According to NOAA’s, National Weather Service climate is the composite of weather conditions of a region, while weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given point in time. In order to understand climate for a region, weather data must be collected in a consistent manner over a long period of time. The Cary Institute maintains a fully outfitted weather station at its campus in Millbrook, NY. The long-term data from this station can be used to understand our changing climate.
Data
The Cary Institute's weather station was installed in 1988 and expanded in 2004 with the addition of a NOAA Climate Reference Network (CRN) station.
Data from our program includes air temperature, precipitation, snow depth, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and wind direction. In addition, we collect a diverse array of solar radiation data.
The station is also the site for air and precipitation monitoring including ground level ozone, and wet and dry deposition of acidic components of the atmosphere.
The CRN station provides temperature and precipitation data as well as soil moisture and temperature, surface temperature, wetness, solar radiation and wind speed at 1.5 meters.
Data from our program is in three-minute, hourly and daily increments. Data from the USCRN is in 5 minute, hourly and daily increments.
| DATE | AVE. WIND DIR. (deg) | MAX. WIND SPEED (mph) | MAX. TEMP. (F) | MIN. TEMP. (F) | HDD | SUM HDD | PRECIP. (in.) | PRECIP. pH | YTD PRECIP. (in.) | SNOW (in.) | TOTAL SNOW (in.) |
| 12/1/2024 | 227 | 18.9 | 35.4 | 21.2 | 37 | 1060 | 0 | 41.23 | 0 | 2.0 | |
| 12/2/2024 | 103 | 10.8 | 35.9 | 13.6 | 40 | 1101 | 0 | 41.23 | 0 | 2.0 | |
| 12/3/2024 | 162 | 20.3 | 37.6 | 17.2 | 38 | 1138 | 0 | 41.23 | 0 | 2.0 | |
| 12/4/2024 | 157 | 21.1 | 36.3 | 12.6 | 41 | 1179 | 0.03 | 4.63 | 41.26 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| 12/5/2024 | 227 | 24.2 | 36.0 | 30.3 | 32 | 1211 | 0.17 | 4.63 | 41.43 | 1.5 | 4.0 |
| 12/6/2024 | 296 | 22.1 | 30.5 | 24.9 | 37 | 1248 | 0 | 41.43 | 0 | 4.0 | |
| 12/7/2024 | 220 | 19.9 | 36.3 | 24.2 | 35 | 1283 | 0.01 | QNS | 41.44 | 0 | 4.0 |
| 12/8/2024 | 220 | 20.1 | 49.0 | 29.4 | 26 | 1308 | 0.03 | QNS | 41.47 | 0.5 | 4.5 |
