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NYC Weather Update – May 31, 2015

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We start the week off with some much needed rain and a noticeable cool down in temperatures. Scattered thunderstorms increase in coverage later today and transition into more widespread showers that are expected to persist into the overnight hours. The start of the week will be rainy, cloudy, and cool under the influence of a Canadian maritime airmass. By midweek, we get back into more fair conditions with the sun returning and temperatures back in the mid-70s.

Rest of today – the Storm Prediction Center has placed areas of Northeastern New Jersey in a slight risk area for severe thunderstorms later. Based on latest radar trends and the High Resolution Rapid Refresh model’s output, it would appear that thunderstorms are likely to develop over portions of New Jersey highlighted in the slight risk area, then track eastwards into the NYC metro area later this afternoon into the early evening hours. With breaks in the clouds for sun, we’ll hit temperatures in the low-80s, which when coupled with ample moisture, should support thunderstorms with the potential for heavy rain.

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High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output for 8PM EST
High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output for 8PM EST

Monday – all the activity occurring today and going into the overnight hours is associated with a cold front that is moving south into our area. As this cold front pushes through, east-northeast winds will set up, allowing a cooler, Canadian maritime airmass in. This will translate into cooler than average temperatures only in the mid-60s with showers likely throughout the day.

Tuesday – wet, cool weather continues Tuesday with highs again only in the mid-60s and the ongoing chance for rain showers throughout the day. This extended period of rain from later today into Tuesday should bring some relief to the moderate drought conditions over parts of the Northeast, with the potential for as much as 4″ of rain over the period in certain parts of the region.

Possible total rainfall over the next 48 hours
Possible total rainfall over the next 48 hours

Wednesday – high pressure finally builds back in Wednesday, pushing away the rainy weather, and yielding pleasant temperatures in the low-mid 70s under partly cloudy skies.

Thursday – slightly warmer than Wednesday, with highs in the upper-70s in NYC.

NYC Weekend Weather & 2015 Hurricane Season Forecast – May 28, 2015

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Yesterday, portions of our area got some much needed rain from a round of thunderstorms associated with a prefrontal trough. Today, we get another shot at rain and thunderstorms as the primary cold front actually pushes through. Behind that front, things cool off and dry out for Friday, before the humidity returns on Saturday. Things should stay dry Saturday, but we will see a more substantial chance at widespread rainfall Sunday with the passage of another cold front. Also of note, the National Hurricane Center released its outlook for this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, calling for a below normal season.

Rest of today – clouds give way to sun with warm temperatures in the mid-80s. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to form later this afternoon. The atmospheric setup today is a bit more favorable to showers and thunderstorms being able to persist into NYC and western Long Island, unlike yesterday when these showers essentially died out as they hit the stable marine air layer near the coast. The exact location of where storms form and move into will still be tricky to pinpoint even at this time.

High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output simulated radar for 3PM EST today.
High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output simulated radar for 3PM EST today.

Friday – once the frontal boundary passes through later today, it will usher in a much cooler and drier airmass for Friday. Temperatures should top out in the mid-upper 70s (still 5-10ºF above normal) under sunny skies.

Saturday – temperatures will be slightly warmer in the low-80s on Saturday with an increase in humidity as well. There could be a slight chance for scattered thunderstorms later in the day as well.

Sunday – another cold front passes through the region Sunday, bringing with it the chance for more substantial and widespread showers. Temperatures will also cool off to around normal, in the low-mid 70s.

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2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook

The National Hurricane Center released its initial outlook for the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season that officially starts on June 1st. As you’ll see from the graphic below, forecasters are calling for a below normal season with 6-11 named storms (tropical storms with sustained winds greater than 39mph). Of these named storms, forecasters think 3-6 have a chance to intensify into hurricanes (maximum sustained winds greater than 74mph), and of those hurricanes 0-2 could become major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher, maximum sustained winds greater than 111mph). Outlook_2015_FINAL

 

The primary reason for the 70% probability of a below normal season is the disruptive effect of El Niño in the Eastern Pacific, which is known to alter the pressure and air currents over the tropical Atlantic, dampening the formation of hurricanes. On the other hand, the above average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific associated with El Niño are expected to induce an above average Pacific Hurricane/Typhoon season. Read the full statement from the NHC here: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/20150527-noaa-hurricane-outlook-below-normal-atlantic-hurricane-season-is-likely-this-year.html

NYC Weather Update – May 26, 2015

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It certainly does feel as though Memorial Day 2015 has been the unofficial start of summer, given the warm and humid temperatures we’ve had from Sunday onwards. The warm, late-June like temperature trend continues through mid-week, with some chance for thunderstorms. Rain in any form would be most welcome, given that the region has been placed in a region of moderate drought as of this week.

