Central Park nearly doubles its record number of days without snow

Katie Hawkinson
·2 min read

New York City‘s Central Park has gone nearly two years without an inch of snow in a single day, doubling the previous record.

Nearly 22 months, or 652 days, have passed since more than an inch of snow fell at the location, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The previous record for no snow was 383 days in 1998.

The last time more than one inch of snow fell on Central Park was 13 February, 2022.

The snow drought doesn’t look likely to be broken anytime soon. Forecasters said New York City will receive no snow in the next week, and little or no snowfall through the end of the month.

New York City isn’t the only place beating records. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 668 days have passed without more than an inch of snow falling in a single day, according to NWS.

Philadelphia’s previous record was 661 days in 1973, according to Fox Weather.

While there are no direct links between the climate crisis and lack of snowfall in these cities, rising global temperatures are destabilizing weather patterns.

“It’s become increasingly more evident that, as we continue to warm, patterns are becoming overall more variable,” NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly meterologist Matt Burdy told The Independent.

The climate crisis has impacted winter more than any other season across the United States (NOAA Climate at a Glance)
The climate crisis has impacted winter more than any other season across the United States (NOAA Climate at a Glance)

The La Nina and El Nino phenomenons have also contributed to the lack of snow.

The cyclical patterns, which develop across the east-central equatorial Pacific every few years, result in swings in sea-surface temperatures, rainfall, surface air pressure, and atmospheric circulation that affect weather patterns across the globe.

Snow is typically more likely during El Nino in the US northeast, Mr Burdy said. However despite the onset of El Nino in 2023, Philadelphia and New York City haven’t seen significant snowfall because low pressure systems packed with rain haven’t impacted these areas, he added.

The climate crisis is having a greater impact on winter than any other season in the US Northeast, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Winter has warmed three times faster than summer in the state.