SYRACUSE, NY (WSYR-TV) — This week, the National Weather Service issued its updated 30-year average climate data for cities across the country.
Every ten years, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) releases data compiled over the previous 30 years as a baseline for what the new normal or average values of temperatures, rainfall, snowfall, and other climate factors are.
The new 30-year average issued this week spans from 1991-2020. The previous normals were based from the years 1981-2010.
So what does the new data tell us about how our climate has changed? It probably comes as no surprise that we have been trending warmer and wetter.
The average yearly temperature in Syracuse has increased by 0.3° in the new normal compared to the previous normal yearly average temperature. There are some months at the end of winter and beginning of spring where things have trended cooler, but the significantly warmer summer and fall months outweigh it.
There’s a larger difference when it comes to precipitation. There’s been a 1.41″ increase in the average amount of precipitation. The new normal average yearly amount of precipitation in Syracuse is 39.88″. The previous average was 38.47″.
One stat that hasn’t change much is the average snowfall. The new normal snowfall is 127.8″ and the previous normal was 127.6″. January increased by 0.1″ and December increased by 0.3″, while November decreased by 0.2″. All other months stayed the same.
For a full break down of the new numbers, visit the official National Centers for Environmental Information climate site: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/
The nation as a whole has seen more increases in temperature than not. The exception is the upper Plains states, who are trending colder.
And much of the county east of the Mississippi River is trending wetter whereas the drought-stricken west coast has been trending drier.