Rest of today – the Bermuda high, more typical of mid-summer, brings us very warm and humid high temperatures in the mid-upper 80s, more than 15ºF above average for this time of year. If you like the heat, go out and enjoy it because we might see showers and thunderstorms both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

Wednesday – a weak cold front approaches from the west, bringing with it a chance for showers and thunderstorms. The critical question for NYC will be how long organized storms can stay together as they enter into influence of cooler, maritime air nearer to the coast. Temperatures will remain warm in the low-mid 80s with clouds and some breaks of sun. As is generally the case in these setups, the more sun we can get in the afternoon ahead of the frontal bou

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North American Model high resolution simulated radar image for 8PM EST Wednesday

Thursday – we get another shot at thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening, with highs likely topping out around 80 under mostly cloudy skies.

 

Moderate Drought for the Region Forecast to Persist

We’ve had an remarkable run of sunny, rain-free days, and above average temperatures for much of May (and indeed even going back a couple of months), and while that’s translated to pleasant weather for outdoor activities, it also has meant that we’ve entered into a stretch of moderate drought. We had a stretch of no rain for 23 consecutive days, earlier this month, which definitely didn’t help things. According to the USDA Drought Monitor, Central Park recorded 7.12″ of rain from March 1st through May 19th, which is only about 63% of average for this time of year.

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While we are only in the lowest tier of drought and were just added to this category this week, these drought conditions bear watching. We hope to get some rain out of this week, and it looks like more storms are on the way this weekend, however, the drought forecast for our region looks to have the drought persist through this summer.

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NYC Weather Update – May 18, 2015

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This week starts off with a backdoor front over us, bringing us much cooler temperatures than yesterday, as well as patchy dense fog. Tomorrow, the Canadian maritime airmass responsible for these conditions will be replaced by a warm, moist airmass originating from the Gulf. By mid-week, a passing cold front will usher in seasonable, and dry conditions to the region.

Rest of today – mostly cloudy, cool, with an easterly wind suppressing temperatures, which will top off in the mid-60s.

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Tuesday – the backdoor front above will move back north overnight as a warm front. This will allow a transition to a southwesterly flow, which will bring warm, Gulf air into the area. High temperatures should be in the mid-70s amidst cloudy skies, punctuated by periods of rain as a cold front approaches from the west. There is some chance at a couple thunderstorms as well.

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Wednesday – when the cold front moves through late Tuesday, it will set up cooler, but pleasant, dry, and sunny conditions on Wednesday. High temperatures around 70.

Thursday – the good weather continues with mostly sunny skies and high temperatures in the low-70s.

NYC Weekend Weather (Brooklyn Half Marathon) – May 14, 2015

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This week ends off with pleasant, sunny, dry weather, and temperatures slightly above average in the low 70s. We get a chance at some much needed rain (there were actually brush fires yesterday, giving you an idea how dry it’s been), but the unfortunate part is that the rain will likely occur in periods on Saturday. Sunday will be better, as it doesn’t look like the rain sticks around that long.

Rest of today – a gorgeous spring day with high pressure in control, yielding a cloud-free and seasonable day with highs in the low 70s.

High pressure firmly entrenched over us today and tomorrow.
High pressure firmly entrenched over the region today and tomorrow.

Friday – expecting more of the same during the day, mostly sunny and mild with temperatures topping out again in the low 70s. Later Friday night, there could be a few showers and thunderstorms that develop as an approaching frontal system nears the area.

