Today in New York City Weather History: March 31

In the years since 1980 (thru 2025) the average date for the last temperature of freezing or colder in Central Park is March 31.  It has occurred as early as March 1 (in 2020) and as late as April 17 (in 1980).

 

1934 (Saturday)

A nor'easter brought heavy rain between noon and midnight.  The 2.20" that poured down was almost as much as what fell during the first 30 days of March (2.27").  It was a cold rain, with the temperature hovering around 40° during the afternoon and evening.  (However, tomorrow's high would warm up to 65°, and the day after that would have the warmest reading of April 1934, 77°).  

1937 (Wednesday)

The low today and the previous three days: 31°-30°-29°-28° (3/28) - all well below average (37°). 

1954 (Wednesday)

Despite the temperature being no lower than 34°, the only measurable snowfall of the month fell tonight.  And although the amount was just 0.1", it was the first measurable snow in Central Park since 2/8 (when 0.5" fell).  Tonight's snow continued into 4/1, accumulating an additional 0.3". 

1964 (Tuesday)

The coldest reading of the month occurred this morning, 22°, and this temperature held steady for four hours.  Normal low for the date is in the upper 30s.   Today's high/low of 38°/22° was half of what it was six days earlier (75°/46°). 

1980 (Monday)

March went out like a lion as a nor'easter brought winds that gusted close to 40 mph and produced 2.02" of rain (most of it falling from late morning onward).  Afternoon temperatures were only in the 30s.  Today's rainfall made March 1980 the wettest March on record (with 10.41" measured), pushing it past March 1953 and 1876.  (It's since fallen to third, behind March 2010 and 1983).     

 1987 (Tuesday)

March ended as it began, with a big rainmaker (2.36" fell on 3/1).  Beginning last night, rain continued thru early afternoon today, amounting to 2.00".  In the days between these two storms just 0.57" of rain fell. 

1989 (Friday)

Today's high of 44° (11 degrees below average) came just three days after a high of 82°. 

1997 (Monday)

A nor'easter with 30-45 mph wind gusts dumped 2.32" of rain in New York and record amounts of snow in New England on 4/1 (25" in Boston, 18" in Providence).  A few days earlier New York had been warned of the potential for significant snow accumulation as well, but too much mild air moved in for this to happen.  

1998 (Tuesday)

Today's high temperature hit 86°, tying March 29, 1945 for the warmest reading ever recorded in March.  This was the last day of a five-day spring "heat wave".  During this warm spell the average high/low was 82°/61° twenty-six degrees above average. 

The next 80-degree day wouldn't be for another six-and-a-half weeks - and it was the last time until 2021 that a temperature in the 80s was reported in the month of March.  Today also happened to be the home opener for the New York Mets.

2003 (Monday)

Five years later the Mets weren't as fortunate playing their home opener on March 31.  Although the game was played under clear skies, the temperature hovered around 40° and a biting wind created a "feels like" temperature of 30°.  No surprise, this was the coldest Opening Day in the 1970-2024 period.  To make matters even worse, the Mets were pounded by the Cubs by a score of 15-2. 

2011 (Thursday)

This was the earliest date for a Yankee home opener (until 2019) and it was played in raw and damp conditions.  The high was only 43°, twelve degrees colder than average.  After morning showers, no rain fell during the game, but showers returned in the evening. 

2012 (Saturday)

Because today was cold (high/low of 43°/38°) and rainy, two March records were NOT set.  The month's mean temperature ended up 0.2 degree cooler than the mildest March on record (in 1945), while the morning's rainfall of 0.26" brought the month's total precipitation to 0.96", preserving March 2006's distinction as the driest March on record (0.80").  Still, this was the twelfth month in a row with above average temperatures, matching a 12-month streak in 1998-99.  Furthermore, this was the driest Jan-Feb-March since 1985.        

2016 (Thursday)

The fourth mildest March on record came to a fitting end as the afternoon temperature rose into the low 70s.  This was the fifth day this month in the 70s (and seven days had highs in the 60s).  Besides being mild, it was also the sixth driest March, with just 1.17" measured - the driest month in two-and-a-half years - since 0.39" was measured in October 2013.  

2017 (Friday)

It was a topsy-turvy March, which came in like a lamb (70° on 3/1) and went out like a lion as today featured a soaking, all-day rain (1.51", which came down especially hard after 6 PM) and temperatures that were well below average (high/low of 43°/37°).  

2025 (Monday)

High temperatures of today and the previous three days were wildly varied:  73° (today)-48°-81°-63° (3/28).  By comparison, the daily low readings were relatively flat: 45° (today)-42°-43°-46° (3/28).

2026 (Tuesday) 

March ended on a summery note as the high/low was 81°/60°. Today's high was the second in the 80s this month and topped the high of 80° three weeks earlier (the earliest reading in the 80s on record). This was just the fifth March to have two high temperatures in the 80s (and the first since March 1990, which had five in a row at the end of the month). Today's low was the first of 60° or milder in March in ten years and just the second instance this century.

Today's high was the sixth in the 70s or warmer this month, the most since March 2012 when there were eight.