Tag Archives: climatology

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for February

January 30, 2020Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

During my time taking classes as part of Penn State University’s Undergraduate Certificate in Weather Forecasting, we were taught that understanding the climatology of the location you are interested in is an important prerequisite for making accurate forecasts. This post continues on this theme, adding a climatology for February.

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

KLGA’s location within the broader NYC area, as seen in a Google Maps terrain view

Important Topographical Features: New York City is located in the extreme southeastern corner of New York State, bordering suburban New Jersey and Connecticut. These suburban regions combined with those in Long Island comprise the Greater New York City Metropolitan Area, which is the most populous urban agglomeration in the United States and one of the populous urbanized areas in the world with an estimated population of 18 million. New York City itself sprawls across the coastal plain around the Hudson River estuary. The terminal moraine formed by glaciers of the last Ice Age result in a ridge of higher terrain that cuts a swath from southwest to northeast across the boroughs from northern Staten Island, northern Brooklyn, southwestern through central and northeastern Queens. Otherwise, the city itself is low lying. This ridge varies in height between 200-400 feet, rising sharply from south to north, but tapering more gently north. North and west of the city (about 30-50 miles away), lie significant elevations of the Catskills (north), Poconos (west), Taconics that are part of the broader Appalachian Mountain Range. The elevations of the lower foothills can range from 1000-1500 feet. Some of the elevations in the Poconos and Catskills, west and north of KLGA respectively, peak between 2000-3000 feet. The open expanse of the Atlantic Ocean lies south of KLGA and New York City. Long Island Sound also lies east-northeast. The vast urbanized area of the NYC metropolitan region has significant effects on local microclimates via differential heating (urban heat island effect). KLGA is in a low-lying area sensitive to UHI effects and marine influences.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due northwest (14.25%), same as with January.

Directions that are most and least common: Other most common wind directions include west-northwest (11.25%), due northeast (10.5%), and north-northeast (9.5%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (0.5%), due east (1%), and south-southeast (1.25%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: As is the case with other cold weather months, winds in excess of 21.4 knots (~25 mph) are most frequently found coming from due northwest. West-northwest, north-northwest, and due northeast winds can also produce winds over 21.4 knots though less frequently.

Direction(s) least likely to produce the fastest winds: As is the case with several other months, the least common wind directions of due east, east-southeast, and due southeast also rarely seen winds in excess of 16.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: February wind patterns are remarkably similar to January. Winds from the northwestern quadrant remain prominent. These directions also continue to produce the strongest winds. Interestingly, due northeast winds pick up in frequency in February compared to January.

Northwesterly winds bring cooler, drier Canadian air into the region following cold fronts. Winds from this direction also occur on the backside of departing coastal lows. Winds from these directions downslope coming off the higher terrain of the Catskills, and Poconos outside of the city. This can sometimes lead to warmer temperatures than would normally be expected for this wind direction as well as faster wind speeds. As with other months, northeasterly winds are usually related to backdoor cold fronts sweeping from the Canadian Maritimes, the onshore flow ahead of an advancing warm front, or a passing coastal storm to the south.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 39 knots (46 mph).

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: February average high and low temperatures start the a slow upward trend that will carry through to the spring and summer. Amazingly, record high temperatures in February can top 70°F, even nearing 80°F.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	40	27	66	3	14	50	0.10	1.59
2	40	27	59	-1	18	40	0.09	1.75
3	40	27	64	1	16	45	0.10	1.08
4	40	27	68	10	18	48	0.10	1.72
5	40	27	70	6	17	49	0.09	1.18
6	41	27	69	4	20	41	0.10	1.51
7	41	27	58	5	20	41	0.09	2.89
8	41	28	62	-2	21	47	0.10	0.80
9	41	28	62	7	19	42	0.09	1.82
10	41	28	60	4	17	42	0.09	1.67
11	41	28	63	2	13	45	0.10	1.32
12	42	28	63	4	15	45	0.09	1.59
13	42	28	65	8	15	40	0.09	2.19
14	42	28	60	1	15	43	0.09	1.00
15	42	29	74	-7	17	47	0.10	1.57
16	42	29	69	2	17	45	0.10	1.02
17	43	29	66	2	11	46	0.10	0.94
18	43	29	67	0	14	48	0.10	1.67
19	43	29	66	9	25	53	0.10	1.70
20	43	29	70	3	20	47	0.09	1.50
21	43	29	79	6	20	50	0.10	1.65
22	44	30	70	9	19	45	0.11	1.60
23	44	30	66	8	26	54	0.10	0.90
24	44	30	73	6	25	51	0.11	1.70
25	44	30	68	12	22	49	0.11	1.49
26	45	30	62	9	22	47	0.10	1.04
27	45	30	73	9	21	50	0.11	1.79
28	45	31	66	10	24	47	0.11	1.56
29	–	–	67	12	23	42	–	0.64
Range	40-45	27-31	52-79	-7-12	11-26	40-54	0.09-0.11	0.80-2.89

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for January

January 2, 2020Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due northwest (14.25%).

