| Temperatures | Precipitation | ||||||
| Month | High | Low | Average | Departure | Total | Departure | Snow |
| January | 21.9 | 7.8 | 14.8 | -0.9 | 0.75 | -0.11 | 5.7 |
| February | 29.0 | 16.2 | 22.6 | +2.3 | 0.65 | -0.18 | 11.1 |
| March | 46.6 | 30.4 | 38.5 | +6.1 | 3.98 | +2.10 | 14.9 |
| April | 56.6 | 37.4 | 47.0 | +0.3 | 1.72 | -1.52 | 0.5 |
| May | 69.4 | 48.3 | 58.9 | +0.8 | 4.59 | +0.96 | 0.0 |
| June | 79.0 | 58.5 | 68.7 | +1.1 | 5.24 | +0.56 | ... |
| July | 80.3 | 62.6 | 71.5 | +0.1 | 5.60 | +1.05 | ... |
| August | 79.7 | 60.6 | 70.1 | +1.0 | 5.74 | +1.22 | ... |
| September | 73.9 | 54.9 | 64.4 | +3.5 | 9.10 | +5.65 | ... |
| October | 61.8 | 42.2 | 52.0 | +3.6 | 2.74 | +0.50 | 0.0 |
| November | 51.7 | 33.8 | 42.8 | +9.0 | 1.37 | -0.54 | 1.0 |
| December | 24.6 | 12.3 | 18.4 | -1.3 | 2.07 | +0.84 | 19.7 |
| TOTALS: | 56.2 | 38.8 | 47.5 | +2.1 | 43.55 | +10.53 | *** |
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The new year got started on a mild note with above normal temperatures for the first 9 days of 2016. It would cool off for the middle part of January with subzero lows occurring on 8 out of 10 days between the 10th and 19th. Mild conditions would round out the month, with highs almost breaking 40 on the 30th (39 degrees). Overall, January would finish around a degree below normal. Snow was often but in very small amounts. A trace or more was recorded on 17 of the 31 days, but measurable on only 9 days. Of those, there was only 2 days with over an inch of snow (high of 1.6” on the 8th). |
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After a couple mild days, temperatures took a downward turn for the front half of February. Temperatures were at or below normal for 10 of the first 14 days, with a string of below zero lows for the 10th through 13th. The second half would see a return of the milder conditions as highs cracked 40 degrees 4 times, reaching 52 on the 27th. Lows were at or above 30 degrees 17% of the time, well above the average of 6%. February snowfall was front loaded, with all the measurable snow coming through the 15th. There were only 3 days with flurries after that. The bulk of the snow came on the 2nd and 3rd with 8.9 inches. |
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It would be a mild March for Rochester in 2016 with its 38.5 degree average making it the 8th warmest on record. The bulk of the warmth came during the front half. The stretch from the 7th through 15th recorded highs of 50 degrees or warmer on 7 of those days, with lows mostly in the 40s (closer to the normal highs rather than lows). The first 60 degree day of the year came on the 7th (62), which was the 9th quickest 60 degree or warmer temperature in a year for Rochester (average is around March 28th). Along with being very mild, March was a wet month. Measurable precipitation fell on 14 days with over ½ inch of precipitation on 4 of those. The 3.98 inch total made it the 3rd wettest March on record. About half of that came as snowfall with 14.9” falling through the month (well above the 8.7 inch normal). That said, the mild air made sure that when it snowed it did not stick around long. March harbored one of the windiest days of 2016. The 16th averaged 25.5 mph for the day and recorded a peak wind gust of 52 mph. |
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April experienced a lot of fluctuation when it came to temperatures, typical for this spring month. There were 11 days when highs could not climb to 50 degrees, while 9 days reached 70 or greater – with a max of 80 on the 16th. The biggest swing in temperatures came at the start of the month with a high of 35 on the 2nd, jumping to 72 on the 3rd, then falling back to earth for a chilly 40 on the 4th. The 3rd also has an impressive spread in the high and low for the day, with a morning low of 25 degrees, rocketing up 47 degrees by the afternoon. April was a dry month, finishing 1 ½ inches below its normal. There were 14 days with measurable precipitation, but 10 of those recorded less than 1/10 of an inch. The last measurable snow of the winter season fell on the 8th with 0.5 inches. |
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Temperatures were just about on par for May, finishing just under a degree above normal. Temperatures did experience a lot of swings over the first half of the month, illustrated by a high of 90 on the 6th and a chilly 49 on the 13th and 14th. The 90 degree day was the first of the year and about a month earlier than normal. The latter half of the month settled into highs mostly in the 70s with lows near 60. Precipitation was almost an inch above the May normal, with the bulk of the total coming over the last 9 days. Rain fell from the 23rd through month’s end, accounting for 2/3rds of May’s total. There was also a dry period mid month where only 0.02” inches feel - the 14th through 22nd.
