Snow-covered Central Park with the Midtown Manhattan skyline rising in the background. Photo by Francois Roux / Shutterstock.
New Yorkers are accustomed to snow between late December and early March, but the weather has never followed the calendar perfectly. Since official Central Park climate records began in 1869, snow has occasionally arrived weeks before winter and lingered well into spring.
Some of these events produced only a trace, while others left several inches on the ground. Together, they define the outer edges of New York City’s snowfall season and include the earliest trace, earliest measurable snowfall, earliest snowfall of at least one inch, one of the city’s most memorable April snowstorms, the latest snowfall of at least one inch, the latest measurable snowfall, and the latest trace of snow ever recorded in Central Park.
1. October 10, 1925 and 1979: Earliest Trace of Snow
Date: October 10, 1925 and October 10, 1979
Official Central Park Accumulation: Trace
Significance: Earliest trace of snow on record in New York City
The earliest snow ever observed at Central Park without measurable accumulation occurred on October 10. Remarkably, the date has been recorded twice, first in 1925 and again in 1979. In both cases, the amount was classified as a trace, meaning snow was observed but less than 0.1 inch accumulated. Even by New York standards, seeing snowflakes this early in October is extraordinary.
2. October 15, 1876: Earliest Measurable Snowfall
Date: October 15, 1876
Official Central Park Accumulation: 0.5 inches
Significance: Earliest measurable snowfall on record in New York City
Just seven years after Central Park’s official climate record began, New York experienced the earliest measurable snowfall in its recorded history. On October 15, 1876, half an inch of snow was measured in Central Park. More than a century later, the record still stands. It remains the earliest date on which at least 0.1 inch of snow has officially accumulated in New York City.
3. October 29, 2011: The “Snowtober” Nor’easter
Date: October 29, 2011
Official Central Park Accumulation: 2.9 inches
Significance: Earliest snowfall of at least one inch and snowiest October on record in Central Park
Two days before Halloween, a powerful early-season nor’easter brought 2.9 inches of snow to Central Park. That made October 29, 2011, the earliest date on record on which New York City received at least one inch of snow. The storm also gave Central Park its snowiest October on record.
The timing made the storm particularly destructive across the region. Many trees still held their leaves, allowing heavy wet snow to collect on branches that were not prepared for the added weight. Trees and limbs came down across parts of the Northeast, damaging power lines and contributing to widespread outages. In New York City, it was a dramatic reminder that winter weather can arrive long before the holiday season.
4. April 6, 1982: One of New York City’s Greatest April Snowfalls
Date: April 6, 1982
Official Central Park Accumulation: 9.6 inches
Significance: One of the largest April snowfalls in Central Park history
By early April, New Yorkers are usually thinking about spring. On April 6, 1982, winter returned with 9.6 inches of snow in Central Park. The total made April 1982 the third-snowiest April in the Central Park record, behind only April 1875 and April 1915.
The storm arrived at the beginning of the baseball season and forced the postponement of the New York Yankees’ scheduled Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees would not play their first game of the season until several days later. A nearly ten-inch snowfall in April would be memorable under any circumstances, but its arrival during baseball’s opening week made the storm especially hard for New Yorkers to forget.
5. April 25, 1875: Latest Snowfall of at Least One Inch
Date: April 25, 1875
Official Central Park Accumulation: 3.0 inches
Significance: Latest snowfall of at least one inch on record in New York City
The winter of 1874–1875 refused to leave quietly. On April 25, 1875, Central Park recorded 3 inches of snow. According to National Weather Service records, it remains the latest date on which at least one inch of snow has accumulated in New York City.
That entire month was remarkable. Central Park recorded 13.5 inches of snow during April 1875, making it the snowiest April in the city’s official record. The April 25 snowfall came at a time of year when New Yorkers normally expect budding trees and spring flowers rather than several inches of fresh snow.
6. April 29, 1874: Latest Measurable Snowfall
Date: April 29, 1874
Official Central Park Accumulation: 0.5 inches
Significance: Latest measurable snowfall on record in New York City
New York City’s record for the latest measurable snowfall belongs to April 29, 1874. Central Park recorded half an inch that day. The National Weather Service defines measurable snowfall as at least 0.1 inch, which makes this event different from later spring days when flakes were observed but nothing measurable accumulated.
This is the true late-season measurable-snow record for New York City. More than 150 years later, no later calendar date has produced measurable snowfall in the Central Park record.
7. May 9, 1977 and 2020: Latest Trace of Snow
Date: May 9, 1977 and May 9, 2020
Official Central Park Accumulation: Trace
Significance: Latest trace of snow on record in New York City
Measurable snow has never been recorded in Central Park during May, but snowflakes have been observed. The latest such occurrence is May 9, a date shared by 1977 and 2020. Both events were recorded as a trace, meaning snow fell but did not accumulate to 0.1 inch.
The 2020 event was especially striking because it arrived after New Yorkers had already settled into spring. Snowflakes were reported around the city during an unusually cold May morning, tying the 1977 record for the latest trace of snow in New York City’s official climate history.
New York City has experienced far larger and more destructive winter storms than the events on this list, but these dates tell a different story. They show just how far beyond the traditional winter season snow can reach. From October 10 to May 9, the city’s climate record spans nearly seven months in which snowflakes have, at one time or another, been observed in Central Park.
For more on New York’s most memorable weather, read our 12 Historic Blizzards That Paralyzed New York City, 20 Most Destructive Hurricanes and Coastal Storms in New York History, and 10 Worst Heat Waves in New York City History.
Earliest and Latest Snowfall Records in New York City
| Event | Date | Central Park Total | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest trace | October 10, 1925 and 1979 | Trace | Earliest snow observed |
| Earliest measurable snow | October 15, 1876 | 0.5 inches | Earliest 0.1 inch or more |
| “Snowtober” nor’easter | October 29, 2011 | 2.9 inches | Earliest one inch or more |
| April snowstorm | April 6, 1982 | 9.6 inches | One of the largest April snowfalls |
| Latest one inch or more | April 25, 1875 | 3.0 inches | Latest snowfall of at least one inch |
| Latest measurable snow | April 29, 1874 | 0.5 inches | Latest 0.1 inch or more |
| Latest trace | May 9, 1977 and 2020 | Trace | Latest snow observed |
Sources
National Weather Service — Central Park Climate Extremes
National Weather Service — Snowiest Months at Central Park
National Weather Service — Monthly and Seasonal Snowfall at Central Park
National Weather Service — Central Park Historical Climate Data
United Press International — April 6, 1982 Weather Postponement Roundup
Updated September 18, 2026.
