May 2026

[Brian5671]

Long duration rainstorm on tap-while it will help the drought the timing is awful.

[psv88]

What drought? I am genuinely confused at drought talk. Last few months:

May ; 3.36" - more to come

April: 2.93"

March: 5:04

Feb: 2.44 ( i dont melt down snow, so i missed some im sure). 

This year has not been dry at all. Last June and July were drier, but the fall was normal to above (5" in October). 

 

[Poker2015]

36 minutes ago, psv88 said:

What drought? I am genuinely confused at drought talk. Last few months:

May ; 3.36" - more to come

April: 2.93"

March: 5:04

Feb: 2.44 ( i dont melt down snow, so i missed some im sure). 

This year has not been dry at all. Last June and July were drier, but the fall was normal to above (5" in October). 

 

Even looking at the drought map, most of the area is barely in a drought. Yes, down south its a little worse in areas but not most of us.

Even before the last couple "dry" years, go back a few more years and we were averaging 3-4" more than normal every year for a while.

It all evens out.

[steve392]

.25" of rain from thunderstorm last night and rain today.  Plants woke up. Hoping grass greens up again quickly. 

[donsutherland1]

Cooler air has now returned to the region. Tomorrow will be variably cloudy and cool with highs topping out in the lower and middle 60s across the region.

Rain will develop on Saturday and continue into Sunday. A general 0.50"-1.50" rainfall is likely. The temperature will likely remain in the 50s all day on Saturday and struggle to reach the lower 60s on Sunday. The mercury will likely return to the lower 70s on Monday.

The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was +1.8°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was +0.9°C for the week centered around May 13. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged +1.63°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged +0.70°C. El Niño conditions are now in place. The ongoing El Niño will continue to strengthen through the summer.

The SOI was -15.07 yesterday. 

The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was +0.108 today. 

Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied near 66% probability that New York City will have a warmer than normal May (1991-2020 normal). May will likely finish with a mean temperature near 63.8° (0.6° above normal). 

Supplemental Information: The projected mean would be 1.3° above the 1981-2010 normal monthly value. 

 

[winterwx21]

4 hours ago, Brian5671 said:

Long duration rainstorm on tap-while it will help the drought the timing is awful.

I'm glad we're going to get much-needed rain Saturday into Sunday morning. At least Monday doesn't look too bad. We'll have to see how long the rain lingers on Sunday -- some models move it out in time for late day and evening for people that want to cook outside. That's uncertain right now, but of course the one thing that is certain is Saturday is shot. 

[MJO812]

I got a dent on my right side of my car from the fallen tree branches last night

[nycwinter]

55 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

I got a dent on my right side of my car from the fallen tree branches last night

your car or cop car?

[MJO812]

Just now, nycwinter said:

your car or cop car?

My car

[jm1220]

This heat got the water temp off Jones Beach up a whole 3 degrees! Up to 56 today. Still plenty of nastiness available with onshore flow like this weekend. 

[Nibor]

1 hour ago, nycwinter said:

your car or cop car?

Technically the same thing

[MJO812]

Weekend rain from Saturday through Monday.  At least im working Sunday and Monday so no loss for me.

[mjr]

On 5/20/2026 at 3:58 PM, [email protected] said:

Once again, Central Park is running several degrees lower then the rest of the area. Even JFK is running higher this afternoon! This gets worst every year and is an embarrassment at this point! The NWS should take away their classification as the official NYC weather site if the parks conservation isn't willing to either trim vegetation surrounding the sensor or move the sensor back to the pre 1996 site!

In 2025, NYC reported 14 days of 90 or above, pretty much bringing up the rear of the list of stations used for comparison on this site. While most of these locations are in NJ and less susceptible to marine influences, the other NYC stations showed LGA with 26 days and even JFK reported 15. ISP was not far behind.

For a broader comparison, one need only look at New England. Bostn had 19 days, and BDR, the usual hot spot because of its topography, had 24. However, HVN, right on the south shore, reported 15 days and BDR, practically in Long Island Sound, reported 15 as well. This might have been the first time that BDR actually exceeded NYC.

In the past, the comparisons were between NYC, LGA and EWR. In 2025, at least, they were NYC, JFK, ISP and BDR. We may soon need to be looking at Nantucket.

 

[mjr]

On 5/20/2026 at 3:58 PM, [email protected] said:

Once again, Central Park is running several degrees lower then the rest of the area. Even JFK is running higher this afternoon! This gets worst every year and is an embarrassment at this point! The NWS should take away their classification as the official NYC weather site if the parks conservation isn't willing to either trim vegetation surrounding the sensor or move the sensor back to the pre 1996 site!

