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There's a connection to the sun and..... Lake Ice. Less wind friction so any impressive cold air gets pushed across easier all the way to the coast. This is just Ontario which is impressive since it doesn't freeze like the others. I'll make a bet its "one reason" why we experienced the coldest air in decades.
I was wondering about that too. I drove past Dunkirk area last spring and noticed a lot of vineyards.
Ironically there was a thread just last November here on the C-D weather forum by a NY poster Port North
about Dunkirk having a "Cfa" micro climate. Technically it has but any place that can reach -27F ...
Same thing for our vineyards in Niagara (only 1 hr drive north of Dunkirk), though the cold temps are good for making ice wine. Need days with max below -9C to harvest the grapes.
I think the micro climate idea there needs some reexamining. You do not see temperatures that low in a Cfa climate. It is also three degrees removed from a zone 3 plant hardiness threshold.
I'll add Islip record low isn't that low partly from its records being shorter than the others, though I suspect it would have been one of the milder ones. Feb 9, 1934 seems to have been one of the coldest days for the coastal Northeast. I wonder if Bridgeport's records didn't go back that far?
Islip records date back to 1984.
Bridgeport records date back to 1948.
The official record low at both stations is -7F.
It's plausible that both have seen temps below -10F in the 1930s.
I'm confused. You saying the sun is responsible for such cold temperatures?
All part of the big equation. PDO involved too. Everyone noticing not often Coastal CT goes below zero but this is now 2 yrs in a row...... and throw more snow than entire 1970s into the mix, last few winters have been interesting to say the least...
Islip records date back to 1984.
Bridgeport records date back to 1948.
The official record low at both stations is -7F.
It's plausible that both have seen temps below -10F in the 1930s.
Definitely. Now just imagine every town or station went back to 1790 instead. That would be awesome. Tree rings and ice cores get a big picture but I'd love to see daily/monthly/year stuff! Wish we had more records.
Hartford, CT and Worcester, MA share the same record low for February at -24°F on 2/16/1943
Again, Long Island well outside of the city recorded very similar temperatures and a nearly flat overnight temperatures. UHI effect looks like it's 2°F
Both Atlantic City and Cape May were colder than Central Park. Granted, they're airports and a little further from the coast, but they're still further south and reasonably close to the coast. It looks like coastal CT and coastal NJ were colder. I think it was a few years ago when there were places in coastal SC that recorded cooler lows than NYC during an arctic outbreak.
A record-setting intrusion of Arctic air blasted through the eastern U.S. over the weekend, setting the stage for a bitter week that will remind many of the infamous cold stretch of January 2014.
No it really doesn't. This week is colder than any similar length stretch of January 2014. Maybe somewhere else in the eastern US, but not here. Four days with highs below 20°F, and then two more soon after, all with below zero lows:
January 2014? There was a four day stretch, but the nights weren't as cold. And it was bracketed by relatively mild normal winter temp. Last winter got overhyped; this winter underhyped.
With a current mean of 13°F, and the forecasted temperatures for the rest of the month averaging barely warmer this month will be one of the coldest months on record here. Coldest month for Amherst was 11.6°F in Feb 1934. We're at 12.5°F. I'm guessing we won't make it to second coldest but will make the top five. This combination of cold + snow I'd guess is unique in the record. It's snowier than any month recorded for January, and February isn't over yet. Hmm. Feb 1934 had 26 inches of snow, so maybe not so unique.
Both Atlantic City and Cape May were colder than Central Park. Granted, they're airports and a little further from the coast, but they're still further south and reasonably close to the coast. It looks like coastal CT and coastal NJ were colder. I think it was a few years ago when there were places in coastal SC that recorded cooler lows than NYC during an arctic outbreak.
The difference wasn't that big. Anyway, as to the bolded I suspect Long Island recorded warmer than coastal SC. I'm not sure if NYC without a UHI should that much colder than Long Island.
I figure I put this together since it was impressive...
It's been decades since seeing a temp we saw this morning in the month of February.
Check out these other locations. Buffalo hasn't been -10°F in February since 1979.
Baltimore hasn't been 5F in Feb since 1996.
ect
Inner Harbor reached 6F, and the current station there has until this outbreak never reached single digits in February since opening in May 1998. The 5F you cited is of course from BWI, which can be much colder than the city on calm, clear nights and even too warm during warm spells, but is a good proxy during CAA events such as this.
I think the micro climate idea there needs some reexamining. You do not see temperatures that low in a Cfa climate. It is also three degrees removed from a zone 3 plant hardiness threshold.
Knoxville TN reached 24 below on 21 Jan 1985. Does that disqualify it from being a Cfa?
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