2001 Albany, New York (ALB)

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2001 ALBANY, NEW YORK (ALB)

Albany is located on the west bank of the Hudson River some 150 miles north of New York City, and 8 miles south of the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. The river–front portion of the city is only a few feet above sea level, and there is a tidal effect upstream to Troy. Eleven miles west of Albany the Helderberg escarpment rises to 1,800 feet. Between it and the Hudson River the valley floor is gently rolling, ranging some 200 to 500 feet above sea level. East of the city there is more rugged terrain 5 or 6 miles wide with elevations of 300 to 600 feet. Farther to the east the terrain rises more sharply. It reaches a north–south range of hills 12 miles east of Albany with elevations ranging to 2,000 feet.

The climate at Albany is primarily continental in character, but is subjected to some modification by the Atlantic Ocean. The moderating effect on temperatures is more pronounced during the warmer months than in winter when outbursts of cold air sweep down from Canada. In the warmer seasons, temperatures rise rapidly in the daytime. However, temperatures also fall rapidly after sunset so that the nights are relatively cool. Occasionally there are extended periods of oppressive heat up to a week or more in duration.

Winters are usually cold and sometimes fairly severe. Maximum temperatures during the colder winters are often below freezing and nighttime lows are frequently below 10 degrees. Sub–zero readings occur about twelve times a year. Snowfall throughout the area is quite variable and snow flurries are quite frequent during the winter. Precipitation is sufficient to serve the economy of the region in most years, and only occasionally do periods of drought exist. Most of the rainfall in the summer is from thunderstorms. Tornadoes are quite rare and hail is not usually of any consequence.

Wind velocities are moderate. The north–south Hudson River Valley has a marked effect on the lighter winds and in the warm months, average wind direction is usually southerly. Destructive winds rarely occur.

The area enjoys one of the highest percentages of sunshine in the entire state. Seldom does the area experience long periods of cloudy days and long periods of smog are rare.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is September 29 and the average last occurrence in the spring is May 7.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

ALBANY, NY (ALB)

