Turning the Weather Page to December

The start of the Winter season is officially three weeks away, yet you'd never know it by the unseasonably warm temperatures of late. Yesterday's high of 65 degrees tied the record for the date and helped push the average monthly temperature to 49.8 degrees. That's more than four degrees above normal and less than a degree shy of the all-time warmest November on record (50.5 degrees in 1975). Although today is off to a mild start, cooler air will gradually arrive over the next few days.

Nonetheless, the Winter Solstice occurs at 12:30 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, Thursday, December 22, technically making it the “shortest” day of the year in terms of sunlight. Sunrise happens at 7:15, while the Sun sets at 4:26 on that day. Gradually, the length of daylight begins to increase by the last week of the month.
As one would expect, the average temperatures in December start taking a nosedive based on 40 years of averages, or what we call climatology.

The average high temperature drops from 46 degrees on the first of the month to just 37 degrees on New Year’s Eve. The average daily temperature falls from 39 degrees to 30 degrees over the next 31 days. The record high temperature for the month is 76 degrees, established on December 7, 1998. The coldest days ever for December happened on Christmas Day, December 25, 1980, and the next day, December 26, 1980, when an all-time low of -4 was recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. The mercury also fell to -1 on December 30, 1962.

I'm sure you haven't forgotten the post-Christmas blizzard one year ago, which "snowballed" into one of the most memorable Winters in recent memory. Heavy snow fell from Sunday, December 26, through Monday, December 27, kickstarting a nearly two-month stormy pattern which led to 60 inches of snow. Although that's double the norm, it fell short of the all-time snowiest Winter on record in southwestern Connecticut, when 78 inches fell during the 1995-96 season.

Officially, 12 inches of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford from Sunday morning through early Monday morning.The eight inches of snow which fell Sunday marked the third snowiest December day on record in southwestern Connecticut. Only December 19, 1948 (16 inches), and December 30, 2000 (10 inches) brought more snow in one day. Here are some impressive snow totals from across southwestern Connecticut:

• Wilton: 18"
• New Canaan: 17.5"
• Greenwich: 17"
• Stratford: 16"
• Norwalk: 16"
• Westport: 14.8"
• Darien: 14.5"
• Milford: 14"
• Bridgeport: 12"

The snowiest day on record next month happened on December 9, 1948, when sixteen inches fell across southwestern Connecticut. Ten inches of snow fell on December 30, 2000. One of the more memorable snowstorms this month occurred on Christmas Eve, 1966, when seven inches fell. You may remember that 3.5 inches of snow fell on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2008.

As far as precipitation is concerned, the average for the month is 3.47 inches. The wettest December on record happened in 1972 when 7.87 inches fell at the airport. Heavy rain plagued southwestern Connecticut  December 11 and 12, 2008, when 3.54 inches of rain fell over those two days, which is more than the average for the entire month. The driest December was in 1955 when only 0.33 inches filled the gauge. The average monthly snowfall is about 3.6 inches.

There is a "bright" side to the month. Although the time of sunrise gets later through the month, the Sun sets later and later, too. Today, for example, the Sun sets at 4:25, which is only one minute after the earliest Sunset in mid December. However, by New Year’s Eve, the Sun will fall below the horizon at 4:33. So, we’ll gain nearly 10 minutes of daylight in the evening through the end of the month.

The full Cold Moon, otherwise known as the full Long Nights Moon, happens on the first day of Winter, Saturday, December 10, at 8:36 a.m. It is sometimes called the “Moon before Yule.” The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun.

Happy December!

Paul

Active Atlantic Hurricane Season Comes to a Close Tomorrow

Aside from the historic October Nor'easter which caused massive power outages across Connecticut, Tropical Storm Irene was the most memorable weather event this year. Irene will long be remembered by residents of southwestern Connecticut for the number of lives it affected. More than 700,000 customers were without power after the storm which, at the time, easily broke the previous record of 480,000 following Hurricane Gloria in September of 1985.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially ends tomorrow, with a total of 19 tropical storms, seven of which became hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. The level of activity actually matched NOAA’s predictions and continues the trend of active hurricane seasons that began in 1995. Irene was the lone hurricane to hit the United States in 2011, and the first one to do so since Ike struck southeast Texas in 2008. Irene was also the most significant tropical cyclone to strike the Northeast since Hurricane Bob in 1991.