Central Park NYC is designated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as a Centennial Observing Station. Mandatory criteria for recognition include, among others, 1. The station was founded at least 100 years ago. 4.Any known observing station relocation or change in the measurement technique have not significantly affected the climatological time-series data. 8. The observed and measured data shall be subject to routine quality control procedures according to current WMO guidelines and practices. These include strict measurement and instrumentation guidelines.

I submit that NYC is not in compliance with guidelines 4 and 8 and the WMO should either insist that something be done or remove the Centennial Observing Station designation. Of course, since the site was moved in 1996, the historical record has been irreparably damaged.

 

[nycwinter]

3 hours ago, MJO812 said:

Weekend rain from Saturday through Monday.  At least im working Sunday and Monday so no loss for me.

if you are a beat cop you would disagree.

[MJO812]

47 minutes ago, nycwinter said:

if you are a beat cop you would disagree.

Im not 

[bluewave]

20 hours ago, jm1220 said:

Hideous. 

Looks like our biggest soaker of the spring so far coming in this weekend.

The heaviest totals on the 20th were pretty localized in parts of Queens and NW Nassau.

This looks more widespread and extended rather than all the rain falling in 1 hour or less like the other day. 
 

 

[jm1220]

3 hours ago, mjr said:

In 2025, NYC reported 14 days of 90 or above, pretty much bringing up the rear of the list of stations used for comparison on this site. While most of these locations are in NJ and less susceptible to marine influences, the other NYC stations showed LGA with 26 days and even JFK reported 15. ISP was not far behind.

For a broader comparison, one need only look at New England. Bostn had 19 days, and BDR, the usual hot spot because of its topography, had 24. However, HVN, right on the south shore, reported 15 days and BDR, practically in Long Island Sound, reported 15 as well. This might have been the first time that BDR actually exceeded NYC.

In the past, the comparisons were between NYC, LGA and EWR. In 2025, at least, they were NYC, JFK, ISP and BDR. We may soon need to be looking at Nantucket.

 

We had plenty of heat last summer on westerly winds so it was able to come directly to the shore, and in those cases it can be even hotter here than further west since we have downsloping. But as we all know that’s typically rare so we’ll see what this summer does. On Wed it was in the mid 90s right to the coast since we didn’t have cloud debris and stayed on westerly winds. 

[bluewave]

The last time NYC had an above normal month for precipitation was back in May 2025 with the ongoing drought conditions since the fall of 2024.

Monthly Total Precipitation for NY CITY CENTRAL PARK, NY
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

2026	2.70	2.60	3.60	2.48	1.02	M	M	M	M	M	M	M	12.40
2025	0.61	2.60	5.52	3.25	6.58	2.46	4.03	2.21	2.76	4.08	2.09	3.38	39.57
2024	5.28	2.05	9.06	3.47	4.11	1.71	4.20	7.02	1.58	0.01	3.35	4.53	46.37

[MANDA]

@donsutherland1 or @bluewave 

Do either of you have any idea when the last time a monthly record low was tied or broken at any of our local climo sites?

[nycwinter]

one of the ten best days of the year cool gusty wind feel like early november..

[SACRUS]

66 / 40 onshore flow - thicker clouds to the south.  Ugly fest will ensure Sat / Sun cool - clouds rain >1.5 inches to 3 inches in spots - more especially northern areas. Perhaps we dry out PM Sunday and perhaps pokes of sin for memorial day.  Much wearmer / ncer Tue - Thu then omega-like patterns forces next cut off ULL down backing into the area next wekeend 5/28  - 5/31 period. Onshore  / cooler perhaps more rain 5/29-5/31.    Ridging expanding eat by first week of June. 6/5 - beyond - next shot at 90s in that period.

 

[SACRUS]

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 98 (1992)
NYC: 96 (1941)
LGA: 94 (1992)
JFK: 94 (2021)


Lows:

EWR: 44 (2002)
NYC: 42 (1907)
LGA: 47 (1950)
JFK: 43 (1990)

 

Historical:

 

1876 - Denver CO was drenched with 6.53 inches of rain in 24 hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)

1911 - The temperature at Lewiston ME soared to 101 degrees. It was the hottest temperature ever recorded in New England during the month of May. (David Ludlum)

