SACRUS

Chicago has been off to a quick start:  "Chicago picked up another 4.8" of #snow ..... with their season to date total now at 17.1" vs. the average of 3.5".  This is the fastest start in 47 years and just shy of what fell all of last season: 17.6"."

1 hour ago, NEG NAO said:

impossible to predict anything with confidence past 5 days in this fast flowed pattern with very cold air and above average snow cover always to our north and west with the southern jet getting more involved in the pattern..............

Fully agree - as currently forecats that looks to be some moderation by the 18th, but plenty of cold to the north as mentioned.

55 minutes ago, Dark Star said:

Thanks, I think...

Ha slow progress towards later sunsets we're at 4:29 now - for those who enjoy a bit more light, anyways.

52 minutes ago, Dark Star said:

That white protruding from PA in western Jersey isn't snow cover, is it?

No a majority of clouds , can start to see some snow cover in the mt's

Daylight: 9H21M:10S.  We'll lose another 6 minutes but way of later sunrise.  We are in the earliest sunsets and will gain 10 mins back on sunsets by Dec 31st but continue to lose time at the sunrise netting a 3m increase in daylight post solstice by 31st.

ecords:

Highs:

EWR:  76 (1998)
NYC: 75 (1998)
LGA: 75 (1998)
JFK: 75 (1998)


Lows:

EWR: 16 (1954)
NYC: 10 (1926)
LGA: 17 (1954)
JFK: 20 (1964)

Historical:

1740 - In early December two weeks of mild and rainy weather culminated in the worst flood in fifty years in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. The Merrimack River swelled to its highest level, and in Maine the raging waters swept away mills, carried off bridges, and ruined highways. (David Ludlum)

1830: The winter of 1830-31 was known as the "Winter of the Deep Snow" in Illinois. Records from Fort Armstrong (presentt-day Moline), Fort Dearborn (persont-day Chicago), and Augusta indicated that heavy snowfall of 2 to 3 feet had fallen during the month of December. This severe winter, along with a poor corn harvest, compelled northern Illinoisans to seek grain in southern parts of the state, which had escaped the extreme conditions of the north. The furnishing of grain led to the use of the term "Little Egypt" being used to describe southern Illinois. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1927: Blizzard hits the arrowhead with heavy snows and 70 mph winds at Duluth, MN. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)
 

1935 - Severe flooding hit parts of the Houston, TX, area. Eight persons were killed as one hundred city blocks were inundated. Satsuma reported 16.49 inches of rain. The Buffalo and White Oak Bayous crested on the 9th. (6th-8th) (The Weather Channel)

1972: Brutal record cold prevailed from the Lakes to the Pacific Northwest. Record low temperatures for the date included: Great Falls, MT: -30 °F, Williston, ND: -30 °F, Bismarck, ND: -28 °F, Rochester, MN: -28 °F, Helena, MT: -28 °F, Green Bay, WI: -21 °F, Minneapolis, MN: -20 °F, Billings, MT: -20 °F, Casper, WY: -18 °F, Sheridan, WY: -18 °F. Most of Florida escaped the deep freeze and a few locations reported record high temperatures for the date including: Vero Beach, FL: 87 °F, Fort Myers, FL: 86 °F and Tampa, FL: 85 °F-Tied. (Ref. Wilson Wx. - Additional Temperature Records Listed)

1987 - Heavy rain fell across eastern Puerto Rico, with 19.41 inches reported at Las Piedras. Flooding caused five million dollars damage. Another in a series of storms hit the northwestern U.S., with wind gusts above 100 mph reported at Cape Blanco OR. While snow and gusty winds accompanied a cold front crossing the Rockies, strong westerly winds, gusting to 93 mph at Boulder CO, helped temperatures in western Kansas reach the 60s for the sixth day in a row. Freezing drizzle in northeastern slowed traffic to 5 mph on some roads in Morrow County. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - An outbreak of cold arctic air brought up to 18 inches of snow to the Colorado Rockies, with 14 inches at Boulder CO, and seven inches at Denver. Heavy snow blanketed New Mexico the following day, with 15 inches reported near Ruidoso. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - A storm moving out of the Central Rocky Mountain Region spread snow across Kansas and Oklahoma into Arkansas and Tennessee. Snowfall totals ranged up to 7.5 inches at Winfield KS. Freezing rain on trees and power lines cut off electricity to 24,000 homes in northeastern Arkansas, and 40,000 homes in the Nashville TN area were without electricity for several hours. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1996: A rapidly deepening coastal storm crossed New England, giving the region its second heavy snowfall in as many days. 20.5 inches of snow fell at Groton, VT, 19.5 inches was recorded at New Ipswich, NH, 18 inches piled up at Ashburnham, MA, and 16.5 inches was measured at Union, CT. Over eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, the snow was extremely wet. Snow was still on trees and other objects from the previous day's storm, and this combined with the new snow and some rain mixing in resulted in an enormous amount of tree damage. Over 900,000 people lost power with 500,000 in Massachusetts alone. 113,000 people in Massachusetts were without power for several days. This was the most extensive and costliest weather related power outage in New Hampshire's history as 94,000 lost power during the storm. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1998: The highest temperature ever recorded in Richmond, VA in December was 81 °F that occurred on two dates. The other date is December 6th in 1998.(Ref. Richmond Weather Records KRIC)
Overall, 70 all-time December temperature records and 700 daily records were broken during the first 8 days of the month as an unprecedented late autumn heat wave occurred from the Rockies to the East Coast. The following locations set their all-time December record high: Wilmington, NC: 82 °F, Richmond, VA: 81 °F-Tied, Washington, DC: 79 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 79 °F-Tied, Greensboro, NC: 78 °F-Tied, Atlantic City, NJ: 77 °F, Islip, NY: 77 °F (broke previous daily record by 19 degrees), Providence, RI: 77 °F (broke previous daily record by 14 degrees), Baltimore, MD: 77 °F-Tied, Newark, NJ: 76 °F, Boston, MA: 76 °F (broke previous daily record by 10 degrees), Windsor Locks and Bridgeport, CT: 76 °F (broke daily record by 14 degrees), Hartford, CT: 76 °F (broke previous daily record by 14 degrees), New York (Central Park), NY: 75 °F, New York (Kennedy Airport), NY: 75 °F (broke previous daily record by 16 degrees), New York (LaGuardia), NY: 75 °F, Harrisburg, PA: 75 °F-Tied, Milton, MA: 74 °F (broke previous record by 12 degrees), Concord, NH: 73 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 73 °F-Tied, Worcester, MA: 72 °F and Portland, ME: 71 °F-Tied (broke previous daily record by 12 degrees). (Ref. Wilson Wx.- Additional Temperature Records Listed at This Link)

2002: Fog reduced visibility on I-65 near the Tennessee River in Northern Alabama during the early morning hours. A tractor trailer jackknifed, leading to a chain reaction accident that involved 18 vehicles. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2003: December 5th through the 7th, New York and New England: The greatest Nor'easter snowstorm in recent memory strikes New York and New England. In Central Park, New York City, the accumulation reaches 14 inches. The greatest accumulation buries Pinkham Notch at Mount Washington in New Hampshire: 47 inches. (Ref. WxDoctor)

31 / 27 clear.  Today , Wed/Thu the warmest (still near normal) of the next 10 days.  Coldest days Mon/Tue and the stretch between the 12th and 17th.  Still need to watch the period between 12-15 for any snow / mix.  Beyond there moderation towards the 17th and into the week of Christmas.

