SACRUS

Pause the Mamma and Papa's - California Dreamin for about a week

Dec Dep through the first 2/3 of the month (12/21)
 

LGA: -6.7
NYC: -6.3
EWR: -5.9
JFK: -5.8
ISP: -3.4

Records:

Highs:

EWR:  71 (2013)
NYC: 71 (2013)
LGA: 69 (2013)
JFK: 64 (2013)


Lows:

EWR: 7 (1989)
NYC: 4 (1872)
LGA: 8 (1989)
JFK: 9 (1989)

Historical:


1779: One of the "Hardest Winters" The winter of 1779-1780: This winter was so cold that ice was said to have been piled 20 feet high along the Virginia Coast and stayed there until spring. The upper portion of the Chesapeake Bay was frozen, allowing people to walk from Annapolis to Kent Island, Md. The Virginia portion of the Bay was frozen near the mouth, as well as all waterways in Virginia, which were firm enough to support the crossing of a regiment of the Virginia Infantry fighting the War of Independence as it marched from Falmouth to Fredericksburg, crossing the Rappahannock River, which had been frozen since the previous November. (Ref. Virginia Weather History)

1783: One of the "Long Winters" The winter of 1783-1784: Not as cold as 1780, this winter lasted longer into the spring, and was thought to rank near the top for extremes in cold and snow. The Chesapeake Bay once again froze almost all the way to the mouth. James Madison in Orange County, Va. wrote in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, " We had a severer season and particularly a greater quantity of snow than is remembered to have distinguished any preceding winter." The thaw caused an ice jam on the James River at Richmond that gave way, causing a flash flood of ice and water that swept away a bridge and sank boats that were tied up below the falls. Ice on the Potomac did not break until March 15th. (Ref. Virginia Weather History)
 

1839 - The second of triple December storms hit the northeastern U.S. The storm produced 25 inches of snow at Gettysburg, PA, and gales in New England, but only produced light snow along the coast. (David Ludlum)
Dec. 22-23, 1839: Snow began around 3 a.m. in Washington, DC as a northeast gale intensified. The storm reached its greatest intensity around 9 p.m. that evening when the barometer dropped to its lowest point, 29.25 inches. Then the wind backed toward the northwest and snow continued until morning, with 10 inches accumulation in the city.(Ref. Virginia Weather History)

1908: The most snow to fall to date in Richmond since weather records were started in 1897 was 15.0 inches that fell just before Christmas in 1908. (Ref. Richmond weather recorded - KRIC)

1961 - Holiday travel was paralyzed over extreme northeastern Kansas, and adjacent parts of Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. The storm produced 5 to 15 inches of snow, with drifts up to ten feet high. (22nd-23rd) (The Weather Channel)

1975: On December 20th through December 22nd 18.5 inches of snow fell over the Boston, Massachusetts area. This was their heaviest December snowstorm. Also on the 22nd Boston, Massachusetts had 14.0 inches of snow on the ground, greatest ever for December. (Ref. NOAA Boston Weather Events)

1983: On the first day of winter 75 cities reported record low temperatures for the date, with twelve of those cities reporting record low temperatures for the month as a whole. The mercury plunged to 51 degrees below zero at Wisdom MT, and Waco, TX set all-time records low a reading of 12 above zero.(The National Weather Summary)
Wind chill readings were as low as -100 °F over a large part of North Dakota. Many locations from the West Coast to the Ohio Valley reported record low temperatures for the date including: West Yellowstone, MT: -43 °F, Williston, ND: -38 °F, Valentine, NE: -37 °F, Virginia City, MT: -35 °F, North Platte, NE: -34 °F, Casper, WY: -33 °F, Lander, WY: -31 °F, Bismarck, ND: -30 °F.(Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1983 - On the first day of winter 75 cities reported record low temperatures for the date, with twelve of those cities reporting record low temperatures for the month as a whole. The mercury plunged to 51 degrees below zero at Wisdom MT, and Waco TX set an all-time record low a reading of 12 above zero. (The National Weather Summary)

