Frigid air to make New Year’s Eve revelers shiver in Times Square as they ring in 2017

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather staff writer

December 28,2016, 4:39:49PM,EST

 

 Mostly dry and cold conditions are forecast for New York City this New Year’s Eve as around 1 million revelers crowd into bustling Times Square to ring in the arrival of 2017.

Although it will not be exceptionally cold during the day on Saturday, people standing outdoors for several hours in anticipation of midnight will certainly want to wear their winter clothing.
Spectators who will be on hand to watch the shimmering 11,875-pound New Year’s Eve ball embark on its descent will endure evening temperatures in the mid-30s F with AccuWeather ReelFeel® Temperatures in the upper 20s.
While conditions will be mainly dry on Saturday night, it's not out of the question that the city could see a stray rain or snow shower, according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.
Attendees can track any incoming precipitation down to the minute with AccuWeather MinuteCast®.

(Photo/Amy Hart/Times Square Alliance)

Throughout the event’s history, the lowest observed temperature at midnight was 1 F in 1907. The highest observed temperature was 58 in 1965 and 1972.
A normal high for Dec. 31 in New York City is 39 while a normal low is 28.
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The celebration in Times Square is one of the most famous New Year’s Eve events around the world. The party was first held in 1904 as a way to commemorate the new headquarters of the New York Times.
Fireworks were used during the early years but were later banned by the city. As a replacement for the fireworks, in 1907 the famed New Year’s Eve ball was instituted for the first time to mark the arrival of the new year.