Directions that are most and least common: Other most common wind directions include west-northwest (13.5%), due west (11%), and due northeast (8.25%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast and due southeast (0.5%), and south-southeast (1.5%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: As is the case with other cold weather months, winds in excess of 21.4 knots (~25 mph) are most frequently found coming from due northwest. Due west, west-northwest, north-northwest, and due northeast winds can also produce winds over 21.4 knots though less frequently.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: January’s winds build on a pattern first seen in November, where winds from the northwestern quadrant become prominent. January wind patterns are nearly identical to December, with winds from due west to northwest being very common. These wind directions also continue to produce the fastest winds most often.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 39 knots (46 mph).

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: January average temperatures for both high and lows start to bottom out, and there’s only a small range in these figures.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	40	28	60	8	19	52	0.10	1.33
2	40	28	60	9	23	43	0.10	1.52
3	40	28	63	10	17	47	0.11	2.53
4	40	27	66	4	13	57	0.10	2.02
5	40	27	64	9	20	51	0.10	1.25
6	40	27	72	8	15	55	0.11	1.56
7	39	27	62	4	18	49	0.10	1.13
8	39	27	64	3	13	52	0.10	1.19
9	39	27	66	1	14	49	0.11	0.79
10	39	27	59	2	16	43	0.10	1.42
11	39	26	62	4	15	44	0.11	1.34
12	39	26	68	1	12	48	0.11	0.97
13	39	26	63	4	18	46	0.10	1.23
14	39	26	64	7	18	45	0.11	2.04
15	39	26	62	0	14	55	0.11	0.88
16	39	26	59	2	14	52	0.10	1.74
17	39	26	59	-1	9	45	0.11	1.20
18	39	26	64	0	12	44	0.10	1.98
19	39	26	64	-3	9	41	0.10	0.76
20	39	26	61	0	14	42	0.10	1.41
21	39	26	64	-3	8	42	0.10	3.13
22	39	26	57	5	16	43	0.10	1.25
23	39	26	62	3	15	47	0.10	2.60
24	39	26	68	3	18	54	0.10	1.48
25	39	26	57	2	15	47	0.10	1.43
26	39	26	72	5	18	45	0.09	2.40
27	39	26	66	0	18	44	0.10	1.93
28	40	27	60	7	20	45	0.09	1.55
29	40	27	68	2	13	50	0.11	0.80
30	40	27	63	4	19	44	0.10	0.79
31	40	27	61	2	17	41	0.10	0.88
Range	39-40	26-28	57-72	-3-10	8-23	41-57	0.09-0.11	0.76-3.13

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for December

December 3, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
November

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: West-northwest (13.75%).

Directions that are most and least common: Other most common wind directions include due northwest (13.5%), due west (11%), and due southwest (8%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1%), due southeast (1.25%), and south-southeast (1.5%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: As is the case with November, winds in excess of 21.4 knots (~25 mph) are most frequently found coming from due northwest. West-northwest, north-northwest, due northeast winds can also produce winds over 21.4 knots though less frequently.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: December’s winds build on a pattern first seen in November, where winds from the northwestern quadrant become prominent. In December, winds from due west to northwest become markedly more common, while the frequency of winds from the southwesterly quadrant continues to decrease. In addition, the frequency of winds in excess of ~25 mph (21.4 knots) from the northwesterly quadrant also increases.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 38 knots (44 mph).

