2001 Buffalo, New York (BUF)

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2001 BUFFALO, NEW YORK (BUF)

The Niagara Frontier experiences a fairly hunid, continental type climate, but with a definite "maritime" flavor due to a strong modification from the Great Lakes (especially Lake Erie). Buffalo's weather repution is highly exaggerated, and due mainly to its propensity for localized heavy Lake–effect snowstorms in late fall and early winter. Summers, on the other hand, are among the most pleasant in the Northeast.

Winters in general are cloudy, cold and snowy…but are changeable and include frequent thaws and rain as well. Snow covers the ground more often than not from Christmas into early March…but periods of bare ground are not uncommon. Over half of the annual snowfall comes from "Lake–effect" process and is very localized. This feature develops when cold air crosses the warmer lake waters and becomes saturated..creating clouds and precipitation downwind. The exact location of these snowbands are determined by the direction of the wind. Areas south of Buffalo derive much more snow from this process than the more densely populated northern suburbs. This snow machine can start as early as mid–November, peaks in December, then virtually shuts down after Lake Erie freezes in mid to late January. The Buffalo area is not subject to heavy general or "synoptic" snowstorms. Most of them pass by to the east. Total season snowfall ranges from about 60 inches in the far northern suburbs to 80–90 inches in the city and eastern suburbs to as much as 120 inches south of the city. The lakes do modify any extreme cold as the mercury falls below zero on only about four nights in an average winter…with anything below –10 extremely rare.

Spring comes slowly to the Niagara Frontier. The ice pack in lake Erie does not usually disappear until mid–April and the Lake remains chilly through most of May. As the prevailing flow is southwesterly, areas near the lake are often as much as 20 degrees colder than inland locations. Conversely, the cool Lake acts as a strong stabilizing influence so areas near the city and lakeshore experience fewer thunderstorms and more sunshine then inland areas in spring. The slow start to the growing season also diminishes the threat of damaging late season frosts. The average date of the last frost is around April 30 in the metro area…but mid–May well inland.

Summer is beautiful in the Buffalo area. Sunshine is plentiful, temperature are warm but seldom hot, and humidity levels moderate. Rainfall is adequate, but does show an overnight maximum and seldom is a problem for outdoor activities. The stabilizing effect of Lake Erie continues to inhibit thunderstorms and ehance sunshine in the immediate Buffalo area..at least through most of July. It also moderates most extreme heat approaching from the Ohio Valley. There usually are several periods of uncomfortably warm and muggy weather in an average summer…but 90–degree readings are relatively rare (only 3 per year). August usually turns a bit more humid and showery as the Lake is warmer and loses its stabilizing influence. In fact, a good nighttime thunderstorm or two is often a feature of late summmer in Buffalo. Overall though…Buffalo has the sunniest and driest summers of any major city in the Northeast.

Autumn is pleasant, but rather brief. September is usually very tame, and much of October as well. The first frosts can be expected in late September over interior sections, but not until mid–October in the metro area. The warm lake can extend the growing season into early November during some years close to the Lakeshore. The growing season is relatively long for the latitude…about 180 days…and is conducive to the many Fruit orchards and wineries, especially near Lake Ontario and along the Lake Erie shore. Cold air surges from Canada become more common starting in late October…with their passage over the warmer Great Lakes resulting in a drastic increase in cloud cover in late October and early November as the Lake–effect season begins. The first measurable snows can be expected in mid to late November, but ground cover is only sporadic until mid December. Many of Buffalo's greatest snowstorms however, have occurred in late November and early December, all due to the Lake effect phenomenon.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

