It snowed in New York City’s Central Park after 701 days without any. The National Weather Service confirmed 1.4 inches. And that marks the end of the record-breaking drought. By today’s end, there are 3 inches of snow expected.
Elsewhere, 150 million Americans were under advisory, according to Zack Taylor. For dangerous cold and wind, the National Weather Service’s meteorologist reported. Buffalo, New York, received 3 feet of snow and 60 mph (97 kph) winds.
Because it’s near the eastern end of Lake Erie, it is susceptible to “lake-effect” snow. It happens when cold air moves over the warm water of the Great Lakes. The clouds this generates produce that snow.
As for New York City, there’s a celebration over 3 inches of snow because climate change is taking it away. The city experiences a phenomenon called “urban heat island effect.” There are massive amounts of buildings, roads, and human-made materials, like cement and pavement. It generates and retains higher temperatures that reduce the likelihood of snow. According to the New York Times, Central Park sees, on average, 24 inches of snow the whole winter. But that hasn’t been the case for the past twenty-three months.