Dec 7 - Dec 17th :   Below to much below normal coldest Dec 8/9, 13-15
Dec 18th - Dec 24 :  Moderating / warmer near normal.

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 74 (2001)
NYC: 71 (2001)
LGA: 72 (2001)
JFK: 70 (2001)

Lows:

EWR: 17 (1954)
NYC: 11 (1871)
LGA: 18 (1942)
JFK: 21 (2007)

Historical:

1886 - A great snowstorm hit the southern Appalachain Mountains. The three day storm produced 25 inches at Rome GA, 33 inches at Asheville NC, and 42 inches in the mountains. Montgomery AL received a record eleven inches of snow. Columbia SC received one to two inches of sleet. (4th-6th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)

1913:A snowstorm from December 1st through the 6th dumps a record total of 45.7 inches in Denver, Colorado. This storm produced the most snow ever recorded in a single Denver snowstorm.

1926: On December 4th through the 6th 13.1 inches of snow fell over the Boston, Massachusetts area. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1950: A winter storm brought heavy snow to parts of the northern Plains and Midwest. Duluth, MN set their 24-hour snowfall record with 25.4 inches. Otherwise snowfall amounts generally ranged from 6 to 12 inches. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)
 

1970 - A windstorm toppled the National Christmas Tree at the White House. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)

1970:The National Christmas tree in 1970 was a 78 foot spruce from South Dakota. On the way to Washington, the train carrying the tree derailed twice in Nebraska. On the weekend before the lighting event, the tree toppled in gusty winds and required new branches to fill it out.

1972: Most of the country was under the influence of a massive deep upper level trough. Florida escaped the deep freeze with record high temperatures courtesy of an upper level ridge extending from off the southeast coast into the northern Caribbean. Some of the coldest December temperatures in history was recorded with some low temperatures well into the 20’s and 30’s below zero. Record low temperatures for the date included: Roundup, MT: -35 °F (also occurring two days later), Broadus, MT: -32 °F, Havre, MT: -31 °F, Medicine Bow, WY: -31 °F, Helena, MT: -30 °F, Williston, ND: -30 °F, Aberdeen, SD: -30 °F, Rochester, MN: -28 °F, Bismarck, ND: -28 °F, Sheridan, WY: -28 °F (broke previous record by 15 degrees), Miles City, MT: -27 °F, St. Cloud, MN: -27 °F, Fargo, ND: -26 °F, Lander, WY: -26 °F (broke previous record by 11 degrees)
Escaping the relentless cold, locations in Florida reported record high temperatures for the date including: West Palm Beach, FL: 87 °F, Fort Myers, FL: 86 °F, Orlando, FL: 86 °F and Daytona Beach, FL: 85 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1981: On December 5th through the 6th 12.9 inches of snow fell over the Boston, Massachusetts area. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1982: High pressure off the East Coast brought record high temperatures from parts of the Ohio Valley to the East Coast including: Orlando, FL: 86 °F-Tied, Cape Hatteras, NC: 77 °F, (then)  Newark, NJ: 72 °F, Boston, MA: 70 °F (followed by a record high December minimum of 57 °F), Harrisburg, PA: 70 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 70 °F, Wilmington, DE: 69 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: 68 °F, Syracuse, NY: 68 °F, Hartford, CT: 67 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)
Boston, Massachusetts had a 57 °F (again) the warmest low temperature for the month of December. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1987 - Another in a series of storms brought high winds and heavy rain to the northwestern U.S., with heavy snow in some of the higher elevations. In northern California, Crescent City was drenched with 2.58 inches of rain, and winds gusted to 90 mph. Up to fourteen inches of snow blanketed the mountains of northern California, and snow and high winds created blizzard conditions around Lake Tahoe NV. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - The morning low at Bismarck, ND, was eleven degrees warmer than the record low of 25 degrees at Meridian MS, and during the afternoon half a dozen cities in the north central and northwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Alpena MI with a reading of 57 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - Heavy snow blanketed the Central Rocky Mountain Region. Totals in the southern foothills of Colorado ranged up to 17 inches at Rye. Arctic air invaded the north central U.S. Lincoln NE, which reported a record high of 69 degrees the previous afternoon, was 35 degrees colder. International Falls MN was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 9 degrees below zero, and temperatures in northern Minnesota hovered near zero through the daylight hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1994: An intense winter storm blasted areas of the south-central Plains to the Midwest bringing everything from ice to heavy snow. A significant ice storm struck much of southwest Kansas coating surfaces with one half to 1 inch of ice. A tremendous amount of tree damage occurred. One traffic fatality was blamed on icy roads. A heavy snow and ice event covered most of the northern two-thirds of Iowa. Much of the southern third of Iowa received freezing rain and sleet bringing down many trees and tree limbs as well as numerous power lines. At one time or another, nearly 300,000 residents lost power, some for as long as four days. To the north of the ice, heavy snow fell with 6 to 12 inches common. Dubuque and Ames received nearly a foot. Damage was well into the millions of dollars across the state of Iowa from this event. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1996: A tightly wrapped 29.23 inches of mercury low dumped unexpected heavy wet snow over eastern Pennsylvania, southeastern New York, and southern New England. Snowfall totals included 19 inches at Tobyhanna, PA, 18 inches at Cornwall, CT, 17.6 inches at Worthington, MA, and 16 inches at East Jewett, NY. Winds gusted to 75 mph at Nantucket, MA and to nearly 100 mph offshore from a ship on Georges Bank. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1998: The highest temperature ever recorded in Richmond, VA in December was 81 °F that occurred on two dates. The other date is December 7th in 1998.(Ref. Richmond Weather Records KRIC)
One of the worst cold season long lasting wind storm to ever recorded hit northern Indiana and northwest Ohio. Strong storms damaged a house in Elkhart, blew down trees and power lines in Markle, and spread 70 to 100 mph winds throughout northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio. 82 mph winds were observed at Grissom Air Reserve Base, where the roof was ripped off of a warehouse. Widespread damage to structures, trees and power lines were reported. Phoenix, AZ saw their first snow since 1994 and Las Vegas picked up its heaviest snow since 1967 with 2 inches. Over 45 accidents were reported in just a 3 hour period. A tremendous upper level ridge brought widespread record highs from the Plains to the East Coast. The following locations in Wisconsin recorded their highest December temperatures: Platteville, WI: 64 °F, Richland Center, WI: 64 °F and Mauston, WI: 63 °F. Other daily record highs included: Brownsville, TX: 85 °F-Tied, Tampa, FL: 83 °F-Tied, Augusta, GA: 82 °F, Columbia, SC: 82 °F, Wilmington, NC: 81 °F, Charleston, SC: 81 °F, Richmond, VA: 81 °F, New Orleans, LA: 81 °F-Tied, Shreveport, LA: 81 °F-Tied, Savannah, GA: 80 °F, Raleigh, NC: 80 °F, Roanoke, VA: 80 °F, Galveston, TX: 79 °F, Pensacola, FL: 79 °F, Norfolk, VA: 79 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 79 °F, Washington, DC: 78 °F, Charlotte, NC: 78 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 78 °F, Baltimore, MD: 77 °F, Charleston, WV: 75 °F, Huntington, WV: 75 °F-Tied, Cincinnati, OH: 73 °F, Asheville, NC: 73 °F-Tied, Lexington, KY: 72 °F, Dayton, OH: 72 °F, Elkins, WV: 70 °F-Tied. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

2001: The ridge off the southeast coast held a cold front at bay bringing one more day of record warm temperatures. Atop Mount Washington, NH (elevation 6,288 feet), the temperature reached 47 °F, setting their highest temperature ever recorded in the month of December. Other daily record highs included: Tampa, FL: 83 °F-Tied, Atlanta, GA: 75 °F, Hartford, CT: 74 °F, Newark, NJ: 74 °F, Atlantic City, NJ: 73 °F, Wilmington, DE: 72 °F, Boston, MA: 72 °F, Concord, NH: 72 °F, New York (LaGuardia), NY: 72 °F, Syracuse, NY: 72 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 72 °F, Providence, RI: 72 °F, Wallops Island, VA: 72 °F, Portland, ME: 71 °F (broke previous record by 10 degrees), New York (Central Park), NY: 71 °F, Milton, MA: 70 °F, New York (Kennedy Airport), NY: 70 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

 

34 / 29 clouds here after some frz drizzle.  Perhaps some clearing later but back to clouds tomorrow.  Overall cold the next 10 days to 12 days with the coldest much below normal Dec 8, Dec 13 - 16 with the next storm threat (frozen) Dec 12 - Dec 15, otherwise - dry.   Moderating beyond there and perhaps pushing a period of above normal towards the 20th.