1987 - A powerful tornado virtually wiped the small southwest Texas community of Saragosa off the map. The twister destroyed eighty- five percent of the structures in the town killing thirty persons and injuring 121 others in the town of population 183. The tornado hurled trucks and autos through adobe and wood- frame homes, with some vehicles blown 500 feet. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather over the Central Gulf Coast States. Tennis ball size hail was reported at Ripley MS. Showers and thunderstorms in southern Missouri produced 3.20 inches of rain at Springfield to easily surpass their rainfall record for the date. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - Unseasonably hot weather continued in southern Texas and parts of the southwestern U.S. Seven cities reported record high temperatures for the date, including El Paso TX with a reading of 100 degrees. Presidio TX was the hot spot in the nation with a high of 111 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)

1990 - Late afternoon and evening thunderstorms developing ahead of a cold front in the north central U.S. produced severe weather from northwestern Kansas to central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. There were twenty-nine reports of damaging winds, or dime to golf ball size hail. Strong thunderstorm winds gusted to 69 mph at Alexandria, MN. Showers and thunderstorms over eastern North Carolina soaked Wilmington with 2.91 inches of rain, which established a record for the date. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1998: Greeley, Brush, and Fort Morgan, CO, raked by hail to 2 inch diameter; a woman hurt when hail broke through home’s window. Roofs collapsed in Brush; 140,000 acres of area crops devastated. Cars stuck in hail to 18 inches deep until snowplows could clear roads. (Ref. Weather Guide Calendar with Phenomenal Weather Events 2011 Accord Pub. 2010, USA)

2002: An unusual late season frost in the North Carolina Mountains caused significant damage to the Christmas tree crop. 13 inches of snow fell at Cooke City, MT through the 23rd. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2004: A F4 tornado tracked 54 miles through Jefferson, Saline, Gage, Lancaster, and Otoe Counties in Nebraska. 95% of the buildings in the town of Hallam were destroyed or severely damaged. The tornado was 2.5 miles wide at one point. One person was killed, 38 injured, and damages totaled $160 million dollars. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

2011: The Joplin Tornado was reported to have developed directly over Joplin with the first report of the tornado in Joplin at 5:41 pm CDT, 5/22. Latest reports from mid-day Tuesday 5/24 indicate an estimated 118 fatalities and several hundred injured in the Joplin, MO area. The Joplin tornado is the deadliest since modern record keeping began in 1950 and is ranked 8th among the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. The tornado surpassed the June 8, 1953, tornado that claimed 116 lives in Flint, Mich., as the deadliest single tornado to strike the U.S. since modern tornado record keeping began in 1950. The deadliest tornado on record in the U.S. was on March 18, 1925.

[SACRUS]

After a brief warm up and drying out 5/ 26 - 5/28, next cut off / trough  5/29 - 5/31 - onshore and perhaps more heavier rain

 

[SACRUS]

1 hour ago, MANDA said:

@donsutherland1 or @bluewave 

Do either of you have any idea when the last time a monthly record low was tied or broken at any of our local climo sites?

NYC

 

Month	Record High	Year(s)	Record Low	Year(s)
January	72°F	2007, 1950	-6°F	1882
February	78°F	2018	-15°F	1934
March	86°F	1998, 1945	3°F	1872
April	96°F	2002, 1976	12°F	1923
May	99°F	1962	32°F	1891
June	101°F	1966, 1934	44°F	1945
July	106°F	1936	52°F	1943
August	104°F	1918	50°F	1885, 1965, 1976, 1982, 1986
September	102°F	1953	39°F	1912
October	94°F	1941	28°F	1936
November	84°F	1950	5°F	1875
December	75°F	1998	-13°F	1917

 

[SACRUS]

 

Quick count from the separated lists above:

• Daily record highs: 82
• Daily record lows: 14

Total record events listed: 96

 

NYC

 