BUFFALO, NY (BUF)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 14733

42 56′ 27″ N  78 44′ 09″ W  GRND:  714  BARO:  717  EASTERN (UTC + 5)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3030.231.641.754.266.175.380.277.970.859.447.135.355.8
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5631.333.041.454.766.376.080.478.771.160.547.436.056.4
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM5872718194909697999887807499
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195020001945199019911988199519481953195119611982AUG 1948
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5653.154.767.177.183.588.789.988.685.978.167.956.974.3
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3017.017.425.936.247.056.561.960.153.042.733.922.939.5
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5618.118.625.936.246.656.561.760.152.743.133.923.539.7
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM58-16-20-7122635433832209-10-20
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219611984198219471945194519821991196519711980FEB 1961
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.56-.60.28.023.233.943.450.747.637.629.418.94.224.7
NORMAL DRY BULB3023.624.533.845.256.665.971.169.061.951.140.529.147.7
MEAN DRY BULB5624.725.833.845.456.666.271.169.561.951.840.629.748.1
MEAN WET BULB1823.824.530.640.951.360.064.163.456.746.637.228.143.9
MEAN DEW POINT1819.019.424.634.545.455.459.659.252.541.632.123.638.9
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.0*0.10.61.60.7*0.00.00.03.0
MAXIMUM 323017.515.47.20.60.00.00.00.00.00.02.012.355.0
MINIMUM 323028.625.723.910.50.70.00.00.0*3.113.925.9132.3
MINIMUM 0302.21.40.20.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.64.4
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS30128311349675942795951713043173511136747
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS300000198619414137000477
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3076767368676968727473767872
HOUR 01 LST3077797875767979838380797979
HOUR 07 LST3079808076757778838482808180
HOUR 13 LST3072706558565655586061697363
HOUR 19 LST3076757264626260667273767770
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5731384650586467645750292748
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)591.61.82.62.12.31.30.80.91.01.31.41.418.5
THUNDERSTORMS590.20.21.22.33.45.35.85.93.71.61.10.431.1
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)18.8
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR15.04.04.0
PARTLY CLOUDY14.08.05.0
CLOUDY13.04.09.07.08.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2929.2929.3029.2029.2029.2029.2029.2029.3029.3029.3029.3029.2929.26
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1830.0530.0730.0429.9829.9829.9529.9930.0430.0530.0830.0630.0630.03
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)5313.813.012.812.111.110.610.19.510.010.712.212.911.6
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)3424242423232424242424272724
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)644544438433841323946465154
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)23242624242431242623232324
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199619971998199719972000199920011997200119982000FEB 1997
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)657705748554854444760616670
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)24252726232631272224222225
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199719971998199719972000199919971999200119982000FEB 1997
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)302.702.312.682.873.143.553.084.173.493.093.833.6738.58
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)586.885.905.975.907.228.368.9310.678.999.139.758.7110.67
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219901991196119891987199219771977195419851990AUG 1977
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)581.030.811.201.271.210.110.731.100.770.301.440.690.11
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194619681967194619651955200119481964196319441943JUN 1955
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)582.572.312.142.093.525.013.383.884.943.492.512.335.01
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219541954199119861987196319631979194519491990JUN 1987
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.013019.817.716.114.012.311.29.811.311.312.816.020.1172.4
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.20.20.20.20.50.80.71.00.70.50.50.45.9
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)3025.718.210.33.80.30.00.00.00.00.29.923.892.2