Cold to Hold the next 10 Days - 2 weeks

Surge of much below normal Dec 8 / Dec 12-14,  Dec 15-17

2002:  

Dec 5

2003

Dec 5:

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 72 (2001)
NYC: 70 (2001)
LGA: 69 (2001)
JFK: 65 (2001)


Lows:

EWR:  15 (1935)
NYC: 11 (1926)
LGA: 21 (1942)
JFK: 20 (1966*)

Historical:

1886 - A big snowstorm in the southeastern U.S. produced 11 inches at Montgomery AL, 18.5 inches at Rome GA, and 22.5 inches at Knoxville TN. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)

1886: A southern storm dumped heavy snow up into far southwest Virginia. The storm dumped 11 inches in Montgomery Alabama and 22.5 inches in Knoxville, TN. It also dropped 25 inches in Rome, Georgia, and 26 inches in Ashville, North Carolina.

1913: Snowstorm hits Denver, Colorado from the 1st to the 6th piling up 46 inches of snow with most of the snow falling on the 4th and 5th. This is still the record for Denver as of 2010. (Ref. Denver Blizzard of 1913)

1941 - The temperature at Enosburg Falls soared to 72 degrees to establish a state record for Vermont for the month of December. (The Weather Channel)

1953 - A killer tornado hit Vicksburg, MS, killing 38 persons, injuring 270 others, and causing 25 million dollars damage, the most damage since the forty-seven days of continuous shelling the town received in the Civil War. (David Ludlum)

1968: High surf from an intense storm near Alaska swept rocks and seawater into pavilions at Onekahakaha Beach near Hilo, HI. Water reached 150 feet above the high-tide mark at Napili Beach and swept into the swimming pool and ground floor of a hotel there. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1975: An F3 tornado struck Tulsa, OK during the late afternoon hours injuring 38 people and destroyed numerous structures, including homes and businesses. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1981: An explosively deepening ocean storm southeast of New England caught forecasters off guard and unloaded heavy snow over New England. By the time it was all over on the 6th, Boston, MA was buried under 12.9 inches of snow. Some places south and west of Boston and in Rhode Island had over 2 feet. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1982: An unseasonable upper level ridge off the southeast coast was responsible for record high temperatures from the Ohio Valley to the East Coast including: Orlando, FL: 84 °F, Jacksonville, FL: 82 °F, Augusta, GA: 78 °F, Norfolk, VA: 78 °F, Richmond, VA: 77 °F, Cape Hatteras, NC: 77 °F, Wilmington, NC: 77 °F, Columbia, SC: 77 °F, Savannah, GA: 77 °F-Tied, Raleigh, NC: 76 °F, Charleston, WV: 75 °F, Charlotte, NC: 73 °F, Atlantic City, NJ: 73 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 73 °F, Huntington, WV: 73 °F, Washington, DC: 72 °F, Wilmington, DE: 72 °F, Greensboro, NC: 72 °F, Baltimore, MD: 71 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 71 °F, Elkins, WV: 71 °F, Harrisburg, PA: 70 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 70 °F, Bristol, TN: 70 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Records Listed on This Link)

1984: A heavy snowfall, which began on the 4th, came to an end over central and northern Oklahoma. 6.1 inches fell at Oklahoma City, which set a new record for the heaviest snowfall for so early in the season. 10 inches of snow was measured at Skiatook, OK.
(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1987 - Heavy snow blanketed parts of the north central U.S., and freezing drizzle produced a coat of ice up to half an inch thick in northwestern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Snowfall totals ranged up to seven inches at Grand Rapids MN, and 12 inches at Seney MI. High winds in the north central U.S. gusted to 63 mph at Pellston MI, and reached 70 mph at Makinaw Bridge MI. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - There was only a "flurry" of activity, as for much of the nation winter remained on hold. The cold and snow of winter was primarily confined to the northeastern U.S. Five cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Norfolk NE with a reading of 65 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - A warm Pacific storm system brought high winds and heavy rain to western Washington and western Oregon. Up to ten inches of rain deluged the western slopes of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State over a three day period, and 500 persons had to be evacuated due to flooding along the Skagit River. Up to five inches of rain drenched northwest Oregon, and winds gusted to 71 mph at Netarts. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1996: The first of two major storms brought extremely heavy snows to interior New England. Over a foot of snow fell from Northeastern Pennsylvania to Western Massachusetts through the 6th. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1998: An strong upper level and surface high pressure ridge extended from off the southeast coast bringing widespread record high temperatures from the Plains & Midwest to the East Coast. Locations setting their all-time December high temperature record included: La Crosse, WI: 67 °F, Winona, MN: 65 °F and New Hampton, IA: 63 °F. Locations reporting daily record high temperatures included: Orlando, FL: 84 °F-Tied, Montgomery, AL: 83 °F-Tied, Columbia, SC: 81 °F, Augusta, GA: 80 °F, Wilmington, NC: 80 °F, Charleston, SC: 80 °F, Huntsville, AL: 79 °F, Savannah, GA: 79 °F, Mobile, AL: 79 °F-Tied, Pensacola, FL: 79 °F-Tied, Washington, DC: 75 °F, Charlotte, NC: 75 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 75 °F, Atlanta, GA: 75 °F-Tied, Asheville, NC: 72 °F, Harrisburg, PA: 72 °F, Baltimore, MD: 71 °F-Tied, Toledo, OH: 66 °F, Mansfield, OH: 63 °F, New York (Central Park). (Ref. Wilson - Other High Temperatures Listed on This Link)

2001: A strong low pressure system moved northeast from southeast South Dakota into northeast Minnesota. At the same time, a strong cold front moved east across the Upper Mississippi Valley. Strong thunderstorms developed along the cold front. The winds gusted to 50 mph at New Lisbon, WI and a severe thunderstorm produced nickel size hail just south of Eyota, MN. Strong southerly winds ahead of this cold front helped temperatures to climb into the lower and middle 60s across the region. Many record high temperatures were established for the date. Locations setting record high temperatures for December included: Holland, MI: 70 °F, Flint, MI: 70 °F, Grand Rapids, MI: 69 °F, Lansing, MI: 69 °F, Sparta, WI: 66 °F and Prairie du Chien, WI: 66 °F. Locations reporting daily record high temperatures for the date included: Richmond, VA: 78 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 77 °F, Charleston, WV: 77 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 76 °F, Roanoke, VA: 76 °F, Raleigh, NC: 76 °F-Tied, Washington, DC: 75 °F, Baltimore, MD: 75 °F, Elkins, WV: 74 °F, Wallops Island, VA: 72 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 71 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: 70 °F, Chicago, IL: 68 °F, Bridgeport, CT: 62 °F.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. - Other High Temperatures Listed on This Link)

2003 - A major winter storm impacted parts of the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern United States during the 5th-7th. Snowfall accumulations of one to two feet were common across areas of Pennsylvania northward into New England. Boston, MA received 16.2 inches while Providence, RI had the greatest single snowstorm on record with 17 inches, beating the previous record of 12 inches set December 5-6, 1981. Boston's Logan International Airport was closed briefly on the 7th as heavy snowfall made regular airport operations impossible (AFP).