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: December average high temperatures drop into the 40s. It’s the first month of the winter where record lows have historically dipped below 0°F at times.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	49	37	71	19	29	54	0.12	1.29
2	49	37	66	17	32	51	0.13	2.22
3	48	36	69	11	23	54	0.13	1.48
4	48	36	74	12	27	59	0.12	1.76
5	48	36	69	21	32	56	0.13	1.38
6	47	35	72	18	25	58	0.12	1.29
7	47	35	75	17	28	50	0.12	1.39
8	47	35	64	18	26	52	0.12	0.94
9	46	34	66	13	27	52	0.13	2.68
10	46	34	70	9	22	53	0.12	0.96
11	46	34	67	14	24	49	0.12	2.74
12	45	33	66	8	19	53	0.12	1.32
13	45	33	63	8	20	53	0.12	3.65
14	45	33	64	12	24	51	0.11	1.75
15	44	32	67	15	26	52	0.12	1.18
16	44	32	62	13	21	47	0.11	2.39
17	44	32	61	9	21	50	0.11	1.29
18	43	31	62	16	25	47	0.11	1.29
19	43	31	57	14	23	47	0.11	1.31
20	43	31	61	-2	16	54	0.11	1.07
21	43	30	62	-1	17	50	0.11	1.92
22	42	30	69	8	17	56	0.11	1.59
23	42	30	66	7	19	54	0.11	1.45
24	42	30	72	4	21	59	0.12	1.27
25	42	29	64	-1	10	54	0.11	1.27
26	41	29	62	5	17	47	0.11	2.62
27	41	29	63	9	20	54	0.11	1.17
28	41	29	65	12	19	47	0.10	1.25
29	41	28	68	12	22	54	0.10	1.26
30	41	28	63	3	21	48	0.10	1.56
31	40	28	63	3	13	50	0.10	1.31
Range	41-49	28-37	57-75	-2-21	10-32	47-59	0.10-0.13	0.94-3.65

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for November

November 7, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, high pressure, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due northwest (12%).

Directions that are most and least common: Other most common wind directions include west-northwest (10%), due west (8.5%), and due southwest (8.25%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1.5%), due southeast (1.75%), and south-southeast (2.75%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds in excess of 21.4 knots (~25 mph) are most frequently found coming from due northwest. West-northwest, north-northwest, due northeast, east-northeast, and due south directions can also see less frequent winds over 21.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: November wind patterns are a marked shift from the prior two months. Winds coming from the northwestern quadrant become prominent. Meanwhile, winds from the south and southwest decline in frequency.

In general, northwesterly winds bring cooler, drier Canadian air into the region following cold fronts. Northwesterly winds will tend to warm slightly because of compressional warming as they downslope coming off the higher terrain of the Catskills, and Poconos outside of the city. This can sometimes lead to warmer temperatures than would normally be expected for this wind direction. Northeasterly winds, on the other hand, are often related to backdoor cold fronts sweeping from the Canadian Maritimes, the onshore flow ahead of an advancing warm front, or a passing coastal storm to the south.

The pattern of winds in November suggests the prevalence of classic frontal systems moving through, where warmer southwesterly winds precede the passage of a cold front, behind which strong, gusty westerly and northwesterly winds pick up. Northeasterly winds are, as pointed out above, a sign of passing coastal storms.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 41 knots (47 mph).

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: Average high temperatures in November start falling into the 50s, while lows fall into the upper-30s. November is the first fall month in which no record high temperature exceed the 90°F.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	60	46	83	37	48	64	0.11	1.57
2	59	46	83	29	39	66	0.12	1.87
3	59	46	80	32	46	61	0.12	2.05
4	59	45	76	29	45	63	0.11	3.05
5	58	45	74	32	44	61	0.11	1.76
6	58	45	75	30	39	65	0.11	0.96
7	58	44	76	32	42	58	0.11	3.07
8	57	44	77	31	39	63	0.11	4.42
9	57	44	78	27	38	59	0.10	0.77
10	57	44	75	27	40	59	0.11	1.23
11	56	43	74	26	35	62	0.10	0.90
12	56	43	69	27	41	56	0.11	1.74
13	56	43	70	24	35	58	0.10	1.60
14	55	42	72	24	36	57	0.11	2.05
15	55	42	80	22	37	60	0.11	1.61
16	55	42	72	22	34	60	0.11	2.32
17	54	41	72	27	39	53	0.12	1.49
18	54	41	72	22	32	55	0.11	1.03
19	54	41	70	22	35	55	0.12	1.62
20	53	41	75	23	34	61	0.12	2.91
21	53	40	69	20	35	61	0.11	0.84
22	52	40	69	19	29	56	0.13	1.48
23	52	40	70	17	31	55	0.11	1.35
24	52	39	68	22	32	56	0.12	1.05
25	51	39	68	23	35	57	0.12	2.08
26	51	39	67	24	34	58	0.10	1.98
27	51	38	65	23	32	52	0.12	1.74
28	50	38	68	21	32	54	0.12	1.76
29	50	38	69	17	28	60	0.12	2.23
30	50	37	70	18	26	57	0.13	1.23
Range	50-60	37-46	65-83	17-37	26-48	52-66	0.10-0.13	0.77-4.42

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for October

October 2, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, high pressure, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due southwest (9%). Note: due northeast is basically co-equal most common wind direction, perhaps only off by a fraction of a percentage point.

