Has New York City Had More 100 Degree Days or Below Zero Weather Temperature Days?

Since 1869, has New York City had more 100 degree days or more below zero weather temperature days? This is a fascinating weather trivia question that most people living in the New York City area who care about the weather will love.

One of the great things about New York City is that it has been a leading city in many areas for many years and that includes weather. Official weather temperature records have been kept in Central Park in New York City since 1869. That is a long time for official weather records compared to almost all other cities in the United States.

Before we get to the data and the answer of whether New York City has had more 100 degree days or more below zero weather temperature days a question for New Yorkers (of which this author is one).

Having braved the brutal cold in Winter and the sweltering heat waves in the summer, what is your guess? Has New York had more 100 degree days or more below zero weather temperature days since 1869? The answer, as most New Yorkers would probably instinctively know, is very close.

Since 1869 New York City has had 60 days when the temperature was 100 degrees or hotter

The all-time record hottest temperature ever recorded in New York City is 106 degrees which occurred on July 9, 1936. There have also been 59 other days since 1869 when the temperature soared to the 100 degree mark or hotter in the city. 

Overall, that is not a lot of 100 degree temperature days over 147 years. It averages out to only a 100 degree weather temperature day once every two and half years and the odds of getting a 100 degree temperature day in any given year is only 40%. 

There are many cities in the Southwest of the United States that average more than 60 days a year of 100 degree weather temperature days annually. Phoenix averages 92 days a year when the temperature rises to 100 degrees or more.

Since 1869 New York City has had 58 days when the temperature dipped below zero

The all-time coldest temperature ever recorded in New York City is -15 degrees which occurred on February 9, 1934. There have also been 57 other days since 1869 when the temperature dipped below zero in the city.

There is a slight catch here, though. How do you classify a day when the the temperature is zero but does not go below zero? Should that count or not? 

There are seven days in New York City history when the coldest temperature ever recorded on that day of the year since 1869 is zero degrees. It's also likely that on some of the days when the record is below zero that a zero day also occurred but not knowing those days we can say for sure that in addition to the 58 days when the temperature was below zero there are at least 7 more times when the temperature was zero exactly in New York City.

If we count the zero days along with the below zero days then New York City has experienced more of those days than 100 degree days by a count of 65 to 60. But the question was has New York City had more 100 degree days or more below zero weather temperature days?

The question says below zero days so the answer to the question is that New York City has experienced more 100 degree weather temperature days than below zero weather temperature days by a count of 60 to 58 since 1869.

Fore more see:

Does It Ever Snow in Houston, Texas?

Does It Ever Snow in Los Angeles, California?

Does it Ever Snow in Phoenix, Arizona?

Does It Ever Snow in Las Vegas?

Does it Ever Snow in Hawaii?