1987 - The first day of winter was a relatively tranquil one for much of the nation, but heralded a winter storm in the Central Rockies. The storm produced 40 inches of snow at the top of the Pomerelle Ski Resort, south of Burley ID, the heaviest snow of record for that location. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Strong winds prevailed in the foothills of Wyoming and Colorado. Winds gusted to 123 mph southwest of Fort Collins CO, and reached 141 mph at the summit of Mount Evans. An ice storm paralyzed parts of Upper Michigan during the day. The freezing rain left roads around Marquette MI blocked by cars and semi- trucks. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - A total of 137 cities across the central and eastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date. Thirty-five of those cities established record lows for the month of December. Morning lows of 23 degrees below zero at Kansas City MO, 26 degrees below zero at Concordia KS, and 27 degrees below zero at Goodland KS established all-time records for those three locations. Unofficial morning lows included 50 degrees below zero at Recluse WY and 60 degrees below zero at Rochford SD. Broadus MT and Hardin MT tied for honors as the official cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 47 degrees below zero. Chinook winds at Cutbank MT helped warm the temperature 74 degrees, from a morning low of 34 degrees below zero to an afternoon high of 40 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989: The most significant cold spell of the century for the Deep South occurred from the 22 to the 26. New Orleans experienced 64 consecutive hours at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and a total of 81 out of 82 hours below freezing. A total of 15 hours was below 15 degrees with the lowest reading of 11 degrees on the morning of the 23rd. A low temperature of 8 degrees was recorded at Baton Rouge. Snow and sleet paralyzed transportation systems where as much as two to four inches of snow accumulated in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes. Snow and ice-covered the ground in New Orleans. The most significant impact was the breaking of water pipes in homes and businesses. Over 100 fires resulted in the New Orleans area within 24 hours due to a loss of water pressure and improperly utilized heating sources. Ice formed over shallow lakes and waterways where commercial fishing took heavy losses. Five weather-related deaths occurred in the service area during this rare Arctic outbreak.  Between December 22 and December 24, 1989, deepening low pressure pulled a frigid arctic air mass into the southeastern United States. This sequence of events produced a historic snowstorm and a rare white Christmas across the region. At Charleston, South Carolina, the storm deposited 8 inches of snow – the greatest snowfall in modern history. At Savannah, Georgia, the storm total accumulation of 3.6 inches tied the greatest snowfall in modern history.

1990: ALL-TIME RECORD LOWS in Casper, WY -41 °F, Redding, CA +17 °F, Worland, WY -50 °F, Sacramento, CA +21 °F, and wind chills in ND. of -70 °F to -80 °F BELOW ZERO.(Storm Data)
Wind chills in parts of North Dakota dropped as low as -80 °F. Locations reporting all-time record lows included: Worland, WY: -50 °F, Spring Valley State Park in Lincoln County, Nevada: -38 °F, Winnemucca, NV: -37 °F (broke previous daily record by 25 degrees), Denver, CO: -25 °F-Tied. Cheyenne, WY and Dodge City, KS equaled December record lows with -28 °F and -21 °F respectively. Locations reporting daily record lows included: Wisdom, MT: -52 °F, Lincoln Ranger Station, MT: -48 °F, Butte, MT: -44 °F, Chester, MT: -44 °F, Boulder, MT: -42 °F, Conrad, MT: -40 °F.(Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1993: Five inches of snow fell in just 20 minutes at Turin, NY. The town would be buried under 45 inches of snow during the lake effect snow event. Boonville, NY recorded 31 inches over a two day period. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2001: Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC dropped to 29 degrees for a morning low for their first freezing temperature of the season. This set a new record for its latest first freezing temperature breaking the previous record of 12/14/1980. This also was the first time the location had not recorded a freezing temperature during the autumn season.(Ref. Wilson Wx. History) (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

2004: Tremendous snows occurred in the Ohio Valley. The following cities set new records for their most significant snowstorm ever: Evansville, Indiana 22.3 inches, Dayton, Ohio 16.4 inches, and Paducah, Kentucky 14.2 inches. Other big snowfall totals were 31 inches at Liberty, Indiana, 28 inches at Buena Vista, Indiana, 24 inches at Greenville, Ohio, and 23 inches at Mansfield, Ohio. 

