December 2025 OBS and Discussion

[dmillz25]

Low of 19 here

[wdrag]

My Wantage NJ location low was 7 above with still an inch of snow-ice cover. 

[vegan_edible]

23 minutes ago, donsutherland1 said:

The temperature fell to 0F (-17.8C) in Albany. That broke the daily record of 2F (-16.7C) that was set in 1886 and tied in 1926 and 1989. It is also Albany's coldest temperature so early in the season since December 3, 1976 when the mercury hit -1F (-18.3C). 

can confirm. just went out to get coffee. can't feel my hands

[psv88]

18

[NEG NAO]

1 hour ago, wdrag said:

Presume I can use this map describing the extent of the NYC subforum> Please confirm. Thank you. 

First of all - Ocean County NJ should be in the Philadelphia region - and the farther north and west counties in NY and PA should be included in a new North and West Forum IMO. Variations in the weather conditions are too great from south to north and west in that map to be included in one forum (especially during the winter months)............But like I said before we have had this discussion previously and it is what it is.......OR we can set up the forums similar to the NWS does - Upton and Mount Holly - never could understand that concept...........

[steve392]

Only got to 24 at home and 23 at work.  Assuming cloud cover kept it from dropping any further. 

[Brian5671]

12 was the low here

[NEG NAO]

Only down to 19 here - no snow cover

[forkyfork]

8 hours ago, MJO812 said:

The models keep unleashing very cold air. Now just need snow.

good luck

[bluewave]

Colder start to December fits within the long term trend since 1991. NYC average temperatures have only risen +0.7° in NYC from December 1st to 16th.

But the December 17th to 31st average temperatures over the same period have increased by +4.6°. This matches the streak of 55°+ days every year since 2011 around NYC from the 17th to 25th.

So my guess is that the warmest departures we see this month will occur after the 16th. 
 

 

Time Series Summary for NY CITY CENTRAL PARK, NY highest temperature December 17th through 25th since 2011
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

2024-12-25	59	0
2023-12-25	62	0
2022-12-25	58	0
2021-12-25	60	0
2020-12-25	61	0
2019-12-25	57	0
2018-12-25	61	0
2017-12-25	55	0
2016-12-25	58	0
2015-12-25	72	0
2014-12-25	62	0
2013-12-25	71	0
2012-12-25	56	0
2011-12-25	62	0

 

 

[NEG NAO]

16 minutes ago, bluewave said:

Colder start to December fits within the long term trend since 1991. NYC average temperatures have only risen +0.7° in NYC from December 1st to 16th.

But the December 17th to 31st average temperatures over the same period have increased by +4.6°. This matches the streak of 55°+ days every year since 2011 around NYC from the 17th to 25th.

So my guess is that the warmest departures we see this month will occur after the 16th. 
 

According to the 0Z Euro this is the warmest hour I could find through 360 hours - mostly stays below and/or well below avg temps

Snowfall ? we stay in the mainly no snow zone

 

Time Series Summary for NY CITY CENTRAL PARK, NY highest temperature December 17th through 25th since 2011
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

2024-12-25	59	0
2023-12-25	62	0
2022-12-25	58	0
2021-12-25	60	0
2020-12-25	61	0
2019-12-25	57	0
2018-12-25	61	0
2017-12-25	55	0
2016-12-25	58	0
2015-12-25	72	0
2014-12-25	62	0
2013-12-25	71	0
2012-12-25	56	0
2011-12-25	62	0

 

 

 

[MJO812]

13 minutes ago, forkyfork said:

good luck

Something will pop off

[EastonSN+]

5 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

Something will pop off

A few clippers will be around. Nothing big but more frequent. Hopefully we get something from them. 

[NEG NAO]

1 minute ago, EastonSN+ said:

A few clippers will be around. Nothing big but more frequent. Hopefully we get something from them. 

need one to dig more and slow down going south of us - these can give us 2-4 or 3-5

[Bxstormwatcher360]

4 minutes ago, EastonSN+ said:

A few clippers will be around. Nothing big but more frequent. Hopefully we get something from them. 

Good ole alberta clippers,I remember growing up as a teen in the 90's. They had a clipper coming thru every 3 to 5 days it seems. The 90's was an epic time for winter weather also tbh. 

[wdrag]

44 minutes ago, NEG NAO said:

First of all - Ocean County NJ should be in the Philadelphia region - and the farther north and west counties in NY and PA should be included in a new North and West Forum IMO. Variations in the weather conditions are too great from south to north and west in that map to be included in one forum (especially during the winter months)............But like I said before we have had this discussion previously and it is what it is.......OR we can set up the forums similar to the NWS does - Upton and Mount Holly - never could understand that concept...........

This has had a message to to moderators a couple years ago.  I had no feedback and so I live with this map as is, until moderators advise otherwise. Thanks for your own feedback.  At least there is opportunity for all the participants to comment and review. 

[ForestHillWx]

Saw 11 at 7am curious; maybe single digits next week?

[SACRUS]

 

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.  

 

[EastonSN+]

18 minutes ago, Bxstormwatcher360 said:

Good ole alberta clippers,I remember growing up as a teen in the 90's. They had a clipper coming thru every 3 to 5 days it seems. The 90's was an epic time for winter weather also tbh. 

I have an opposite view of the 90s. 

Only 2 above average snowfall winters. Yeah more clippers then. 

[Brian5671]

1 minute ago, EastonSN+ said:

I have an opposite view of the 90s. 

Only 2 above average snowfall winters. Yeah more clippers then. 

alot of torchy winters in the 90's.  

[IrishRob17]

Low of 19 late yesterday, low  7 this morning with 3" of snow at the stake. 

[SACRUS]

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).

[jm1220]

2 minutes ago, Brian5671 said:

alot of torchy winters in the 90's.  

I remember 92-93 for the Dec 92 and March 93 huge storms, 93-94 as being my first real winter and bitterly cold/icy, 94-95 lousy except the one snow to rain event on 2/4, 95-96 epic obviously, 96-97 entirely forgettable-don’t remember 4/1 at all which was probably a bunch of white rain here, 97-98 torch with the record El Niño, 98-99 cutter city with the strong Nina response, 99-00 as also pretty forgettable other than the late Jan 2000 system which was OK here but a lot better to the west, supposed to be a brush or out to sea. 

[SACRUS]

 

2002:  

 

Dec 5

 

 

2003

 

Dec 5:

 

 

[SACRUS]

 

Cold to Hold the next 10 Days - 2 weeks

 

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

 

[jm1220]

3 minutes ago, SACRUS said:

 

Cold to Hold the next 10 Days - 2 weeks

 

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

 

If we can get a western ridge to build and hold on, we have a chance at some storm turning the corner and getting some snow outside of a lucky clipper or minor system. However they’ve been getting knocked down or nudged aside which makes the pattern too zonal. 

[TJW014]

Mount Pocono hit a record low of -4 this morning. 
Starting the day off at 25. Light snow to the south, might see some flakes work their way up here.

[wdrag]

Well, here's your 12z HRRR for tomorrow morning (don't count this mornings snow s of PHL).  Will revisit at 5PM for possible first measurable NYC early Sat from

the very subtle low level trough.