New Yorkers Embrace Spring's Early Arrival

Warm weather brings crowds to parks and businesses after a long, cold winter.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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After a frigid, snowy winter, New Yorkers flocked to parks, shops, and bars on Sunday to enjoy the first taste of spring as temperatures rose to the 60s for the first time in months. Parks were bustling with people shedding winter coats, while businesses like the brunch bar Little Grand in Williamsburg welcomed the influx of customers eager to get outside and enjoy the warm weather.

Why it matters

The sudden warm weather provided a much-needed respite for New Yorkers after an unusually cold and snowy winter, lifting moods and bringing a boost to local businesses that depend on foot traffic. While the warm spell is expected to be temporary, it highlights the city's resilience and the community's ability to come together and embrace the changing seasons.

The details

Temperatures were expected to hover in the mid-60s for the next three days, with clear skies and full sun on Monday and Tuesday. Despite the deadly cold earlier in the winter, this season has only been the 44th coolest on record in New York, with an average temperature of 31.9 degrees, about 4 to 4.5 degrees lower than average. However, the 43.4 inches of snowfall was about 20 inches more than normal.

  • On Sunday, March 9, 2026, temperatures rose to the 60s for the first time in months.
  • Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-60s for the next three days, with clear skies and full sun on Monday and Tuesday.

The players

Kelsey Hohmann

A 36-year-old New Yorker who was walking with her husband, toddler daughter, and dog in Central Park.

Brian Ciemnecki

A meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York.

Kohei Wachi

A 34-year-old New Yorker waiting on a No. 1 train platform on the Upper West Side to meet a friend before going to brunch in the West Village.

Michael Smart

The 57-year-old co-owner of Little Grand, a brunch and cocktail bar that opened last August in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Rosie Silva

A sex therapist who was walking her cat, Pitomba, in Central Park.

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What they’re saying

“It's wild that three weeks ago, it was negative 15 degrees with the windchill, and now it's this beautiful spring day.”

— Kelsey Hohmann (New York Times)

“This is going to be a nice warm-up for the region.”

— Brian Ciemnecki, Meteorologist, National Weather Service in New York (New York Times)

“I feel free. Freedom!”

— Kohei Wachi (New York Times)

“The good news is that it won't last long.”

— Brian Ciemnecki, Meteorologist, National Weather Service in New York (New York Times)

“Hope is arising!”

— Rosie Silva, Sex Therapist (New York Times)

What’s next

Cooler temperatures are expected to return over the next couple of weeks, and it's possible the city could see another cold snap or even snow, though it won't last long.

The takeaway

The sudden warm weather provided a much-needed morale boost for New Yorkers after a long, cold winter, highlighting the resilience of the city's residents and the community's ability to come together and embrace the changing seasons.