Opposites Attract
Average conditions on Valentine’s Day show us that, in general, New York and New England tend to be colder and snowier than the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and West Virginia.
Probability of measurable snow on Valentine’s Day. Click to enlarge.
For instance, Binghamton and Rochester, NY, have the greatest likelihood of measurable snow on Valentine’s Day at 57%, while the locations least likely to see measurable snow are Wilmington, DE; Dulles Airport, VA; and Washington, D.C., at 12%. Similarly, Caribou, ME, has had at least 1 inch of snow on the ground every Valentine’s Day since 1939 (data for 1943 is missing), but Atlantic City, NJ; Huntington, WV; Dulles Airport; and Washington, D.C., have only a 21% of the having at least an inch of snow on the ground. Meanwhile, the greatest Valentine’s snow storm occurred in Burlington, VT, in 2007 when 25.3 inches of snow fell.
Probability of at least 1" of snow on the ground on Valentine’s Day. Click to enlarge.
Syracuse and Rochester, NY, have the greatest chance of seeing measurable precipitation on Valentine’s at 65%; however, there’s only a 29% chance of measurable precipitation at Dulles Airport, VA. The wettest Valentine’s Day occurred in Scranton, PA, with 2.50" of precipitation (in the form of 12 inches of snow) in 1914.
Probability of measurable precipitation on Valentine’s Day. Click to enlarge.
Average maximum and minimum temperatures on Valentine’s Day.
The coldest locations on Valentine’s Day have been Caribou, ME, and Concord, NH. Caribou averages a high of 22.3°F and a low of 2.3°F, while Concord recorded the coldest temperature of -29°F in 1875. Meanwhile, Charleston, WV, and Washington, D.C., tend to be the warmest locations. Charleston averages a high temperature of 49.3°F and had the hottest Valentine’s temperature of 77°F (in 1950), while Washington, D.C., averages a low temperature of 28.8°F. Only six major climate sites haven’t seen a below zero temperature on Valentine’s - Huntington, WV; Newark, NJ; Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, D.C.
Highest and lowest temperatures on Valentine’s Day.
Despite being, at times, quite opposite, these states form one unique, lovely Northeast region. In fact, the entire region could experience a colder-than-normal Valentine’s Day this year. For details, check your local National Weather Service forecast. Happy Valentine’s Day!