Directions that are most and least common: Other most common wind directions include due northeast (9%), due northwest (8.75%), and west-northwest (8.25%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1.8%), due southeast (2.75%), and due east (3%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from due northwest. West-northwest, north-northwest, due northeast, east-northeast, and due south directions can also see less frequent winds over 21.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: October’s wind profile is a continuation on the trend established in September where wind frequencies begin to be distributed more evenly across the compass and less focused in the south. Winds from the northwest quadrant continue to increase in frequency, along with the frequency of the fastest winds coming from these directions. Northeasterly winds still figure prominently, though slightly less so than in September. Curiously, while southerly winds generally decreased in frequency, due southwest winds tick up slightly compared to September.

Northeasterly winds, on the other hand, are often related to backdoor cold fronts sweeping from the Canadian Maritimes, the onshore flow ahead of an advancing warm front, or a passing coastal storm to the south. Southwesterly winds are still capable of bringing in oppressive heat, as seen in the temperature section below.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 56 knots (64 mph) – this is the fastest recorded two-minute wind speed for any calendar month.

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: Even though average high temperatures in October fall into the 60s, it’s still possible to see summer-like warmth – you can see this from the record high of 95°F, set anew in 2019, and that record highs can reach into the mid-80s until late in the month. Overnight lows start to fall into the 50s and end up in the 40s by the end of the month!

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	71	56	87	39	54	73	0.13	2.24
2	70	56	95	42	56	72	0.12	1.15
3	70	56	85	40	49	69	0.12	1.07
4	70	55	86	38	53	73	0.12	1.05
5	69	55	93	38	49	69	0.13	1.58
6	69	54	92	40	54	70	0.12	1.69
7	68	54	85	40	52	72	0.12	3.44
8	68	54	89	40	46	71	0.13	3.51
9	68	53	85	40	51	71	0.13	2.00
10	67	53	89	36	47	71	0.13	2.26
11	67	53	86	36	49	71	0.13	2.59
12	67	52	86	41	52	68	0.12	4.39
13	66	52	86	39	51	70	0.12	1.63
14	66	52	82	40	51	70	0.13	1.66
15	66	51	83	39	48	68	0.13	2.55
16	65	51	82	39	49	63	0.12	1.71
17	65	51	83	38	49	66	0.12	0.95
18	64	50	82	35	47	68	0.12	1.33
19	64	50	86	32	42	68	0.12	3.62
20	64	50	79	32	44	65	0.12	2.36
21	63	49	82	33	46	64	0.12	1.81
22	63	49	83	33	48	65	0.13	2.15
23	63	49	86	32	41	67	0.12	2.47
24	62	48	80	30	50	67	0.12	1.43
25	62	48	78	37	47	61	0.12	1.52
26	62	48	76	34	41	65	0.12	3.30
27	61	48	79	33	43	66	0.11	1.76
28	61	47	80	33	45	63	0.12	2.84
29	61	47	77	33	42	63	0.11	2.78
30	60	47	81	35	45	65	0.11	1.18
31	60	46	81	33	44	62	0.12	3.30
Range	60-71	46-56	76-93	30-42	41-56	61-73	0.11-0.13	0.95-4.39

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for September

September 3, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, high pressure, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, sea breeze, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due northeast (9.5%).

Directions that are most and least common: Most common wind directions include due south (9%), due southwest (8.5%), and northwest (8%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1.5%), due southeast (2.5%), and due east (3.5%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from due northeast, and due northeast. North-northwest, east-northeast, and due south directions can also see less frequent winds over 21.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: September’s wind profile sees a shift away from the general pattern of the summer months preceding it (June, July, August) during which southerly winds are predominant, and during which due south is the single most common wind direction. April is the last calendar month when due south isn’t the single most common wind direction, so it takes quite a bit of time in order for winds to shift off this summer pattern.