LATITUDE: LONGITUDE: ELEVATION (FT): TIME ZONE: WBAN: 14735

42 44′ 53″ N  73 48′ 12″ W  GRND: 278  BARO: 281 EASTERN (UTC + 5)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3030.233.244.057.569.779.084.081.473.261.848.734.958.1
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5630.933.543.557.469.478.282.980.772.461.648.035.357.8
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM5565688992949910099100898271100
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199519971998199019811952195319551953196319501984SEP 1953
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5651.151.966.779.086.791.793.391.687.278.767.654.775.0
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3011.013.824.535.145.454.659.657.849.438.630.718.236.6
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5613.215.124.735.746.055.260.058.149.939.431.019.337.3
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM55-28-21-21102636403424165-22-28
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197119731948196519681986197819821947196919721969JAN 1971
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.56-9.1-7.85.421.831.940.447.544.533.624.314.8-3.020.4
NORMAL DRY BULB3020.623.534.346.457.666.971.869.661.350.239.726.547.4
MEAN DRY BULB5621.924.234.046.757.766.771.469.461.250.539.527.347.5
MEAN WET BULB1821.823.730.941.752.360.765.264.356.946.136.725.043.8
MEAN DEW POINT1816.016.723.433.846.056.061.260.653.441.631.519.838.3
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.20.51.94.52.00.60.00.00.09.7
MAXIMUM 323017.313.43.90.20.00.00.00.00.00.01.212.248.2
MINIMUM 323029.625.924.412.51.70.00.00.00.78.418.127.7149.0
MINIMUM 0306.94.40.40.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.02.414.1
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS30137611629525582473401214145975911946894
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS300000189121315530000507
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3071686561667070747672737470
HOUR 01 LST3076747271778284878782797879
HOUR 07 LST3077767572757880868885818079
HOUR 13 LST3063595449515554575856626657
HOUR 19 LST3070666156586263697471727366
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5846525454566064605752373953
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)641.31.01.40.81.31.21.42.53.43.91.61.821.6
THUNDERSTORMS640.10.10.51.33.25.25.84.42.20.90.30.124.1
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)15.66.46.4
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)16.4
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR
PARTLY CLOUDY
CLOUDY
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2929.7129.7129.7029.7029.7029.6929.7029.7029.7829.8029.7929.8029.73
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1730.0930.0830.0529.9829.9829.9629.9930.0430.0730.1030.0930.1030.04
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)639.810.210.510.49.08.27.67.17.58.19.29.48.9
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3030292929181818181818183018
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)640444635553841473439374355
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)30293028322929352728292932
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200019971997200119982000199919991997199819972000MAY 1998
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)652565647824752594953515382
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)28292728322928310130282832
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200020011997199919982000199919991999199819972000MAY 1998
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)302.362.272.932.993.413.623.183.472.952.833.232.9336.17
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)556.445.025.907.958.967.366.967.3311.068.838.076.7311.06
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197819811977198319531973197519501999195519721973SEP 1999
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)550.420.240.260.601.050.650.490.730.400.200.910.640.20
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198019871981199919801964196819471964196319781958OCT 1963
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)551.911.742.382.202.173.483.494.526.003.312.264.026.00
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197819901986196819681952199619711999198719911948SEP 1999
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.013011.710.311.811.613.211.810.010.69.68.912.412.7134.6
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.30.30.40.60.40.70.70.60.80.70.50.36.3
SNOWPALLNORMAL (IN)3016.814.110.22.80.10.00.00.00.00.25.016.765.9
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5547.834.534.717.71.6TT0.0T6.524.657.557.5
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19871962195619821977199119951989198719721969DEC 1969
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5521.217.926.617.51.6TT0.0T6.521.918.326.6
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19831958199319821977199119951989198719711966MAR 1993
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)5336222813000002183636
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1970197119931982198719711969DEC 1969
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0304.03.22.30.60.10.00.00.00.00.*1.14.515.8
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 ALBANY, NY (ALB)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19721.213.044.053.635.986.843.101.481.993.608.074.1947.18
19732.161.341.994.475.457.361.682.891.332.071.276.7338.74
19742.042.123.102.803.473.314.843.535.371.493.832.5738.47
19752.753.582.722.182.963.806.965.984.575.882.892.7847.05
19763.782.603.573.634.895.372.605.042.615.651.411.3942.54
19771.512.635.903.412.292.872.313.666.664.004.854.2144.30
19786.440.881.991.681.964.604.043.061.872.950.913.0833.46
19796.371.711.833.894.131.942.782.674.053.423.410.9437.14
19800.420.894.443.021.054.902.696.452.242.272.991.2332.59
19810.595.020.261.992.442.783.501.763.453.551.563.5430.44
19823.182.143.232.462.606.482.432.011.420.993.801.3332.07
19833.732.035.337.956.261.951.343.412.282.184.735.1046.29
19841.282.983.044.297.921.743.973.251.532.502.152.4837.13
19850.811.183.671.442.714.121.862.233.071.815.002.0529.95
19863.173.003.721.493.115.436.684.092.612.124.623.9243.96
19874.230.241.994.251.573.542.503.676.986.901.781.6439.29
19881.953.001.622.222.951.423.124.771.501.404.581.0229.55
19890.461.602.692.685.926.525.912.902.815.531.900.7539.67
19903.843.943.663.876.122.661.686.661.814.603.673.5046.01
19912.151.672.534.142.741.691.654.323.333.824.762.9235.72
19921.861.301.662.773.611.964.262.052.432.803.663.0231.38
19932.142.865.125.391.372.876.551.543.223.313.803.0841.25
19943.201.804.273.453.273.264.254.132.150.831.532.5834.72
19952.111.952.201.941.352.272.233.662.288.033.762.3034.08
19965.081.492.105.764.243.606.463.155.072.032.914.5046.39
19971.672.004.412.302.600.742.344.644.101.915.912.1034.72
19983.802.582.863.495.876.582.742.211.984.141.651.0438.94
19994.781.594.150.602.772.082.243.4511.062.422.071.4238.63
20003.432.833.804.234.956.694.484.693.062.481.904.3846.92
20011.001.855.501.333.213.783.592.101.641.261.381.9528.59
POR=176 YRS2.522.342.822.873.353.683.603.513.262.992.902.6036.44
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 ALBANY, NY (ALB)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197222.921.130.541.259.563.670.967.260.745.735.128.945.6
197327.022.041.948.855.368.772.872.960.551.039.928.249.1
197423.321.332.448.154.165.069.367.958.344.438.628.946.0
197525.724.930.840.761.965.172.870.059.453.345.526.148.0
197616.031.536.749.755.069.468.567.459.046.534.921.446.3
197715.524.540.046.860.264.671.767.861.449.742.626.747.6
197821.518.230.843.458.464.468.969.256.848.638.628.745.6
197922.114.438.945.460.066.072.569.061.250.244.131.447.9
198024.119.833.348.059.563.372.270.762.647.434.819.946.3
198114.033.134.748.158.966.769.368.558.844.837.725.746.7
198214.323.432.844.359.562.970.165.560.550.643.033.746.7
198324.326.837.646.754.967.272.269.862.649.639.224.047.9
198418.132.429.047.653.266.468.971.860.253.840.333.848.0
198519.926.837.349.760.062.270.768.763.350.240.124.547.8
198623.022.037.250.561.364.671.367.860.148.935.730.847.8
198721.721.737.750.460.068.373.567.260.646.640.130.748.2
198820.624.134.246.659.565.175.072.360.046.041.026.647.6
198927.824.233.544.659.568.071.669.862.551.539.313.747.2
199032.828.237.848.955.367.373.070.961.753.141.833.650.4
199123.230.037.451.263.269.071.671.259.953.240.128.949.9
199224.526.931.544.758.565.267.667.461.446.538.929.846.9
199326.618.331.448.459.566.373.171.760.548.638.427.447.5
199412.719.233.148.256.468.974.067.160.950.143.331.647.1
199531.322.840.043.957.066.974.070.959.153.435.723.948.2
199620.625.331.146.255.268.669.770.162.349.134.633.847.2
199722.730.433.244.253.667.970.668.660.748.035.829.847.1
199829.031.838.448.862.966.370.971.163.250.739.933.750.6
199921.828.234.446.659.469.774.269.264.848.844.131.049.4
200020.727.640.245.359.465.967.668.559.450.038.022.247.1
200124.626.930.947.458.968.468.973.762.451.944.834.249.4
POR=128 YRS22.824.033.846.658.467.472.370.062.451.139.627.948.0

