It's a rare event: snow that sticks to the ground in April in New York City. But Central Park was hit with 5.5 inches of snow on Monday, shattering the previous record for April 2 by several inches.
In recent years, significant snow events in April have been rare. According to data from the National Weather Service, the last time more than one-tenth of an inch of snow fell in Central Park in the month of April was in 2003, when 4 inches of snow were recorded in Central Park on April 7.
However, there have been some years where Central Park has registered more than 10 inches of snow in April! Here's a look at the years where Central Park registered more than the 5.5 inches of snow we saw Monday across the entire month of April, dating all the way back to 1869:
1875 - 13.5 inches
- According to the National Weather Service, this was the most snow ever recorded in Central Park in a month of April (dating back to 1869).
- There were two significant snow events in April in 1875. Ten inches of snow fell on April 13, which is tied for the all-time record for a single day in the month of April. Nearly two weeks later, three inches of snow fell on April 25. That is the latest April date where more than trace amounts of snow were recorded in Central Park's history.
- There were four months during the 1874-75 winter season that received 10 or more inches of snow; December (10.0), January (14.5), February (15.3) and April (13.5). The 57.8 inches of snow in the 1874-75 winter season are the sixth-highest on record for a winter season.
1907 - 5.8 inches
- Central Park registered 51.9 inches of snow between January and April of 1907.
1915 - 10.2 inches
- Most of this total comes from a 10-inch snowstorm on April 3, 1915, which is tied with April 13, 1875 for the all-time record on any April day.
- Besides 1875, 1915 is the only year on record where the city recorded more than 10 inches of snow during a winter season.
- This is the only winter season on record where April was the snowiest month during a winter season. More snow fell in Central Park in April 1915 than in any month during the 1914-15 winter season.
1917: 6.5 inches
- On April 9, 1917, 6.4 inches of snow were recorded in Central Park, a daily record.
1924: 8.5 inches
- All 8.5 inches of snow in April 1924 fell on April 1. 8.5 inches is the daily record for snow on April 1 in Central Park.
1938: 6.4 inches
- Only 15.1 inches of snow fell during the 1937-38 winter season in Central Park. The majority of that total came in January (6.5 inches) and April.
1944: 6.5 inches
- All 6.5 inches of snow in April 1944 fell on April 5. 6.5 inches is the daily snowfall record in Central Park for April 5.
1982: 9.6 inches
- Central Park was hit by 9.6 inches of snow on April 6, 1982. That is a daily record for April 6, and it was also the last time the city got hit by more than 4 inches of snow on an April day before this past Monday.
- The 9.6 inches of snow is the third-highest total for an entire month of April in Central Park history.
- Only January of 1982 (11.8 inches) had more snow during the 1981-82 winter season than April.
We may not be done with snow in 2018 yet, either. Snow showers are possible for NYC on both Friday and Saturday. So stay tuned.