.7	0
8	2010	72.5	0
-	1959	72.5	0
9	2019	72.1	0
10	1998	71.6	0
11	2017	71.5	0
12	2023	71.3	1
-	2002	71.3	0
13	2020	71.1	0
14	2022	70.9	0
15	1971	70.8	0
16	2012	70.7	0
-	2011	70.7	0
-	2004	70.7	0
-	1985	70.7	0
17	1983	70.6	0
-	1968	70.6	0
18	2014	70.4	0
-	2008	70.4	0
-	1980	70.4	0
-	1970	70.4	0
-	1941	70.4	0
19	1965	70.3	0
-	1953	70.3	0
-	1945	70.3	0
20	1999	70.2	0
-	1957	70.2	0
21	1952	70.1	0
-	1946	70.1	0

[rclab]

1 hour ago, bluewave said:

Even with the cool and wet ending to the month, several stations will finish with another 70° September.

 

Data for September 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

State	Name	Station Type	Mean Avg Temperature
NY	PORT AUTH DOWNTN MANHATTAN WALL ST HEL	ICAO	72.4
NJ	NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP	WBAN	71.4
NY	LAGUARDIA AIRPORT	WBAN	71.3
NY	MONTAUK AIRPORT	WBAN	70.5
NY	WORLD TRADE CENTER	WBAN	70.4
NY	MOUNT SINAI	COOP	70.4
NY	FARMINGDALE REPUBLIC AP	WBAN	70.1

 

Time Series Summary for LAGUARDIA AIRPORT, NY - Month of Sep
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

Rank	Year	Mean Avg Temperature	Missing Count
1	2005	74.9	0
2	2015	74.1	0
3	2016	73.8	0
4	1961	73.6	0
5	2007	73.0	0
6	2018	72.8	0
7	2021	72.7	0
8	2010	72.5	0
-	1959	72.5	0
9	2019	72.1	0
10	1998	71.6	0
11	2017	71.5	0
12	2023	71.3	1
-	2002	71.3	0
13	2020	71.1	0
14	2022	70.9	0
15	1971	70.8	0
16	2012	70.7	0
-	2011	70.7	0
-	2004	70.7	0
-	1985	70.7	0
17	1983	70.6	0
-	1968	70.6	0
18	2014	70.4	0
-	2008	70.4	0
-	1980	70.4	0
-	1970	70.4	0
-	1941	70.4	0
19	1965	70.3	0
-	1953	70.3	0
-	1945	70.3	0
20	1999	70.2	0
-	1957	70.2	0
21	1952	70.1	0
-	1946	70.1	0

Good morning B W. After looking at your top list for September temperature  data, perhaps the CPK ASOS may be an appropriate place for individuals, who still don’t believe in the changing climate, to meet. Stay well, as always ……

[MANDA]

Two day event total here = .99".  Glad my area missed out on the excessive totals.  Just don't need any additional rainfall for a while.  Nice to go into Fall / Winter with wet ground but I've kind of had enough.

[bluewave]

34 minutes ago, rclab said:

Good morning B W. After looking at your top list for September temperature  data, perhaps the CPK ASOS may be an appropriate place for individuals, who still don’t believe in the changing climate, to meet. Stay well, as always ……

At least to me, it’s more an issue of the long term integrity of the site than any climate change influence. Up through the 1980s, there was much less obstruction from trees. So comparing the pre-90s new ASOS observations to today is more like a change of location. So it’s hard to compare changes over time since fundamental way of measurements were taken there has changed. So artificially cooled lower highs during the leaf out season and more potential errors in measuring rainfall with trees sheltering the rain gauge and leaves possibly falling into the gauge. Plus professional snowfall measurements by NWS staff before they moved to OKX in the early 90s. To more sporadic measurements at times by different organizations that often measure too late after small snow events allowing the melt to lower the snowfall amounts.
The article below is from 20 years ago and the tree growth has only increased.

http://www.weather2000.com/ASOS/NYC_ASOS.html

 

Central Park Weather: Vegetative Overgrowth Affecting Weather Readings - WABC-TV

(New York-WABC, August 22, 2003) - Forecasting the weather is not easy.
Government equipment can often be blamed for giving faulty weather
information. As Bill Evans explains, a big culprit may be some of the
equipment buried in Central Park.

Rainfall, snowfall, and the temperature are all vital information
recorded 24 hours a day at the weather station located in the heart of
Central Park.

But meteorologists like Michael Schlacter have serious concerns about the
accuracy of the stations data. It sits amid overgrown vegetation and he
says thats the problem. The leaves can trigger snow gauges and trees can
warp rain and wind measurements. On this hot day, a temperature gauge is
in the shade instead of direct sunlight.