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5868.354.232.815.07.9TTTT3.145.682.782.7
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197719582001197519891980199319911994197220002001DEC 2001
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5825.319.417.26.87.9TTTT2.824.937.937.9
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198219841993197519891980199319911994199320001995DEC 1995
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)5338422012400002254444
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19771977198419751989197220002001DEC 2001
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0307.65.83.31.10.10.00.00.00.00.12.86.727.5
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 BUFFALO, NY (BUF)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19722.173.443.992.993.646.060.994.193.062.964.283.8641.63
19732.031.983.273.562.991.683.682.981.444.274.074.8936.84
19742.442.193.193.153.363.861.803.642.421.755.383.1336.31
19752.112.932.921.863.313.652.348.492.441.132.774.5838.53
19763.193.435.594.014.703.365.651.655.393.612.113.8346.52
19773.381.592.423.601.392.793.6410.678.992.614.458.0253.55
19786.291.361.721.843.952.421.483.514.403.721.553.5035.74
19795.432.032.483.161.632.183.516.265.613.884.143.4343.74
19801.971.084.052.431.605.823.553.584.534.692.362.6538.31
19811.113.501.703.092.563.685.053.134.243.312.222.8736.46
19826.881.282.642.333.663.141.504.623.372.066.313.3241.11
19831.441.303.202.553.282.992.013.512.114.625.197.3039.50
19841.543.591.772.534.676.861.374.163.730.872.663.6737.42
19854.273.344.421.333.463.211.814.631.203.739.754.8546.00
19862.312.601.953.334.424.152.822.733.884.343.114.0239.66
19872.900.853.663.401.358.363.093.385.322.624.442.7842.15
19881.584.072.992.962.741.566.352.692.076.083.372.1538.61
19891.772.543.151.887.227.830.931.843.852.984.832.3441.16
19902.695.901.505.226.083.553.143.253.654.592.618.7150.89
19912.072.065.975.833.100.863.342.843.193.114.023.8140.20
19922.012.452.934.683.482.218.933.795.562.804.923.8047.56
19934.351.923.022.551.794.991.783.865.533.693.583.6040.66
19942.901.402.614.023.544.272.084.093.191.874.082.6736.72
19954.892.621.331.412.401.333.532.071.326.074.142.8833.99
19963.422.092.375.634.085.205.152.147.514.222.993.4248.22
19974.252.974.471.653.613.061.854.675.062.294.322.8841.08
19985.612.283.862.543.732.874.391.742.432.101.611.5434.70
19995.781.102.432.212.821.931.004.383.952.953.332.2034.08
20002.651.752.124.074.386.512.903.213.921.115.823.7642.20
20012.152.333.311.274.281.360.732.133.454.343.356.4835.18
POR=131 YRS3.132.662.792.763.002.952.903.203.173.083.333.3136.28
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 BUFFALO, NY (BUF)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197225.522.030.141.159.162.671.067.762.846.236.030.846.2
197327.622.942.446.954.568.272.371.861.754.340.829.049.4
197427.122.333.046.253.165.669.969.959.649.240.231.747.3
197530.129.130.839.362.168.072.369.758.353.146.928.349.0
197619.731.837.246.553.468.467.867.560.146.334.122.046.2
197713.824.639.847.060.364.472.068.162.649.643.327.947.8
197820.415.528.242.557.465.170.470.360.849.540.430.445.9
197920.514.938.244.356.966.571.367.561.950.743.533.447.5
198025.821.231.846.158.161.971.772.662.448.739.425.347.1
198119.332.933.947.256.466.271.870.060.948.240.429.048.0
198217.223.232.541.661.062.271.865.061.652.643.037.547.4
198327.029.636.743.653.967.674.271.263.751.740.822.748.6
198420.433.827.147.752.967.870.370.358.553.239.035.648.1
198521.124.835.649.559.562.769.769.264.252.542.025.648.0
198625.524.536.247.859.764.171.167.961.850.937.732.448.3
198726.125.037.750.060.568.974.268.963.447.942.534.350.0
198826.624.335.246.159.764.074.872.462.146.943.030.048.8
198931.322.733.041.955.165.971.568.560.851.537.917.446.5
199033.429.336.948.554.966.771.470.461.752.543.434.450.3
199126.030.637.850.564.369.171.971.062.053.139.331.350.6
199227.127.731.643.857.363.466.866.361.647.940.231.947.1
199329.520.730.747.357.066.073.472.059.449.239.629.647.9
199417.222.833.448.254.769.073.368.061.952.245.134.048.3
199529.821.937.842.356.869.972.773.060.054.236.424.548.3
199622.524.229.042.254.567.868.570.562.751.735.433.546.9
199724.730.133.142.350.666.768.666.860.550.537.631.846.9
199831.134.136.546.862.865.369.671.263.752.642.035.350.9
199923.531.031.046.059.768.474.367.964.350.143.932.049.3
200023.629.940.044.257.564.967.668.061.252.338.822.147.5
200127.028.231.147.358.867.069.873.062.753.046.935.950.1
POR=128 YRS25.024.832.743.755.164.870.569.062.451.540.229.647.4