| 12/9/2024 | 113 | 14.1 | 44.9 | 28.9 | 28 | 1337 | 0.29 | 6.02 | 41.76 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 12/10/2024 | 134 | 13.9 | 42.8 | 40.0 | 24 | 1360 | 0.08 | 5.09 | 41.84 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 12/11/2024 | 152 | 24.6 | 61.1 | 36.6 | 16 | 1376 | 2.06 | 5.09 | 43.90 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 12/12/2024 | 259 | 28.2 | 38.0 | 23.3 | 34 | 1411 | 0.01 | 5.09 | 43.91 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 12/13/2024 | 297 | 17.7 | 30.4 | 13.9 | 43 | 1453 | 0 | 43.91 | 0 | 4.5 | |
| 12/14/2024 | 95 | 11.4 | 31.2 | 9.2 | 45 | 1498 | 0 | 43.91 | 0 | 4.5 | |
| 12/15/2024 | 125 | 9.4 | 36.1 | 10.5 | 42 | 1540 | 0 | 43.91 | 0 | 4.5 | |
| 12/16/2024 | 109 | 19.8 | 47.7 | 31.4 | 25 | 1565 | 0.35 | 4.72 | 44.26 | 1.5 | 6.0 |
| 12/17/2024 | 210 | 16.5 | 53.8 | 30.1 | 23 | 1588 | 0.13 | 4.72 | 44.39 | 0 | 6.0 |
| 12/18/2024 | 150 | 11.9 | 49.6 | 25.5 | 27 | 1616 | 0.36 | NA | 44.75 | 0 | 6.0 |
| 12/19/2024 | 335 | 15.7 | 39.8 | 27.7 | 31 | 1647 | 0 | 44.75 | 0 | 6.0 | |
| 12/20/2024 | 341 | 10.8 | 31.8 | 26.7 | 36 | 1683 | 0.04 | NA | 44.79 | 0.5 | 6.5 |
| MONTH | MIN. TEMP. (F) | MAX. TEMP. (F) | AVE. TEMP. (F) | TEMP. DEPARTURE FROM NORM (F) | TOTAL PRECIP. (in.) | PRECIP. DEPARTURE FROM NORM (in.) | SNOW (in.) | YEARLY SNOW (in.) |
| 1 | 2.3 | 57.7 | 30.0 | 2.9 | 5.41 | 2.59 | 15.5 | 16.0 |
| 2 | 10.8 | 61.7 | 33.2 | 4.0 | 1.69 | -0.52 | 5.0 | 21.0 |
| 3 | 16.7 | 69.8 | 41.7 | 4.1 | 7.40 | 4.31 | 0.0 | 21.0 |
| 4 | 25.7 | 78.8 | 48.7 | -0.3 | 3.70 | 0.08 | 0.5 | 21.5 |
| 5 | 35.4 | 87.1 | 61.2 | 1.7 | 3.57 | 0.10 | ||
| 6 | 41.5 | 94.5 | 69.4 | 1.0 | 4.04 | 0.13 | ||
| 7 | 47.8 | 92.5 | 73.5 | -0.1 | 5.09 | 1.31 | ||
| 8 | 43.5 | 89.8 | 69.4 | -2.3 | 4.80 | 0.52 | ||
| 9 | 41.2 | 82.8 | 62.6 | -1.3 | 1.17 | -3.16 | ||
| 10 | 27.3 | 82.9 | 52.7 | 0.5 | 0.39 | -3.34 | ||
| 11 | 18.7 | 79.9 | 43.8 | 2.3 | 3.92 | 0.65 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Month | Mean Daily Max. | Mean Daily Min. | Monthly Mean | Record High | Date | Record Low | Date |
| Jan | 36 | 17 | 27 | 71 | 1/6/2007 | -27 | 1/27/1994 |
| Feb | 39 | 18 | 29 | 78 | 2/21/2018 | -18 | 2/24/2015 |
| Mar | 48 | 26 | 37 | 89 | 3/31/1998 | -10 | 3/10/1996 |
| Apr | 61 | 35 | 48 | 96 | 4/17/2002 | 12 | 4/6/2016 |
| May | 72 | 45 | 59 | 96 | 5/18/2017 | 24 | 5/1/2008 |
| Jun | 80 | 54 | 67 | 98 | 6/25/2003 | 33 | 6/1/2001 |
| Jul | 85 | 60 | 72 | 103 | 7/22/2002 | 40 | 7/3/2001 |
| Aug | 83 | 58 | 70 | 103 | 8/14/2002 | 40 | 8/26/1989 |
| Sep | 75 | 50 | 62 | 96 | 9/8/2015 | 27 | 9/29/2000 |
| Oct | 64 | 39 | 51 | 89 | 10/2/2019 | 16 | 10/31/1988 |
| Nov | 52 | 30 | 41 | 79 | 11/3/2003 | 2 | 11/24/1989 |
