A winter storm would kick off 2023, with a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow making for an icy, slippery mess. Temperatures would warm above freezing for a few days at mid month, resulting in another rain (non-snow) event. Overall, temps stayed above normal for the most part until the last week of January when cold air finally funneled into the region leading to highs only in the single digits and below zero lows. As for sub zero temps, they only occurred on 4 days, well under the average of 12 such days in a typical January. Overall, the average temperature was over 4 ½ degrees above normal. While temps were warm enough for liquid precipitation from time to time, there was measurable snow on 8 days with most of those recording around an inch or less. On the whole, January precipitation was almost 1 ½ inches above normal with snowfall finishing just under an inch below.

April finished at its normal for average temperature, but accomplished that by large swings in warm to cold conditions. The month started a bit cool for its first week, but quickly warmed to much above normal for the 8^th through 15^th. Highs topped 80 degrees on the 12^th through 14^th, reaching 87 on the 12^th. The 3 days at or above 80 tied for 8^th most in an April. The 87 on the 12^th was the 10^th earliest 80 degree day in a year for Rochester, well ahead of the average of May 3^rd.. Those hoping for an early spring, or perhaps an early summer, would be disappointed after that period of warmth as temperatures returned to below normal readings for much of the remaining month. The last freezing temperature would come on the morning of the 26^th (30 degrees), which is over a week ahead of the average for Rochester. April’s precipitation was ½ below normal, the bulk of which fell in the middle part of the month with the 15^th through 20^th accounting for 70% of the 3.01” total. Measurable snow fell on a couple days, with the last coming on the 16^th. The 4.2” total was about an inch above normal. 

With the last snowfall for the 2022-23 winter season falling in April, Rochester’s snow total topped out at 63.3” – marking it as the 12^th snowiest winter on record.

May was a mild month with mostly a mid month stretch of cooler than normal temperatures. The 60.9 average was over 3 degrees above normal. May also finished nearly right on its monthly normal for precipitation, but that was all front loaded. Of the 9 days with measurable rain, all but 1 came before the 15^th of the month – and that was the 31^st with only 0.07”. From the 15^th through 29^th there was nary a raindrop.

June got off to a very warm start as temperatures averaged nearly 10 degrees above normal over the first 6 days. The average temp of 73.8 degrees was the 5^th warmest start to a June on record. Temperatures would cool down after that, mostly staying within 5 degrees, plus or minus, of the June normals. That said, there were 20 days with 80 degree or greater warmth, well above the average of 13 and tied for 11^th most in a June. It was a very dry month with measurable rainfall on only 7 days, with only 3 of those recording more than ¼” while none exceeded ½” (this has only occurred in 4 other years). The total of 1.34” made it the 6^th driest June on record for Rochester.

Compared to the previous 2 months, July was cooler, but only a degree off its normal. July continued the dry trend that June started. There were a scant 5 days of measurable rain, below the average of 9 and tied for 7^th least in a July. Further, 3 days accounted for nearly 95% of the 2.18” monthly total.

Like September, it was a warm start to October. The last 90-degree day of 2023 was recorded on the 1^st (90), over a month and a half later than the average last 90 degree day in a year for Rochester (August 16^th). A couple 80+ degree days followed, with a couple more days then topping out in the 70s and 60s. The average temp over that stretch made it the 2^nd warmest start to an October on record. Temperatures would fall back to, or below, the monthly normal, with just one more 4 day stretch of warmer days near the end of the month. On the whole, October finished over 2 degrees above normal. The month started dry with only 0.15” of rain falling through the 11^th. After that, precipitation would be more common, falling on over half of the remaining days. The highlight was a 2.26” day on the 24^th , which also was the one-day high for 2023 in Rochester. The month’s total of 4.78” was close to 2 ½” above normal. In addition, the first measurable snow of the 2023-24 winter season would fall on the 28^th, with the first inch on Halloween (1.1”) – 3 weeks ahead of the average.