Michael Schlacter, Weather 2000: "Its kind of like driving a car
without a speedometer, odometer, and gas gauge. You are running with
false information."

The weather instruments at Belvedere Castle have long adorned the top.
There used to be a government meteorologist here in the city to keep an
eye on them. But now the nearest meteorologist is 60 miles that way.

But National Weather Service meteorologists say they knew the weather
readings in the park would never be as keenly accurate as the ones at
the airports where guidelines prevent foliage from being within 100 feet
of the station.

Schlacter: "We knew that at times we would have flaky readings, that
leaves would fall in gauges, that we would have problems with
visibility sensors."

[NWS Meteorologist-in-Charge Michael] Wyllie says the weather station is
there because it was historically significant to maintain its presence
in the park.

He says theres been a lot of growth because of the wet spring at so much
in fact that temperatures have routinely been recorded lower in the park
than at the airports.

Wyllie: "We are actually having a micro climate system there because of
the vegetation."

Imperfect perhaps but nonetheless the system provides the official record
of weather for the country's largest city. And Michael Schlacter says
its a city that deserves better.

Schlacter: "I think New Yorkers deserve a lot better, and I think they
deserve the best weather station money can buy."


Copyright 2003 ABC Inc., WABC-TV Inc.

 

 

 

[rclab]

6 minutes ago, bluewave said:

At least to me, it’s more an issue of the long term integrity of the site than any climate change influence. Up through the 1980s, there was much less obstruction from trees. So comparing the pre-90s new ASOS observations to today is more like a change of location. So it’s hard to compare changes over time since fundamental way of measurements were taken there has changed. So artificially cooled lower highs during the leaf out season and more potential errors in measuring rainfall with trees sheltering the rain gauge and leaves possibly falling into the gauge. Plus professional snowfall measurements by NWS staff before they moved to OKX in the early 90s. To more sporadic measurements at times by different organizations that often measure too late after small snow events allowing the melt to lower the snowfall amounts.
The article below is from 20 years ago and the tree growth has only increased.

 

Central Park Weather: Vegetative Overgrowth Affecting Weather Readings - WABC-TV

(New York-WABC, August 22, 2003) - Forecasting the weather is not easy.
Government equipment can often be blamed for giving faulty weather
information. As Bill Evans explains, a big culprit may be some of the
equipment buried in Central Park.

Rainfall, snowfall, and the temperature are all vital information
recorded 24 hours a day at the weather station located in the heart of
Central Park.

But meteorologists like Michael Schlacter have serious concerns about the
accuracy of the stations data. It sits amid overgrown vegetation and he
says thats the problem. The leaves can trigger snow gauges and trees can
warp rain and wind measurements. On this hot day, a temperature gauge is
in the shade instead of direct sunlight.

Michael Schlacter, Weather 2000: "Its kind of like driving a car
without a speedometer, odometer, and gas gauge. You are running with
false information."

The weather instruments at Belvedere Castle have long adorned the top.
There used to be a government meteorologist here in the city to keep an
eye on them. But now the nearest meteorologist is 60 miles that way.

But National Weather Service meteorologists say they knew the weather
readings in the park would never be as keenly accurate as the ones at
the airports where guidelines prevent foliage from being within 100 feet
of the station.

Schlacter: "We knew that at times we would have flaky readings, that
leaves would fall in gauges, that we would have problems with
visibility sensors."

[NWS Meteorologist-in-Charge Michael] Wyllie says the weather station is
there because it was historically significant to maintain its presence
in the park.

He says theres been a lot of growth because of the wet spring at so much
in fact that temperatures have routinely been recorded lower in the park
than at the airports.

Wyllie: "We are actually having a micro climate system there because of
the vegetation."

Imperfect perhaps but nonetheless the system provides the official record
of weather for the country's largest city. And Michael Schlacter says
its a city that deserves better.

Schlacter: "I think New Yorkers deserve a lot better, and I think they
deserve the best weather station money can buy."


Copyright 2003 ABC Inc., WABC-TV Inc.

 

 

 

Sadly it a long/hard learn …. 20 years into the demonstrative lesson. As always …..

[bluewave]

4 minutes ago, rclab said:

Sadly it a long/hard learn …. 20 years into the demonstrative lesson. As always …..

I miss the old days when the NWS were in 30 Rock and they would go over to the park for measurements and make sure tree growth wasn’t impinging on the observations. 

[forkyfork]

so the park was almost three degrees cooler than the heliport on a monthly average? lol