2005: Southern Illinois: A fast moving snowstorm across the Midwest and Ohio Valley becomes the most significant snowstorm on record for southern sections of Illinois. Snowfall records are set at Carbondale (12 inches), McLeansboro (14 inches), and Carmi (18 inches).(Ref. WxDoctor)

2008: Wisconsin: Most of Wisconsin shivers as temperatures fell to below zero (-18 °C) with even colder wind-chill temperatures. The only parts of the state with above zero readings are in cities along Lake Michigan. The low temperatures hit -13 °F in Hayward and -12 °F in La Crosse. (Ref. WxDoctor)

27 / 14 sunny.  Progressing to an overall near / below normal once passed the warmup Christmas (Eve/Day) 12/24 - 12/26.  Friday into Sat slop / flop or snow to rain.  Warmth to the south / west and cold pushing down into the northeast.  Next storm threat, beyond Friday/Sat is for the 30/31.  Beyond there - near normal.

probably reached todays (shortest day) high of 49 as clouds have settled in from the SW

sun rose at : 7:16 AM
Sun set : 4:32 PM  (1632) / 9:15:16 length 

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 64 (2013)
NYC: 65 (2013)
LGA: 62 (2018)
JFK: 59 (2011)

Lows:

EWR: 0 (1942)
NYC: -2 (1871)
LGA: -1 (1942)
JFK: 12 (2004)

Historical:

1892 - Portland, OR, was buried under a record 27.5 inches of snow. (21st-24th) (The Weather Channel)

1929 - An exceptional storm produced snow from the Middle Rio Grande Valley of Texas to southern Arkansas. The storm produced 26 inches of snow at Hillsboro TX, 18 inches at El Dorado AR, and 14 inches at Bossier LA. (21st-22nd) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)


1942: Richmond Virginia had its earliest 0 °F day or lower minimum temperature in the winter on this date when the minimum was -1 °F. (Ref. Richmond Weather Records - KRIC)

1964 - A great warm surge from the Pacific Ocean across Oregon and northern California brought torrential rains on a deep snow cover resulting in record floods. (David Ludlum)

1967: Four tornadoes swept across Grant, Blackford, Wells, and Adams counties in Indiana, reaching F3 intensity in Grant and Blackford Counties. A tornado causing F4 damage killed 3 people and injured 52 others in Iron County, Missouri.(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
An F2 tornado skipped along a 35-mi. path from Lithium, MO, to near Pinckneyville, IL. $5+ million damage at MO’s Perry County Airport where, amazingly, only 1 of 150 workers badly hurt. Near Percy, IL, a woman and baby were carried approx. 400 yards and survived.(Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

1968: A record breaking snowstorm pounded portions of South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa through the 22nd. Heavy snows were accompanied by winds gusting over 50 mph producing widespread blowing snow. Drifts up to 10 feet deep across the area stopped traffic. Amounts piled up to 18 inches in southeast South Dakota, over 12 inches in southwest Minnesota, and 6 to 15 inches in northwest Iowa. The 24-hour total from this date through the 22nd of 16.6 inches at Sioux Falls, SD set the December one day snow total record. December snow total records were set at over 40 locations in Minnesota, thanks in part to this storm.(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1983: An extremely bitter cold arctic air mass prevailed from the Midwest to the West Coast bringing numerous record low temperatures for the date including: Butte, MT: -43 °F, White Sulphur Springs, MT: -40 °F, Casper, WY: -37 °F, Livingston, MT: -33 °F, Valentine, NE: -32 °F, Boulder, MT: -31 °F, Townsend, MT: -31 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1987 - High winds continued along the eastern slopes of the Rockies. During the morning hours winds gusted to 64 mph at Cheyenne WY, and reached 97 mph near Boulder CO. Gale force winds prevailed across the Great Lakes Region. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Seven cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Charleston SC with a reading of 78 degrees. A storm in the northwestern U.S. produced 22 inches of snow at Idaho City ID in two days, and up to two feet of snow at Happy Camp CA. Ski resorts in Idaho reported three to six feet of snow on the ground. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Forty cities in the north central U.S., including thirteen in Iowa, reported record low temperatures for the date. Havre and Jordan, MT, tied for honors as the cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 43 degrees below zero, and the temperature remained close to 40 degrees below zero through the daylight hours. Dickinson ND reported a morning low of 33 degrees below zero and a wind chill reading of 86 degrees below zero. The high for the date of 16 degrees below zero at Sioux Falls SD was December record for that location. (The National Weather Summary)