The average temperature of 48.1 degrees for the March, April and May made it the 7th warmest spring on record for Rochester. |
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June kicked off the summer on a mild and wet note. There were 13 days with highs 80 degrees or warmer. The warmest day of 2016 came on the 10th with a high of 93. Measurable rain fell on 13 days, with 7 of those recording over ¼ inch and 3 over ½ inch. |
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July was right on its normal for temperatures, starting out a bit cool, but quickly warming to its seasonable normal after the first week. Highs reached 90 on the 21st and 22nd, the last time it would reach 90 for the rest of the year. July was a wet month. There was measurable rain on 15 days (4th most for a July), with ½ inch or more on 5 days. There was an 8 day stretch of rainy conditions (10th – 17th) with never more than 4 days between days with rainfall. The strongest wind of 2016 came courtesy of a severe thunderstorm on the 5th, gusting to 57 mph.
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August finished the summer months off on a warm and wet note, finishing above normal for temperatures and rainfall. Temperatures reached 80 degrees or warmer on 15 of the days, failing to reach 70 only once (69 on the 20th). There were 9 days with measurable rain in August, right around what typically occurs. However, over ½ inch of rain fell on 5 of those days with an inch or more on 2 of them. It was a wet summer in Rochester. The 16.58 inches was made it the 14th wettest on record. |
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The wet summer would give way to an even soggier September. The 9.10 inch total made it the 3rd wettest September on record for Rochester, and 13th wettest for any month. There were 5 days with over ½ inch of rainfall, 3 of those exceeded an inch. The most for the month and year fell on the 21st with 3.60”. Not only did this set a record for the day, but it was the 19th wettest day on record. In addition, it was just the 28th time that rainfall of 3 inches or greater has fallen in a day at Rochester. Despite all the wet weather, the warmth continued. The 67.7 degree average made it the 7th warmest September on record, tied with previous years. The stretch from June through September was the 13th 4 month period for Rochester with 24.96 inches. For comparison, the normal rainfall for the entire year is 33.02 inches. So, 76% of the yearly normal fell during these 4 months. |
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No end in sight to the mild conditions as the calendar rolled over to October. The 52.0 average was over 3 ½ degrees above normal and 18th warmest October on record. Temperatures reached freezing on the 8th, over a week later from the average for the first freeze of the season. In addition, temperatures would reach or fall below 32 only 2 more times in October, well below the 10 day average for freezing temperatures. Precipitation was ½ inch above normal, but the bulk of the month’s rain came on 2 days: the 25th and 26th. These 2 days accounted for nearly 70% (1.88”) of the 2.74 inch October total. |
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November continued the warm fall conditions with only 3 days during the month with below normal temperatures. The 42.8 average made it the 2nd warmest on record while the 10 days with 60 degree or warmer highs was the 3rd most for a November. The last 70 degree day of the year came on the 5th (71), a couple weeks past the average for that to occur. Sunshine was abundant for what is usually the cloudiest month of the year, and with a lack of clouds also came a lack of precipitation. There was no precipitation through the 17th, with 7 days of measurable precipitation after that. The first flurries of the season came on the 18th with the first measurable snow on the 23rd (0.7”). The fall months of September, October and November finished as the 3rd warmest fall on record for Rochester at 53.1 degrees. There were 4th most 60 degree or warmer days this fall (58) and the least amount of freezing days (only 16). The fall was also the 4th wettest on record with 13.21 inches, mostly thanks to the very wet September. |
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December ended 2016 on a relatively cool but wet note. Temperatures were above normal for the start and end of the month, but a cold stretch at mid month brought the monthly average down considerably. Highs were mostly 10 degrees or colder with lows below zero from the 13th through 18th. The coldest day came on the 18th with a high of only -2 and a low or -25 (the coldest temperature of 2016 in Rochester). December finished close to an inch above normal for precipitation. Out of the 12 days that received measurable precipitation, 4 of those recorded ¼ inch or greater. It was a snowy month too, with the 19.7 inches making it the 9th snowiest December on record. The big snow maker was a winter storm that dropped 8.3 inches over the 10th and 11th. While there was snow on the ground Christmas morning in Rochester, it didn’t necessarily feel like Christmas. Highs rose through the day, reaching 38 before midnight. Over ½ inch of rain fell, some of that as freezing rain or drizzle. |
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2016 will go down as wet and warm year for Rochester. There were 43.55 inches of precipitation in 2016, 3rd wettest year on record and only the 3rd time rainfall has exceeded 43 inches in a year in Rochester. There were 31 days with ½ inch or more (1st all time) and 9 days of an inch or more (tied for 10th most in a year). The average temperature of 47.5 degrees was the 4th warmest and only the 7th time that Rochester has averaged better than 47 degrees in a year. There were 149 days of 70 degrees or better, tied for 3rd most in a year. Temperatures held above freezing on 236 days, 4th most in any year in Rochester. Why so warm? A very strong El Nino (one of the strongest on record) in the early part of the early gave us a mild winter. A weak La Nina helped out to make the fall very warm. |
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| Highest temperature for 2016 | 93 on June 10th |
| Lowest temperature for 2016 | -25 on December 18th |
| Highest one-day precipitation | 3.60 on September 21st |
| Highest one-day snowfall | 6.7 inches on February 2nd |
| Number of days with highs at or above 90 degrees | 4 |
| Number of days with highs at or below 32 degrees | 64 |
| Number of days with zero or below temperatures | 21 |
| Peak wind gust | 57 mph from the N on July 5th |
| Number of days with measurable precipitation | 137 |
| Percentage of days with measurable precipitation | 38% |
| Number of days with above normal temperatures | 224 |
| Percentage of days with above normal temperatures | 62% |
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