Date	Temp	Year
Jan 3	64°F	2000
Jan 4	66°F	2023
Jan 6	72°F	2007
Jan 9	64°F	2008
Jan 11	69°F	2020
Jan 12	68°F	2020
Jan 21	63°F	2006
Jan 29	69°F	2002
Jan 30	64°F	2006
Feb 6	68°F	2008
Feb 7	56°F	2020
Feb 8	62°F	2017
Feb 10	61°F	2023
Feb 11	65°F	2009
Feb 12	62°F	2018
Feb 17	68°F	2022
Feb 21	78°F	2018
Mar 3	68°F	2024
Mar 6	68°F	2022
Mar 7	74°F	2022
Mar 9	77°F	2016
Mar 10	80°F	2026
Mar 12	71°F	2012
Mar 18	77°F	2011
Mar 22	78°F	2012
Mar 23	76°F	2012
Mar 26	82°F	2021
Apr 6	80°F	2023
Apr 7	92°F	2010
Apr 13	90°F	2023
Apr 14	91°F	2023
Apr 15	90°F	2026
Apr 16	92°F	2002
Apr 17	96°F	2002
Apr 22	86°F	2001
Apr 23	86°F	2007
Apr 24	87°F	2001
Apr 26	92°F	2009
Apr 28	90°F	2009
May 1	87°F	2001
May 2	90°F	2018
May 3	92°F	2018
May 4	92°F	2001
May 7	93°F	2000
May 8	91°F	2000
May 18	92°F	2017
Jun 10	96°F	2008
Jun 12	93°F	2017
Jun 23	96°F	2025
Jun 24	99°F	2025
Jul 6	103°F	2010
Jul 7	100°F	2010
Jul 22	104°F	2011
Jul 23	100°F	2011
Jul 24	97°F	2010
Aug 3	97°F	2005
Aug 8	99°F	2001
Aug 9	103°F	2001
Aug 13	99°F	2005
Aug 17	95°F	2015
Aug 18	94°F	2002
Aug 19	94°F	2002
Sep 8	97°F	2015
Sep 24	91°F	2017
Oct 2	93°F	2019
Oct 8	87°F	2007
Oct 19	85°F	2016
Oct 24	79°F	2001
Nov 3	79°F	2003
Nov 6	75°F	2022
Nov 9	75°F	2020
Nov 10	74°F	2020
Nov 28	70°F	2011
Dec 1	70°F	2006
Dec 5	70°F	2001
Dec 6	71°F	2001
Dec 11	66°F	2021
Dec 13	67°F	2015
Dec 14	67°F	2015
Dec 15	68°F	2015
Dec 17	62°F	2000
Dec 20	60°F	2002
Dec 21	65°F	2013
Dec 22	71°F	2013
Dec 24	72°F	2015
Dec 25	66°F	2015
Dec 28	65°F	2008

 

Lows

 

 

Date	Temp	Year
Jan 7	4°F	2014
Jan 16	1°F	2004
Feb 14	-1°F	2016
Feb 20	2°F	2015
Mar 3	11°F	2003
May 8	36°F	2020
May 9	34°F	2020
May 20	43°F	2002
Jul 2	56°F	2001
Nov 8	29°F	2019
Nov 10	25°F	2017
Nov 11	24°F	2017
Nov 12	25°F	2019
Nov 13	23°F	2019

[MJO812]

26 minutes ago, nycwinter said:

one of the ten best days of the year cool gusty wind feel like early november..

 

Loving it

 

[Poker2015]

This is for Somerville, NJ

Baseline Type	Years Covered	Average Annual Precipitation
Recent 5-Year Baseline	2021–2025	49.38 in
Recent 10-Year Baseline	2016–2025	50.13 in
Recent 20-Year Baseline	2006–2025	49.71 in
Official 30-Year Normal	1991–2020	47.77 in
Older 30-Year Normal	1981–2010	45.49 in

 

Key Takeaway

Even with the extreme, record-setting dryness of 2025 dragging the numbers down, the 5-year average is still 1.61 inches higher than the official 30-year climate normal. This highlights how intensely wet the "wet years" have become to keep the overall baseline elevated.

 

Also, for the 1st time in recorded history the 10 year avg broke 50"

 

We can use some dry years here and there. My backyard is alot less swampy!!

[MANDA]

38 minutes ago, SACRUS said:

NYC

 

Month	Record High	Year(s)	Record Low	Year(s)
January	72°F	2007, 1950	-6°F	1882
February	78°F	2018	-15°F	1934
March	86°F	1998, 1945	3°F	1872
April	96°F	2002, 1976	12°F	1923
May	99°F	1962	32°F	1891
June	101°F	1966, 1934	44°F	1945
July	106°F	1936	52°F	1943
August	104°F	1918	50°F	1885, 1965, 1976, 1982, 1986
September	102°F	1953	39°F	1912
October	94°F	1941	28°F	1936
November	84°F	1950	5°F	1875
December	75°F	1998	-13°F	1917

 

Thanks for the stats! 

So a small one site sample shows:

- 40 years since the last monthly record low.

- 92 years since a monthly record low during meteorological winter.

Since 1998 5 monthly record warm readings but none of those during meteorological summer all were during meteorological winter.  Of course NYC temperatures during the summer are skewed low since equipment was moved from out in the open to the middle of a thicket.

Hard to envision a monthly record low in NYC until the next climate shift to cooler occurs from whatever the cause of that may be.  Volcanic?  Next natural climate shift?  Something more drastic?

[qg_omega]

On 5/21/2026 at 11:24 AM, NEG NAO said:

A few hours of showers once or twice a week will not reverse this long term drought.

its over by Monday