22 / 8 off a low of 18.   Coldest day since last winter with highs around freezing.  Snow into the Mid Atlantic today/tonight may see some periods of snow showers/sleet obvernight into tomorrow.  Otherwise the next period to watch may be next weekend 12-15 period, otherwise mainly cold/dry.   

Overall cold to much below normal the next 2 weeks with next blast of frigid -10 or more below normal coming Dec 8, then again between the 12-14 and perhaps (as forecasted) coldest period in the Dec 15-17 period before some moderation towards the 20th.  

Records:

Highs: 

EWR: 75 (1998)
NYC: 74 (1998)
LGA: 74 (1998)
JFK: 70 (1998)


Lows:

EWR: 9 (1940)
NYC: 10 (1882)
LGA: 12 (1940)
JFK: 15 (1966)

Historical:

1786 - The first of two great early December storms began. The storm produced 18 inches of snow at Morristown NJ, and twenty inches of snow at New Haven CT. It also resulted in high tides at Nantucket which did great damage. (David Ludlum)

1886: Heavy snow fell on parts of the South and southern Appalachians through the 6th. Montgomery, AL recorded their greatest snow on record as 11 inches fell. An amazing 33 inches fell at Asheville, NC and 25 inches fell at Rome, GA. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1952: The month of December started off with chilly temperatures in London. This cold resulted in Londoners to burn more coal to heat up their homes. Then on December 5, a high pressure settled over the Thames River causing a dense layer of smog to develop. The smog became so thick and dense by December 7 that virtually no sunlight was seen in London. Most conservative estimates place the death toll at 4,000, with some estimating the smog killed as many as 8,000 individuals.


 

1953: An ice storm occurred in the Southeast, MN. 2 inches of ice formed on telephone wires. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1957: Early season snow; 11 inches DC, 8 inches Baltimore, 14 inches Loudoun Co. A weak wave of low pressure moves east from Kentucky to the Atlantic Ocean where warm Gulf Stream waters caused very rapid development. Snow rapidly spread throughout the metropolitan area during the morning of the 4th and some became heavy. The blinding snow continued into the afternoon and finally ended during the evening, with 11.4 inches of snow measured at National Airport. That was the heaviest snowfall at National Airport since the spring snowstorm of March 1942. Up to 14 inches was reported in the suburbs. Most of the snowfall took place with temperatures hovering at or near 32 degrees Fahrenheit. (p. 66 Washington Weather Book 2002 by Ambrose, Henry, Weiss)

1964: A big ice storm was in progress across the Northeast. Ice accumulated as much as an inch and a half thick in some places in Massachusetts and eastern New York. Over 80,000 homes were without power after the storm. Some customers did not get their power back for five days. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1972 - Winds gusting to 70 mph sent the temperature at Livingston, MT, plunging from 52 degrees to 18 degrees in just twenty minutes. (The Weather Channel)

1973: Southwest Iowa was in the midst of experiencing one of their worst winter storms in history. A large number of power lines and trees were downed due to ice and snow causing power outages lasting several days. Travel was nearly impossible and most schools closed for two days. Several towers were also toppled in Hamilton and Hardin Counties. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1982 - The temperature in New York City's Central Park reached 72 degrees to establish a then record high for December. The month as a whole was also the warmest of record. (The Weather Channel)

1982: A ridge of upper level high pressure off the southeast coast pumped warm south to southwesterly winds from the Tennessee Valley to New England bringing record high temperatures. Other daily record highs included: Richmond, VA: 77 °F, Cape Hatteras, NC: 76 °F, Roanoke, VA: 76 °F, Charleston, WV: 76 °F, Washington, DC: 75 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 75 °F, Baltimore, MD: 74 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 74 °F, Hartford, CT: 71 °F, Wallops Island, VA: 71 °F, Elkins, WV: 70 °F, Portland, ME: 69 °F (broke previous record by 12 degrees), and Bridgeport, CT: 61 °F.(Ref. The Weather Channel)
Boston, Massachusetts had a 57 °F the warmest low temperature for the month of December. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)
 

1987 - A cold front crossing the Pacific Coast Region brought high winds and heavy rain to California. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 55 mph at Newport Beach CA, and Mount Wilson CA was drenched with 2.17 inches of rain in six hours. Gale force winds prevailed along the Northern Pacific Coast, and winds in the Tehachapis Mountains of southern California gusted to 60 mph. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - Gale force winds continued to usher cold arctic air into the northeastern U.S. Winds gusted to 65 mph at Windsor Locks CT. Up to a foot of snow blanketed the higher elevations of Vermont. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Seventeen cities in the eastern U.S., including nine in Florida, reported record low temperatures for the date. Lakeland FL reported a record low of 31 degrees, and Watertown NY was the cold spot in the nation with a low of 20 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1992: The western and southwestern U.S. was in the middle of a major four day winter storm. Flagstaff, AZ was buried under 23 inches of snow and 22 inches piled up at Sandia Peak, NM.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)
Up to six inches of rain was reported in some mountain locations of southern California with a half to two inches in the valleys. Local flooding, mud slides, standing water, and road closures resulted. Six inches to two feet of snow fell in the higher elevations in the mountains. Flooding in Tijuana, Mexico killed four and left hundreds homeless. Two days earlier, the same storm produced two F1 tornadoes near Santa Rosa, CA. The storm moved out in to the southern Plains during the late afternoon/early evening hours lingering through the 5th killing at least four people. The storm brought 4 to 9 inches of snow to northwest and north-central Oklahoma, and 1 to 4 inches of snow and sleet to much of central Oklahoma. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain fell over a large part of northeast Oklahoma. Behind the cold front and storm, bitterly cold temperatures were felt from the northern Rockies to the Pacific Northwest. Record low temperatures for the date included: West Yellowstone, MT: -36 °F, Rawlins, WY: -26 °F, Pocatello, ID: -22 °F, Laramie, WY: -20 °F, Ennis, MT: -17 °F, Elk Mountain, MT: -12 °F, Scottsbluff, NE: -10 °F, Centennial, MT: -10 °F, Burns, OR: -7 °F, Salt Lake City, UT: 3 °F and Olympia, WA: 19 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1994: Widespread rainfall of 3 to 7 inches, with a maximum of 14.33 inches was measured across east Palm Beach County, Florida during a 24-hour period. Roadways were flooded and minor water damage was reported to some businesses in Delray Beach and Boca Raton. The combination of heavy rains and low astronomical tides caused many sea walls along canals to collapse. Sugar cane harvesting was halted due to the flooding of fields. A few record highs were set in Florida including: Fort Myers, FL: 87 °F, Tampa, FL: 86 °F and Vero Beach, FL: 84 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1996: A persistent westerly flow aloft produced high winds across and near the Front Range Foothills in Colorado. Several locations reported hurricane force wind gusts of 100 to 120 mph. The high winds downed trees and power lines, blew a semi truck over and caused structural damage. Some of the highest winds gusts included: Blackhawk: estimated at 120 mph, Aspen Springs: 115 mph, Eldora Ski Resort: 100 mph, Atop Shanahan Ridge near Boulder: 75 mph, Conifer: 74 mph and 71 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1998: An unseasonable upper level ridge extended from off the southeast coast across Florida into the Gulf of Mexico bringing record high temperatures from the Plains to the East Coast. The temperature soared to 76 °F at Washington, DC to establish a new all-time December high temperature record. The record was to be short-lived, however, as the temperature would top out at 78 °F on the 6th and 79 °F on the 7th. Other daily record highs for the date included: Richmond, VA: 77 °F-Tied, Atlanta, GA: 76 °F, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 75 °F, Athens, GA: 75 °F-Tied, Lynchburg, VA: 75 °F-Tied, New York (Central Park), NY: 74 °F, Atlantic City, NJ: 73 °F, Bridgeport, CT: 72 °F (broke previous record by 11 degrees), Hartford, CT: 71 °F, Boston, MA: 70 °F, Chicago, IL: 66 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx.- Many additional temperatures given at this link)