1990: Behind the front, a deep upper level low and trough brought brutally cold arctic air from the Rockies to the West Coast. Casper, WY set their all-time record low for December with -41 °F. Locations reporting daily record lows for the date included: Wisdom, MT: -49 °F, West Yellowstone, MT: -46 °F, Lincoln Ranger Station, MT: -42 °F, Stanford, MT: -40 °F, Ahead of the front several locations from the Ohio Valley and East Coast reported record high temperatures for the date including: Tampa, FL: 85 °F, Tallahassee, FL: 80 °F-Tied, Charleston, WV: 74 °F, Cape Hatteras, NC: 73 °F-Tied, Huntington, WV: 72 °F-Tied, Jackson, KY: 71 °F, Elkins, WV: 69 °F-Tied, Boston, MA: 62 °F, Islip, NY: 55 °F and Binghamton, NY: 52 °F-Tied.(Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)
Des Moines, IA, reported freezing drizzle with a temperature of -2. McAlester, Oklahoma, reported a thunderstorm with sleet and 1/2 inch hail while at 13. All the result of a shallow, bitterly cold air mass overrun by warm air.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1996: 60 inches of snow fell in 24 hours at Truckee and Echo Summit, CA as a strong western storm came onshore. These totals were very close to the 24 hour snowfall record for the state of California, which was 67 inches set at Echo Summit on 1/4-5/1982.
(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1998 - Cold air spread into the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. For the next four nights, temperatures in the agricultural portions of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern counties dropped below 28 degrees for several hours at a time. In some locations, temperatures dipped into the teens. The California citrus industry suffered more than $600 million in damages due to the extreme cold.

34 / 31 clear - winter solstice at 10:02 AM ET today.  Low - mid 40s and sunny today, back colder Mon/Tue with the light snow/mix/rain on Tue PM.  Warmer overall Christmas Eve - Dec 28th, then a shot of cold 29 - 31 and next storm threat / track looks west/inlad but will see.  Warmer overall beyond then before turning colder by the 4-6th.

WC will have the focus on rain the next week

Rainfall:

LGA: 1.31
NYC: 1.18
EWR: 1.10
JFK: 0.9
 

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 61 (2002)
NYC: 60 (2002)
LGA: 61 (1957)
JFK: 57 (1999)

Lows:

EWR: -1 (1942) *earliest sub zero reading at Newark on record
NYC: -4 (1942) 
LGA: -2 (1942)
JFK: 12 (2004)

Historical:

1836 - A famous cold wave occurred in central Illinois. A cold front with 70 mph winds swept through at Noon dropping the temperature from 40 degrees to near zero in a matter of minutes. Many settlers froze to death. Folklore told of chickens frozen in their tracks and men frozen to saddles. Ice in streams reportedly froze to six inches in a few hours. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)

1929: An exceptional storm produced snow from the Middle Rio Grande Valley of Texas to southern Arkansas on December 20 - 21st, 1929. The storm produced 26 inches of snow near Hillsboro, Texas, and 24 inches in 24 hours in Clifton.

1942 - An early cold wave sent the temperature plunging to 3 degrees below zero at Nantucket, MA, and to 11 degrees below zero at Boston MA. (The Weather Channel)

1977: A "Once in a Lifetime" wind and dust storm struck the south end of the San Joaquin Valley in California. Winds reached 88 mph at Arvin before the anemometer broke, and gusts were estimated at 192 mph at Arvin by a U.S. Geological Survey. Meadows Field in Bakersfield recorded sustained 46 mph winds with a gust of 63 mph. The strong winds generated a wall of dust resembling a tidal wave that was 5,000 feet high over Arvin. Blowing sand stripped painted surfaces to bare metal and trapped people in vehicles for several hours. 70% of homes received structural damage in Arvin, Edison, and East Bakersfield. 120,000 Kern County customers lost power. Agriculture was impacted as 25 million tons of soil was loosened from grazing lands. Five people died, and damages totaled $34 million.  These strong winds also spread a large fire through the Honda Canyon on Vandenberg Air Force Base in southern California. This fire, which started from a power pole on Tranquillon Ridge being blown over, claimed the lives of Base Commander Colonel Joseph Turner, Fire Chief Billy Bell, and Assistant Fire Chief Eugene Cooper. Additionally, severe burns were experienced by Heavy Equipment Operator Clarence McCauley.  He later died due to complications from the burns.

