This is the fourth longest “snow drought” NYC has endured, but the Big Apple is set for its first major flood next week – breaking the 313-day dry spell
- New York is experiencing fourth-longest snow drought on record as streets remain dry
- But the first flood is expected Monday when the city will see two inches of snow
- It is also the second-to-last recorded snowfall in a New York City winter, surpassing the 1871 record
- The city has gone 313 days without a measurable snowfall — categorized as 0.1 inches or more
New York is finally set to be hit by a snow flurry next week after experiencing the fourth-longest drought on record.
The Big Apple has gone 313 days since this week without any measurable snowfall — categorized as 0.1 inches or more.
The longest snow-free period in the city’s history lasted 332 days and ended on December 15, 2020.
The second longest snow-free streak lasted 322 days and ended in 1973, the third 319 days and ended in 2002.
New York will finally see about two inches of snow next week after the fourth-longest drought on record
New York has been unusually dry this winter compared to other years when it typically sees up to 25 inches of snow – pictured January 5
This year is on track to become the second-to-last recorded snowfall in a New York winter, surpassing a record set in 1871, when the white stuff didn’t arrive until January 21.
But it’s likely to be just short of the all-time record set in 1973, when no measurable snow occurred until January 29 of that season.
That’s because meteorologists are predicting that parts of New York will face about two inches of snowfall early next week.
A trio of storms are expected over the next week, starting with a relatively weak one on Thursday.
After that, a stronger storm is expected to move up the east coast late Sunday and last through Monday, with New York expected to be covered in snow until around Wednesday.
Another one is coming late next week.
New York State climate scientist Mark Wysocki told local news site NYUP.com: “We should shoot for two storms that should bring us nothing but snow.
A photo taken in Times Square, NYC on January 29 shows the snow-covered city compared to January 13 of this year
“Each storm can bring 2 to 4 inches of snow, but that could change to 4 to 8 inches pretty quickly.”
A National Weather Service advisory released today also said: “There is a possibility of a coastal storm along the east coast that could bring wintry rainfall to the area Sunday into Monday.”
Images from the Ventusky weather station show that New York will be covered with about two inches of snow on Monday.
However, most parts will be dry again by the following Thursday.
The last time the city saw snow was March 9, 2022 — meaning the city had been without snow for 313 days
It comes after an unusually warm start to the year, with this January being ranked as the third mildest in New York on record.
The average temperature from January 1 to January 16 was 43.9 degrees Fahrenheit, almost 10 degrees above the average for this time of year.
Typically, New York sees its first snowdrops on December 11, and by January it tops nine inches.
The last time the city saw measurable snow was March 9, 2022, when 0.4 inches fell.
It is the fourth longest snow-free strip the city has ever seen.