2002 - An early season winter storm brought an expansive shield of snow and ice through much of the eastern U.S., from the lower Ohio Valley, southern Appalachians and into the Northeast. Snow accumulations of 4-8 inches were common along the northern edge of the precipitation shield, while a significant accrual of glaze occurred in the Carolinas. The storm caused at least 17 fatalities, mostly from traffic accidents (CNN). In the Carolinas, electric utilities provider Duke Power characterized the ice storm as the worst in the company's history, with 1.2 million customers or nearly half its entire customer base without power on the morning of the 5th. This surpassed electrical outages inflicted by Hurricane Hugo as it swept through the central Carolinas in September 1989.
     The Baltimore-Washington area was under Winter Storm Watches as low pressure developed along a stalled front across the Gulf Coast that moved through two days before. Low pressure moved from the Louisiana coast on the 4th to off the Carolina coast on the 5th. When it was over BWI/Marshall had picked up 7.4 inches, 6.2 inches at Dulles Airport in Sterling, VA and 6.1 inches at National airport in Washington, DC. An early season winter storm brought an expansive shield of snow and ice through much of the eastern U.S., from the lower Ohio Valley, southern Appalachians and into the Northeast. Snow accumulations of 4-8 inches were common along the northern edge of the precipitation shield, while a significant accrual of glaze occurred in the Carolinas. The storm caused at least 17 fatalities, mostly from traffic accidents (CNN). In the Carolinas, electric utilities provider Duke Power characterized the ice storm as the worst in the company's history, with 1.2 million customers or nearly half its entire customer base without power on the morning of the 5th. This surpassed electrical outages inflicted by Hurricane Hugo as it swept through the central Carolinas in September 1989. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

2009: SE TX received its earliest snow of record. Houston officially reported 1.0 inch (old record: 1.4 inches on 12/10/2008 and a trace on 12/10/1944). 4 inches in Lake City and Boling were the greatest amounts reported; Bay City reported 2.0 inches while 0.2 inches was reported in Victoria. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

34 / 25 cloudy.  Continues to look overall colder to much below normal at times through mid month.  Sunday strom stay mainly south and east of the area outside SNJ perhaps even to parts of Monmouth with snow showers/light snow. Perhaps the coldest day of the next 7-10 tomrroow will be sub freezing for some and then again on Monday.  

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 66 (1998)
NYC: 66 (1970)
LGA: 66 (1970)
JFK: 62 (1998)


Lows:

EWR: 16 (1946)
NYC: 11 (1875)
LGA: 17 (1976)
JFK: 17 (1989)

Historical:

 

1896 - An early season snow and ice storm struck the southeastern U.S. It produced 11 inches of snow at Charlotte NC, and six inches at Atlanta GA. (David Ludlum)

1925 - A late season hurricane caused extensive damage across the Florida peninsula, then moved off the Georgia coast crossing Cape Hatteras as a tropical storm. The storm produced whole gales along the Middle Atlantic and Southern New England coast. Winds gusted to 60 mph at Block Island RI, and reached 64 mph at Atlantic City NJ. (David Ludlum)

1940: The high temperature of 78 °F at Las Vegas, NV set the all-time warmest temperature in December.  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1942: Boston, Massachusetts recorded its lowest December pressure of 28.49 inches of mercury. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1950 - A late season tornado killed four persons in Madison County and Bond County, east of St Louis MO. Three tornadoes touched down in Illinois that afternoon, compared to just half a dozen tornadoes in the month of December in 115 years of records up until that time. Thunderstorms also produced hail which caused more than four million dollars damage in the St Louis area, it was the most damaging hailstorm of record for Missouri. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
A tornado causing F2 damage moved through Madison and Macoupin counties in Illinois. One person was killed and 3 more were injured in a car that was carried 200 yards near Mt. Olive. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
 

1964: The first major snowstorm of the season covered parts of northwest Oklahoma with as much as 9 inches of snow through the 3rd. Most roads became snow packed and hazardous, which caused schools across the area to close for one to two days. Just south of the heavy snow area, freezing rain and sleet iced highways and bridges along a belt 100 miles wide, from southwest to northeast Oklahoma. Temperatures in the teens and 20s helped to maintain the snow cover for a week. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1968: The "Sacramento," a 250-foot fishing barge and former ferry between San Francisco and Oakland, succumb to a winter storm off Redondo Beach.

1970 - A tornado, 400 yards in width, touched down about one mile below the summit of Timpanogos Divide. Trees up to 18 inches in diameter were snapped, and some of the 38 inch snow cover was carried 1000 feet above the ground as the tornado traveled one mile. (The Weather Channel)