1983: An extreme bitterly cold air mass continued across much of the U.S. The temperature remained below zero at Denver, CO for 115 consecutive hours; their longest sub-zero period on record. Locations reporting record low temperatures for the date included: International Falls, MN: -40 °F, Bozeman, MT: -36 °F, St. Cloud, MN: -35 °F, Duluth, MN: -34 °F, Casper, WY: -32 °F, Marquette, MI: -28 °F, Rochester, MN: -26 °F, Great Falls, MT: -25 °F, Cheyenne, WY: -25 °F, La Crosse, WI: -24 °F, Scottsbluff, NE: -23 °F: Tied, Waterloo, IA: -20 °F, Rapid City. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

 

1984: Lili, a rare December hurricane, was officially declared a tropical system in the central Atlantic as a distinct eye type feature was apparent on satellite imagery. The hurricane peaked at sustained 80 mph winds and a pressure of 980 millibars or 28.94 inches of mercury, a very respectable Category 1 Hurricane in December.

1986: An "Alberta Clipper" developed explosively just south of New England and blasted the region with high winds, torrential rain, and heavy snow. Up to 4 inches of rain fell across southern New England and winds frequently gusted to 60 and 70 mph. 30 inches of snow fell in southern Vermont, 24 inches in the higher elevations of western Massachusetts, and 20 inches in parts of New Hampshire. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - Heavy snow fell in the northern mountains of Colorado, with 15 inches reported in the Mary Jane ski area. Strong and gusty winds prevailed from the Northern High Plains to the Great Lakes. Winds gusted to 54 mph at Buffalo NY, and reached 66 mph at Livingston MT. Rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow fell across New England, with up to seven inches of snow in Maine. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Strong southerly winds ahead of a cold front in the central U.S. gusted to 70 mph at Indianapolis IN. The high winds toppled a masonary wall killing a construction worker. Low pressure and a trailing cold front brought rain and snow and high winds to the western U.S. Winds gusted to 90 mph at the Callahan Ranch south of Reno NV. Soda Springs, in the Sierra Nevada Range of California, received 17 inches of snow in less than 24 hours. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - Brutal northwest winds ushered bitter cold arctic air into the north central U.S. International Falls, MN, and Warroad, MN, tied for honors as the cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 34 degrees below zero. Minot ND reported a wind chill reading of 81 degrees below zero. Squalls produced more heavy snow in the Great Lakes Region. Erie PA received 21 inches of snow, including four inches in one hour, to bring their total snow cover to 39 inches, an all-time record for that location. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

2006 - A major winter storm affected Colorado, dumping several feet of snow on areas of the Rocky Mountains. The snowstorm temporarily closed the Denver International Airport.

28 / 15  - 1.34 in the bucket - buckets , chairs , christmas decorations  everywhere from 48- 52 MPH gusts here, higher elsewhere.   Cold today, warmer Sunday (low 40s), colder Mon / Tue with some light rain/mix/snow showers Tuesday.  Christmas eve through new years eve is overall warm with a day or two colder in between as massive ridge is positioned in the nations midsection with the warmest to our south and west and very cold north east.  Still would watch for a storm in the 30/31st period.  Beyond there near normal / slightly below.  Rain focuses into the west with copious moisture aimed at the WC/California.

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 60 (1931)
NYC: 58 (1931)
LGA: 57 (1957)
JFK: 56 (1957)


Lows:

EWR: 9 (1942)
NYC: -1 (1884)
LGA: 14 (1980)
JFK: 15 (1991)


Historical:

1777 - The Continental Army moved into encampment at Valley Forge amidst stormy winds and piercing cold. A relatively moderate winter followed. (David Ludlum)

1777: George Washington led his hungry and weary from long marches men to Valley Forge on this day. The winds greeted the 12,000 Continentals as they prepared for the winter. 

