TheClimateChanger

Did y’ins catch a glimpse of the sun today?

Interestingly, Volcano Osorno apparently erupted in Chile one day prior to the big Cosiguina eruption in Nicaragua. Charles Darwin also believed there was an eruption of Aconcagua, but that's an extinct paleovolcano. Perhaps there was a third eruption in Argentina? Or he just lost his bearings and actually witnessed the eruptions of Osorno and Cosiguina?

That 47.6F in 1836 is very interesting. I've read in numerous sources of a "great refrigeration" that occurred from about 1835-1838 on par with that of 1816. There was reportedly 2" of snow in Guangzhou [Canton], China in February 1835, suggesting it very well could have been a global [or at least hemisphere-wide] phenomenon. Berkeley Earth blames it on Cosiguina, which erupted in January 1835, and says there was a global land average temperature drop of 0.75C. However, it doesn't seem strong enough to me for that degree of response. Cosigüina - Wikipedia

On average, I think we can surmise that the mid 19th century climate of New York would have been comparable to that of present-day Albany, about 135 miles to the north (according to Wikipedia). It's still slightly warmer than recent years at KALB, but the airport is at nearly 300' elevation, while the bulk of the city of Albany is only around 100' elevation.

Good post, Don. Even more striking when you look at the values observed by the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Columbus [later known as Fort Jay] on Governor's Island, south of Manhattan, from 1821-1854. In that stretch of 34 Decembers, only 2 had a mean temperature in excess of the current normal (41.3, 1829; and 40.4F, 1852). One other year (1848) had a mean right on par with the current normal of 39.3F. While the proximity to water could lead to some cooling in the spring and summer, relative to Central Park, I would assume the proximity to water would lead this site to be warmer in the cold season.

Looks like the highest crest since January 2005.

What a clown. There's like half an inch in Marquette. Maybe a couple feet well inland, but not in the city.

Also [through yesterday], this has been the 4th wettest start to the year at Williamsport and 5th at Harrisburg. 2024 is certainly holding its own in the annals of weather history.

Very impressive. 4th warmest and 2nd wettest YTD in the threaded record, and winter season snowfall currently sitting at 6th least on record.

Below normal? I wish. Not so here.

As we round out the first quarter of 2024, I thought it might be a good time for a review of temperatures. Through the first quarter of 2024, it's been quite toasty in central Pennsylvania. Williamsport: Third warmest start to the year [of 130 years], behind 2012 & 2023. Harrisburg / Middletown: Sixth warmest start to the year [of 136 years], behind 2020, 2023, 1998, 2012 & 1990.

Not to change the subject from the potential severe weather, but a quick climate glance for the first quarter of 2024 [through 3/31]. The average mean temperature for the first 1/4 of the year has been 39.7F, placing it in 5th place in the threaded record. Note, however, that 1890 [0.3F warmer] has 12 missing days, so it very well might be lower than this year if not for the missing data. Second warmest start to the year at the airport behind 2012. Last year had the 8th warmest first three months, now dropped back to 9th place in the threaded record.

Up to a sultry T/Td of 69/64 at Washington County Airport, as of the top of the hour. Could see 70s this afternoon.

Also, not sure about "edged" out 2016. His favorite data source had this March a full 0.3C ahead of 2016: nsstc.uah.edu/data/msu/v6.0/tlt/uahncdc_lt_6.0.txt

Wow, pretty crazy. April 1901 still takes the cake though. 2.05 inches of precipitation, and 12.7 inches of snow on April 3, 1901. Later in the month, 1.53" of rain on the 19th and an additional 2.24" on the 20th. What a heartbreaker that must have been though for southwestern Pennsylvania, as parts of eastern Ohio saw up to 3 1/2 feet of snow. At least, the nearly 13" of snow earlier in the month would have provided some consolation. Warren, Ohio Gratiot, Ohio

Wow. Not sure I've ever seen it this high for our region.

No idea what that is. But that heat was insane either way. It never even reached 99F or above there in the scorching summer of 1988. Altoona set an all-time high of 103F or 104F on that date too.

I can believe it. I was at Cedar Point on July 21, 2011. It was 102F at Toledo Express Airport and 105F at Toledo Executive Airport that day. Absolutely brutal. The next day reached 101F at DuBois - the first and only time [dating to 1963] that it has exceeded 98F there.