The most common wind directions in September are almost evenly split between northeasterly and northwesterly and southerly and southwesterly winds in percentage terms of frequency. Northwesterly winds are notably more frequent, and faster northeasterly and northwesterly winds start to appear in September as opposed to the summer months. Northwesterly winds in general will bring cooler, drier Canadian air into the region following cold fronts. Northeasterly winds, on the other hand, are related to backdoor cold fronts sweeping from the Canadian Maritimes, the onshore flow ahead of an advancing warm front, or a passing coastal storm.

The continued downward trend in southerly winds is likely a reflection of the diminishing influence of sea breezes as average land temperatures cool while average sea surface temperatures are still close to their peak (though also cooling). The narrowing gap between these two will tend to reduce the potential for sea breeze circulations to set up. However, these sea breezes can still exert an influence on local temperature and can still provide boundaries for convection. Southwesterly winds are also similarly capable of bringing in oppressive heat, as seen in the temperature section below.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 44 knots (51 mph)

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth noting: September can still offer up oppressive heat, especially in the first half of the month. The monthly all-time record high of 102°F is also the second highest record temperature recorded for the year at KLGA (August has the hottest record high: 104°F). September’s monthly precipitation record of 4.63″ in one day is also has the 3rd highest single-day precipitation record after April and August. While it can get quite hot in September, it’s also possible for temperatures to get cold too, with the record low for the month in the low-40s! Average high temperatures dip back below 80°F and average lows drop below 60°F again in September after the summer months, marking a definite fall feel.

‘Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	81	67	96	55	67	78	0.11	1.20
2	81	66	102	56	65	81	0.12	2.88
3	80	66	95	54	68	77	0.12	2.33
4	80	66	93	54	66	80	0.12	3.12
5	80	66	93	54	67	79	0.12	1.00
6	80	65	96	53	62	79	0.12	3.21
7	79	65	90	53	66	74	0.12	2.37
8	79	65	95	54	65	76	0.12	3.85
9	79	64	93	53	65	77	0.11	0.56
10	78	64	95	50	67	76	0.12	1.47
11	78	64	96	51	64	78	0.12	2.93
12	78	63	94	52	68	75	0.12	3.63
13	77	63	93	50	61	75	0.13	2.93
14	77	63	92	48	63	74	0.13	2.93
15	77	62	91	49	59	76	0.13	0.82
16	76	62	95	48	62	73	0.12	4.63
17	76	62	95	48	61	79	0.12	1.65
18	76	61	89	48	64	72	0.13	1.99
19	75	61	92	49	61	72	0.13	1.62
20	75	60	90	46	61	74	0.13	1.72
21	75	60	89	43	59	73	0.13	3.02
22	74	60	93	47	56	73	0.12	1.00
23	74	59	93	42	57	77	0.12	2.14
24	73	59	91	44	52	73	0.12	1.34
25	73	59	90	42	57	72	0.13	2.84
26	73	58	90	44	57	72	0.12	3.19
27	72	58	90	43	56	73	0.13	2.72
28	72	57	84	42	56	72	0.14	3.27
29	71	57	86	43	58	72	0.14	1.85
30	71	57	88	43	56	71	0.14	1.80
Range	71-81	57-67	84-102	42-56	52-68	71-81	0.11-0.14	0.56-4.63

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for August

August 7, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, high pressure, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, sea breeze, warm front, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due south (12.25%).

Directions that are most and least common: Most common wind directions include due southwest (10%), due northeast (9.75%), and south-southwest (8.75%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1%), due southeast (2.5%), and due east (2%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from due northeast, and due south. It appears that due northeast also has some probability of exceeding 21.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: August winds continue to exhibit a distinctive summer pattern, and share many of the characteristics of the wind profiles for June and July. Southerly and southwesterly winds are a touch less common in August versus July, while northwesterly winds increase in frequency slightly. Like in July, heat waves can accompany the clockwise return flow from the southwest when subtropical Bermuda highs set up southeast of the area. A slight down tick in the frequency of southerly winds may point to a decline in sea breezes, with sea surface temperatures continuing to warm and narrowing the gap with average air temperatures. Increases in northwesterly winds could be an indication of a stronger influence from Canadian high pressure.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 45 (52 mph)