The 19 tropical storms this season represent the third-highest total (tied with 1887, 1995, and 2010) since records began in 1851 and is well above the average of 11. However, the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes is only slightly above the average of six and two, respectively. This year’s totals include a post-storm upgrade of Tropical Storm Nate to hurricane status, and the addition of a short-lived, unnamed tropical storm that formed in early September between Bermuda and Nova Scotia.

As for Irene, the southwestern Connecticut shoreline was hit the hardest, especially during the storm surge during the time of astronomical high tide at the time of the storm's arrival. Several homes collapsed along the beach in Fairfield, and many residents had to be evacuated due to the flooding. There were 35 streets which were under mandatory evacuation. Ralph Fato of Norwalk sent the following photos of Cove Island Park in Stamford, where the water level was 15 feet above normal. The beach is actually a quarter-mile away.





The highest wind gusts reported in the region was 63 miles an hour at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford several hours before the storm hit. The highest wind speed was 46 miles an hour, and the average wind speed was 24.9 miles an hour. Fortunately, winds never reached hurricane force, but that certainly was little consequence to the thousands of people who were left in the dark. Rainfall totals ranged from just over three inches to more than a half-foot in Northern Fairfield County. Here are a few more photos from Ralph.

The combination of near-record sea surface temperatures in the region of the Atlantic Ocean where storms form, but unusually dry, stable air over the ocean helped produce a large number of named storms, but comparatively few hurricanes. Seasonal forecasters, such as Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, were very close on their predictions for named storms. Klotzbach called for 17, but he predicted nine hurricanes for 2011.

Now, our attention turns to the Winter season. I'm sticking with a prediction of a somewhat "normal" Winter, which means about 30 inches of snow and slightly colder-than-normal temperatures. Last year, 60 inches of snow fell across southwestern Connecticut, double the norm, but less than the record 78-inch snowfall during the Winter of 1995-96. What's your prediction?

Paul

Snowiest November Day on Record Happened 23 Years Ago Today on Thanksgiving Day

Twenty-two years later, the Thanksgiving Day snowstorm of November 23, 1989, still remains the snowiest November day on record in southwestern Connecticut. The storm, which began Wednesday evening, November 22, delivered over a half-foot of snow in less than 24 hours, while creating havoc on area roadways and major airports in the Northeast. Officially, 6.6 inches of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford.

The first Thanksgiving Day snowstorm in 51 years postponed traditional high school football rivalry games and even prevented Snoopy and Bugs Bunny from making it to the big parade in Manhattan. Snow fell from Virginia to New England, breaking records in Boston, New Jersey, and New York City. By the time it dwindled to a flurry late Thursday, November 23, the storm delivered 4.7 inches of snow to Central Park.



The unforgettable storm was the seventh measurable Thanksgiving Day snow recorded in New York City since the National Weather Service started keeping records more than 120 years earlier. The last white Thanksgiving in the city was in 1938, when 3.9 inches of snow fell. In Newark, nearly six inches of snow fell in less than 24 hours, breaking the Thanksgiving record of four inches set in 1938.

The New York City police department said there were about 1.8 million spectators and marchers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They described it as a light to medium turnout. Strong gusts in the early morning tore at the seams and patches of the giant Snoopy and Bugs Bunny helium balloons, puncturing Snoopy's nose and tearing a hole in his comrade's side, a Macy's parade official, said.

Boston experienced the heaviest Thanksgiving Day snow in 65 years, and in southern New England, three to eight inches were recorded. Long Island was the hardest hit, in particular Northport and Centerport, where five to seven inches fell. In Brooklyn and New Jersey, up to five inches were reported. There were no record lows in temperature, however.

What do I most remember about the snowstorm? I just began working as the evening weather anchor at News 12 Connecticut two months earlier, and the snow caught just about everybody by surprise. Although there was some snow in the forecast, I distinctly remember telling the viewers that it shouldn't amount to much, and travel shouldn't be adversely affected. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Paul

Thanksgiving Day Forecast Calls for Sunshine and Seasonably Cool Temperatures

Hello.