Saturday – lingering showers and maybe a thunderstorm or two in the morning, but it does not appear the entire day will be a washout. We’ll be in the warm sector which should allow for temperatures to approach 80 or slightly higher, depending on the cloud cover situation in the afternoon hours. Sadly, I know this is not what all you runners that are going to be doing the Brooklyn Half Marathon want to hear.

North American Model high resolution output for Saturday at 11AM, showing the possibility of showers.
North American Model high resolution output for Saturday at 11AM, showing the possibility of showers.

Sunday – at this point, it appears Sunday will be dry, with more clouds than sun, and temperatures remaining warm in the upper-70s. A blocking high pressure center over the Gulf of Maine should be enough to prevent rain from entering the area. gfs_namer_108_1000_850_thick

Monday – the high pressure depicted above will retreat eastward a bit, which would allow for a better chance of rain later Monday evening/night into Tuesday. During the day, conditions should be dry with partly sunny skies and a high near 70.

NYC Weather Update – May 11, 2015

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This week will be a tale of two airmasses, starting with a warm, moist, maritime tropical one, and transitioning to a more seasonable, cool, dry, continental polar airmass (don’t be alarmed, polar refers to the origin of this airmass, not necessarily the temperatures, although some light frost might occur later this week far inland). In terms of sensible weather, you will notice a marked change between warm, humid, summer-like weather Monday and Tuesday, and cool, windy, and crisp spring-like conditions to end the week.

Rest of today – basically a repeat of Sunday, high temperatures topping out in the low-80s. There is a very slight chance of showers and thunderstorms over the inland areas west of NYC where some instability might develop from daytime heating. South-facing shores will be noticeably cooler and cloudier due to an onshore wind from the south off the ocean.

Tuesday – some fog and clouds early, then mostly cloudy with a chance for rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon ahead of an approaching cold front. High temperatures remain much above normal in the low-mid 80s.

Wednesday – the aforementioned cold front makes its passage, and brings in its wake a return to more seasonable weather. Average temperatures for this time of year are only around 65ºF, and that’s just about where we will end up on Wednesday under mostly sunny skies. There will be a noticeable wind from the northwest as well, making it feel extra crisp.noaad3

Thursday – sunny and dry, with a slight rebound in temperatures into the upper-60s.

NYC Weather Update – May 6, 2015

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A downright summer-like stretch of weather that started this week will get mirrored again towards the end of this week and going into next week. After clearing out clouds today, the remainder of this week should see dry and sunnier weather with highs in the mid-upper 70s. This weekend, we are looking at the possibility of temperatures near 80, nearly 15º above normal. We also have what could turn into the 2015 season’s first tropical depression/storm churning up off the coast of Florida now.

Rest of today – a very slow-moving, largely stationary front pushed through last night, but is still sitting in our vicinity. Along this front, remnants of more organized convective activity will be able to slide east during this afternoon and evening. While the chances are not high, there could still be an occasional shower during the latter half of today, high temperatures will be somewhat subdued around 70 with the clouds in place.

Thursday – clouds will clear out tomorrow and we should have a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70s.

Friday – a repeat of Thursday, with mostly sunny skies and highs again in the mid-70s.

Saturday – increasing cloud cover, but should still be a pleasant day with temperatures in the upper 70s.

Sandwiched between rain to our south and to our west, but our weather should still remain dry this weekend.
Sandwiched between rain to our south and to our west, but our weather should still remain dry this weekend.

Sunday – warm and pleasant with a high near 80.

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Climate Prediction Center temperature outlook for next week – still looks like we’ll be getting warmer than normal temps

First Tropical System of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season?

As I write this, a low pressure system is building up steadily off the east coast of Florida. The National Hurricane Center puts the odds of this system organizing sufficiently to become the first named tropical depression, subtropical, or tropical storm of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Even if this storm does become the first named tropical system, it is unlikely to do much damage as it will have very little time over open water to gain strength before it is forecast to make landfall over the Carolinas later. The most noticeable impact from this storm would be the rain it generates.

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NYC Weekend Weather – Apr 30, 2015

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This week ends with clouds and some small chance of rain, but we’re in for a real sweet stretch of pleasant conditions and warmer than average temperatures from Sunday into early next week. In fact, we could be hitting 80 by Tuesday ahead of a cold front that could bring some thunderstorms with it, before we cool back down into the low-70s, which is still above normal.

