*** Paul Piorek is editor and publisher of Paul's Local Weather Journal for southwestern Connecticut ... Paul is the on-air meteorologist at WICC 600 AM and 107.3 FM ... Paul is a New York Emmy award winner (2007), five-time Emmy nominee, and four-time winner of the Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association award for Best TV Weathercast (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012) ... Paul was voted Best Local Television Personality by the readers of Fairfield County Weekly Magazine (2012) ... Paul was inducted into the Housatonic Community College Hall of Fame and received the Distinguished Alumni Award (2012) ... The local weather journal is a two-time winner of the Communicator Award of Distinction (2012 & 2013) ... Paul is currently a full-time teacher of Earth Science and Mathematics in Fairfield ... Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulPiorekWICC ...

Friday, March 29, 2024

Today Marks 54th Anniversary of Easter Sunday Snowstorm

The month of March is arguably the most unpredictable as far as weather is concerned in southwestern Connecticut. Today marks the 54th anniversary of the unforgettable Easter Sunday snowstorm of March 29, 1970. Remember, a snowstorm this late in the season in southwestern Connecticut is extremely rare. 

The normal high temperature is almost 20 degrees warmer than the freezing point, while the normal low temperature is 35 degrees. In addition, the higher angle of the Sun, its stronger rays, and more than 12 hours of daylight all contribute to a Springtime feel of the air.

That's why the Easter Sunday snowstorm is so memorable. Adding to its uniqueness was the fact that it happened on Easter, a day on which many people travel to church services and to see relatives. Below are copies of the front pages from The Bridgeport Telegram and The Bridgeport Post from Monday, March 30, 1970, courtesy of Sarah Greenberg of the Bridgeport Public Library's Historical Collections Department.

Telegram

More than a half-foot of snow fell in the Greater Bridgeport area and, to make matters worse, the mercury plummeted to 16 degrees the following morning at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford and 14 degrees in Norwalk.

Post1_1

According to The Hour newspaper of Norwalk, eight inches of snow fell in the city. The front page of the Norwalk newspaper (below) from the following morning, March 30, is courtesy of Judy Rivas of the Norwalk Public Library.

"The weatherman pulled a somewhat premature April Fool's Day gag on Norwalkers Sunday and in the bargain, turned the Easter Parade into a trek more fitting for Siberian slopes than West Avenue," the article stated. "The snowfall, which came shortly after the traditional Easter Sunrise Service at Calf Pasture Beach, caught many a midmorning churchgoer unawares."

Hour

Although Easter occurred quite early that year, an Easter Sunday snowfall hadn't been recorded in southern Connecticut since 1915, when eight inches of snow fell April 3 and 4. The 1970 snowstorm began at about 8:30 a.m. and persisted throughout the day until early evening, accompanied by wind gusts up to 30 miles an hour. Remember, the date on which Easter falls fluctuates each year. It is observed on the first Sunday following the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox.

"The state highway department began plowing roads Sunday, though reports indicated much of its snow-fighting equipment was stored away to begin Spring cleanup of sand and road trash instead of snow," according to The Hour. "State police, in a statewide survey of conditions, reported most roads were snow or ice-covered, with extremely slippery conditions."

The following day, Monday, March 30, was an unscheduled holiday for many area schoolchildren due to the snow, wind, and brutally cold temperatures. Only New Canaan and Darien opened their schools, "as most towns, faced with slippery roads and unplowed school yards, cancelled classes."

Although I was only 11 years old and in sixth-grade at the time, the memory of that snowstorm is as vivid today as it was 41 years ago. As a young child, I was excited that we didn't have to go to church or drive to grandma's house for dinner. Instead, our family spent the day at home, enjoying the snow and the holiday together. Oddly, four years later, 7.6" of snow fell at Sikorsky Airport on the same date.

Special thanks are extended to Judy Rivas of the Norwalk Public Library and Sarah Greenberg of the Bridgeport Public Library for helping me research the snowstorm. I appreciate their time and thoughtfulness.

Paul

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wettest March on Record at Bridgeport

Sunday, March 24, 2024

One Month's Worth of Heavy Rain Fell Across Southwestern Connecticut Saturday

Paul

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Flood Watch in Effect for Southwestern Connecticut Through Sunday, March 24, 2024, at 2 a.m. EDT

Paul

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Old Man Winter Delivered Vernal Equinox Snowstorm Nine Years Ago Today

A late-March snowstorm on the Vernal Equinox brought a half-foot of snow to several local communities and caused most school systems throughout the region to dismiss early, Friday, March 20, 2015. The snow began falling just after noon, and it became steadier and heavier throughout the afternoon, resulting in numerous fender-benders on local roads.


According to the National Weather Service official report, Weston led the way with 6.5 inches, followed by Norwalk (6.3"), New Canaan (6.3"), Shelton (5.5"), and Easton (5.5"). Just over five inches (5.3") fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, which was just shy for the record for the date of 5.5" set in 1958.


The snowfall pushed the monthly snow total to 16.7", which is well above the normal (5.1") for the month of March. It also pushed the snowfall for the 2014-2015 season to 57.8", which eclipses the previous year's total of 56.6" through the same date. The normal amount of snowfall through March 20 is just 25.7" based on 40 years of climatology.


Paul

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Spring Arrives Today at 11:06 p.m. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere

Today is the last full day of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Spring officially arrives in the Northern Hemisphere at 11:06 p.m. EDT. That's when the direct rays of the Sun pass over the Equator, technically creating "equal day and equal night" over the face of the Earth.

I've always observed the change of seasons with more reverence and awe than New Year's Eve. After all, the beginning of a new year is an arbitrary date which can actually be recognized just about any time during the year. However, an equinox or a solstice is a much more meaningful "event" and can be explained astronomically. The time is exact and changes every year although, for the most part, the date doesn't vary much.

Spring

The change of seasons is due to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth's axis. Because of the tilt, we receive the Sun's rays most directly in the Summer. In the Winter, when we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays pass through the atmosphere at a greater slant, bringing lower temperatures. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would not have seasons.

Now that Winter is just about in our rear-view mirror, how did we fare as far as snow is concerned? Officially, slightly more than one foot (15.6") of snow fell this season at the Bridgeport climate station, which is slightly more than half the normal snowfall (30.8) through today.

Spring2

Southwestern Connecticut didn't experience much of a Winter. However, recent history suggests that the official change of seasons in the Northern Hemisphere doesn't necessarily mean a smooth transition from Winter to Spring.

Happy Spring!

Paul