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	85	70	100	62	69	83	0.15	2.03
2	85	70	102	59	73	86	0.15	1.31
3	85	70	100	59	70	82	0.16	2.80
4	85	70	99	62	75	80	0.15	2.78
5	85	70	100	57	69	81	0.15	2.08
6	85	70	95	57	69	81	0.15	2.34
7	85	70	99	61	65	81	0.13	1.31
8	85	70	98	59	72	81	0.14	2.54
9	85	70	104	61	71	82	0.14	2.97
10	85	70	99	57	62	81	0.14	1.91
11	85	70	99	57	68	79	0.12	2.03
12	84	70	98	56	64	82	0.13	6.40
13	84	70	100	56	67	84	0.13	4.12
14	84	69	98	59	72	81	0.14	6.60
15	84	69	97	59	67	82	0.13	0.98
16	84	69	96	58	67	79	0.14	2.48
17	84	69	94	58	70	79	0.13	3.54
18	84	69	95	59	69	81	0.13	1.18
19	84	69	94	59	71	77	0.13	2.74
20	83	69	98	58	70	77	0.14	1.31
21	83	69	97	57	62	78	0.13	1.24
22	83	68	93	55	69	78	0.13	2.34
23	83	68	92	56	70	75	0.14	1.96
24	83	68	93	55	65	77	0.13	1.40
25	83	68	96	53	67	80	0.13	2.09
26	82	68	103	53	61	80	0.12	2.58
27	82	68	99	55	70	78	0.12	4.73
28	82	67	99	54	61	81	0.11	3.62
29	82	67	100	51	66	84	0.11	2.57
30	81	67	99	54	70	81	0.11	1.89
31	81	67	100	52	68	79	0.11	1.60
Range	81-85	67-70	92-104	51-62	61-75	75-86	0.11-0.16	0.98-6.60

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for July

July 1, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, high pressure, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, sea breeze, warm front, warm sector, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
June
August
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due south (13.5%).

Directions that are most and least common: Most common wind directions include due southwest (9.5%), due northeast (9.25%), and due northwest (8.5%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1%), due east (2%), and due southeast (2.5%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from due northwest, and due south.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: July winds are remarkably similar to June. Southerly and southwesterly winds are a bit more common in July than in June, and northwesterly winds a little less so. This pattern of winds continues to suggest the influence of mid-latitude lows tracking inland north of the area, bringing more southerly warm sector flow. As with June, persistent, subtropical high pressures continue to be a factor at times in July over the western North Atlantic. The clockwise flow around these high pressure centers would result in more southerly and southwesterly winds, which can lead to the onset and maintenance of heat waves. Southerly winds (along with easterly and some northeasterly winds) would bring cooler, and more stable marine air, sometimes in the form of sea breezes. Sea breezes can become commonplace during this month whenever there’s light synoptic winds. At this point in the year, the average max temperatures well exceed the threshold of 5-7°F warmer than sea surface temperatures (which are slowly climbing through the mid-60s) required for sea breezes.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 46 (53 mph)

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth Noting

July is the month when average temperatures peak at 86ºF. However, sweltering heat is possible well beyond this point, and record highs in this month are frequently in the upper-90s. Meanwhile, record highest low temperatures can easily be in the upper-70s and low-80s – making for very uncomfortable nights. July is also on average the wettest month of the year, which makes sense given the possibility for thunderstorms and a connection to tropical moisture.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	84	68	97	56	68	79	0.12	1.12
2	84	68	101	58	69	78	0.13	1.59
3	85	68	107	57	67	81	0.12	1.77
4	85	69	100	57	62	82	0.12	2.13
5	85	69	100	56	65	86	0.13	1.75
6	85	69	103	56	62	85	0.13	2.15
7	85	69	101	59	71	81	0.13	2.14
8	85	69	99	60	66	78	0.13	1.24
9	85	69	98	57	65	82	0.14	1.81
10	85	69	99	60	71	80	0.15	2.46
11	85	69	98	62	73	80	0.14	1.68
12	85	70	98	58	68	81	0.15	1.84
13	86	70	99	58	69	84	0.16	2.01
14	86	70	99	59	73	79	0.16	1.02
15	86	70	103	62	67	83	0.16	3.53
16	86	70	97	58	70	80	0.15	1.19
17	86	70	98	60	71	79	0.15	2.74
18	86	70	101	62	68	83	0.15	2.67
19	86	70	100	62	71	86	0.15	1.02
20	86	70	101	61	70	83	0.14	2.61
21	86	70	100	62	70	83	0.15	2.06
22	86	70	104	62	70	85	0.15	3.02
23	86	70	100	59	69	82	0.14	3.51
24	86	70	98	59	68	84	0.15	3.07
25	86	70	97	59	70	82	0.15	1.60
26	86	70	98	62	71	80	0.15	2.89
27	86	70	100	59	71	81	0.15	2.77
28	86	70	98	60	72	83	0.16	1.97
29	86	70	97	62	75	82	0.17	3.45
30	85	70	99	61	74	81	0.15	3.46
31	85	70	97	62	69	78	0.17	1.23
Range	84-86	68-70	97-107	56-62	62-75	78-86	0.12-0.17	1.02-3.53

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for June

June 1, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, sea breeze, warm front, warm sector, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
May
July
August
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: Due south (13.5%).