1974: Big snows occurred across the lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. One of the more remarkable amounts was 19.5 inches at Detroit, MI. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1977: High winds buffeted the Colorado Rockies. Wind gusts were clocked at 104 mph at Nederland, CO, 100 mph at Morrison, CO and 62 mph at Rocky Flats, CO. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1982 - A tornado destroyed a home four miles south of Eastwood MO. The owners were not injured in that tornado, but ironically one was killed Christmas Eve when another tornado hit the replacement mobile home on the same site. (The Weather Channel)
A tremendous rainstorm in central Illinois brought 6.12 inches of rain to Springfield during a 24 hour period through the 3rd. Jacksonville, IL had 4.80 inches and Peoria, IL recorded 2.89 inches during this period. Lake Springfield rose two feet over the old record stage, flooding nearby land. $100,000 dollars damage occurred to the dam at the lake, due to the tremendous flow of water.(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
The following locations recorded their warmest December temperature on record: Fort Wayne, IN: 71 °F (the only time Fort Wayne ever reached 70° in December), South Bend, IN: 71 °F, Goshen, IN: 69 °F, Elkader, IA: 65 °F, Genoa, WI: 65 °F, Prairie du Chien, WI: 65 °F, Alma, WI: 64 °F, Dodge, WI: 64 °F, Hillsboro, WI: 64 °F, Lynxville, WI: 64 °F, Neillsville, WI: 63 °F, Trempealeau, WI: 63 °F, Viroqua, WI: 63 °F, Caledonia, MN: 62 °F and Theilman, MN: 62 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1985: Richmond, Virginia had its latest freezing day of autumn on this date in 1985 when the temperature fell to 30 °F. The average first freezing day in autumn is October 29th. (1971 to 2000 average)(Ref. Richmond Weather Records KRIC)
The significant snow storm from the previous day continued to effect the region, with snow totals including: Dorchester, IA: 18 inches (their greatest one-day snowfall), Hatfield, WI: 16 inches, Soldiers Grove, WI: 15 inches (their greatest one-day snowfall), Sparta, WI: 15 inches, Viroqua, WI: 15 inches (2.2 inches liquid equivalent, their wettest December day), Waukon, IA: 14 inches (their greatest one-day snowfall), La Crescent, MN: 13 inches, Preston, MN: 12.5 inches, Owen, WI: 11 inches (their greatest one-day snowfall, Dodge, WI: 11 inches, Goodrich, WI: 11 inches, Mather, WI: 10 inches, Fayette, IA: 8.5 inches.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - A powerful storm over the Gulf of Alaska continued to produced high winds and heavy rain along the northern and central Pacific coast. Winds gusted to 80 mph south of Port Orford OR, Stevens Pass WA was blanketed with sixteen inches of snow, and Blue Canyon CA was soaked with 1.63 inches of rain. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - Squalls in the Great Lakes Region produced ten inches of snow at Union City, PA. Gale force winds gusted to 55 mph at Buffalo NY. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Squalls produced heavy snow in the Great Lakes Region. Totals in Upper Michigan ranged up to 20 inches at Ironwood. Heavy snow and high winds caused 150 auto accidents in Michigan, resulting in sixteen deaths and 22 injuries. Strong northwesterly winds gusted to 73 mph at Johnstown PA, and Lowville PA received 20 inches of snow in 36 hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1999: Severe thunderstorms produced three tornadoes in central Oklahoma. Two tornadoes occurred in Logan County near Guthrie, and one tornado touched down near Perry, in Noble County. The tornadoes damaged trees, power poles, barns, outbuildings, and one of them unroofed homes near Guthrie. The December tornado event capped off a record year for tornadoes in Oklahoma, as 145 twisters were observed. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2001: A strong winter storm dropped 50 inches of snow at Gin Flat, CA in 34 hours and 31 inches of snow at Big Flat, CA in 20 hours. Yosemite Valley, CA recorded 7 inches of snow in just 10 hours. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2005: Over the east-central North Atlantic, Epsilon reached hurricane intensity with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Hurricane force winds persisted for five days. Epsilon is only the sixth December hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

33/25  clouds - storm today with 0.5 - 0.75 LE / rain.  Colder overall the next 10 days with the coldest days Dec 5, 7-9 of this next stretch with sub freezing days possible throughout the areas.  Next batch of mix/rain with the system this Saturday - otherwise a cold weekend.  Longer range looks to remain overall (bias below normal) slight moderation towards the 12th before next trough and surge of cold air.

Nov:

EWR: +0.4 (1.89)
JFK: -0.3  (1.80)
NYC: -0.8 (2.09)
LGA: -1.1 (1.91)

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 72 (2006)
NYC: 70 (2006)
LGA: 71 (2006)
JFK: 68 (2001)


Lows:

EWR: 15 (1976)
NYC: 8 (1875)
LGA: 19 (1976)
JFK: 18 (1967)


Historical:

1831 - The coldest December of record in the northeastern U.S. commenced. Temperatures in New York City averaged 22 degrees, with just four days above freezing, and at Burlington VT the temperature never did get above freezing. The Erie Canal was closed the first day of December, and remained closed the entire month. (David Ludlum)

1896 - The temperature at Kipp, MT, rose 30 degrees in just seven minutes, and 80 degrees in a matter of a few hours. A thirty-inch snow cover was melted in half a day. (The Weather Channel)

1913 - A six day front range snowstorm began. It produced a record total of 46 inches at Denver CO. (David Ludlum)


1925: An extremely rare late November hurricane began to affect the west coast of Florida as it strengthened during the day. The storm made landfall very early on this date south of Tampa Bay, weakened to a tropical storm as it crossed central Florida, and exited around St. Augustine. The storm regained Hurricane strength off Jacksonville later in the day. Heavy rain continued over northeast Florida on the 2nd. Gale force winds were reported from the Keys to Jacksonville and over 50 people lost their lives, mostly on ships at sea. Damage along the coast south of Jacksonville was heavy and excessive rain and wind seriously damaged citrus and truck crops.  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1962: An upper level ridge over the Ohio Valley brought record high temperatures from the northern Plains, Midwest to the Ohio Valley and New York. The following locations reported their warmest December temperatures: Hatfield, WI: 64 °F, Decorah, IA: 63 °F and Charles City, IA: 62 °F. See other daily record high temperatures for the date included on reference link:  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1964: On this date through the 2nd, a severe windstorm hit the Canadian Maritimes packing winds gusting to 100 mph. Three fishing vessels and 23 lives were lost. Total damage due to high seas, wind and flooding was estimated at over $1 million dollars. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1966: (1st-2nd) Helped by a Lake Erie temperature of 45 degrees, lake-effect snows deposited 55 inches in Mayville and 60 inches in Copenhagen, NY. Amazing snowfall rates on 2nd in Copenhagen: 6 inches/hour for 30 minutes, then 12 inches/hour between 2-3 p.m. today. Visibility reduced to 50 feet. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

1970: Four tornadoes impacted east-central Wisconsin during the morning hours. The strongest tornado, an F3, formed at 10:15 AM near Medina in Outagamie County.  The twister moved northeast at 50 mph and destroyed twenty barns and five houses. 

1978: A small tornado cut a path 6 miles long near Zephyrhills, FL. Three mobile homes were destroyed and 17 others were damaged. Five brooder houses were also destroyed, resulting in the death of about 3,000 chickens. A powerful winter storm began to produce heavy snows across mainly the Nebraska panhandle. By the time it ended the next day, Bridgeport, NE reported 15 inches and Scottsbluff, NE reported 11.5 inches. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1982: 6.6 Inches snow in Washington, DC is only above average snow for December in the last 12 years. (Ref. Washington Weather Records KDCA)

1985 - A storm produced more than six inches of snow from the Northern and Central Plains to parts of Michigan, with 36.4 inches reported at Marquette MI. Many roads were blocked by snow. A family was stranded for 25 hours south of Colome SD. Drifts twelve feet high were reported in north central Nebraska. (The Weather Channel)

1987 - A powerful storm hit the northwestern U.S. Winds gusted to 80 mph at Cape Disappointment WA, and reached 94 mph at Cape Blanco OR. Thunderstorms in western Washington State produced wind gusts to 60 mph, and dime size hail at Hoquiam. Stevens Pass, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, received seven inches of snow during the morning hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Squalls in the Great Lakes Region produced up to a foot of snow in Ashtabula County OH, up to ten inches in Erie County PA, and up to a foot of snow in western New York State. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - Heavy snow blanketed the mountains of New Mexico, with 12 inches reported at the Angel Fire Ski Basin. Strong northerly winds ushering cold air into the north central U.S. gusted to 55 mph at Devils Lake ND. Low pressure over the Gulf of Alaska produced wind gusts to 69 mph at Kodiak Island. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

2002 - Heavy lake effect snow fell downwind of the U.S. Great Lakes. Buffalo, New York reported 16 inches of snow, with thundersnow reported late in the afternoon. While the eastern U.S. experienced much colder than normal temperatures on December 1, much of Alaska was basking in above average warmth. Many daily temperature records were set across this region through the beginning of the month.

2006: A winter storm produced more than 6 inches of snow along a 1,000-mile-long path from central Oklahoma to northern Michigan from November 30-December 1st. The storm also produced significant freezing rain, which impacted the St. Louis area. An estimated 500 or more homes and businesses were without power in the St. Louis area after this storm. 