1911: The 24 hour snowfall record was broke in Oklahoma with 22 inches falling at Beaver. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)
 

1924 - The Riverside Ranger Station in Yellowstone Park, WY, reported a low of 59 degrees below zero, a December record for the U.S. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)

1924: record highs for the date included: Roanoke, VA: 78 °F, Lynchburg, VA: 77 °F, Richmond, VA: 76 °F, Norfolk, VA: 75 °F, and Baltimore, MD: 66 °F. Maximum temperature of 74 degrees F on 19th in Washington, DC the temperature fell to 19 degrees F on the 20th.(Ref. Washington Weather Records KDCA) (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1957 - A tornado, 200 yards in width, killed two persons along its 15-mile path from near Waldo to near Bueana Vista in southwestern Arkansas. People from one house were carried 250 yards, and cars were said to have been carried 600 yards. (The Weather Channel)

1967 - A record 83 inches of snow covered the ground at Flagstaff, AZ. The heavy snows inflicted great hardships on reservations. (David Ludlum)

1973: Indiana is bombarded by a big pre-Christmas snowstorm. 18 inches of snow fell at Covington, IN. (Ref. AccWeather Weather History)

1983: A massive area of arctic high pressure dominates the weather across much of North America during an historic cold wave. Jump River, WI plunged to -47 °F, not only setting a record low for December but also tied for their all-time record low (1/2/1979). Hatfield, WI fell to -39 °F, setting their all-time record low. Across the border, Coronation, Alberta Canada recorded their coldest day in 99 years as the thermometer fell to -42 °F. The following locations set their all-time record low for December: St. Cloud, MN: -41 °F, Blair, WI: -39 °F, Theilman, MN: -38 °F, Dodge, WI: -38 °F, Mondovi, WI: -38 °F, Viroqua, WI: -36 °F, Preston, MN: -35 °F, Rochester, MN: -33 °F, Owen, WI: -33 °F, Cresco, IA: -30 °F, La Crosse, WI: -30 °F, (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1984: A ridge of high pressure extending from the Gulf of Mexico to Florida brought record high temperatures ahead of cold front across parts of the south including: Athens, GA: 78 °F, Savannah, GA: 78 °F-Tied, Norfolk, VA: 77 °F, Charlotte, NC: 76 °F, Raleigh, NC: 76 °F-Tied, Columbus, GA: 76 °F-Tied, Atlanta, GA: 74 °F, Chattanooga, TN: 71 °F, Wallops Island, VA: 70 °F and Asheville, NC: 70 °F-Tied. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in eastern Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 90 mph at Venus TX and Providence LA. Rain prevailed from the Southern Plains to the Middle Mississippi Valley. Small stream flooding was reported around Columbia MO. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Low pressure and a trailing cold front in the central U.S. brought snow and high winds to parts of the Rocky Mountain Region. Winds in Colorado gusted to 67 mph at La Junta. Thunderstorms along the same cold front produced wind gusts to 65 mph at Kansas City MO. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - High winds and heavy snow plagued the northern and central Rockies. Snowfall totals in Montana ranged up to 12 inches at Lincoln, and wind gusts in Colorado reached 97 mph at Squaw Mountain. Twelve cities in the north central U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Dickinson ND with a reading of 26 degrees below zero. Bismarck ND was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 35 degrees below zero. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1995: Another major snowstorm occurred in the northeast from the lower Great Lakes to New England. New York City picked up 7 to 12 inches of snow.(Ref. AccWeather Weather History)
A tornado only 50-yd wide, 3 mi long track; yet deadly. An F2 tornado destroyed a mobile home in Mt. Pleasant, FL. The 2 occupants (brothers) were thrown 125+ yards. The men were found 4 hours later; 1 was dead, the other hurt badly. Objects from the home were found 3 miles away.(Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

2008 - A snow and ice storm on December 19 affected parts of the U.S. Midwest. Over 220,000 homes and businesses across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio were left without electric services. No fatalities were reported (Reuters).

