Will weather tame the crowd for New Year's Eve at Times Square 2019?

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Updated Dec. 27, 2019 3:20 PM

Revelers celebrate and embrace on Times Square in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019, as rain helped to ring in the new year. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Over the years, revelers attending the celebration at Times Square in New York City have braved all sorts of weather.

Cold air and gusty winds had hundreds of thousands of revelers shivering on Times Square two years ago as the calendar flipped from 2017 to 2018. Temperatures dipped to 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures dipped below zero. It was the second coldest New Year's Eve for New York City on record.

Just a year ago, it was rainy and mild for the hooting and hollering as the hours, minutes and seconds of 2018 ticked away. It felt 50 degrees warmer, when compared to the year before.

However, the weather for this year's celebration should take a back seat for a change.

"The weather for the ball drop on Times Square this year is likely to be tame and not a major issue for the crowds," Dave Dombek, AccuWeather Northeast weather expert, said.

"No big storms will be affecting the region, nor will big blasts of frigid air," he added.

Actual temperatures will fall slowly through the 40s, while the RealFeel® Temperature is likely to hover in the 30s. Winds from the west are expected to average 7-14 mph, but they will be stronger along the streets and where the avenues intersect the streets due to the funneling effect of the buildings. In this setup, air is forced to rush through the narrow streets.

Wind observations at Central Park are somewhat sheltered and not representative of the streets of Manhattan in this situation.; therefore, RealFeel® Temperature measurements from the Central Park observation site may not be representative of how it feels for revelers as a result. Instead, RealFeel® Temperatures from Newark or LaGuardia Airport may be more representative of Times Square in this case.

Experts recommend that with the stiff breeze forecast, the hundreds of thousands who will be waiting outside for hours should still dress in layers with a hat and gloves to help prevent heat loss. Finding a standing spot away from the intersection of the windy west-to-east orientated streets may help reduce the chill over the hours.

The weather may not be totally free of rain or snow.

"We cannot guarantee that a shower of rain, sleet or wet snow won't wander through Tuesday evening to early Wednesday morning," Dombek said.

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"The key is that any shower will be brief and not representative of the evening and early morning hours," he added.

Those heading to New York City prior to New Years's Eve should be prepared for difficult travel due to drenching rain and windy conditions from Sunday night through Monday. This storm will usher in the generally drier and cooler conditions that will last through the holiday.

Instead of the storm opening the gates for a blast of Arctic air that often happens during the winter months, the air behind the storm early next week will bring temperature about 10-15 degrees above average.

Those venturing home right after the celebration may encounter snow showers and spotty hazardous conditions over the central Appalachians and around the eastern Great Lakes. A considerable amount of snow and ice may still be on the ground over parts of northern New England as well from the recent storm.

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