The last gasp of the polar vortex set record low temperatures from the Midwest to the Northeast this morning and produced snow in May in New York City for the first time in 43 years. The last time snow fell in May in Central Park was on May 9, 1977 - a day I remember. Early this morning between 1:45 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. I saw a few flakes of snow that may have been mixed with drizzle in Midtown. Central Park reported "unknown precipitation" 35 degrees, La Guardia reported light snow mixed with rain 37 degrees and JFK Airport reported light snow and 36 degrees at 1:51 a.m.
Snowfall reports received by the NWS included 0.9" in Highland Lakes, NJ, 0.2" in Wantage, 0.3" in Succasunna and a trace in Freehold, NJ. The weather will be unseasonably cold today with a high only in the 40s to near 50. There is a chance of rain mixed with snow showers until the early afternoon. Milder weather for Sunday with a high near 60 in the city. Once again, a cold Spring has followed a mild winter in the Northeast/New York City metro area. For the first time in about 80 years it did not reach 70 degrees in Central Park in April.
George Wright is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist for Wright Weather Consulting, LLC. Visit our website at WrightWeather.com. Follow George Wright on Twitter @gwweather.