Friday – due to the influence of a weak area of low pressure to our south, we will be seeing generally cloudy skies, with some very slight chance for scattered showers in the southernmost portions of the region. Temperatures will be moderate by northeast winds circulating counterclockwise around the low pressure to our south, yielding high temperatures in the upper 50s to near 60, just a few degrees below normal.

Saturday – as the aforementioned low pressure system slides off to the east over the Atlantic, clouds should gradually decrease. Temperatures will also rebound somewhat to around normal with a high in the mid-60s. However, there could be just enough instability in the atmosphere to spark a couple scattered showers or thunderstorms.

 

gfs_namer_081_1000_850_thickSunday – by this time, an area of high pressure will have developed over the Carolinas. This setup will favor the influx of a warm airmass from the Gulf of Mexico. Skies will clear, and temperatures will be noticeably warmer in the low 70s.

Monday – another gorgeous day to start the week, with sunny skies and high temperatures in the mid-70s (10º above normal). Don’t say I told you so, but if there were a day to skip work, this would be it.

Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 forecast for temperature. Our odds are very good for getting warmer than normal temperatures.
Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 forecast for temperature. Our odds are very good for getting warmer than normal temperatures.

Tuesday – although it will be even warmer Tuesday than it will be Monday, with highs possibly topping 80, it won’t be quite as pleasant since clouds will be building up ahead of a cold front that will bring our next chance at rain.

NYC Weather Update – Apr 27, 2015

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After a few winter-like nights last week, things are back on the mend in terms of temperature this week. Wednesday should be the best day of the week, with mild temperatures in the upper-60s and sunny skies. Wednesday will be bookended by the rest of the week, which won’t be quite as pleasant. But, it won’t be as cold as it has been the last week.

Rest of Today – skies will be variably cloudy during the rest of the afternoon, with a chance for rain showers. This is due to the influence of a low pressure system in the Gulf of Maine that is inducing some instability here, as well as allowing a cool, moist, Canadian maritime airmass to enter the area.

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Tuesday – slightly better conditions than today with that low pressure exiting over the Atlantic. Skies should be mostly sunny with high temperatures in the mid-60s.

Wednesday – highlight of the week, featuring sunny skies and mild temperatures near 70.

Thursday – clouds return and temperatures fall back into the lower 60s in response to an approaching low pressure system from the Carolinas.

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NYC Weather Update – Apr 7, 2015

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This will be my last post for another few weeks as I will be traveling in South America. This week, we have an active weather pattern that will lead to a series of periods of rain. Mid-week, temperatures will be well below normal (mid-40s), but towards the end of the week, through the weekend, and to begin next week, temperatures will rebound to slightly above normal (low 60s).

Today – we’ve already had a round of light to moderate rain pass through earlier this morning. The rest of the day will feature temperatures falling through the 50s, along with overcast skies and a light onshore flow. A second round of rain looks set to hit the area around the evening rush hour today.

High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output for 5PM today.
High Resolution Rapid Refresh model output for 5PM today.

Wednesday – a raw, rainy, and cold day is in store tomorrow. A stationary front (the reason for the extended period of unsettled weather) will push through late Tuesday as a cold front. This will allow for much colder air from Canada to enter the area, which will lead to temperatures only in the mid-40s (10-15º below normal). Periods of rain are likely throughout the day and into the night.gfs_namer_021_1000_850_thickThursday – essentially a repeat of Wednesday, with chances for rain through out the day, and cold, cloudy conditions otherwise. High temperatures again only in the mid-40s.

Friday – chances for rain continue through Friday as a warm front will be approaching from the south. Once this front pushes through, we’ll see a return to milder temperatures with highs in the low 60s (about 5-8º above normal).

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The Weekend – conditions finally begin to improve on Saturday with a cold front having pushed through. Chance for precipitation dwindles, with highs in the low 60s. Sunday is even better with clear skies and warm temperatures near 60.

Warm Trend for Next Week

Climate Prediction Center has our region in an area of greater than 50% chance of above average temperatures for next week. This should translate to pleasant, spring like conditions for next week!

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