2009: Snowfall totals from 1 to 2 feet were commonplace in what will go down as one of the biggest snowstorms in history on the East Coast and the first of four snowstorms for the Mid-Atlantic during the winter of 2009-10. The 15 inches of snow measured at Reagan International Airport on Dec. 19th was the third-highest daily snowfall on any calendar day at Washington, DC, since snowfall records began in 1884. The total storm snowfall of 16.4 inches on Dec 18-19 2009 marks the 6th highest two-day snowfall record for Washington, DC putting it just below the second President's Day storm in 2003 and ahead of the Jan 1996 storm. Baltimore Washington Airport saw 20.5 inches of snow and went down as the fifth-highest daily snowfall on any calendar day in Baltimore since snowfall records began in 1893. The total storm snowfall of 21.0 inches on Dec 18-19 2009 marks the 6th highest two-day snowfall record for Baltimore. The daily snowfall records for Dec 19 were smashed for the most snowfall for any calendar day during December at the following stations. Reagan National Airport's new record was 15.0 inches, old record 11.5 in 1932. Baltimore Washington Airport's new record was 20.5 inches, old record 11.5 in 1932. This was the biggest December snowstorm on record and setting a record for the snowiest December for Baltimore, MD. Dulles Airport's new record was 16.0 inches, old record 10.6 in 1982. Richmond International Airport had a total of 6.4 inches. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, reported its second greatest daily snowfall total on record with 22.9 inches. It also was the single most significant December snowfall for the city of Philadelphia, PA. Roanoke, Virginia, recorded 17.8 inches setting a record for the greatest 24-hour snowfall in December. Washington, DC, reported 16.4 inches of snowmaking 2009 the snowiest December on record, all in one storm. In New York, Upton on Long Island recorded 26.3 inches, the biggest snowstorm on record.

58 / 58 gusty SE winds to 30 MPH and moderate rain.  Mid 50s to near or 60 today which could match records highs in areas.  0.75 - 1.50 of rain.   Colder Saturday - warmer Sunday - colder Mon/Tue with some snow/mix light on Tue before warming up Christmas eve through the 29th - much above normal.  30/31 next storm threat as cold backs down into the northeast.  Beyond there, a bit of back and forth near normal.

HIghs:  Max for the month (so far)

TEB: 54
New Brnswck: 53
EWR: 51
LGA: 51
TTN: 51
JFK: 50
ISP: 50
NYC: 49

Rain to PA

51 / 36 here.

Oddly with enough warmth tomorrow - we could see or approach record highs (EWR-60 / NYC - 58)

Looks like NYC was at 0 departure on Wed and the below streak stopped at 20,  EWR and other sites were still below yesterday.  Today that will bring the below daily departure streak to an end at 20-21 days.  

GFS is further expansive east with the ridge and the Euro had a cutoff building NE to SW in the Dec 30 period.

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 64 (2023)
NYC: 63 (1984)
LGA: 63 (2023)
JFK: 64 (1984)

Lows:

EWR: 13 (1953)
NYC: -1 (1919)
LGA: 16 (1953)
JFK: 16 (1973)

Historical:

1620: The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, MA in a severe windstorm. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1779: The first big snowstorm of the "hard winter" dumped 17 inches on New Haven, CT. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1919: New York, New York: The Central Park temperature drops to one degree below zero F, the earliest sub-zero temperature in the city on record. A cold air mass brought record cold along the east coast.
Other daily record lows for the date included: Burlington, VT: -13 °F, Syracuse, NY: -13 °F, Worcester, MA: -11 °F, Portland, ME: -10 °F, Rochester, NY: -7 °F, Boston, MA: -6 °F, Hartford, CT: -6 °F, Elkins, WV: -5 °F, New York (Central Park), NY: -1 °F, Philadelphia, PA: 4 °F, Baltimore, MD: 7 °F and Washington, DC: 10 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

1944: The powerful U.S. Third Fleet was still in the grips of powerful Typhoon Cobra December 17th and 18th. The encounter with the typhoon was more damaging to the Fleet than many battles with the Japanese.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
 

1957 - A tornado swept across Jackson County, Williamson County and Franklin County in southern Illinois killing eleven persons. (David Ludlum)

1981 - A heavy lake-effect snow blanketed the southern and southeast shores of Lake Michigan leaving up to 22 inches of snow at Valparaiso IND. (David Ludlum)