2007 - During December 1-3, a powerful storm with hurricane force winds struck the Northwest U.S. The storm brought heavy rain and wind gusts over 100 mph, with the highest reading being 129 mph at Bay City, OR. The strong winds brought power lines down, and the heavy rain caused widespread flooding and triggered landslides (BBC News). According to reports, 8 fatalities were attributed to the storm and about 37,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. President Bush declared a federal disaster in several counties in Washington and Oregon to provide recovery assistance (Associated Press).

2011 - Wind speeds as high as 102 MPH were measured in Centerville, Utah and surrounding cities. Damage was reported throughout Weber and Davis counties ranging from South Ogden down to Bountiful. More than 400 trees were down at the Davis Golf course alone due to the winds. Up to 54,000 residences were without power throughout the day and into the evening. Train service between Layton and Salt Lake City was suspended due to damaged train stations, debris on the train tracks, and power outages. Cleanup costs totaled $8 million in Centerville alone. No injuries were reported from the wind, but a number of injuries were reported from those helping with the cleanup effort.

37 / 24 mainly clear.  Dec opening cold and continuing at least the first 7 - 10 days.  Overall colder to much below normal through the 11th (at least).  Trough into the east with deeper cold Dec 4 - 9th.  Perhaps one sub freezing day even to the coast on Fri/Sat.  Would be surprised to not get above normal Dec snowfall this month.

Just about 0.19 here still lighy drizzle/rain

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 71 (1991)
NYC: 70 (1991)
LGA: 70 (1991)
JFK: 64 (2005)


Lows:

EWR: 16 (1976)
NYC: 5 (1875)
LGA: 18 (1976)
JFK: 19 (1976)


Historical:

1875 - A severe early season cold wave set November records in the northeastern U.S. The temperature dipped to 5 above zero at New York City, 2 below at Boston MA, and 13 below at Eastport ME. (David Ludlum)

1896: The southern Plains and upper Midwest was experiencing a brutally severe cold wave. Pokagama Dam, MN dropped to -43°. Daily record lows for the date included: Havre, MT: -30°, Grand Forks, ND: -25°, Williston, ND: -24°, Fargo, ND: -24°, Bismarck, ND: -21°, Duluth, MN: -20°, Lander, WY: -19°, Huron, SD: -17°, Valentine, NE: -15°, Sioux Falls, SD: -12°, Pueblo, CO: -10°, Minneapolis, MN: -10°, Norfolk, NE: -10°, Scottsbluff, NE: -10°.  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1898: Boston, Massachusetts on the 30th had the greatest snow depth for November of 16 inches. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)
 

1925:An extremely rare late November hurricane began to affect the west coast of Florida as it strengthened during the day. The storm made landfall very early on December 1st south of Tampa Bay, weakened to a tropical storm as it crossed central Florida, and exited around St. Augustine. The storm regained Hurricane strength off Jacksonville late on the 1st. Heavy rain continued over northeast Florida on the 2nd. Gale force winds were reported from the Keys to Jacksonville and over 50 people lost their lives, mostly on ships at sea. Damage along the coast south of Jacksonville was heavy and excessive rain and wind seriously damaged citrus and truck crops.

1929: Lowest minimum temperature for Washington, DC in November (11°)(Ref. Washington Weather Records)
Richmond, Virginia had a high temperature for the day of 24 °F making it the coldest November day on record (records since 1897).(Ref. Richmond Weather Records)

1957 - Lee slope winds enhanced by Hurricane Nina gusted to 82 mph at Honolulu, Hawaii, a record wind gust for that location. Wainiha, on the island of Kauai, was deluged with 20.42 inches of rain, and 35 foot waves pounded some Kauai beaches, even though the eye of the hurricane was never within 120 miles of the islands. (30th-1st) (The Weather Channel)

1963: Boston, Massachusetts on the 29th and 30th had a southerly storm that created high waves and abnormal storm surge tides (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1964: An upper level trough and arctic surface high pressure brought extreme cold to the Plains and Midwest. Locations reporting record low November temperatures included: Minneapolis, MN: -17°, Blair, WI: -8°, Minneapolis, MN: -3° and St. Louis, MO: 1°. Other daily record lows included: International Falls, MN: -27°, Aberdeen, SD: -27°, Bismarck, ND: -25°, Duluth, MN: -23°, Huron, SD: -21°, Sioux Falls, SD: -17°, Norfolk, NE: -15°. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1967 - A record November snowstorm struck the Washington D.C. area. It produced up to a foot of snow in a 12 hour period. (David Ludlum)

1967: Record Nov. snowstorm: 6.9 ins. at DCA, 8.4 inches at BWI, 11.4 ins. at Dulles. A record November snowstorm struck the Washington, DC area. It produced up to a foot of snow in a 12-hour period.  (David Ludlum)

1970: High winds blasted the Colorado Rockies into the eastern Plains. A wind gust of 112 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and 96 mph at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, CO. Downtown Boulder recorded a gust to 76 mph. The high winds caused widespread property damage; including roofs, signs, trees and power lines. Blowing dust reduced visibility to near zero across most of eastern Colorado. Several mobile homes, campers and semis were blown off the highway north of Denver. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1976 - MacLeod Harbor, AK, reported a precipitation total for November of 70.99 inches, which established a state record for any month of the year. (The National Weather Summary)
One of the coldest Novembers on record ended with a blast of arctic air that dropped low temperatures well below zero across the northern Plains to below freezing all the way to the Gulf Coast. Locations reporting their all-time November record lows included: Jump River, WI: -31°, Medford, WI: -19° and Necedah, WI: -19°. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1981: This was the driest November at National Airport. 0.29 inches, Dulles 0.24 inches; BWI lowest min. for Nov. 30, 1929 was (11 °F).
(Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA)
A major winter storm rocked eastern sections of South Dakota and northern Iowa through December 1st. The storm began as rain and then changed to freezing rain and sleet before becoming all snow. Winds gusted to over 50 mph producing blizzard conditions. Snow accumulations in southeast South Dakota were generally 8 to 12 inches with 4 to 8 inches across northwest Iowa. In portions of north central Iowa a heavy build-up of ice from the freezing rain combined with strong winds CAUSING POWER LINES TO BOUNCE 4 TO 6 FEET SNAPPING LINES and breaking insulators resulting in numerous power outages. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1985: Freezing rain and thunder-snow affected many portions of Oklahoma. Winter storm warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, and tornado watches were all issued for portions of southern Oklahoma, with golf ball size hail reported in Duncan at a temperature of 33°. This day was also known as the DAY OF THE ICE BOWL , as the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State University played each other in Stillwater, on a virtual skating rink at Lewis Field. Further north 5 to 12 inches of snow fell across parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Local amounts included: Ontario, WI: 11 inches, Hokah, MN: 8 inches and Austin, MN: 6 inches.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - Showers produced heavy rain in the northeastern U.S. Up to three inches of rain drenched the Brandywine Creek Basin of Pennsylvania, and rainfall totals in Vermont ranged up to two inches at Dorsett. Snow fell heavily across Upper Michigan as gale force winds prevailed over Lake Superior. A storm moving into the northwestern U.S. produced gale force winds along the northern and central Pacific coast. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Snow in the Upper Great Lakes Region pushed the precipitation total for the month at Marquette, MI, past their previous November record of 7.67 inches. Santa Anna winds in southern California gusted to 75 mph at Laguna Peak. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Squalls produced heavy snow in the Lower Great Lakes Region, with 15 inches reported at Chaffee, NY, and at Barnes Corners NY. Tropical Storm Karen drenched parts of Cuba with heavy rain. Punta Del Este reported fourteen inches of rain in 24 hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1991: The total snowfall for Minneapolis/St Paul, MN for this month was 46.9 inches, making November 1991 the snowiest November on record. The old record was 30.4 inches set in 1983. The 46.9 inches for the month broke an even bigger record as this total was the greatest monthly snowfall of any month. The old all-time monthly snowfall record was 46.4 inches for January 1982. To put this in perspective, the total snowfall for the season so far, since October, was 55.1 inches. The normal total for the entire winter season is 49.2 inches. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1992: The 1988 record didn't last long as 146 tornadoes were reported across the U.S. to set a new November record.  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1996: A winter storm dumped 4 to 10 inches of snow over northwest Oklahoma. The next day, skies were sunny, and temperatures across most of the state warmed up into the lower 50s. However, temperatures across the snow covered areas only warmed into the upper 30s. Butler reached 52, while 27 miles to the northwest, Putnam struggled to reach 39. This is a typical example of how the effects of snow cover can result in drastic temperature differences over short distances. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)


