An Unsettled End to a Record Warm Year

December average temperatures ranged from 4°F below normal to 4°F above normal.

The last month of the year produced a range of temperatures across the Northeast, from as much as 4°F cooler than normal in spots like eastern Pennsylvania to as much as 4°F warmer than normal in places like southwestern Pennsylvania. December average temperatures at the region’s 35 major climate sites ranged from 2.5°F below normal in Allentown, PA, to 2.9°F above normal in Pittsburgh, PA. While more sites were cooler than normal, 19 to be exact, this December ended up among the 20 warmest on record for two sites - Huntington, WV, and Caribou, ME.

While this December ranked among the 20 warmest on record for two major climate sites, 19 sites had a cooler-than-normal December.

Average temperatures for 2024 ranged from near normal to 6°F above normal.

2024 was another warmer-than-normal year for the Northeast, with annual average temperatures ranging from near normal to 6°F above normal. The greatest departures above normal were generally found in northern and interior locations. February, June, July, and November were notable months that featured record warm temperatures. 2024 was/tied as the warmest year on record for 22 of the region’s 35 major climate sites, with the remaining 13 sites having one of their 10 warmest years. Annual average temperatures at the sites ranged from 1.0°F above normal in Providence, RI, and Allentown, PA, to 4.8°F above normal in Syracuse, NY.

2024 was record warm for 22 major climate sites and among the 10 warmest years for the remaining sites.

December precipitation ranged from 50% of normal to more than 200% of normal.

Similar to temperatures, there was a wide range of precipitation amounts across the Northeast in December. The driest locations such as southern Maryland and southern New Jersey saw as little as 50% of normal precipitation, while the wettest locations in lake-effect areas of New York saw over 200% of normal. Twenty-three of the 35 major climate sites were wetter than normal, with five ranking this December among their 20 wettest. Overall, December precipitation ranged from 75% of normal in Atlantic City, NJ, to 163% of normal in Providence, RI.

This December was among the 20 wettest for five major climate sites.

2024 precipitation generally ranged from 75% of normal to 150% of normal.

Annual precipitation for 2024 ranged from 75% of normal to 125% of normal for much of the Northeast, with some wetter areas seeing up to 150% of normal. During the year, there were precipitation extremes including record wetness in March and record dryness in September and October. 2024 precipitation at the region’s 35 major climate sites ranged from 79% of normal at Dulles Airport, VA, to 131% of normal in Providence, RI, with 20 sites wrapping up the year on the dry side of normal. 2024 ranked among the 20 driest years on record for two major climate sites but among the 20 wettest for five others.

2024 ranked among the 20 driest years on record for two major climate sites but among the 20 wettest for five others.

December snowfall generally ranged from 12 inches below normal to more than 12 inches above normal.

The variable conditions of December were also noticeable in snowfall totals, which generally ranged from 12 inches below normal in places like southeastern New Hampshire and parts of Maine to over 12 inches above normal in lake-effect areas of New York. December snowfall at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 9.8 inches below normal in Syracuse, NY, to 3.8 inches above normal in Binghamton, NY, with 32 of the sites seeing below-normal snowfall.

Thirty-two major climate sites saw less snowfall than usual this December.

January is predicted to be wetter than normal for some northern and coastal areas (shaded green), with below-normal temperatures favored in southern areas (shaded blue) and above-normal temperatures favored for some northern areas (shaded orange). Click to enlarge.

The January outlooks from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center show an increased likelihood of above-normal precipitation for New England, parts of New York, a sliver of northeastern Pennsylvania, and a section of northern New Jersey. Equal chances of below-, near-, or above-normal precipitation were forecast for the remainder of the Northeast. Cooler-than-normal temperatures are favored for the Mid-Atlantic and a sliver of southeastern New York for January, while above-normal temperatures are favored for northeastern New York and much of northern New England. The rest of the region falls into the equal chances category.