Looking Ahead to July

Half the year is nearly over. July arrives this Sunday, and it’s time to look ahead at what the month brings climatologically to southwestern Connecticut. Not surprisingly, July is the warmest month of the year with a mean temperature of 74 degrees. The hottest temperature ever recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport happened last July 22, when the mercury topped 103 degrees, tying the record originally set in 1957. The following day, July 23, 2011, another record high of 96 degrees was recorded.

The mercury reached the century mark two other times — July 2, 1966 and July 5, 1999. In fact, the average daily temperature climbs from 72 degrees at the start of the month to 75 by July 31. The warmest July on record happened 18 years ago, in 1994, with an average temperature of 78.4 degrees. However, last July was one of the warmest on record with an average temperature of 77.6 degrees.

July of 2010 was another hot one. You may recall the heat wave over the Independence Day holiday weekend. The high temperatures from July 4 through July 7, 2010, were 97, 93, 98, and 95 degrees, respectively. In fact, record high temperatures were established July 6 and 7. The mercury also reached 95 degrees July 24. The average temperature for the month was 78 degrees, just shy of the all-time record.

Many people have asked me why the hottest time of the year happens over a month after the first day of Summer. Well, it takes the Earth awhile to absorb the heat. As the Sun’s angle gets higher in the sky and the days grow longer in May and June, the Northern Hemisphere slowly starts to warm.

It’s much like warming your home. When you turn your thermostat up to 72 degrees after being away all day in the Winter, it will take awhile for the house to warm up. It doesn’t happen instantly. That’s why our hottest days are typically in July and early August.

On the flip side, the coolest temperature ever recorded in these parts in July was 49 degrees on July 1, 1988. Aside from that, every record low for the month is in the 50s. Believe it or not, according to the National Weather Service record book, a trace of snow fell at the airport on July 4, 1950. I find that too hard to believe.

As far as precipitation is concerned, the wettest July on record happened in 1971 when over a foot of rain (12.84″) fell. The average monthly rainfall is 3.77 inches. There have been several memorable rainstorms in July. For example, nearly a half-foot (5.95″) of rain fell on July 19, 1971, and nearly four inches (3.93″) was recorded on July 29, 1990. Two other days delivered well over three inches of rain — July 30, 1960 (3.57″) and July 23, 1953 (3.45″).

The length of daylight decreases next month. For example, on July 1, the Sun rises at 5:23 and sets at 8:30. By the middle of the month, on July 15, the Sun rises at 5:32 and sets at 8:24. However, at the end of the month, it rises at 5:47 and sets at 8:10, meaning we lose 44 minutes of daylight. Remember, the “longest” day of the year happened at the Summer Solstice in late June.

Today will be the hottest day of the week with temperatures in the 90s and an Air Quality Alert in effect. The weekend will be quite warm and moderately humid, too, with daytime highs in the upper 80s to close to 90 degrees. Nighttime lows will hold in the 60s. We may see isolated thunderstorms Sunday and Monday before quieter weather arrives just in time for the Independence Day holiday..

Paul

Potential Heat Wave All But Assures 16th Straight Warmer-Than-Normal Month

A potential heat wave through the upcoming weekend is in our local weather forecast for southwestern Connecticut. Remember, there must be at least three consecutive days of temperatures of 90 degrees or more to classify as on official heat wave. Today will be mostly sunny and quite warm with afternoon high temperatures in the mid 80s to close to 90 degrees. A warm front arrives late tonight, and that will bring hot and humid air to the region tomorrow.

The extended forecast all but assures the region of 16 straight months of warmer-than-normal temperatures. That's quite a streak. The last time we had a cooler-than-normal month was in February of 2011 when the average temperature was 0.4 degrees below normal. I wasn't so sure June would be warmer-than-normal two weeks ago. You may recall that we had a stretch of eight out of nine cooler-than-normal temperatures from June 11 through June 19. In fact, daily average temperatures were at or below normal 12 of the first 19 days this month.

Wednesday's high temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford climbed to 85 degrees, which is five degrees above the normal high for June 27. The low temperature of 62 was actually two degrees cooler-than-normal. However, the average temperature for the day was 74 degrees, two degrees above normal. Thus far this month, the average temperature is 68.7 degrees, which is 0.4 degrees above normal. That number will only get higher over the next couple of days.

Take a look at the temperature forecast maps for the next two weeks days. The impending stretch of hot weather to close the month will no doubt put us over the top once again. Mean surfaces temperatures will be between 70 and 80 degrees each of the next two weeks with the temperature anamoly over the next seven days, from June 28 through July 5, running about four degrees above normal. Click on the photo to enlarge each of the maps.

Today's weather will be quite warm, but the humidity will be low for one more day. We can expect mostly sunny skies with a high temperature in the mid-to-upper 80s. Tonight will become mostly cloudy as a warm front approaches, triggering a shower or thunderstorm late. It will become muggy and warm with lows of 66 to 71 degrees. After an early shower or storm tomorrow, we'll have a hazy, hot, and humid day with highs in the lower 90s. A cold front arrives early Saturday, so that should be the better of the two weekend days, although it will still be hot and slightly less humid.

Paul

Lightning Safety Awareness Week

Monday's strong storms caused hundreds of lightning strikes across southwestern Connecticut yesterday morning. The storm did cause some damage, but both Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating said there were very few outages. A large tree was felled by lightning on Walter Avenue in Norwalk. Neighbors say they felt the whole block shake when it happened. Firefighters and utility workers were out in Westport, where power lines were downed and five homes were struck by lightning. The strikes resulted in three structure fires.

As if on cue, this is Lightning Safety Awareness Week. People are often surprised to hear that I'm afraid of lightning and thunderstorms. Whenever thunderstorms are in the forecast, I tell our viewers that I'll be hiding under the bed when they arrive. "You're a weatherman, so you should know all about lightning," is the refrain I frequently hear. That's exactly why I'm afraid of it. I know that lightning can kill. This photo of a lightning strike at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk was taken by a viewer yesterday.

Lightning is one of nature's most awe inspiring and dangerous phenomenon. The average lightning flash could light a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months. The temperature of a lightning bolt may reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That's even hotter than the surface of the Sun.




Lightning kills about 73 people nationwide each year. In fact, lightning remains one of the most deadly weather phenomena in the United States, and it can occur almost anywhere throughout the entire year. According to the National Weather Service Web site, lightning occurring during snowstorms has even killed people. However, a few simple precautions can reduce many of the dangers posed by lightning.

First, when you first hear thunder, it is time to act to prevent being struck by lightning. Generally speaking, when you can see lightning or hear thunder, you're already at risk for lightning injury or death. If the time delay between seeing the flash of lightning and hearing the bang of thunder is less than 30 seconds, immediately seek a safer location.

If you're outside, you should avoid high places and open fields, isolated trees, gazebos, open sided picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communication towers, flagpoles, light poles, metal or wood bleachers, metal fences, convertibles, golf carts, and water, whether a lake, pool, or river.

Inside, stay away from the telephone or computer, taking a shower, washing your hands, doing dishes, or any contact with conductive surfaces with exposure to the outside. These include metal door or window frames, electrical wiring, telephone wiring, cable TV wiring, or plumbing. People should stay away from playing computer games, too.

Many years ago my aunt was nearly struck by lightning while walking in an upstairs hallway during a severe thunderstorm. The windows at each end of the hallway were open, and a vivid bolt of lightning traveled through the hallway just as she entered a side room. The experience was frightening, to say the least.

Fortunately, our weather will be much quieter today. We can expect a mix of sun and clouds, but it will be breezy with an isolated shower or two and a high temperature in the low-to-mid 70s. A warm-up is expected later this week along with the threat of more thunderstorms later Friday into Saturday. For now, though, Monday's strong thunderstorms are in the rear-view mirror and a better day is ahead.

Paul

Two Year Anniversary of Bridgeport Tornado

It only took a matter of minutes, but a violent thunderstorm spawned a tornado which ripped through the Greater Bridgeport area two years ago yesterday, resulting in much damage, destruction, and a loss of electricity for thousands. A powerful cold front collided with a hot and humid air mass to set the stage for a Tornado Warning and a strong thunderstorm cell between 2 and 3 o'clock Thursday afternoon, June 24, 2010.

The temperature soared to 90 degrees for the second day in a row at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford that day, but the dew point --- or moisture content in the atmosphere --- was extremely high. As the front approached, the sky darkened, the heavens opened up, and vivid lightning along with hurricane-force wind gusts ripped through the Park City. Here is a photo of Washington Park in Bridgeport taken by one of our viewers, Melissa, following the storm.



There was dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning and a wind gust of 78 miles-an-hour in Bridgeport. The average wind speed during the height of the storm was 43 miles-an-hour. Nearly a half-inch of rain fell in a short period of time, resulting in some minor flooding of low-lying areas. But, it was the wind damage which caused a state of emergency to be declared in Bridgeport. Take a look at this picture of a fallen tree in the Park City taken by Takina.



Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch and former Governor Jodi Rell arrived on the scene to survey the damage from the storm. "It looks like Godzilla went through and ripped roofs off and threw cars around and tore wires down," Finch said as he spoke with reporters and residents who had gathered in the streets. "I mean, it's really amazing," he added. Shelley sent two photos of the damage on East Main Street.



  

Bethany sent the following photo of downtown Bridgeport.



Personally, my family and I ran to the basement that afternoon once we heard a Tornado Warning was issued and the skies darkened. In a matter of minutes, the wind began to howl and heavy rain fell. My sons were worried that a tornado would rip apart our home. Not unexpectedly, the power went out, but the storm exited shortly thereafter. We didn't get our electricity back until just before midnight. Here's one more photo taken by Amanda of minor flooding on James Street in Bridgeport.



Another active weather day is ahead today with showers and possibly strong thunderstorms. Some of the storms may produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Temperatures will reach the mid-to-upper 70s this afternoon. Clearing skies are expected later tonight as temperatures fall into the 50s. An isolated thunderstorm is possible tomorrow before fair weather arrives by the middle of the week. More hot and humdi weather will arrive later in the week.

Paul

Fourth Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association Award in Seven Years for 'Best Weathercast'

I won the 2012 Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association award for Best Weathercast. The results were announced last evening. This marks the third time in the last five years and the fourth time in the last seven years I claimed the prestigious award. I also earned top honors in 2006, 2008, and 2009, and I was accorded honorable mention in 2004 and 2011.

This is truly an honor. I watched the editor produce my entry, and I thought I had a very good chance to win it again this year. I was humbled and excited to win it the first time, but to earn it for the fourth time in the last seven years is remarkable. I am thrilled. The entry included three weather segments from Tuesday morning, November 23, 2011, and showcased animated Thanksgiving Day graphics.



The honor continues a remarkable year of professional success. Last month, I was voted Best Local TV Personality by the readers of Fairfield County Weekly magazine, and I won the Communicator Award of Distinction for my Local Weather Journal. In addition, I received word that I will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award and will be inducted into the Housatonic Community College Hall of Fame at the HCC Foundation's annual gala in November.

The latest awards continue an impressive ten-year stretch which includes a prestigious New York Emmy award (2007), four Emmy nominations (New England, 2005; New York, 2007, 2008, and 2010), four Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association awards for Best Weathercast (2006, 2008, 2009, and 2012), and two Associated Press honorable mentions (2004 and 2011). 

Paul

Weekend Weather a Gift for Dad

Mother Nature will provide us with a nice Father's Day weekend. High pressure over the Northeast will deliver mostly sunny skies tomorrow with a high temperature in the mid 70s. Clouds will gather Sunday morning, but we'll see developing sunshine during the afternoon with a high temperature in the lower 70s. In fact, fair weather will continue through the middle of next week before it turns hot and humid by Thursday. Here is Friday's morning's satellite image.



If you're wondering, our weekend weather is batting just over .500 this year. Thirteen of the 24 weekends (54%) have been completely dry, while 11 weekends (46%) have seen measured rain. January, February, and March were evenly balanced as far as wet and dry weekends, while April featured three weekends with measured rain. There have been just two of six weekends with measured rain in May and June. Here is the monthly breakdown of our weekend weather:

January: 2 wet weekends, 3 dry weekends; total weekend rain 0.48"

February: 2 wet weekends, 2 dry weekends; total weekend rain 0.05"

March: 2 wet weekends, 2 dry weekends; total weekend rain 0.38"

April: 3 wet weekends, 2 dry weekends; total weekend rain 2.21"

May: 1 wet weekend, 3 dry weekends; total weekend rain 0.02"

June: 1 wet weekend, 1 dry weekend; total weekend rain 1.27"

Yearly total: 11 wet weekends, 13 dry weekends; total weekend rain 4.41"

The month of June can offer plenty of rain and clouds. Fortunately, though, a week of nearly-perfect weather is on the way. For many, end-of-year class field trips have been scheduled, school will soon be ending, and graduation ceremonies are being held. The weather will cooperate for the next several days. My younger son takes his class trip next Monday, and both of my sons are graduating from their respective middle school and high school next week. I'll be a proud Dad.

Happy Father's Day.