Although a frontal system will bring steady rain to southwestern Connecticut late tomorrow through midday Wednesday, Thanksgiving Day is shaping up to be sunny, breezy, and seasonably cool with a high temperature close to 50 degrees. This will be the third dry Thanksgiving Day in the last four years. Light rain fell last Thanksgiving Day, bringing four-hundredths of an inch of precipitation to the region.

Obviously, with the date of Thanksgiving fluctuating from year to year, the weather can be very different from one year to the next. We've experienced a record-breaking rainstorm, record-setting snowstorm, unseasonably mild temperatures, and strong, gusty winds over the last 25 years on Thanksgiving Day. However, the two most memorable storms happened in 2006 and 1989.

The most memorable Thanksgiving Day over the last 25 years occurred on November 23, 1989. That's when over a half-foot of snow fell across southwestern Connecticut, marking the snowiest Thanksgiving on record in these parts. In fact, the snow began falling the night before, creating a nightmare at airports, bus depots, and roadways on the heaviest travel day of the year.

Officially, 6.2 inches of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Coupled with the nearly half-inch that fell the night before, just about seven inches of snow blanketed the region. The Thanksgiving snow of 19 years ago also marked the snowiest day on record in November. Remember, the average snowfall for the entire month based on 40 years of climatology is less than an inch (0.7"). 

Seventeen years later to the exact day, nearly two inches of rain (1.84") fell during Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2006, with most of it coming during the mid-to-late morning hours. That's over half the normal average rain for the entire month. I was the emcee at Fairfield Warde High School's halftime ceremony during the Mustangs' football game against arch-rival Fairfield Ludlowe. The gala event included the field dedication ceremony and 50th anniversary celebration of the opening of the school.

If you're counting, 11 of the last 23 Thanksgivings have produced measured rain, including a streak of four in a row from 2004 through 2007. The longest dry stretch was four years, from 2000 through 2003. Nearly an inch of rain fell on Thanksgiving Day 1998, and just about a half-inch was recorded the following year in 1999. Just a trace of rain two years ago, November 26, 2009.

In fact, over the last 50 years, the numbers are strikingly similar. Measured rain has been recorded 24 times on Thanksgiving Day, or just about 50 percent of the time. As for the warmest Thanksgiving Day in recent memory, the mercury climbed to 69 degrees at Central Park in New York City on November 29, 1990, establishing a record high for the date. The coldest Thanksgiving morning in the last 20 years happened on November 28, 1996, when the temperature fell to 23 degrees.

Paul

Autumn Weekend Winning Streak Continues

Aside from the historic Nor'easter the weekend of October 29 and 30, we've been lucky with our weekend weather over the last two months. In fact, this weekend will be the third consecutive dry weekend and sixth in the last seven weeks. The streak stretches back to the first weekend in October when nearly a half-inch of rain fell October 1 and 2.

A cold front pushed through the region late yesterday, delivering just three-hundredths of an inch of rain, but paving the way for dry air today through the weekend. Thus far this month, we've received exactly three quarters of an inch of rain, which is well below the 1.82" normal. There have been only two days with measured rain this month. However, for the year, over four feet (51.73") of liquid precipitation has fallen, more than a foot above the 37.84" normal.

A closer look at our weather record book reveals that our weekend good fortune extends to the beginning of September. In fact, three of the four weekends that month were dry, and just one-hundredth of an inch of rain fell during the last weekend of the month. That means eight of the last 11 weekends --- or 73 percent --- have been dry. That's a pretty good average.

On the flip side, August weekends were anything but dry. Believe it or not, seven-and-a-half inches of rain fell just on the weekends that month, punctuated by Tropical Storm Irene's deluge, which produced 3.35" of rain on August 27 and 28. Every weekend in August was wet, including the weekend of August 13 and 14 when 2.75" of rain fell in southwestern Connecticut.

This weekend will be ideal for any outdoor activities you may have planned. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and milder with a high temperature in the lower 50s. Sunday will be partly sunny and warmer with a high in the upper 50s to close to 60 degrees. Some showers are expected by the middle of next week, but we are closely watching the potential for a coastal storm by Thanksgiving. For now, though, let's enjoy the beautiful New England Autumn weather.

Paul

Feeling SAD About the Return of Standard Time

After 16-and-a-half years of working the early-morning shift, I suppose I’ve gotten used to getting up and driving to work in the dark. However, I have an especially difficult time with the Sun setting so early in the afternoon. It seems that there is very little time to do anything outside before it gets dark. In fact, one of the late buses from our neighborhood school arrived just before 5 o’clock last night when it was completely dark out. I don’t like it.

Those who work the 9-to-5 shift are coming home in the dark now. Sunset this afternoon is at 4:33. And, it only gets earlier over the month. By the end of the month, Sunset is at 4:24. The earliest time the Sun sets at our latitude is 4:23 in early December. That is a striking contrast to late June, when the latest Sunset in southwestern Connecticut happens at 8:30.

Psychologically, the darker afternoons and evenings affect many people. You’ve no doubt heard about Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the National Mental Health Association, some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the Winter months, with those symptoms subsiding during the Spring and Summer. This may be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression episodes and related to seasonal variations of light.

How does SAD affect people? People with the disorder frequently experience the following:

• Sleep problems – oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon
• Overeating – carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
• Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety – normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
• Family / social problems – avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, loss of feeling
• Lethargy – too tired to cope, everything an effort
• Physical symptoms – often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
• Behavioral problems – especially in young people

Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.

Phototherapy or bright light therapy has been shown to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin. Although, there have been no research findings to definitely link this therapy with an antidepressant effect, many people respond to this treatment.

I admit, the early darkness always shocks me in early November. Remember, it was just over two months ago we were still enjoying Summer and relatively brighter evenings. The Sun set at 7:25 on the first day of September. Seemingly, in the blink of an eye, we’re just about five from the first day of Winter. Yeah, it’s a bummer, to be sure.

Personally, the only positive about the longer nights is the relative ease of falling asleep. I actually feel as though I should be going to bed at 8:30, even though it’s an early time by most people’s standards. During the Summer, it’s virtually impossible to fall asleep when the Sun is still shining, my son is playing, and I hear people laughing and talking outside. I actually embrace the darker evenings for that reason alone. After all, the 2 o’clock alarm is not a “friend,” no matter the time of the year.

So, if you don’t enjoy the shorter days and longer nights, we have about a month before the length of daylight begins to increase once again. The first day of Winter is technically “the shortest day of the year.” Before you know it, the evenings will start getting a little brighter once more.

It can’t get here fast enough!

Paul

Recalling the Wettest November on Record

A storm offshore yesterday stalled an approaching cold front long enough to keep us from getting any appreciable rain. Only one-hundredth of an inch of rain was recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford yesterday, which is the only measured rain we've received thus far this month. It looks like the next three days will be dry, although we can expect a gusty wind today, tonight, and tomorrow.

However, 39 years ago today, the weather picture was quite different across southwestern Connecticut. Residents were recovering after a drenching rain and wind storm. Winds gusted to 67 miles-an-hour and over three inches of rain fell across the region, causing broken windows, downed trees, power outages, and significant property damage. It was the first of two significant rainstorms within a week during the wettest November on record.

Nearly a foot of rain (10.22") fell during November of 1972, establishing an all-time record for the month. Consider that the normal average rain for the entire month is 3.65 inches. This November, by contrast, nine of the first 10 days were completely dry. The November 8, 1972 storm delivered 3.04 inches of rain. Just six days later, November 14, nearly three more inches (2.84") soaked the area.

According to the Thursday, November 9, 1972 edition of The Bridgeport Post, "The full force of the coastal storm struck between 2 and 4 o'clock yesterday, slowing traffic on the Connecticut Turnpike and the Merritt Parkway, as the wind-driven rain cut visibility sharply. Public Works Department crews in Bridgeport and across the county were kept busy throughout the afternoon and evening cleaning up fallen tree limbs and branches."



The report stated that the worst electrical interruptions occurred in Norwalk and New Canaan, where 2,600 customers of the Connecticut Light and Power Company were without electricity for varying amounts of time yesterday afternoon and last night. The United Illuminating Company reported a large number of small power failures, resulting from wind gusts, but no major power interruption.

According to the newspaper account, in Milford, a wind gust sent a beach umbrella high in the air and smashed it down on a police patrol car at 2:30 p.m. at Yale Avenue and Easy Street. The policeman said he was unable to avoid the umbrella. It damaged the patrol car's searchlight and left fender, and a moment later struck a parked car anb flew off. Smashed display windows were plentiful as wind gusts reached gale level. One gust of wind peeled off a 30-foot section of a new roof on the Pleasure Beach ballroom.



This November is quite different from the soaker we experienced back in 1972. The next threat of showers will happen next Monday, and more showers are possible by the middle of next week. Put away the umbrella for now, but make sure to hang onto your hat. The holiday weekend is starting on a sunny and windy note.

Paul

Full Beaver Moon Brightens October Night Sky

Did you happen to see the Moon last night? It was nearly full and brightened the lengthening October night. And, did you see the bright star located next to it? Well, that wasn't a star, but the king of the planets, Jupiter. Now that the nights are growing longer, the Moon is climbing higher in the sky during the Autumn and Winter months. If you're wondering, the Full Beaver Moon will happen at 2:16 p.m. EST tomorrow afternoon.

November's Full Moon is so named because this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze to ensure a supply of warm Winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for Winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

During the late 1800s, beavers were almost hunted to extinction by the white trappers and traders, because the beaver pelt became a very fashionable wardrobe accessory, especially for men's top hats in Europe and in New England. Since that time they have greatly increased in number and in the amount of damage that they cause during the building of their dams and dens.

Are you aware that a single beaver may chew down hundreds of trees every year as he continuously builds and repairs his lodges and dams? The beavers do provide habitat for other animals such as ducks and otters, but they can also cause unexpected large-scale floods.

 

Over ten years ago in the Washington, D.C. tidal basin, where many of the famous ornamental cherry trees bloom drawing tourists from all over the world, a family of beavers moved into the "luxurious digs." The beavers were noticed as soon as they began downing cherry trees to build their lodges. The National Park Service Rangers quickly set live humane traps and moved the family of pesky beavers to another area where the trees were not as famous or rare.

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans in what is now the Northern and Eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

As far as our weather goes, another sunny and mild day is ahead with daytime high temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s. Some showers are expected tomorrow, followed by clearing skies and windy conditions Friday. The weekend will be sunny and cool with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s and 40s.

Paul

Snow & Cold Affected Region One Year Ago Today

The first snowfall of the season affected much of southwestern Connecticut one year ago this morning, creating hazardous driving conditions during the early commute to work and school. A strong storm system in the Atlantic Ocean moved from East-to-West, bringing gusty winds and cold temperatures when the precipitation started around daybreak. Morning lows dipped into the 30s even along the shoreline.

The wind began howling as the storm slowly approached in the early hours of the morning, and it continued through the day. There was a Wind Advisory gusts over 40 miles an hour. Photographer Lori Golias took several photos from Route 127 on the Bridgeport/Trumbull line. She reported snow and sleet at her home.

One of our receptionists, who lives in Weston, reported nearly an inch of snow on the hillier terrain. She said several drivers experienced some difficulty negotiating hills and curves in the snow and the wind. The storm, which was originally forecast to stay offshore and not directly impact the region, began "backing up" the day before, creating the mess on area roadways.

The wintry weather occured 57 years to the day of one of the earliest snowstorms on record in southwestern Connecticut. Nearly a half-foot (5.4") of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford on Friday, November 6 (3.4") and Saturday, November 7 (2.0"), 1953.

Our weather will be anything but Wintry on this Election Day. Today will be mostly sunny and milder with a high temperature in the low-to-mid 60s. Tonight will be partly cloudy with patchy fog and a low in the 40s. Tomorrow will feature a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the 60s once again. Get out and vote.

Paul

Historic Autumn Storm Highlighted October Weather

The effects of this past weekend's historic October Nor'easter are still being felt by thousands of people without electricity today. Record snowfall caused heavy branches and small trees to come crashing down. More than a foot of snow fell in parts of Northern Fairfield County, while Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford received four inches of snow, a record for October 29 and the entire month. Here's a picture of Southport Harbor last Saturday.

