New York City Is As Cold as Anchorage, Alaska, Today

New York City residents have been exposed to frigid temperatures equivalent to those in Anchorage, Alaska.

A cold front arrived in the Northeast earlier this week and New York City's temperatures dipped to around 7 degrees lower than average, whereas in Anchorage, which is around 4,000 miles away, the weather is 14.1 degrees warmer than the five-year historical average.

A view of the Chrysler Building during a snowstorm in New York City on January 29, 2022. Temperatures in New York on Wednesday were as cold as they were in Anchorage, Alaska. Timothy A. Clary/Getty

"The weather in New York Central Park on 4th December 2024 is expected to be significantly colder than the 5-year historical average, with a deviation of 7.1°F," a statement with the data said.

"This is a notable drop of 16.67% from the average temperature. The high precipitation chances of 84% in the next 24 hours are also a significant departure from the 5-year historical data. This suggests that the weather is expected to be wet and cold, with a mix of snow and rain."

The cold temperatures in New York City comes after the state battled an alarmingly warm fall that contributed to dry conditions spurring a state wide wildfire risk.

NWS meteorologist James Tomasini told Newsweek that a persistent northwesterly flow has brought colder air into the region, and an approaching low-pressure system is bringing colder air with it as well.

Meanwhile, conditions in Anchorage are much warmer than the historical average of 20.9 degrees.

"This deviation from the average temperature is significant, at 67.46%," a statement with the data said.

NWS meteorologists noted the cold temperatures in the New York City area with a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning.

"It is a cold morning across the area! Observed low temperatures ranged from the teens to the low 30s," the post said. "These lows are about 5 to 10 degrees below normal for early December."

In addition to the chilly weather, strong winds, snow and rain also are expected in New York City through Thursday night. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph.

Temperatures are likely to warm up again in the coming week for the city, with the NWS Climate Prediction Center's six- to 10-day temperature outlook showing a chance for above average temperatures from December 9 through December 13.

Anchorage temperatures, however, are unlikely to cool, as the outlook predicts warmer than normal temperatures for that region during the same time period.

Temperatures appear to cool slightly for the eight- to 14-day outlook, though still trending above normal for both areas.