This winter New York City broke its record for the first measurable snowfall of the season, with a whopping four-tenths of an inch of snow dusting Central Park on February 1. This comes after 327 consecutive days of no measurable snowfall in the area, almost surpassing the previous record of 332 days set in 2020. The surrounding area is much the same, with New Jersey receiving record lows for snowfall and Hoboken totaling less than an inch for the season. Many other cities in the Northeast are experiencing similar woes, Philadelphia and Baltimore both received similar dustings after an equally long period of snow drought and Boston has measured less than a third of its expected snowfall for the season.
Conversely, some regions have been experiencing the exact opposite, setting records for snowfall this winter. Western New York was pummeled in late December by a historic snowstorm that dropped upwards of six feet in some areas and well surpassed the previous daily snowfall of 12.6 inches with 22 inches falling on December 23. While other areas of upstate New York have seen variable amounts of snowfall, most of the northeast has been left relatively untouched this winter.
But why is this winter so abnormal and why are we seeing extremes at both ends of the spectrum? The most obvious answer, climate change, is what experts have been pointing to in order to explain the widespread causes of this drought, as well as the increased variability in snowstorms. Since standardized measurements began in the late 19th century, New York City’s average winter temperature has risen more than five degrees, causing the window of time the area can expect snow to shrink by two weeks at both ends, practically making the city’s winters a month shorter
This sharp rise in temperatures further explains why we have been witnessing more frequent extreme weather events. As climate change increases global temperatures, secondary effects begin to disrupt weather patterns, sea levels begin to rise, specific humidity increases, and storms become more energetic. While these changes have been noticeable in larger storms like hurricanes, experts are also beginning to believe that climate change may be having a direct impact on the specific type of snowstorms that plague upstate New York, lake-effect snow. This works when cold air from the north rushes across the great lakes, picking up water vapor, and then depositing it as snow across the state. Since the great lakes are no longer freezing as they used to, storms like these are becoming more frequent and powerful, leading to devastating effects like those seen recently in Buffalo.
Although we have yet to see significant snowfall at Stevens, meteorologists (and a groundhog) are saying there is still a good amount of winter left, and that a large storm is likely for this season. Previous years have shown that snowfall is likely in the NYC area until late March, so there is little reason to give up hope just yet.
Unfortunately however, this abnormal winter season may be just the opposite. While it sticks out compared to most historical winters, it fits right in when compared to more recent seasons. Snow droughts like these have been becoming the new normal in recent years, and this winter may be a template for years to come. Snow in New York City may become a thing of the past, and we may soon see a year without any measurable snowfall. Once-in-a-generation storms have been happening yearly and will continue to increase in frequency and power as the temperature gradually increases. Unless something is done to combat the climate crisis, this may soon become our reality.
While the future of winter may be up in the air, this season still has a chance to provide more snow. Although there are no snowstorms predicted for the coming weeks, there is still a good amount of winter left and a good amount of reasons to hope for snow. The only thing left to do is turn our pajamas inside out, put a spoon under our pillows, and hope for a winter wonderland.
