FOR RELEASE: Dec. 7, 1998
Contact: Blaine P. Friedlander, Jr. Office: (607) 255-3290 E-Mail: [email protected] Compuserve: Bill Steele, 72650,565 http://www.news.cornell.edu
ITHACA, N.Y. -- In the first 6 1/2 days of December, more than 100 high-temperature records were broken or tied in the major cities of the northeastern United States.
With the average temperature between Dec. 1 and Dec. 6 at about 15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, this warm spell improves the chances of making 1998 the warmest year in the 12-state Northeast region since records were first kept in 1895, says Keith Eggleston, senior climatologist at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.
To break the all-time, all-year average high temperature, December needs to average 2.7 degrees above the 30-year average. With the jump start of warmer-than-usual temperatures, Eggleston says that from now until the end of the month, if temperatures average 27.5 degrees for the month, the Northeast will have no problem breaking the old record of 49.5 degrees set in 1953.
Before December, Eggleston gave the Northeast a 33 percent chance of setting an all-time average temperature. "Now, it's about a 50 percent chance, maybe even a little better than 50 percent," says Eggleston.
All-Time December Maximum Temperature Records
City New Previous Allentown, Pa. (tie) (Dec. 4) 72 72 on Dec 29, 1984 Atlantic City Marina, N.J. (Dec. 4) 74 72 on Dec 29, 1982 Bridgeport, Conn. (Dec. 4) 72 65 on Dec 11,1971 Central Park, N.Y. (Dec. 4) 74 72 on Dec 6, 1982 Philadelphia (Dec. 4) 73 72 on Dec 29, 1984 Newark, N.J. (Dec. 4) 75 72 on Dec 4, 1982 Providence, R.I. (Dec. 4) 71 70 on Dec 29, 1984 Scranton, Pa. (tie) (Dec. 4) 69 69 on Dec 2, 1914 Wilmington, Del. (Dec. 4) 75 74 on Dec 29, 1984 Baltimore (tie) (Dec. 6) 77 77 on Dec 29, 1984 Dulles Airport, Va. (Dec. 6) 79 78 on Dec 29, 1984 Ithaca, N.Y. (Dec. 6) 69 68 on Dec 6, 1982 National Airport, Va. (Dec. 6) 78 75 on Dec 4, 1982 Salisbury, Md. (Dec. 6) 77 76 on Dec 16, 1971
New Weather Records
Massena, N.Y. (tie) (Dec. 7) 65 65 on Dec 3, 1982 Burlington, Vt. (tie) (Dec. 7) 67 67 on Dec 5, 1941 Montpelier, Vt. (Dec. 7) 67 64 on Dec 4, 1982
Daily Maximum Temperature Records (Through Dec. 7, 1998)
City Date New Previous Atlantic City Airpt, N.J.(tie)1st 65 65 in 1980 Atlantic City Marine, N.J. 1st 66 65 in 1980 Binghamton, N.Y. (tie) 1st 57 57 in 1975 Massena, N.Y. 1st 63 57 in 1975 Montpelier, Vt. 1st 61 59 in 1991
Bridgeport, Conn. 2nd 60 58 in 1970 Portland, Maine 2nd 61 59 in 1970 Milton, Mass. 2nd 62 59 in 1985 Concord, N.H. 2nd 63 61 in 1970 Newark, N.J. (tie) 2nd 66 66 in 1970 Albany, N.Y. 2nd 66 65 in 1970 Ithaca, N.Y. 2nd 65 64 in 1914 Syracuse, N.Y. (tie) 2nd 65 65 in 1980 Allentown, Pa. (tie) 2nd 63 63 in 1980 Providence, R.I. 2nd 63 62 in 1985
Wilmington, Del. (tie) 3rd 68 68 in 1950 Baltimore 3rd 72 70 in 1950 Milton, Mass. 3rd 61 59 in 1985 Atlantic City Airport, N.J. 3rd 69 68 in 1950 Newark, N.J. 3rd 70 64 in 1970 Albany, N.Y. 3rd 58 56 in 1970 Binghamton, N.Y. 3rd 58 56 in 1994 Central Park, N.Y. 3rd 69 64 in 1970 Allentown, Pa. 3rd 66 64 in 1932 Harrisburg, Pa. 3rd 72 66 in 1932 Scranton, Pa. 3rd 65 60 in 1932 Williamsport, Pa. 3rd 66 63 in 1932 Bridgeport, Conn. 4th 72 61 in 1982 Hartford, Conn. (tie) 4th 71 71 in 1982 Wilmington, Del. 4th 75 71 in 1982 National Airport VA (tie) 4th 76 75 in 1982 Worcester, Mass. (tie) 4th 65 65 in 1982 Milton, Mass. 4th 67 65 in 1982 Atlantic City Airport, N.J. 4th 73 70 in 1982 Atlantic City Marina, N.J. 4th 74 68 in 1982 Newark, N.J. 4th 75 72 in 1982 Albany, N.Y. (tie) 4th 63 63 in 1982
City Date New Previous Binghamton, N.Y. (tie) 4th 64 64 in 1973 Central Park, N.Y. 4th 74 72 in 1982 Ithaca, N.Y. (tie) 4th 64 64 in 1973 Allentown, Pa. 4th 72 69 in 1982 Harrisburg, Pa. 4th 74 73 in 1982 Philadelphia 4th 73 70 in 1873 Scranton, Pa. 4th 69 66 in 1982 Williamsport, Pa. 4th 68 64 in 1982 Providence, R.I. 4th 71 67 in 1982 Central Park, N.Y. (tie) 5th 63 63 in 1982 National Airport, VA 6th 78 73 in 1912 Baltimore 6th 77 71 in 1912 Salisbury, Md. 6th 77 71 in 1972 Atlantic City Airport, N.J. 6th 69 68 in 1956 Buffalo, N.Y. 6th 69 58 in 1956 Ithaca, N.Y. 6th 69 68 in 1982 Rochester, N.Y. 6th 68 62 in 1960 Harrisburg, Pa. 6th 73 70 in 1982 Pittsburgh 6th 70 66 in 1956 Scranton, Pa. 6th 66 65 in 1982 Williamsport, Pa. (tie) 6th 66 66 in 1912 Dulles Airport, Va. 6th 79 70 in 1982 Beckley, W.Va. 6th 63 61 in 1980 Charleston, W.Va. 6th 75 73 in 1951 Elkins, W.Va. (tie) 6th 70 70 in 1956 Huntington, W.Va. (tie) 6th 75 75 in 1956 Morgantown, W.Va. 6th 73 67 in 1953 Parkersburg, W.Va. 6th 74 72 in 1956
*Hartford, Conn. 7th 65 62 in 1953 *Boston 7th 67 66 in 1932 *Worcester, Mass. 7th 66 63 in 1932 Albany, N.Y. 7th 65 63 in 1932 Binghamton, N.Y. 7th 69 65 in 1932 Buffalo, N.Y. 7th 69 66 in 1951 *Ithaca, N.Y. 7th 66 62 in 1951 Rochester, N.Y. 7th 69 64 in 1951 Massena, N.Y. 7th 65 64 in 1951 Burlington, Vt. 7th 67 61 in 1932 Montpelier, Vt. 7th 67 61 in 1951 St. Johnsbury, Vt. 7th 67 60 in 1932
*Preliminary.
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