*** 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 ...

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Second Straight Day of Record Rain Punctuates Dreary Week of Weather

This has been one of the dreariest weeks of weather in recent memory. Yesterday marked the fifth straight day with measured rain across southwestern Connecticut, and we haven't seen much of the Sun since last Friday. Unfortunately, the weather pattern responsible for this week's weather won't move away any time soon. Scattered showers and a possible thunderstorm are in the forecast the next two days with afternoon high temperatures into the 60s.

Officially, nearly two-and-a-half inches (2.35") of rain fell yesterday at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, marking the second straight day of record rain. Well over an inch (1.26") of rain was measured Tuesday, bringing the two-day total to more than three-and-a-half inches. The total amount of rain over the last five days (4.18") is greater than the normal rainfall (4.03") for the entire month, based on 40+ years of averages.
Take a look at the rain amounts from each of the last five days:
  • Saturday: 0.45"
  • Sunday: 0.09"
  • Monday: 0.03"
  • Tuesday: 1.26"
  • Wednesday: 2.35"
Not surprisingly, this year's precipitation total is well above normal. Since January 1, nearly two feet (22.01") of liquid precipitation has been measured, which is much greater than the 17.13" normal through today. Thus far this month, the rain gauge shows 4.66" of rain, nearly double the 2.34" normal through May 19. In addition, since the start of climatological Spring --- March 1 --- over a foot of rain (12.90") has fallen, and that's more than the 10.48" normal through the last 40 days.

Water
I'm afraid the unsettled weather pattern will continue the next couple of days. Today will be mostly cloudy and humid with patchy fog and a few scattered showers. There may even be a strong thunderstorm this afternoon if any sunshine is able to break through the clouds. Tomorrow will be cloudy with a few showers and a possible storm with daytime highs in the 60s.

I'm sick of this weather!

Paul