*** 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, August 7, 2014

Little League Weather

The Fairfield American Little League all-stars are just two victories away from returning to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Fairfield American's 12-year-olds play Barnstable, Massachusetts, this afternoon at 4 o'clock in the New England Regional semi-final round game at Breen Field in Bristol. If Fairfield wins, it will play in the nationally-televised regional championship game this Saturday evening.


The weather should cooperate for the players. It will be mostly sunny and seasonably warm at game time with a temperature of 77 degrees and a light wind out of the North. There is a slight chance of an isolated shower or thunderstorm, but that shouldn't prevent the game from being played. The locals are the top-seed of the four remaining teams after posting a 3-1 record in the qualifying round. Fairfield defeated Cumberland, Rhode Island, 5-3, this past Tuesday on a walk-off two-run home run by Jamie Flink.


The success of the Fairfield American Little League 12-year-old program is nothing short of amazing. The team won the state championship in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014, and advanced to the Little League World Series after winning the New England Regional tournament in 2010 and 2012. If it wins the next two games, the team will have reached the Little League World Series for the third time in five years. That's simply incredible, considering the squad is comprised of new players and coaches every season.


Fairfield defeated Williston, Vermont, 9-4, in last Friday's regional opener before cruising to a 10-0 five-inning victory over Falmouth, Maine, Saturday. Goffstown, New Hampshire defeated Fairfield, 4-2, Sunday, but the locals came back to take the dramatic two-run victory over Rhode Island two days ago.

If Fairfield is fortunate to win today, the weekend weather looks great. Saturday evening's championship game will be played under mostly clear skies, a nearly-full Moon, and comfortable conditions.

Paul