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Generally the "seasonal lag" (the amount of time after the solstice that a location reaches its minimum/maximum average temperature of the year) is (among other factors) greater in oceanic climates than continental ones. Likewise high seasonal lag would (generally) mean at a given point in the spring it'd be cooler than in a low seasonal lag area with a similar overall average and range of temperatures (and warmer at a given point in the autumn).
Generally the "seasonal lag" (the amount of time after the solstice that a location reaches its minimum/maximum average temperature of the year) is (among other factors) greater in oceanic climates than continental ones. Likewise high seasonal lag would (generally) mean at a given point in the spring it'd be cooler than in a low seasonal lag area with a similar overall average and range of temperatures (and warmer at a given point in the autumn).
That explains why NY and BOS have so much more cooler Mays than Philly/DC.
Why Is New York So Much Colder Than Philly In the Spring? (house, live)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hudlander
It strikes as odd how just a scant 90 miles, in spring time most notably, but at other times in the year, NYC is much colder than nearby Philly.
It doesn't make sense from latitude point of view, DC is 140 miles from Philly and the drop-off between DC and Philly is spring marginal, where's Philly to NYC is significant.
The explanation I would have is it would be due to NYC and LI facing the Atlantic, whereas Philly is inland.
Thus when the winds are from the SW as they usually are, Philly gets that warmer continental air blowing in, while NYC gets a whiff of the cooler ocean, most prominently when the winds are from the east.
Given that water takes a lot longer to warm than land, it would make senses this is the reason.
BUT, if it were attributable to the location of NYC/North Jersey/LI and even New England being adjacent to the Atlantic, then why is it inland parts of NY, the Hudson Valley, as well as western NJ and eastern PA also retain the cooler NYC temperatures as opposed to the warmer temperatures like Philly, which is inland?
I have noticed this also and I can take a shot at it.
Here on Long Island, the South Shore is usually warmer then the North Shore. But in Spring, the opposite occurs and the South Shore tends to be cooler. This is because of the proximity of the South Shore to the Atlantic, which has not started warming up yet. Once the ocean starts warming up, the difference is less noticeable.
New York City is similar and the water temperature makes a difference, especially if you are on the water.
Montauk Point, NY - 57.0 degrees (Long Island South Shore)
Kings Point, NY ---- 61.2 degrees (Long Island North Shore)
The Battery, NY --- 63.0 degrees (the Upper Bay, New York City)
Cape May, NJ ---- 66.4 degrees (extreme southern New Jersey)
Philadelphia, PA --- 70.9 degrees (Delaware River, Philadelphia)
Washington DC --- 75.6 degrees
Baltimore, MD ---- 76.1 degrees
I have noticed this also and I can take a shot at it.
Here on Long Island, the South Shore is usually warmer then the North Shore. But in Spring, the opposite occurs and the South Shore tends to be cooler. This is because of the proximity of the South Shore to the Atlantic, which has not started warming up yet. Once the ocean starts warming up, the difference is less noticeable.
New York City is similar and the water temperature makes a difference, especially if you are on the water.
Montauk Point, NY - 57.0 degrees (Long Island South Shore)
Kings Point, NY ---- 61.2 degrees (Long Island North Shore)
The Battery, NY --- 63.0 degrees (the Upper Bay, New York City)
Cape May, NJ ---- 66.4 degrees (extreme southern New Jersey)
Philadelphia, PA --- 70.9 degrees (Delaware River, Philadelphia)
Washington DC --- 75.6 degrees
Baltimore, MD ---- 76.1 degrees
These two are at the same latitude. Shows the effect the ocean has on water temperature. Cape May also gets an ocean breeze.
It may have something to do with the tunnel effect from so many tall buildings.
What would that have to do with Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens that do not have many tall buildings?
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Why Is New York So Much Colder Than Philly In the Spring? (house, live)
