December started out quite warm, with the first three weeks of the month averaging about 11 degrees warmer than normal. Much colder weather arrived at month's end, however, as the final ten days of the month averaged 4 to 5 degrees colder than normal. Overall, December 1998 was the fifth warmest December on record in the northeastern United States. The monthly average temperature of 33.4 degrees was 5.9 degrees warmer than normal. The warmest December on record was 1923 with a monthly average of 35.5 degrees. This was the Northeast's third consecutive warmer-than-normal December. Monthly departures around the region ranged from 4 degrees warmer than normal in West Virginia to 7 degrees warmer than normal in New York.
The area-weighted regional annual average temperature of 49.8 degrees (3.0 degrees warmer than normal) made 1998 the warmest year on record in the Northeast. The previous record was 49.5 degrees in 1953. The states of Maryland, New Jersey and New York reported that 1998 was their warmest year on record. All other states reported their second warmest year, except third warmest for West Virginia and fourth warmest for Maine.
December was a very dry month in the Northeast. The region recorded its 8th driest December on record and the driest since 1989. The region averaged only 1.63 inches of precipitation, with several places receiving less than an inch. This monthly total represented just under half (47%) of the normal monthly amount. Connecticut was the driest state, with respect to normal, with under 28% of the long-term average-their third driest December on record. West Virginia was closest to normal with 73%.
For the year, precipitation averaged close to normal. This was due to a very wet first 6 months of the year (137% of normal; wettest on record) and a very dry last 6 months (72% of normal; 3rd driest on record). The regional annual average of 43.06 inches was just 1.16 inches more than the annual normal.
Monthly Summary of State Temperature
and Precipitation Averages.
1998 Annual Summary of State Temperature
and Precipitation Averages.
All-Time December Maximum Temperature Records (degrees F)
City Date New Previous
Bridgeport, CT 7th 76 72 on Dec 4, 1998
Hartford, CT 7th 76 74 on Dec 29, 1984
National AP, DC 7th 79 78 on Dec 6, 1998
Wilmington, DE 4th 75 74 on Dec 29, 1984
Portland, ME 7th 71 69 on Dec 4, 1982
Baltimore, MD (tie) 7th 77 77 on Dec 6, 1998
Salisbury, MD 6th 77 76 on Dec 16, 1971
Milton, MA 7th 74 72 on Dec 29, 1984
Boston, MA 7th 76 73 on Dec 29, 1984
Worcester, MA 7th 72 70 on Dec 29, 1984
Concord, NH 7th 73 68 on Dec 4, 1982
Atlantic City AP, NJ 7th 77 75 on Dec 29, 1984
Atlantic Cty Marina, NJ (tie) 7th 74 74 on Dec 4, 1998
Newark, NJ 4th 76 72 on Dec 4, 1982
Central Park, NY 7th 75 74 on Dec 4, 1998
Ithaca, NY 6th 69 68 on Dec 6, 1982
Massena, NY (tie) 7th 65 65 on Dec 3, 1982
Allentown, PA (tie) 4th 72 72 on Dec 29, 1984
Harrisburg, PA (tie) 7th 75 75 on Dec 29, 1984
Philadelphia, PA (tie) 7th 73 73 on Dec 4, 1998
Scranton, PA (tie) 4th 69 69 on Dec 2, 1914
Williamsport, PA 7th 69 68 on Dec 1, 1927
Providence, RI 4th 77 71 on Dec 4 1998
Dulles AP, VA 6th 79 78 on Dec 29, 1984
Burlington, VT (tie) 7th 67 67 on Dec 5, 1941
Montpelier, VT 7th 67 64 on Dec 4, 1982
Daily Maximum Temperature Records (degrees F)
City Date New Previous
Atlantic City AP, NJ (tie) 1st 65 65 in 1980
Atlantic City Marine, NJ 1st 66 65 in 1980
Binghamton, NY (tie) 1st 57 57 in 1975
Massena, NY 1st 63 57 in 1975
Montpelier, VT 1st 61 59 in 1991
Bridgeport, CT 2nd 60 58 in 1970
Portland, ME 2nd 61 59 in 1970
Milton, MA 2nd 62 59 in 1985
Concord, NH 2nd 63 61 in 1970