Directions that are most and least common: Most common wind directions include due northwest (9.5%), due northeast (9.25%), and due southwest (just below 9%). Least common wind directions are east-southeast (1%), due east (1.5%), and due southeast (2.5%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from due northwest, north-northwest, and due south.

Direction(s) least likely to produce the fastest winds: As is the case with several other spring months, the least common wind directions of due east, east-southeast, and due southeast also rarely seen winds in excess of 16.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: Wind patterns in June present a similar pattern to those in May, but with a notable increase in the frequency of winds from the southwestern quadrant, and a decrease in winds from the northeastern quadrant. This could be a reflection of shifting storm patterns, with coastal storms and backdoor cold fronts from the northeast becoming less common while more mid-latitude lows track inland north of the area, bringing more southerly warm sector flow. Persistent Bermuda highs can sometimes also develop in June over the western North Atlantic. The clockwise flow around these high pressure centers would result in more southerly and southwesterly winds. During this time of year, southwesterly winds should generally advect warmer, more humid air from the Southeastern US into the region. When this pattern becomes persistent, it can cause oppressive heat waves. Meanwhile, southerly winds (along with easterly and some northeasterly winds) would bring cooler, and more stable marine air, sometimes in the form of sea breezes. In the wake of passing cold fronts associated with mid-latitude storms, northwesterly and northerly winds, though decreasing in frequency compared to May, should still be effective at transporting cooler, drier Canadian (continential Arctic) airmasses into the area.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 36 (41 mph)

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth Noting
June is the first month of summer, and not surprisingly is also the first month of the season where record highs have exceeded 100ºF.

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	76	59	94	46	58	75	0.14	1.90
2	77	59	94	48	53	75	0.14	2.85
3	77	60	93	49	53	75	0.14	2.47
4	77	60	96	51	54	80	0.14	2.69
5	78	61	91	49	54	78	0.14	1.78
6	78	61	93	49	59	72	0.14	2.56
7	78	61	97	50	60	72	0.14	3.33
8	79	62	97	50	56	78	0.15	0.94
9	79	62	99	49	59	78	0.14	1.93
10	79	62	100	48	64	77	0.14	1.25
11	79	63	96	46	62	76	0.15	1.07
12	80	63	96	49	64	76	0.14	2.20
13	80	63	101	51	55	80	0.14	1.64
14	80	64	99	51	61	80	0.13	1.72
15	81	64	96	54	59	78	0.14	0.55
16	81	64	96	55	64	79	0.13	1.33
17	81	65	96	53	62	77	0.13	2.30
18	81	65	95	49	65	75	0.13	1.84
19	82	65	97	56	65	77	0.13	1.46
20	82	65	98	55	60	74	0.12	0.91
21	82	66	98	53	63	79	0.12	4.00
22	82	66	99	53	62	76	0.11	3.43
23	83	66	95	53	63	77	0.12	1.33
24	83	66	96	53	59	77	0.12	1.51
25	83	67	99	53	63	76	0.13	1.00
26	83	67	101	55	65	84	0.12	0.82
27	84	67	97	56	61	77	0.12	1.06
28	84	67	96	56	63	78	0.11	1.48
29	84	68	98	59	73	81	0.12	0.98
30	84	68	97	57	66	80	0.12	3.73
Range	76-84	59-68	91-101	46-59	53-73	72-84	0.11-0.15	0.41-4.00

NYC (KLGA) Climatology for May

May 9, 2019Climate, NYCclimatology, cold front, new york city climate, new york city weather, new york city wx, nyc climate, nyc weather, nyc wx, sea breeze, warm front, warm sector, wind roseLei Zhao

Other Month’s Climatologies

January
February
March
April
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Station Basic Information

City Name / Station ID: New York, NY (LaGuardia Airport – KLGA)

Local Geography and Topography

Station Elevation: 10 feet above sea level.

Station Location: LaGuardia Airport (KLGA) is situated on the north shore of Queens along the East River, approximately 6 miles east-northeast of Midtown Manhattan.