2006: Widespread freezing rain and sleet affected many locations in central Illinois west of I-57, changing to snow overnight and into the morning of December 1st. Eight counties reported heavy sleet ranging in depth from a half to 2.2 inches. The heaviest snow occurred along and west of the Illinois River, where snow amounts were 8 to 18 inches. Areas east of the Illinois River, especially along the I-55 corridor, had snow amounts ranging from 3 to 8 inches on top of the ice and sleet. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2009: The Richmond International Airport November rainfall was 9.60 inches and breaks the previous wettest November record of 7.64 inches set in 1959. (112 years of records) Richmond, Virginia Climate Extremes updated for 2010  

36 / 28 clouds and some light rain showers to the west.   Nov will end on a cold note and push much of the location below normal with some near or slightly above.  Overall colder period the next 10 days with the first storm threat looking to target areas N+W with mix/snow and mix to rain here.   Next weekend Dec 5-6 should see the next threat as trough deepens.   Very cold air to our north and west comes in waves of very - much below normal day or two.  Brunt of the cold stays into the GL/NE.

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 70 (1990)
NYC: 69 (1990)
LGA: 69 (1990)
JFK: 64 (2017)

Low:

EWR: 15 (1955)
NYC: 14 (1875)
LGA: 17 (1955)
JFK: 25 (1989)

 

Historical:

1835: -11 °F below zero at Ft. Snelling, MN. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1896 - The mercury plunged to 51 degrees below zero at Havre, MT. It marked the culmination of a two week long cold wave caused by a stagnate high pressure area similar to those over Siberia during the winter. During the month of November temperatures across Montana and the Dakotas averaged 15 to 25 degrees below normal. (David Ludlum)


1898: Boston, Massachusetts on the 27th and 29th had 12 inches of snow the greatest 24 hour total for the month of November.
(Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events) (Ref. Wilson Wx. Additional Info.)


1921: The Worcester, MA area was especially hit by a major three day ice storm that affected central New England. Trees and wires were downed over a wide area. Millions of dollars in damage resulted. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1930: Cold wave 14° at 2416 M St. N.W. in Washington, DC with 15° recorded on the 28th - (Washington Weather Records - KDCA)
The low temperature of 10 °F is the lowest ever recorded in Richmond, VA in November and also occurred on November 16th 1933.(Ref. Richmond Weather Records KRIC )

1963: Coastal storm with a 29.04 barometer and 1.55 inches of rain at KDCA and NW winds to 33 mph. (Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA)

1966: High winds struck the Chicago, IL area producing extensive damage. Winds gusted to 55 mph along the Lake Front and 48 mph at Midway Airport. The Lake Front was the hardest hit with waves up to 13 feet high. Low lying areas were inundated and property damage was extensive. A newly constructed home along the Lake Front was demolished at Long Beach, IN.  (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
 

1969 - Dense fog along the Jersey Turnpike resulted in a chain reaction of vehicle collisions during the morning rush hour. A propane truck jacknifed and was struck by a trailor truck, and other vehicles piled into the fiery mass. (David Ludlum)

1975 - Red River was buried under 34 inches of snow in 24 hours, establishing a record for the state of New Mexico. (The Weather Channel)
This was also a day for record temperatures. Some record lows were set from the Rockies to the West Coast. Fresno, CA dipped to 26° establishing their coldest temperature on record for November. Other daily record lows included: Butte, MT: -22°, Cut Bank, MT: -21°, Lewistown, MT: -11°, Casper, WY: -10°, Billings, MT: -5°, Reno, NV: 5°, Grand Junction, CO: 5°, Olympia, WA: 14°, Idyllwild, CA: 16°, Palomar Mountain, CA: 17°, Stockton, CA: 26°, Los Angeles (LAX), CA: 41° and Downtown Los Angeles, CA: 41°-Tied.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1985 - The temperature at Bismarck, ND, plunged to 30 degrees below zero to establish their record low for the month of November. The high that day was 4 degrees below zero. (The Weather Channel)
In contrast, an upper level ridge brought record highs to parts of the southeast including: Tampa, FL: 85°-Tied, Wilmington, NC: 83°, Charleston, SC: 82° and Savannah, GA: 82°-Tied. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - Snow blanketed the Upper Mississippi Valley, with heavy snow reported near Lake Superior. Up to ten inches of snow was reported in Douglas County and Bayfield County of Wisconsin. Brule WI received nine inches of snow. Heavy rain soaked the Middle Atlantic Coast States, while gale force winds lashed the coastline. Flooding was reported in Maryland and Virginia. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - Nine inches of snow at Alta UT brought their total for the month to 164 inches, surpassing their previous November record of 144 inches. Snowbird UT, also in the Little Cottonwood Valley, surpassed their November record of 118 inches of snow. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Strong Santa Ana winds diminished over southern California, but record cold was reported in some of the California valleys, with readings of 27 degrees at Redding and 31 degrees at Bakersfield. Gale force winds, gusting to 44 mph at Milwuakee WI, produced snow squalls in the Great Lakes Region. Sault Ste Marie MI finished the month of November with a record 46.8 inches of snow. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1991:A tornado struck southeast Springfield, Missouri, causing F4 damage. Shortly after touchdown, the tornado reached F3 intensity, approximately 3 miles north of the town of Nixa. While crossing Highway 65, the tornado picked up a truck and dropped it onto a frontage road, killing one passenger and injuring ten others. The tornado intensified to F4 strength as it moved through the Woodbridge and Natural Bridge Estates subdivisions where 15 homes were destroyed. Altogether, two people were killed and 64 others were injured.

1998: A strong upper level ridge and surface high pressure brought record warm temperatures ahead of a cold front from the Midwest & southern Plains to the Mid-Atlantic States. The morning low in Rochester, MN of 54° was actually higher than the previous record high for the date. The temperature reached a record high of 62°. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

2006: An upper level trough across the Rockies brought record low temperatures for the date including: West Yellowstone, MT: -26, White Sulfur Springs, MT: -22, Bozeman, MT: -18, Boulder, MT: -18, Ennis, MT: -18, Dillon, MT: -16, Townsend, MT: -14, Stanford, MT: -13, Livingston, MT: -12 and Virginia City, MT: -11. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2009: Western Texas Panhandle: Snow falls in the western Texas Panhandle with Nazareth covered by 4.0 inches and 3.0 inches just southwest of Amarillo, Texas. (Ref. WxDoctor)