From the Times:

[A]n analysis by The New York Times of rainfall and homicides for the last six years shows that when it rains substantially in the summertime, there are fewer homicides.

When there was no precipitation, there was an average 17 homicides every 10 days. But when there was an inch or more of rain, the average dropped to 14.

The pattern is more pronounced if you only look at Saturdays in the summer—normally a high-volume day for homicides. Rainy summer Saturdays yielded an average 25 percent fewer murders than dry ones.

It's sort of an obvious point: Rainy days mean fewer people out on the streets, and fewer chances for encounters that could turn violent. The weather obviously doesn't affect rates of domestic homicide, and law enforcement sources told the Times that drug deals and similar potentially violent interactions continue unabated through downpours. But rain is enough of a factor in—at least temporarily—reducing the homicide rate that NYPD detectives like to say "the best cop in the world is on duty tonight" during rainstorms.

Researchers told the paper that rain doesn't have the same effect nationwide as it does in New York City, perhaps because people here don't have yards to hang out in and are more likely to be out, about, and murdering on sunny days. The downside of the phenomenon is that the murders that are committed on rainy days tend to be harder to solve—evidence gets washed away, and potential witnesses run off to dry places.

So take heart, New Yorkers. The miserable weather you've been suffering through since May has saved lives. Will it be worth the price when—if—the sun ever returns? Yes!

No word yet on how crazy orange clouds affect street violence.

[Photo by Andrew O'Brien via Flickr.]

In New York today it is cold and wet and miserable and soul-draining day. The sort when your wet shoes never seem to dry. (That picture was taken this morning in the financial district.) And this is the middle of fucking June - what will likely be the coldest, wettest June ever. And, oh great, now there's a flash flood watch. Compare it to Seattle, to Noah's Ark, whatever you want. But the weather forecast says this will never ever end. Ever.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

June is supposed to be nice in New York. On average, 64% of the daylight hours in June are supposed to get sunshine. So far this month, nine out of twelve days have seen clouds, fog, and capricious rain. On average, according to historical weather data, we should have gotten about one-and-a-half total inches of rain so far this month. In grim reality, we've gotten four inches. On nine of the first 11 days of June, New Yorkers have seen below average temperatures, including four days with highs only in the 60s. This is not normal.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Steven DiMartino, a meteorologist for the Examiner, describes our doldrums thusly:

Through this weekend, the cold front will stall right over the forecast area, which will mean that moisture will converge and focus over the region, guaranteeing a good amount of cloudy conditions over the forecast area. As weak waves of low pressure, like the one over the Hudson Valley and West Virginia this morning move along the stationary front, scattered showers will develop and move through the region. Which will produce another hit or miss type of weekend for many.... This is not a case where wide spread rain develops, but just a dreary; foggy; cool; almost fall-like weekend can be expected. Personally, this type of weather makes me feel like playing football rather than baseball.

So when will it end? And why is it happening to us? El Niño!

[L]ooking at the water vapor this morning back through the Pacific Ocean, I see no mechanism to change this pattern. In fact, with the growing strength of El Nino, this type of pattern will only be reinforced through the next several weeks.

Indeed, forecasters are predicting an "El Niño event" all summer, which will mean more storms in the west, more Atlantic hurricanes, and supposedly warmer temperatures in the Northeast. But for now it means weak, limp cold fronts stalled in out backyards, raining on our grills, driving us batty, and making us buy new umbrellas everyday because we keep losing them.

[Top pic by John Fraissinet via Flickr]

(Sheep Meadow in Central Park, above, via)

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The Twinks of Sheep Meadow, via

The Extra-Dirty Twinks of Sheep Meadow, via

The first snowstorm of the season is expected to blanket Gotham in a foot of snow tonight. The mayor sounds pretty blasé about the whole thing, making odd jokes about lions and lambs and saying he'll just take the subway to work.

And the New York Times just says "New Yorkers will have to pull their sweaters back off the shelf - and a shovel out of the garage."

But Bauer is scrambling to avoid any delays whatsoever in closing InTouch and Life & Style tomorrow, so it sent an "emergency email" demanding everyone come into the office as soon as possible, today. Sunday.

And it's threatening that if staff don't finish tonight, they'll have to work Monday out of hotel rooms. In New Jersey.

The whole thing reeks of an impossibly tight budget amid the advertising collapse, but then it's been a while since we worked toward the frenzied close of a printed magazine (or shoveled any snow). Know of any other publications following suit? We'd love to hear from you. tips@gawker.com

(Pic: AFP: "People storm a snow fortress in the village of Dementevo outside Moscow on March 1, 2009 during the 'Shrovetide' clebration bidding farewell to winter.")

An Associated Press story printed the St. Paul Pioneer Press mocks Londoners from the headline on: "London, the city that survived the Blitz, crumbles under a little snow." Apparently they got about 4 inches overnight, which shut down the trains and buses, and four more inches in the afternoon that completely crippled the city.

Even a photo caption drips with scorn: "The eight inches of snow, referred to as a blizzard by Londoners, challenged those famous stiff (now frozen) upper lips."

For some reason, Winter is very political! Conservative London mayor Boris Johnson blames the snow on European regulation, and his rival, former mayor "Red" Ken Livingstone, blames it on the Tories. Of course, every time there is winter weather in the States, Matt Drudge helpfully updates us on what Al Gore is up to, because as we all know Mr. Gore claims that because of your SUV there will never be snow again.

Even Rachel Maddow got into the act, wondering why Republican House members voted against the stimulus plan, which would've helped people who got their power knocked out by a real blizzard. An American blizzard.

Snow! It's a handy symbol of the death of rational political discourse based on the acceptance by all sides of the basic reality-based facts underlying the debate! And the English are all pussies!

Now we obviously don't want to make light of the situation the individual residents find themselves in, because it is personal for someone with a basement that is now underwater. But if you want to tell the human drama of natural disaster, is it really necessary to turn the low pressure system into a sentient being with a grudge? Hurricane Katrina Changed Everything, of course, but a little perspective on "catastrophic" storms might be in order. The death toll currently stands at three (one was a nursing home patient and an other a 10-year-old struck by a tree branch) but, sad as that is, it's still less than the death toll from that California train crash—another disaster that the cable news networks have all but ignored.

Oh, and the big Galveston Hurricane of 1900? 8,000 dead and the town was nearly erased from the map. That rain cloud must have been pissed.

[Check the local coverage from the Houston Chronicle.]

Con Edison has notified us of a strain to its electrical grid and has asked us to curtail our power consumption where ever possible. Plant Operations is currently reducing power consumption where it is feasible but we need your help.

Please:
Turn off lights when not in use.
Close shades, blinds or drapery.
Raise thermostats to 75 degree set point where possible.
Turn off PC terminals, computer monitors, and PACs monitors that are not in use.

These simple actions will go a long way to reduce electrical consumption and the high heat load Plant Operations is contending with during this heat wave.

Thank you for your cooperation.

A city-wide outage would be great, sure, but it's not like we can sleep in this weather so why not continue rising and blogging each morning, sigh.

How are you coping with the heat? Send your tips and tricks to Gothamist and LEAVE US ALONE WE JUST WANT TO DIE.