Per the Local Climatological Data report from the National Weather Service:

Wind Patterns

Below is a wind rose – you can read more about how to interpret this chart here.

Frequency (percentage) of the single most common wind direction: The most common wind direction for this month by frequency of occurrence is due south (~13%).

Directions that are most and least common: Due northeast (11.5%) winds present a second maximum of most frequent winds. The least common wind direction is east-southeast (~2%), followed by due east (~2.25%).

Direction(s) most likely to produce the fastest winds: Due northwest winds have a slim possibility of generating winds over 21.5 knots. No other wind direction seems to have a measurable occurrence of winds exceeding this speed. This is a marked difference from the previous two months when wind speeds of this magnitude were much more common. Winds of 16.5-21.4 knots are most frequently found coming from the west-northwest, due northwest, north-northwest, and due south.

Direction(s) least likely to produce the fastest winds: Due east, east-southeast, and due southeast winds rarely exceed 16.4 knots.

Impacts of wind direction on local weather: The most common wind directions in May differ from the previous two months, with northwesterly winds becoming less frequent, while southerly and northeasterly winds become more prominent. In fact, winds from the southern semicircle are generally more common than previous months. Cold air advection from northwest winds continue to influence temperatures in the wake of cold fronts approaching from the west, however, the effect should be dramatic than in prior spring months. Winds from the northeast can be associated to backdoor cold fronts arriving from the Canadian Maritimes, bringing a moist, cool maritime polar air mass; the advance of coastal Nor’easter type storms; or a warm front approaching from the south. The difference between sea surface temperatures and temperatures over land widens during May as daily normal highs increase. This increases the chances for sea breezes during periods of overall weak synoptic winds, though generally, southerly winds would allow for advection of warmer, more moist airmasses into the area. This would often be the case when the NYC region is in the warm sector of mid-latitude lows, preceding the passage of a typical cold front attached such lows.

Maximum observed two-minute wind speed for the month: 36 (41 mph)

Temperature and Precipitation Averages/Records

Temperature units are in Fahrenheit and precipitation is in inches.

Worth Noting: Average temperatures climb above 70ºF in May for the first time during the spring months. In 2019, new record lows were set for the 13th and 14th of May, at 42ºF and 44ºF respectively. In 2020, an all-time monthly record low of 36ºF was set on May 9th. In 2021, record lowest max temperatures were set for the 29th and 30th (52ºF, brrr), and record lows were set for the 29th-31st (48ºF, 48ºF, and 50ºF respectively)!

Date	Normal High	Normal Low	Record High	Record Low	Record Lowest Max	Record Highest Min	Normal Precip	Record Precip
1	67	49	85	38	50	62	0.10	2.18
2	67	50	90	40	47	67	0.12	0.83
3	67	50	93	40	50	70	0.11	1.45
4	67	50	92	41	49	72	0.12	0.89
5	68	51	90	42	46	65	0.12	2.27
6	68	51	93	41	47	61	0.11	1.28
7	68	51	93	40	44	60	0.12	1.11
8	69	51	89	37	49	68	0.11	2.28
9	69	52	92	36	46	76	0.12	1.21
10	69	52	91	38	53	71	0.11	1.44
11	70	52	96	42	51	68	0.11	1.77
12	70	53	88	43	50	68	0.11	1.30
13	70	53	89	42	55	67	0.11	1.74
14	71	53	84	44	54	64	0.11	2.82
15	71	54	92	43	53	65	0.11	0.89
16	71	54	90	41	53	63	0.12	2.57
17	72	54	94	38	56	68	0.12	1.03
18	72	54	97	44	54	80	0.12	1.44
19	72	55	96	43	50	68	0.12	2.00
20	72	55	97	44	52	77	0.14	1.79
21	73	55	93	45	51	71	0.13	1.60
22	73	56	94	47	57	70	0.14	0.95
23	73	56	94	45	55	69	0.14	1.72
24	74	56	91	41	54	72	0.13	1.82
25	74	57	95	44	47	74	0.14	1.64
26	74	57	94	45	55	75	0.13	1.59
27	75	57	92	41	48	73	0.13	1.84
28	75	58	92	44	58	73	0.13	1.41
29	75	58	95	48	52	71	0.14	2.41
30	76	58	96	48	52	74	0.14	2.19
31	76	59	96	50	60	78	0.14	2.23
Range	67-76	49-59	84-97	37-50	44-60	60-80	0.10-0.14	0.83-2.82