1983 - Record cold hit the north central states. At Havre, MT, the mercury plunged to a record reading of 34 degrees below zero. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)

1984 - A storm over southern California left up to 16 inches of snow in the mountains and upper deserts, with 13 inches reported at Lancaster. Edwards Air Force Base was closed, and Interstate 5 was closed from Castaic to the Tehachapis Mountains. (18th-19th) (The Weather Channel)

1986 - A strong winter storm, which developed off the coast of New Jersey and moved out to sea, lashed the northeastern U.S. with high winds, heavy rain, and heavy snow. The storm left snowfall amounts of up to 30 inches in Vermont, 24 inches in Massachusetts, and 20 inches in New Hampshire. The highest rainfall amounts approached four inches in southern New England, where winds gusted to 70 mph. (Storm Data)

1987 - A weakening storm moved into the Rocky Mountain Region producing six inches of snow at the Platoro Reservoir in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The storm then spread rain and drizzle across the Southern High Plains into the Middle Mississippi Valley, with thunderstorms over Texas. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - Warm weather prevailed in the central U.S. while cool weather prevailed across the eastern states. Sheridan, WY, with a record warm afternoon high of 68 degrees, was seven degrees warmer than Key West FL. (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - A winter storm moving out of the Great Plains Region spread freezing rain, sleet and snow across parts of the southeastern U.S. Freezing rain resulted in 170 auto accidents in the Memphis area during the evening hours. Unseasonably warm weather continued ahead of arctic cold front. Miami FL equalled their record for December with an afternoon high of 87 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1998: Atlanta, GA recorded its latest first freeze on record while across the southwest desert, Palm Springs, CA set a record high with 86 °F. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2006: High pressure off the Carolina coast, combined with strong upper level high pressure over the Yucatan Peninsula and a strong trough out west produced a warm southwest flow resulting in record high temperatures from the Mississippi Valley to New York State including: San Antonio, TX: 81 °F-Tied, Mobile, AL: 77 °F-Tied, Charleston, SC: 77 °F-Tied, Sterling (Dulles Airport), VA: 76 °F, Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: 76 °F-Tied, Richmond, VA: 75 °F-Tied, Washington, DC: 74 °F, Tupelo, MS: 74 °F-Tied, Chattanooga, TN: 73 °F, Baltimore, MD: 72 °F, Nashville, TN: 72 °F, Wilmington, DE: 71 °F, Atlantic City, NJ: 71 °F. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)
 

2009 - A monster snow storm affected the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions of the U.S. on December 18th through December 20th. The storm originated in the Gulf of Mexico and moved northward along the Eastern Seaboard, leaving behind heavy snow accumulations from North Carolina to Massachusetts. Impacts from this storm included the closing of major airports, interstate highways, and rail systems. Over 1,200 flights were cancelled at the three major airports in the New York City area, and hundreds of thousands of people lost power due to the storm. Seven people were reported killed across the Mid-Atlantic (source: Reuters). Over two feet of snow accumulation was reported in portions of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. At one point, the storm was over 500 miles in width, and affected 14 states and tens of millions of Americans (Source: AFP).

26 / 25 and on the way to (for some) the months warmest highs in the mid / upper 40s, perhaps some of the warmest get to 50.  Rain by the morning Friday and a warm Southerly flow gets most into the mid 50s and some to 60, with around an inch of rain.  Colder Saturday starts a bit of a back and froth colder - Sat, warmer - Sun ,   colder - Mon /Tue.  Then warmer overall by Christmas through around the 29th/30th with the eneext storm threat in the 30-31 period.  Ridge builds in the center with the cold just into the northeast which means a day or two very warm in the period and some quick pull back colder.  Beyond there looks near normal.

Also Jan 7, 2004 - Feb 3, 2004 at EWR consecutive below daily dep

5 minutes ago, bluewave said:

This is the first 20 day below normal streak for the new 1991-2020 climate normals era. XMACIS2 reset all the prior period departures to the 1991-2020 climate normals. So we don’t have the earlier departures based on 1981-2010, 1971-2000, 1961-1990, 1951-1980..etc.   

The period Dec 18, 2000 - Jan 10, 2001 was for EWR.  Will check NYC.