Damp & Dreary April to End on Stormy Note

I'm looking forward to turning the calendar page to May. April can't leave soon enough. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for southwestern Connecticut through 4 o'clock this afternoon as a line of severe storms marches in our direction. Ahead of the front, a warm and humid air mass is setting the stage for tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms in Northern New Jersey early this afternoon. Needless to say, I'll be watching the radar carefully today.

As far as this month is concerned, it has been dreary and wet. In fact, we've received over four-and-a-half inches of rain (4.59") so far, and that's an inch above normal through today. Based on 40-plus years of record keeping, this month is the third wettest of the year with an average of 3.99 inches of rain. If you're counting, today will be the 15th day with measured rain this month. That means more than half of the days this month have been wet.

There have been two days (April 16 and April 23) with more than an inch of rain, while another storm which stretched from April 12 to April 13 delivered 1.20" inches of rain. Measured rain fell on five of the first seven days this month and a stretch of six out of nine days from April 11 through April 19. Today's rain will mark the fourth day out of the last six with rain. So, yes, it has been an extremely wet month.



Fortunately, our weather will turn the corner by tomorrow, and this weekend may be the best one of the year. Clearing skies are expected late tonight as low temperatures drop into the upper 40s inland and lower 50s along the immediate shoreline. Tomorrow will bring a mix of sun and clouds, but it will be windy and pleasant with a high in the mid 60s. The weekend will be sunny and delightful with daytime highs in the 60s and nighttime lows in the low-to-mid 40s.

Paul