After the 2023-2024 winter season was named the warmest one since 1893 we’re wondering if we’ll have to sleep with a spoon under our pillow to tempt Mother Nature to drop any flurries on us this winter season. And though this winter’s predictions are all a bit different depending on who you ask, The Farmer’s Almanac is calling for a “wet winter whirlwind.”
As for when we’ll actually see the first snow of the season in NYC–if we do wind up seeing any at all–here’s all you need to know:
When can I expect its first snow in NYC?
Though no one can positively predict exactly when the first snowfall will arrive, experts can estimate! And while the arrival of the season’s first measurable snowfall depends on exactly where you’re located, The Weather Channel writes that New York typically waits until December to see its first accumulating snowfall of the season–more specifically around December 13th.
However, very few snow flurries came sooner than predicted on Friday, November 22nd early in the morning and might’ve felt more like rain. Although it didn’t amount to much — some New Yorkers might not have even noticed anything at all — this is significant considering the city went through its driest fall on record that resulted in two wildfires (one in Prospect Park, one in Inwood Hill Park), the city’s first drought warning in over 20 years, and a statewide burn ban.
And considering NYC will be colder than Alaska for most of this week perhaps we will see some now earlier than the 13th! After all, AccuWeather is saying we could get some snow tomorrow, Wednesday, December 3rd!
When was NYC’s earliest first snow of the season?
New York City’s earliest first measurable snowfall on record was nearly 150 years ago on October 15, 1876. Forget a white Christmas–anyone dreaming of a white Halloween?
Can we expect more snow than normal in NYC this season?
The National Weather Service forecasts the New York City metro area to have “equal chances” for normal precipitation, meaning there’s no strong likelihood of either wetter or drier conditions this winter.
Love it or hate it we can’t deny how stunning NYC looks when turned into a snowy wonderland–at least until it all turns to black slush, of course–so we’ll be crossing our fingers for at least one snow draped day this winter!