Year-Long Stretch of Warmer-Than-Normal Temperatures

Springlike temperatures will be with us over the next couple of days as the mercury climbs well into the 50s this afternoon, courtesy of a mild South wind. This morning's "low" temperature didn't drop below 40 degrees, which is the normal afternoon high for this time of the year. Since the end of last Winter's unforgettable snowstorms in February, the average monthly temperatures in southwestern Connecticut have been above normal each of the last 12 months.

I looked at our weather record book and noticed that the last time the average monthly temperature was below normal happened in February of 2011. The average temperature that month was 31.1 degrees, which was less than one degree (-0.8) below normal. The warmest stretch has happened over the last three months, when the average monthly temperature was more than five degrees above normal in December, January, and February.

Take a look at the following chart, which shows the average monthly temperature as compared to the normal value for each month.

Month/Avg. Temp./Normal Temp./Departure

• February 2012     37.8     31.9     +5.9
• January 2012     35.7     30.1     +5.6
• December 2011     41.1     35.4     +5.7
• November 2011     49.8     45.5     +4.3
• October 2012     57.0     54.9     +2.1
• September 2011     70.1     66.2     +3.9
• August 2011     74.8     73.3     +1.5
• July 2011     77.6     74.0     +3.6
• June 2011     69.5     68.0     +1.5
• May 2011     61.1     59.0     +2.1
• April 2011     50.4     48.9     +1.5
• March 2011     39.7     39.5     +0.2
• February 2011     31.1     31.9     -0.8

Much cooler air will arrive this weekend, and it will be quite windy, especially Saturday, after the cold front crosses the region. In fact, Sunday's high temperatures may not escape the 30s. However, since it has been much warmer than normal thus far this month, the colder air this weekend should affect our strea of 12 straight months of above-average temperatures. March begins exactly one week from today. I wonder how long this streak will last?

Paul