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 ALBANY, NY (ALB)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-731638154590890111311681198709486299476708
1973-74232004317501136128512161005511343546936
1974-7517142276317861113121211151053722145887123
1975-7601917335758011991511964871472315436504
1976-77740196564895134515261127764545205857299
1977-787511564716661179134013061051642245847198
1978-794319256503784111913241414803579188637095
1979-8019371634686191036125913039745031901066677
1980-810714053990013931575885930502235307136
1981-82822204622816120915641160992617182877483
1982-83206515643665796912551062843539312586372
1983-84524150479766126514489391109517363607125
1984-85128170344737959138910628524581841066281
1985-86716123452740124612951177859432154756576
1986-871746173495872105313321207842433210296709
1987-88256154567741105613701181946546198996916
1988-89830160584714118511461133968607194356764
1989-9002213441376615849901026839500298446616
1990-91561483886899641290973850417141225893
1991-92601973727401111124810981034605210566677
1992-9317271675657731082118313001034492185676892
1993-94011185500791116116191272983502283337340
1994-95047138457644102710371177766627252416213
1995-962121963558721266136911461046559316187157
1996-97121334889039611306961977616350356733
1997-983111525218721083111292482847898846166
1998-992109943574696413341021940542180226295
1999-0021493493621104813671077762585209746345
2000-0114252074568011323124610601048522202466950
2001-210116405604949
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 ALBANY, NY (ALB)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720000125820811231000421
19730007616424825571200753
197400011125915711135010386
19750000589724818012020597
1976000191118412012022000476
19770008667922214653000574
19780000477016915416000456
197900003999258168551700636
19800000286323018973000583
19810002538714913725000453
1982000019311848829040355
19830000813423617986600649
19840000310714022635300514
19850005372719114080200482
19860064466922014033100519
198700046213627113329000635
198800003611032626316400755
198900103113221317863000618
1990002221119261197552400681
1991000992147221198501400731
19920002157010611265000370
199300001711625922455200673
199400062416029011921010621
199500001110228920027000629
199600011913215316857000530
19970000312818612928100475
1998001003812819220654000628
199900001517029115194000721
200000004210710014145100436
200100031615215027945800653
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 ALBANY, NY (ALB)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.0T24.622.511.212.5T0.10.00.070.9
1973-740.00.00.00.00.118.910.012.45.611.30.00.058.3
1974-750.00.00.0T2.212.514.021.22.91.80.00.054.6
1975-760.00.00.00.03.616.415.04.414.8TT0.054.2
1976-770.00.00.0T5.77.822.117.915.20.31.60.070.6
1977-780.00.00.00.08.419.840.815.87.40.2T0.092.4
1978-790.00.00.00.03.419.926.54.60.98.20.00.063.5
1979-800.00.00.0T0.05.80.610.210.80.00.00.027.4
1980-810.00.00.00.011.812.811.96.91.5T0.00.044.9
1981-820.00.00.00.01.131.418.29.619.117.70.00.097.1
1982-830.00.00.00.00.65.527.517.49.214.70.10.075.0
1983-840.00.00.00.01.711.616.57.228.2T0.00.065.2
1984-850.00.00.00.02.211.78.410.18.70.20.00.041.3
1985-860.00.00.00.011.811.518.016.13.41.7T0.062.5
1986-870.00.00.00.08.320.347.82.80.80.60.00.080.6
1987-880.00.00.06.56.211.421.726.04.80.10.00.076.7
1988-890.00.00.0TT7.81.35.14.70.10.00.019.0
1989-90T0.0T0.01.98.020.322.84.9T0.00.057.9
1990-910.00.00.0T0.48.511.25.33.30.00.0T28.7
1991-920.00.00.00.01.512.73.46.34.91.90.00.030.7
1992-930.00.00.0T2.812.614.328.634.31.60.00.094.2
1993-940.00.00.0T0.76.142.020.219.1TT0.088.1
1994-950.00.00.00.04.12.93.915.44.6T0.00.030.9
1995-96T0.00.00.05.825.128.420.31.10.00.0
1996-970.04.011.116.78.223.63.00.00.0
1997-980.00.00.0T11.814.713.56.06.10.00.00.052.1
1998-990.00.00.00.0T3.220.45.814.70.00.00.044.1
1999-000.00.00.00.00.41.131.012.43.913.30.00.062.1
2000-010.00.00.00.42.520.07.616.030.6TT0.077.1
2001-T0.00.0TT7.8
POR=54 YRST0.0T0.24.114.416.313.611.72.70.2T63.2

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