Weather Extremes: NYC vs The World

Of the major weather observing stations in the Northeast, Central Park in NYC has one of the longest running records beginning way back in 1869. Over the past 140+ years, the wild weather NYC has experienced during the warm seasons has ranged from tropical systems and heat waves to severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes. While the Big Apple has certainly seen extreme events, the weather it has endured is somewhat tame compared to other parts of the world. Yes, there have been historic flooding events that made our mouths drop in disbelief as seen from the storm surges of Irene and Sandy, respectively; however, the catastrophic mudslides that ravage Southeast Asia during their annual monsoon season prove much more deadly. And while the city that never sleeps has experienced stifling heat waves (like the 14 day scorcher of July 1972 responsible for 891 fatalities), it doesn't top the broiler that is Death Valley, CA which holds the record for the hottest temperature recorded on Earth. Check out the table below to learn why NYC's extreme weather doesn't exactly raise eyebrows when compared to worldwide extremes.