Seasons

12 hours of daylight

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Today there will be exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness in Albany. This is due to the way sunlight is bent in the earth’s atmosphere, coming 4 calender days before the first day of calender spring. Starting tomorrow until September 26th, every day will have more daylight then darkness.

A Look Ahead Towards the Start of Meteorological Spring

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In like a lion, out like a lamb in Albany, NY as we start meteorological spring …

March 1st 
Average High – 40 degrees
Average Low – 22 degrees

Records:
Negative 9 below in 1940
66 degrees in 2017

March 31st
Average High – 52 degrees
Average Low – 31 degrees

Records:
12 degrees in 1923
89 degrees in 1998

Nice temperatures are just around the corner. Daylight savings time begins a week from Sunday on March 10th — an average high of 43. The first day of spring is Tuesday March 19th — an average high of 46.

Heading Into Dormansville

Tarrytown and Bennett Hill

Coldest Day of the Year in NY State

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Coldest Day of the Year in NY State

Generally, higher elevations have an earlier coldest day of the year, while areas farther west and lower elevations have a later coldest day of the year. I think the north-west later has to do with the sun angle, along with the way the Great Lakes impact the local climate.

Days Below Zero, Past 20 Years

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Days Below Zero, Past 20 Years

This past weekend's negative 13 degree weather is quite rare in recent years. We've only had two days colder then that over the past two decades, and that was 15 years ago. Some of it's the urban heat island effect, while other is the climate is warming everywhere, New York included.

Ground Hog Facts

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Between 1951 and 1969, the Punxsutawney Phil always saw his shadow. In comparison, between 2005 and 2024, the Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow 7 times. 🐻

The facts are simple — the Ground Hog is seeing his shadow less today then in years past. Long winters are becoming rarer.