Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Why Is It Still So Freaking Cold?
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 4, 2013
Modified Apr 5, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 4, 2013
Modified Apr 5, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
How about this unseasonably chilly weather we've been having? What is up with THAT? Why are we still bundling up for our morning commutes and barely suppressing an irrational homicidal rage? (Also, why are the things that irritate us also so trivial?!) Apparently, the answer lies up north, where a large atmospheric "blocking ridge" in the jet stream has hunkered down over Greenland for the past few weeks.
According to Gothamist meteorologist Joe Schumacher, this goddamn blocking ridge has "forced a trough in the jet stream to be wedged over eastern North America." In turn that trough has been directing sub-zero cold out of the Polar region into the U.S. As it happens, the Washington Post reports that this is the same weather pattern that forced a "stunning" heat wave exactly one year ago. The Post also argues that the blocking pattern "ranks among the strongest ever."
So what's to be done? Since the United Nations appears to be incapable of taking meaningful action against this blocking ridge, and President Obama won't send any drones to bomb it back to the stone age, we're just going to have to ride this thing out and bitch about it on Twitter. This weekend may bring more seasonable temperatures, and Schumacher says "there are indications that the Canadian trough will start to break down early next week." If not, we'd be all for invading Canada and taking care of business once and for all, because this is fucking bullshit.
Update: Writing in to City Room, weather obsessive Stephen Fybish provides context about this annoying cold spell:
I’ve been working up quite a storm about the exceptional features of the period November through March — in particular a lack of days it hit 60 degrees. The streak we had was from February 1 through April 1, and no longer spell of sub-60-degrees maxima existed until you go back to 1970... The lack of a 70-degree reading in March is quite unusual.
The Times is a family publication, so they have to say "quite unusual" when we all know they really mean "quite enough evidence that Mother Nature is determined to break our fucking balls."
Tagged
cold
life
spring
weather
original
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC Council to consider earlier Legionella reporting after deadly outbreaks
A bill facing a hearing Monday would require cooling tower owners to notify city health officials when bacteria levels reach a much lower threshold.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 18, 2026 at 7:36 p.m. ET
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
Bail reform remains major issue in NY governor's race, 7 years after it became law
By
Gino Fanelli
NYPD identifies Bronx man, 26, killed in Midtown subway shooting
By
Ryan Kost
,
Elizabeth Kim
and
Phil Corso
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .