High School Graduation Exercises at Mercy of Mother Nature

High school graduation exercises are taking place across southwestern Connecticut this week, and the weather is not being cooperative. Wednesday's rain and thunderstorms caused several high schools, including Staples of Westport, to move their graduation ceremonies inside. Some light rain fell through much of the evening, and the National Weather Service measured over a half-inch (0.55") of rain for the day at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford.

Bunnell High School principal Dr. Dudley Orr called me after the noon newscast yesterday to request an updated forecast and my thoughts about moving the ceremony inside. I told him that another round of showers and thunderstorms would affect the region from 4 to 9 p.m., and that it would be best to move graduation inside. Although the rain wouldn't necessarily be steady and heavy, the ground was already wet and the air was warm and humid.

The showers, as expected, arrived during the evening hours, so the move inside was the right call. However, showers and storms can be "hit and miss" this time of the year, so making a definitive call early in the day about moving an afternoon or evening event inside or postponing an athletic contest can be difficult. Unfortunately, the weather system plaguing southwestern Connecticut will be with us through tomorrow before conditions begin to improve Saturday.

Several other local high schools, including Fairfield Ludlowe, are holding graduation exercises this evening. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop once again this afternoon, and they will continue through this evening. I would expect graduation ceremonies to me moved inside due to the threat of more rain. Although there is the temptation to hold the pomp-and-circumstance outside, worried administrators, parents, and students would keep a constant eye to the sky. It's not worth the anxiety or aggravation.

Congratulations to all the graduates. I would have liked much better weather this week, but holding graduation exercises inside shouldn't put a damper on the day. It's better to be safe than sorry. Any showers and storms will end by mid-to-late evening, and patchy fog will develop late tonight with a low temperature in the 60s. A few more showers and a possible thunderstorm are in the forecast for tomorrow as highs reach the mid 70s.

Paul