Winters - Getting Warmer
In line with climate trends in the Northeast (and boosted by atmospheric teleconnections like a positive North Atlantic Oscillation), winter 2023-24 was unusually warm, with six major climate sites experiencing their warmest winter on record. Each month of the season was also warmer than normal, with record-setting temperatures for three New York sites - Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany. The generally wet conditions of December and January overrode February's dryness to make the winter season wetter-than-normal for much of the region. In fact, four major climate sites had a record wet winter. This wetness did not translate into snowfall, though, as most areas wrapped up winter with a snowfall deficit. Limited snowfall, record low in a few cases, in December and February were the primary drivers.
Read more in the NRCC BlogClimate News
Precipitation Absurdity
Like many others in the weather and climate community, the NRCC is cuckoo for CoCoRaHS! The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, better known as CoCoRaHS, is a non-profit group of volunteers of all backgrounds and ages who measure and report precipitation across the U.S. (and Canada). The network is important for many reasons including the highly variable nature of precipitation, sparse data locations, and that timely, accurate storm reports can save lives. CoCoRaHS data are used by many groups such as the National Weather Service, transportation departments, farmers, emergency managers, engineers, researchers, the media, and the climatologists here at the NRCC. You can read more about the benefits of CoCoRaHS in this blog from 2020. The network is currently holding their annual contest, recently dubbed Precipitation Absurdity, to see which of the 50 states can recruit the most volunteers. There are only a few requirements to be a volunteer like purchasing a CoCoRaHS-approved rain gauge, taking a short online training, and access to the internet. Interested in helping? You can be part of the team by signing up at http://www.cocorahs.org.
Website Highlights
Weather Station Data
Weather Station Data includes location-specific information, such as wind data, evapotranspiration, and daily almanacs.
CLIMOD 2 is a user-friendly website to find single-station and multi-station climate products for locations accross the country. For example, the Seasonal Ranking report produces a graph and table of extremes or other summaries for a specified period for each year.
Go to CLIMOD 2State & Regional Analyses
These provide several map types, regional climate summaries, snow survey data, and drought information.
The Monthly Maps offer a variety of monthly precipitation and temperature departure maps for any given month for the Northeast region or a selected state.
Go to Monthly Map pageAnalyses for Industry
Analyses for Industry shows products the NRCC has created through partnerships with various industries.
The Apple Frost Risk page has maps and animations for Red Delicious, Empire, and McIntosh apples. The maps show accumulated chill, growing degree days, phenological stages, and kill probability.
Go to Apple Frost RiskClimate Change Resources
Climate Change Resources includes normal difference maps as well as climate links.
Climate Links offer an abundance of resources for the Northeast across multiple sectors …
Go to Climate Change Resources pageWebinars & Workshops
Webinars & Workshops provides recordings and presentations from the monthly webinar series, as well as information on past and upcoming workshops.
The Northeast Regional Climate Center hosts a monthly webinar series with NOAA affiliates to address timely weather and climate concerns.
Go to Monthly WebinarsPublications & Services
Publications & Services includes the NRCC blog, quarterly outlooks, as well as other reports and publications.
The Quarterly Outlooks are seasonal climate highlights and outlook for the upcoming season for the Eastern, Region, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Maine. Published in March, June, September and December.
Go to Quarterly Reports