A dry and mild start to 2024 with nary a snowflake and above normal temperatures through the 6^th of January for Rochester. A spate of days with mostly light snowfall changed the narrative starting with a few flurries on the 7^th followed by measurable snows (albeit relatively minor amounts) for the 8^th through the 13^th.  Much colder air flowed in on the tail end of these snows with temps dropping below normal for the 12^th through the 21^st. Temperatures would then turn back to the mild conditions experience during the first week, although markedly warmer this go around. The average temperatures from the 22^nd through the 31^st was 32.6 degrees, the 2^nd warmest on record (for that period of January). Highs cracked the 50-degree mark on the 31^st (52 degrees), 9^th earliest 50 degree day in a year on record for Rochester (average is March 10^th).  As for additional precipitation, there wasn’t much after the 13^th with only and 0.06” and 0.3” of snow. Overall, while there were 7 days with measurable snow (average for a January), most were around 2” or less, and the monthly total of 7.6” was around 4 ½” under a typical January.

While not as warm compared to the respective monthly norms ala the previous 3 months, April continued the mild trend finishing over 1 ½ degrees above normal. More fluctuations in day to day temps but highlighted by a warm stretch during mid month. The high reached 80 degrees on the 13^th for the first time in 2024, about 3 weeks ahead of the average. Measurable precipitation dropped on 14 days with 10 of those recording 1/10” or more, tied for 4^th most in an April. The last snows of the 2023-24 season would fall over the 1^st through 3^rd for a total of 3.5”.

Looking back at the 2023-24 snowfall season, only 24.0” fell – making it the 4^th least snowy season on record for Rochester.

Aside from a smattering of a few warmer days, daily temperatures generally hovered plus/minus 5 degrees around the daily normals. While highs climbed above 85 degrees twice, they also failed to warm above 60 twice. Still, most days warmed above the monthly normal and, on the whole, April rounded out close to 2 degrees above normal as a result. The April rainfall total was right on its normal but dominated by a few wet days. Of the 13 days with measurable rain 7 of those recorded less than 1/10”.

Looking at the spring months (March-April-May), the average temperature was a mild 47.9 degrees – tied for 8^th warmest on record

Much like May, June didn’t experience any significant or prolonged swings in day-to-day temperatures, more or less fluctuating within 5 degrees of the normal. Highs never reached 90 but never dipped into the 60s either. The average for the month was just a hair above normal. The same could not be said for rainfall as Rochester experienced a month-long deluge of wetness. There were 19 days with measurable rain, well above the average of 11 and 2^nd most in a June. Of those, 8 recorded ½” or more – tying for 1^st all-time with 1914. The longest break between measurable rains was only 2 days while mid month saw a stretch of 8 straight days where rain at least dampened the ground (15^th through the 22^nd).  This tied it for 8^th longest such streak on record for Rochester. Unsurprisingly, all the rainfall culminated in the 3^rd most in any June for Rochester (9.86”) and the 9^th most of any month all-time.

July followed the lead of April and June when it came to temperatures – not swinging too far off the daily normal and finishing right around its monthly normal for average temperature. The sogginess of June would spill over into the first half of July with 8 out of the first 15 days recording measurable rainfall. However, that stretch would account for 95% of the monthly total as there would only be 2 other days with measurable rain after that. Diving into this further, the first 15 days of July were the 5^th wettest on record for Rochester (4.52”) while the last 16 days were the 13^th driest with only 0.24” falling. Soggy start, dry end.

October experienced up’s and down’s for temps for the first 2 weeks, oscillating between a bit above or a bit below average. Thermostats turned up for the second half of the month, however, with temps from the 17^th through month’s end averaging around 11 ½  degrees above normal. This late month warm up averaged 55.7 degrees and made it the 2^nd warmest of its kind for an October. 3 days reached or topped 80 degrees. The last 80 degree day for 2024 fell on the 21^st, tied for 4^th latest occurrence in a year for Rochester (average is Sep 29^th). Overall, the month finished at 54.5 degrees for an average, over 6 ½ degrees above normal and 5^th warmest on record.  October was another very dry month. Like September, there were only 4 days with measurable precipitation. The bulk of what fell occurred on the last 2 days, accounting for nearly 75% of the 1.13” monthly total. In fact, there was only 1 day where 0.01” fell over the first 23 days of the month. Going back to September, that would mark 34 days with only 0.01” – essentially a month with no rain.