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 BUFFALO, NY (BUF)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-731633113574860105411521173696542318246555
1973-74214171326720110711671187989553365516652
1974-75201874837381024107710011053764175326536
1975-7631519736853511341400958853557358406418
1976-771535180573921132815801123775544207907371
1977-785401104736461146137613781130670282817337
1978-79143154472732106713711400823619285657005
1979-8016351344556369731208126510225592401426685
1980-812012849875912241411895956527269336702
1981-826111705147321108147611631002698147957122
1982-834651403826568481172987868636342716171
1983-84510125418722130413788991167519385356967
1984-85112221036077490513541120902476196956425
1985-86812114378685121512151128885519197806436
1986-87442137430811100311991115837447213286266
1987-8832591527665948118411749165601861136392
1988-89517122560654107810381177985687321606704
1989-901281704118061466970995866518311466588
1990-91521413956409411203956836431141225713
1991-92111663767621037116910761027633254936595
1992-9328411485257381021109512351053526257606727
1993-9408212486752108914761174972502327487046
1994-9502612339059195510851201835674247226149
1995-961431643298511250131011781107677333227238
1996-971511304068819691241970983673438406747
1997-98172515045781410231045862878538961046009
1998-99098837868291212809491048566193586163
1999-0001797454628101412761012770617246736204
2000-0120261763857801323117110231042528190616725
2001-180127371535893
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 BUFFALO, NY (BUF)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720000124821012357000450
19730006212623323078300678
1974000077116315829000428
19750000901292381713300634
19760008714910911940000432
197700012687822814245010574
19780000529118917335000540
1979000640118217120492000570
19800000325621724258200607
19810002137822517355000546
1982000331182217445202396
198300005157300214901500781
198400051612318319323100544
198500018323216115196010491
19860007386020013746000488
198700047915129815249000733
19880000298831525541800736
19890000219720714350000518
1990003294104208176471400585
19910003125153221193831300791
199200012453909055000313
19930000149726723151300663
199400051417526712536200624
19950000217626225621100718
199600001210813117765200495
1997000009913584221200352
199800103411814820757100566
199900003316529711281000688
20000000177610812669000396
20010003812917425564500638
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 BUFFALO, NY (BUF)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.03.118.919.89.916.18.52.40.10.078.8
1973-740.00.00.00.03.023.119.722.812.97.10.10.088.7
1974-750.00.00.0T22.123.611.016.37.615.00.00.095.6
1975-760.00.00.0T5.527.321.68.317.32.5T0.082.5
1976-770.00.00.00.231.360.768.322.713.52.20.50.0199.4
1977-780.00.00.0T15.053.456.521.75.81.80.10.0154.3
1978-790.00.00.0T3.010.142.628.34.68.70.00.097.3
1979-800.00.00.0T12.619.710.211.713.90.3TT68.4
1980-810.00.00.0T6.721.614.45.013.2T0.00.060.9
1981-820.00.00.0T1.824.853.212.79.010.90.00.0112.4
1982-830.00.00.00.015.812.99.05.56.92.3T0.052.4
1983-840.00.00.0T17.752.013.432.516.00.9T0.0132.5
1984-850.00.00.00.01.411.265.920.96.31.50.00.0107.2
1985-860.00.00.00.05.268.417.317.34.81.7T0.0114.7
1986-870.00.00.00.013.74.828.57.710.82.00.00.067.5
1987-880.00.00.0T0.99.86.931.96.10.80.00.056.4
1988-890.00.00.00.50.610.85.429.610.12.57.90.067.4
1989-900.00.00.0T7.834.811.828.01.49.9T0.093.7
1990-910.00.00.0T0.715.416.616.18.50.2T0.057.5
1991-920.0T0.00.218.021.418.47.022.85.00.00.092.8
1992-930.00.00.00.613.716.513.119.529.30.5T0.093.2
1993-94T0.0T2.94.827.935.421.613.26.90.00.0112.7
1994-950.00.0T0.00.97.823.134.64.33.9T0.074.6
1995-960.00.00.00.015.761.225.311.924.13.2T
1996-970.00.00.00.011.518.942.49.313.42.10.00.097.6
1997-980.00.00.00.216.516.813.61.825.3TTT74.2
1998-990.00.00.00.00.211.665.16.915.81.00.00.0100.6
1999-000.00.00.0T0.912.719.416.210.73.70.00.063.6
2000-010.00.00.0T45.650.319.69.832.80.60.00.0158.7
2001-0.00.00.00.40.082.7
POR=57 YRSTTT0.311.424.224.017.412.43.00.4T93.1

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    2001 Buffalo, New York (BUF)