The comparisons between the weather of July 2002 and July 2004 are staggering.

In July 2002, the high temperature at Central Park was 90 or above on 12 days. We didn't touch 90 in 2004.

The extreme heat in 2002 resulted from a prevailing strong upper level ridge with dry west-northwesterly winds, keeping rainfall to a paltry 1.05 inches. In 2004, unusually strong upper level instability made it easy for the strong sun to set off heavy downpours. We wrapped up this July with 7.64 inches of rain.