| Dec | 40 | 22 | 31 | 75 | 12/7/1998 | -14 | 12/24/1989 |
| Year | 61 | 38 | 50 | 103 | 8/14/2002 | -27 | 1/27/1994 |
| Year | Avg. Temp (deg F) | Total Precip. (inches) | Frost Free Days | No. Frost Free Days |
| 1988 | 50.3 | 43.39 | 4/27-10/5 | 161 |
| 1989 | 47.4 | 44.14 | 5/5-9/24 | 142 |
| 1990 | 51.2 | 49.09 | 5/13-10/2 | 142 |
| 1991 | 50.7 | 40.48 | 4/27-9/21 | 147 |
| 1992 | 47.2 | 35.03 | 5/8-9/23 | 138 |
| 1993 | 48.3 | 39.15 | 4/29-9/19 | 143 |
| 1994 | 49.2 | 44.94 | 5/29-10/2 | 126 |
| 1995 | 48.4 | 42.50 | 5/10-9/28 | 141 |
| 1996 | 47.7 | 56.14 | 5/16-10/3 | 140 |
| 1997 | 48.0 | 37.98 | 5/9-9/21 | 135 |
| 1998 | 51.4 | 39.29 | 5/15-9/23 | 131 |
| 1999 | 50.6 | 41.46 | 5/2-10/6 | 157 |
| 2000 | 48.1 | 45.44 | 5/17-9/27 | 135 |
| 2001 | 50.0 | 31.39 | 5/15-9/15 | 123 |
| 2002 | 50.9 | 44.68 | 5/22-10/14 | 145 |
| 2003 | 48.1 | 54.39 | 5/5-10/3 | 151 |
| 2004 | 49.1 | 43.75 | 5/5-10/6 | 154 |
| 2005 | 49.6 | 54.00 | 5/13-10/21 | 161 |
| 2006 | 51.3 | 46.89 | 5/2-10/12 | 165 |
| 2007 | 49.6 | 47.94 | 5/14-10/13 | 152 |
| 2008 | 49.5 | 53.84 | 5/1-10/4 | 156 |
| 2009 | 48.5 | 42.91 | 5/19-10/10 | 144 |
| 2010 | 50.9 | 43.04 | 5/11-10/10 | 152 |
| 2011 | 50.5 | 64.69 | 5/6-10/6 | 153 |
| 2012 | 51.8 | 38.82 | 4/30-10/13 | 166 |
| 2013 | 49.2 | 47.94 | 5/15-10/23 | 161 |
| 2014 | 48.0 | 43.26 | 4/25-10/6 | 164 |
| 2015 | 49.3 | 40.69 | 5/14-10/11 | 150 |
| 2016 | 51.2 | 37.01 | 5/10-10/11 | 154 |
| 2017 | 50.3 | 39.94 | 5/11-10/17 | 159 |
| 2018 | 50.1 | 65.76 | 4/24-10/18 | 177 |
| 2019 | 49.3 | 47.48 | 4/29-10/5 | 156 |
| 2020 | 51.5 | 40.89 | 5/14-9/20 | 129 |
| 2021 | 50.8 | 50.77 | 5/13-10/24 | 164 |
| 2022 | 50.6 | 41.02 | 5/9-10/9 | 153 |
| 2023 | 51.5 | 61.48 | 5/18-10/24 | 159 |
| Snow Year | Snowfall (inches) |
| 1992-1993 | 61.0 |
| 1993-1994 | 64.5 |
| 1994-1995 | 21.0 |
| 1995-1996 | 92.0 |
| 1996-1997 | 34.5 |
| 1997-1998 | 19.5 |
| 1998-1999 | 23.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 32.0 |
| 2000-2001 | 52.5 |
| 2001-2002 | 19.0 |
| 2002-2003 | 90.5 |
| 2003-2004 | 43.0 |
| 2004-2005 | 58.0 |
| 2005-2006 | 34.0 |
| 2006-2007 | 32.0 |
| 2007-2008 | 36.5 |
| 2008-2009 | 34.0 |
| 2009-2010 | 43.5 |
| 2010-2011 | 67.5 |
| 2011-2012 | 27.0 |
| 2012-2013 | 45.0 |
| 2013-2014 | 65.5 |
| 2014-2015 | 68.5 |
| 2015-2016 | 13.0 |
| 2016-2017 | 60.0 |
| 2017-2018 | 68.5 |
| 2018-2019 | 32.5 |
| 2019-2020 | 22.5 |
| 2020-2021 | 60.0 |
| 2021-2022 | 26.0 |
| 2022-2023 | 26.0 |
| 2023-2024 | 21.0 |