Paul

Summer Less Than Two Weeks Away

Summer officially arrives in 12 days, Saturday, June 21, at 6:51 a.m. EDT. That's when the Sun's rays will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer, marking their northernmost point on the Earth. The Sun rises at 5:19 a.m. and sets at 8:30 p.m., which is the latest Sunset during the year. We'll enjoy 15 hours and 11 minutes of Sunlight.

Two days later, the Sun rises at 5:20, and the days begin to get "shorter" once again. Remember, since the first day of Summer is "the longest day" of the year, the days actually become shorter by the end of the month and the remainder of the Summer. By the middle of July, the Sun rises at 5:32 in the morning and sets at 8:24 in the evening, so the difference will be hardly noticeable.

So, why does the Summer Solstice actually happen? Well, the seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth's axis. Because the Earth rotates like a gyroscope, the North Pole points in a fixed position constantly, while the Earth is revolving around the Sun.

During one half of the year, the Northern Hemisphere has more exposure to the Sun than the Southern Hemisphere, while the reverse is true during the other half of the year. At noontime, the Sun appears high in the sky during Summertime, but it is much lower in the sky in the Winter. When the Sun reaches its maximum elevation, or angle, in the sky, that's when the Summer Solstice happens.

Summer was a joyous time of the year in prehistoric times for the aboriginal people who lived in the Northern latitudes. The snow had melted, the ground thawed out, and warm temperatures returned. Flowers were in full bloom, and leaves had returned to the trees. More important, food was easier to find, and crops had been planted and would be harvested for months to come. The Full Moon is June is called the Full Honey Moon. Tradition dictates that this is the best time to harvest honey from the hives.

This time of the year, between the planting and harvesting of crops, is the traditional time for weddings because many ancient peoples believed that the grand union of the goddess and god occurred in early May. Since it was unlucky to compete with the gods, many people delayed their weddings until June. Today, June remains a favorite month for marriage.

Native Americans have constructed many stone structures linked to the Equinoces and Solstices. Many are still standing today. One of them is called Calendar One. It is a natural amphiteatre of about 20 acres in size in Vermont. From a stone enclosure in the center of the bowl, one can see a number of vertical rocks and other markers around the edge of the bowl. "At the Summer Solstice, the Sun rose at the southern peak of the East ridge and set at a notch at the southern end of the West ridge." The Winter Solstice and both equinoxes were similarly marked.

Paul

Anniversary Day

Today is a special day in the history of News 12 Connecticut. Although our cable news operation officially launched 30 years ago, it was exactly 17 years ago today that we became a 24-hour around-the-clock news operation. The following day, Tuesday, June 13, 1995, the former Morning Edition was launched, and ever since then I've been doing the weekday morning weather.

It's natural to "wax nostalgic" on any anniversary, and today is no exception. I'll always remember the excitement all of us felt that first morning, and the disbelief that my alarm was set for 2 o'clock in the middle of the night. For the first couple of years our morning newscast began at 6 o'clock. It wasn't until four years later that the early newscast started at 5:30.

I guess it's not that hard to believe that I'm the only original member of that first newscast still here. Our entire morning crew today, including producers, directors, anchors, and interns, wasn't around for our maiden newscast. There have been eight morning news anchors, five sports anchors, three lead producers, and countless traffic reporters along the way. Sure, I still keep in touch with some of the people who were around that very first day, and I'll always remember how it felt for all of us to be a part of something special and brand new.

What I remember most are the many LIVE morning remote weathercasts I've hosted over the years: Being shot out of a cannon and sitting atop an elephant at the circus, riding the roller coaster and salt-and-pepper shaker at school and church carnivals, playing catch with Bluefish players at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, riding a go-cart for three hours at a mini speedway, taking a flight aboard Chopper 12, covering special elections from the polls, coaching Little League practice, participating in Jump-Rope-for-Heart, visiting many diners and restaurants for breakfast, hosting a Super Bowl pre-game tailgate party with a LIVE high school band, and playing goalie against the Sacred Heart University women's hockey team, to name just a few.



Our weather presentation has changed tremendously over the last 17 years. Today, we use the latest state-of-the-art equipment to bring our viewers the most comprehensive and thorough weather information for southwestern Connecticut. We have LIVE Dual Dopper radar, TrueView Skycast to project today's weather over local landmarks, animated forecast pages, and a seven-day forecast page tailored specifically for our region.

Social media has allowed our viewers to become part of our interactive weather team, too. They send current information, weather observations, and storm totals to us via email. We receive digital photos from viewers every day which we occasionally show on the air. And, some of our viewers faithfully send me their daily weather reports every morning. I'm thankful for their interest and help.

