Though NYC recently faced near-record heat with the driest fall in over 100 years, things are certainly cooling down as Mother Nature brings some near-freezing and unseasonably cold temperatures to the city. So pull out your black puffer coats if you haven’t already because winter is coming early!
The chilly weather begins today, Friday, December 13th, with a temperature high only reaching 34º and wind chill values between 25 and 30. To put this into perspective, temperatures are considered freezing in NYC when they fall to or below 32°.
And these temperatures are much lower than what they typically are in NYC during this time–The National Weather Service’s John Cristantello stated earlier today:
Typically, this time of the year a normal high would be somewhere around 45º. For today, we’re only going to be in the mid 30s.
And while Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be a bit warmer, highs are only expected to reach 36º and 41º respectively, so New Yorkers won’t actually get a respite from the cold until the beginning of next week when temperatures rise back up to the 50s.
Even more, increasing clouds are forecasted for Sunday, throwing a wrench in the plans of those who were interested in checking out the last full moon of 2024. Hopefully the clouds will subside for at least some viewing of this celestial wonder, though those who did want to check it out will either have to bundle up or settle with staying warm indoors and viewing the moon through their window.
On the flip side, the cold weather does certainly set the tone for the holiday season–perhaps you can spend this weekend lacing up your skates at one of NYC’s many ice skating rinks or buying some presents for loved ones at a holiday market!