Last month was warmer than normal. The average daily temperature was 57.1 degrees, which is exactly two degrees warmer than normal. The mercury climbed to an unseasonably warm 85 degrees on October 10 and fell below freezing only once all month. The average daily temperature was at or above normal for 19 consecutive days from October 8 through October 26. The average temperature was 13 degrees above normal October 10 and 11 degrees above normal October 11, 14, and 20.

October was also wetter than normal, continuing the theme for the year. Nearly four inches (3.96") of liquid precipitation fell last month, which is about a third of an inch (0.32") above normal. There were 10 days which featured measured precipitation, including each of the first three days of the month. Well over an inch (1.25") of precipitation fell during the Nor'easter, which was the wettest day of the month.

The record snowfall punctuated the month. Consider the normal average snowfall for October is just a trace, and it was quite surprising to see four inches of snow along the immediate shoreline before Halloween. The only other day with measured snow on record in southwestern Connecticut happened Sunday, October 4, 1987, when just a half-inch fell. Even more surprising was the heavy snow in Northern Fairfield County. It was historic, to say the least.

November is off to a much quieter start, thankfully. Other than an Air Quality Alert this afternoon due to the burning wood and running generators, our weather looks fairly quiet through the middle of next week. A cold front will march through the region tonight, producing mostly cloudy skies, but clouds lift for sunshine later tomorrow morning. Friday will become sunny and windy with a high in the mid 50s. The weekend looks sunny and cool.

Paul

Taking a Look at November by the Numbers

Hello.
Now that Halloween and a historic Autumn Nor'easter are behind us, it's time to look ahead to November and how the month shapes up climatologically. Normally, we try and predict when the first measured snow of the season will fall, but incredibly that already happened. The week ahead looks fairly quiet, too, as we adjust to Standard Time, which begins this coming Sunday morning, November 6, at 2 o'clock.

Snow is certainly not out of the question during this month. Perhaps the most memorable Thanksgiving Day in recent memory occured in 1989 when over a half-foot of snow fell that day. The snow began falling shortly after midnight, and by the time it ended late Thanksgiving afternoon, it was the biggest single-day snow event in November.

Snow also fell twice in 1995, including 2.4 inches on November 29 of that year. That was the snowiest Winter on record across southwestern Connecticut. Another "snowstorm" of note happened on November 6 and 7 of 1953 when a combined 5.4 inches fell. However, the average snow for the month is only 0.6 inches.

November can also be a wet month, too. The most precipitation in November occured in 1972 when 10.22 inches were recorded. There have also been some impressive single-day totals, including 3.12" (Nov. 2, 1954), 3.04" (1972), and 2.91" (Nov. 10, 1948). The average precipitation for the month is 3.81 inches, ranking it fourth behind March, May, and April as the wettest months of the year. The driest November happened 35 years ago when only 0.36" fell in 1976.

We begin to experience a dramatic decline in average temperatures, too. At the start of the month, the normal high and low are 59 and 43 degrees, respectively. However, by month's end, the normals are 47 and 33. That's an 11-degree drop in the mean temperature. The average high temperature is 53 degrees, while the average low for the month is 38.2 degrees.

The warmest November on record occured in 1975 when the average temperature was a relatively balmy 50.5 degrees. The coldest November happened 15 years ago, in 1996, when the mercury averaged 40.7 degrees. Although the temperature has never officially reached 80 degrees at the airport during the month, we've come close a few times. The warmest single day reading was 78 degrees which happened twice, on Nov. 4, 1975, and Nov. 15, 1993. Other notable warm days include 77 degrees (Nov. 2, 1950), and 72 degrees (Nov. 5, 1961).

The length of daylight continues to decrease with each passing day. We're a little more than seven weeks from the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. By the middle of the month, Sunrise and Sunset are at 6:41 a.m. and 4:33 p.m., respectively. By the last day of the month, the Sun rises at 6:58 in the morning and sets at 4:24 in the afternoon. That's only one minute later than the earliest Sunset, at 4:23, in early-to-mid December.

The Full Beaver Moon happens Thursday, November 10. Why the Beaver Moon? This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Welcome to November.

Paul