New York

New York Weather Overview

In the movies you see New York covered in snow and people in big woollen jackets, but the thing you seem to negate is that fact that in the summer months, New York is HOT. The combination of its location with the thousands of tonnes of concrete buildings means that New York can actually play host to many temperature extremes-  very hot and very cold.

The climate is, on the whole, classes as continental- which means its home to four distinct seasons (summer, autumn, spring, winter)

Summers generally are pretty warm to hot, but can get somewhat humid at times. Combine this with the urban warming affect that hits the city as the buildings absorb all the city’s heat which results in the central part of New York being a few degrees warmer than outlying areas.

On average throughout summer the daily maximum reaches about 28 to 29 degrees, with July and August being the hottest months. Its not uncommon for the mercury to sit in the 30’s for several days throughout summer. So come prepared with plenty of water and you pretty summer dresses!

New Yorks location upon the coast means that the weather is moderated by the prevailing sea breezes and its proximity to the ocean also means that winters are kept seemingly mild, comparative to other locations which lie at the same longitude but are not coastal.

Across the state of New York, winters are cold with snowfall, and in the central and northern areas the lakes usually freeze over. However in general New York winters have a tendency to be unpredictable, however as prior mentioned it is not as cold in the city of New York as it is once you head further inland. Rainfall is common, as is snowfall- but on average the barometer will see temperature above freezing for much of winter, but definitely pack your thick gloves and scarves!

See here for average conditions in winter.

New York City has been known to be hit with severe cold spells, the most recent occurring in the winter of 2006 when New York was buried underneath a record 27 inches of snow, a record which hadn’t been broken since 1947! The freak storms and heavy snowfall meant that many flights were cancelled and numerous roads closed and resulting in chaos through much of the state of New York and various other parts of north eastern USA.

The ideal time to visit New York would probably be autumn or Spring, as you avoid the extremes of summer and winter and you will also be visiting in off peak season so the city wont be quite as packed with tourists as it may be in summer or winter. In autumn you will see the tree lined streets bursting with oranges and browns as the trees begin t loose their leaves and the city begins to prepare for winter. On the flipside, in the spring time Central Park will be awash with colour as the sun begins to shine again and flowers start blooming. During this time daily temperatures sit in the 20’s so this can be very enjoyable weather in which to explore the many exciting sights and sounds of New York City.

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