Newark, NJ (tie) 2nd 66 66 in 1970
Albany, NY 2nd 66 65 in 1970
Ithaca, NY 2nd 65 64 in 1914
Syracuse, NY (tie) 2nd 65 65 in 1980
Allentown, PA (tie) 2nd 63 63 in 1980
Providence, RI 2nd 63 62 in 1985
Wilmington, DE (tie) 3rd 68 68 in 1950
Baltimore, MD 3rd 72 70 in 1950
Milton, MA 3rd 61 59 in 1985
Atlantic City AP, NJ 3rd 69 68 in 1950
Newark, NJ 3rd 70 64 in 1970
Albany, NY 3rd 58 56 in 1970
Binghamton, NY 3rd 58 56 in 1994
Central Park, NY 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, CT 4th 72 61 in 1982
Hartford, CT (tie) 4th 71 71 in 1982
Wilmington, DE 4th 75 71 in 1982
National AP, DC (tie) 4th 76 75 in 1982
Worcester, MA (tie) 4th 65 65 in 1982
Milton, MA 4th 67 65 in 1982
Atlantic City AP, NJ 4th 73 70 in 1982
Atlantic City Marina, NJ 4th 74 68 in 1982
Newark, NJ 4th 75 72 in 1982
Albany, NY (tie) 4th 63 63 in 1982
Binghamton, NY (tie) 4th 64 64 in 1973
Central Park, NY 4th 74 72 in 1982
Ithaca, NY (tie) 4th 64 64 in 1973
Allentown, PA 4th 72 69 in 1982
Harrisburg, PA 4th 74 73 in 1982
Philadelphia, PA 4th 73 70 in 1873
Scranton, PA 4th 69 66 in 1982
Williamsport, PA 4th 68 64 in 1982
Providence, RI 4th 71 67 in 1982
Central Park, NY (tie) 5th 63 63 in 1982
National AP, DC 6th 78 73 in 1912
Baltimore, MD 6th 77 71 in 1912
Salisbury, MD 6th 77 71 in 1972
Atlantic City AP, NJ 6th 69 68 in 1956
Buffalo, NY 6th 69 58 in 1956
Ithaca, NY 6th 69 68 in 1982
Rochester, NY 6th 68 62 in 1960
Harrisburg, PA 6th 73 70 in 1982
Pittsburgh, PA 6th 70 66 in 1956
Scranton, PA 6th 66 65 in 1982
Williamsport, PA (tie) 6th 66 66 in 1912
Dulles AP, VA 6th 79 70 in 1982
Beckley, WV 6th 63 61 in 1980
Charleston, WV 6th 75 73 in 1951
Elkins, WV (tie) 6th 70 70 in 1956
Huntington, WV (tie) 6th 75 75 in 1956
Morgantown, WV 6th 73 67 in 1953
Parkersburg, WV 6th 74 72 in 1956
Bridgeport, CT 7th 76 62 in 1953
Hartford, CT 7th 76 62 in 1953
Wilmington, DE 7th 72 71 in 1951
National Airport, DC 7th 79 73 in 1951
Portland, ME 7th 71 57 in 1953
Baltimore, MD 7th 77 74 in 1951
Milton, MA 7th 74 62 in 1932
Boston, MA 7th 76 66 in 1932
Worcester, MA 7th 72 63 in 1932
Concord, NH 7th 73 65 in 1932
Atlantic City AP, NJ 7th 77 72 in 1956
Atlantic City Marina, NJ 7th 74 65 in 1994
Newark, NJ 7th 76 69 in 1956
Albany, NY 7th 65 63 in 1932
Binghamton, NY 7th 69 65 in 1932
Buffalo, NY 7th 69 66 in 1951
Central Park, NY 7th 75 67 in 1956
Ithaca, NY 7th 66 62 in 1951
Rochester, NY 7th 69 64 in 1951
Massena, NY 7th 65 64 in 1951
Allentown, PA 7th 71 64 in 1951
Harrisburg, PA 7th 75 69 in 1951
Philadelphia, PA 7th 73 72 in 1951
Williamsport, PA 7th 69 63 in 1951
Providence, RI 7th 77 63 in 1932
Burlington, VT 7th 67 61 in 1932
Montpelier, VT 7th 67 61 in 1951
St. Johnsbury, VT 7th 67 60 in 1932
Dulles AP, VA 7th 77 68 in 1994
Caribou, ME 15th 41 40 in 1993
Beckley, WV 21st 64 62 in 1967
Bridgeport, CT 22nd 59 56 in 1990
Wilmington, DE (tie) 22nd 64 64 in 1984
Atlantic City, NJ 22nd 65 64 in 1984
Newark, NJ 22nd 65 64 in 1949
Central Park, NY (tie) 22nd 63 63 in 1949
Allentown, PA 22nd 61 59 in 1949
Philadelphia, PA 22nd 64 63 in 1990
Huntington, WV (tie) 22nd 68 68 in 1941
Highest Annual Average Temperature Records
City New Previous
Philadelphia, PA (tie) 58.1 58.1 in 1931, 1991
Harrisburg, PA 56.5 not available
Buffalo, NY 50.9 50.5 in 1991
Atlantic City, NJ 55.9 55.7 in 1990
Allentown, PA 54.0 53.9 in 1990, 1991
Ithaca, NY 49.4 48.9 in 1990
NYC-Central Park, NY (tie) 57.2 57.2 in 1990, 1991
Annual Precipitation Record (inches)
City New Previous
Burlington, VT 50.42 50.16 in 1983
Latest Snowfall Records
City New Previous
Ithaca, NY Dec 18 Dec 2, 1966
Syracuse, NY Dec 11 Dec 1, 1966