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You must have missed the last two winters, that is 2013-4 and 2014-5. Also you missed 1993-4 (steadily cold), 1995-6 (record snow of 75", some severe cold and some mild spells), 2003-4 and 2010-1 (brutal). Those winters were old fashioned, brutal, cold and snowy winters. And they were a mixed bag between moderate El Niño (2013-4), neutral (1993-4 and 2014-5), moderate-strong La Niña (2010-1) and weak La Niña (1995-6). New York is a cold-weather city.
You're right. And some analysts claimed that it acted like a moderate La Niña. My point remains unchanged; New York can get brutal winters in any ENSO situation except maybe a very strong El Niño (think 1982-3, even though it had a blizzard, and 1997-8) or La Niña (think 1973-4, though even that winter had its moments, 1988-9 and 1999-2000[one cold month]).
The averages are milder though. Think such blah winters not mentioned above as 1971-2, 1974-5, 1975-6 (one cold month), 1979-80, 1983-4, 1984-5 (one cold month), 1985-6, 1986-7 (a few snowstorms but still bland), 1987-8, 1989-90 (one cold month), 1990-1, 1991-2, 1992-3 (one blizzard), 1994-5 (one major snow to rain), 1996-7, 1998-9, 2001-2, 2005-6 (blah but a record-smashing blizzard), 2006-7 (one notable ice pellet storm and one cold month), 2007-8, 2011-2 and 2012-3.
So while the averages are mild, no one coming to or living in New York counts on a mild winter.
Denver is imo definitely colder in winter than averages indicate.
Similar to Calgary
Standard deviation is off the charts.
I remember seeing last winter Denver having a number of times
where the high did not get much higher than 0F / -18C
Denver gets Chinooks that can send temps soaring,
which skews the averages higher.
Looking at average temps alone, a person might think Denver is
almost as mild as Albuquerque but in reality no,
ABQ is much more stable and is in gardening zone 7b,
with a few micro climates verging on zone 8a
They have few cold hardy palms that would certainly be killed off in Denver.
On the plus side, Denver is far sunnier in winter than anywhere on the east coast
except maybe Miami
I think your memory is a little off...
Start here, and count the number of days the high was 10F or below. Hint: the answer is 3 days.
If you expand your definition of not much higher than 0F to 20F, then that number more than doubles to a whopping 7 days.
While it CAN get very cold, the reality is that is doesn't get very cold that often, and most of the cold temps are at night when the lack of cloud cover allows the heat to escape out of the atmosphere.
In fact, between November 1 and April 1, the daytime high exceeded 70F 13 times.
Start here, and count the number of days the high was 10F or below. Hint: the answer is 3 days.
If you expand your definition of not much higher than 0F to 20F, then that number more than doubles to a whopping 7 days.
While it CAN get very cold, the reality is that is doesn't get very cold that often, and most of the cold temps are at night when the lack of cloud cover allows the heat to escape out of the atmosphere.
In fact, between November 1 and April 1, the daytime high exceeded 70F 13 times.
I'm a little off, eh? ...could be...
I said a number of days ...I didn't say "many" days......
As for 13 days with highs above 70F....since when is november 1st to April 1st winter?
I personally think of winter as december 21 to march 21 range
or I'm ok with december, January, February, as being winter too
When you include November ....to me that's a fall month, not winter,
even where I live in subarctic Canada
The averages don't seem that bad, but that's only because the weather is bipolar over there. Add in the fact that it gets most of its snow in March, April, and even May, and its a big NOPE. I don't want to live in a place that gets snow after February 28
Yes, Denver weather is very bipolar. Anyone telling you otherwise is lying or hasn't lived here.
But it's a good bipolar For the most part there is no snow on the ground and it is sunny and warm (relatively). You do get those brutal snowstorms that catches the media's attention especially during Bronco football games (but hey, it helps bring ski business). And where the airport is shut down. But think of the times the weather here doesn't attract national attention, it's because it's pretty balmy and sunny outside. There are no week long streaks of overcast gloomy days. Heck it's sunnier in winter than in summer. Summers here there are always afternoon showers.
And yes, snowstorms in May do happen and I would say quite often. Just how it is.
Yes, Denver weather is very bipolar. Anyone telling you otherwise is lying or hasn't lived here.
But it's a good bipolar For the most part there is no snow on the ground and it is sunny and warm (relatively). You do get those brutal snowstorms that catches the media's attention especially during Bronco football games (but hey, it helps bring ski business). And where the airport is shut down. But think of the times the weather here doesn't attract national attention, it's because it's pretty balmy and sunny outside. There are no week long streaks of overcast gloomy days. Heck it's sunnier in winter than in summer. Summers here there are always afternoon showers.
And yes, snowstorms in May do happen and I would say quite often. Just how it is.
Denver's climate is very misunderstood. I agree that the freak winter weather events in Denver tend to make national news. Like 6" of snow last Mother's Day. Or an early October dump. Then people draw the conclusion that Denver is buried in snow from October to May. But it doesn't make the news when Denver is sunny and 70 on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Yes, I've had the pleasure of playing Volleyball on a nice sunny day in December wearing shorts
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For the most part there is no snow on the ground and it is sunny and warm (relatively). You do get those brutal snowstorms that catches the media's attention especially during Bronco football games (but hey, it helps bring ski business). And where the airport is shut down. But think of the times the weather here doesn't attract national attention, it's because it's pretty balmy and sunny outside. There are no week long streaks of overcast gloomy days. Heck it's sunnier in winter than in summer. Summers here there are always afternoon showers.