What else has changed? Our blogs bring a personal touch to our audience by allowing the anchors to share their feelings, opinions, or stories with them. My weekly Weatherkids program is more popular than ever as teachers and parents are already looking ahead to next year. And, the info bar at the bottom of the screen affords the viewer a quick peek at the forecast and the next three days.

Naturally, I had to look at our daily planner on this date 17 years ago. It reads: "THIS IS IT!!!! 24-hours.... never to stop again.... or to be the same old News 12 again! Launch party is here, in and outside the building, following the 5:00 p.m. newscast."

It was 17 years ago this evening that we held that "launch party" in the parking lot with music, food, invited dignitaries, and so much excitement and optimism. While it's fun to look back and reminisce about what it was like 13 years ago today, it's even more exciting to look ahead. When I think about all the dramatic changes which have taken place over the last decade-plus, I can't even imagine what it will be like 17 years from now.

Happy Anniversary.

Paul

Record-Breaking Heat Wave Started Four Years Ago Today

A surprising and record-breaking heat wave across southwestern Connecticut began four years ago today, resulting in the only Spring heat wave on record. The mercury climbed to 90 degrees on Sunday afternoon, June 8, 2008, beginning a three-day stretch of oppressive heat which resulted in the early dismissal and closing of area schools the following two days.

The normal high and low temperatures for June 8 through 10 are 75 and 58 degrees, respectively. However, high pressure anchored off the Atlantic coast helped push temperatures close to 100 degrees June 9 and 10. Although the June 8 high temperature of 90 degrees was three degrees shy of the 93-degree record set in 1999, the highs of 97 and 96 degrees the following two days were both records for the date. The overnight lows hovered close to 70 degrees each morning.

The 97-degree temperature on June 9, 2008, is the warmest ever on record for June and matched the warmest-ever Spring day (May 20, 1996) at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. The 96-degree reading the following day marked only the fourth time the mercury soared that high in June. Other than the previous day, the only other times the temperature reached 96 degrees during the month happened on June 19, 1994, and June 26, 1949.

I received notification from my hometown’s public school system informing me of the early school dismissal on Monday morning, June 9, 2008. “Due to the Heat Advisory, all public and parochial schools will close early. The buses will pick up the high school students at 12:10 p.m.; middle school students at 12:40 p.m.; elementary school children at 1:40 p.m. The P.M. PreKindergarten session is cancelled for today. Please refrain from calling the schools.” That was certainly a shocker.

Whenever the weather became oppressively hot and humid when I went to school, it was time to slow down the pace. Teachers would open the windows, close the shades, show a movie or two, and we’d visit the water fountain every 15 minutes or so. Lunch period and recess were even extended. Somehow, we survived. Sure, it was hot, but we were more excited about not having to do schoolwork rather than being bothered by the heat.

I suppose each generation has its own stories to spin. After all, we had to listen to the the exaggerated stories of our parents telling us they walked barefoot several miles to and from school uphill in four feet of snow “back in the day.” Life, it seemed, was always more difficult for previous generations. As for me, I walked to and from school in 100-degree weather without cell phones, iPods, or ‘Smoothies.’ We didn’t even break a sweat. And it never bothered us one bit!

Paul

Amazing & Incredibly Rare Transit of Venus Happens This Evening

Let's hope Mother Nature cooperates this evening when we'll have the opportunity to watch one of the rarest cosmic spectacles in the Western sky. The planet Venus will slowly move across the face of the sun for approximately six hours, lasting from 6 p.m. to about midnight local time. This "transit" of Venus will be visible from much of Earth, and it won't happen again until 2117. Unfortunately, mostly cloudy skies are expected this evening along with the threat of a shower and temperatures in the lower 60s.

Locally, the Rolnick Observatory at 182 Bayberry Lane in Westport will open at 5 o'clock if the skies are fair. There will be special solar telescopes to help you safely see this incredibly rare event. Transits of Venus are among the rarest of predictable astronomical phenomena. They occur in a pattern that repeats every 243 years, with pairs of transits eight years apart separated by long gaps of 121.5 years and 105.5 years. Call the observatory at 203-293-8759 for more information.

Naturally, the observatory anticipates a busy evening. Depending on demand, viewing times will be limited and only small groups will be allowed up in the tower to view the event at one time. A limited amount of solar glasses will be available for a small donation to the observatory. If you are unable to attend, however, HD video of the event will be streamed live from the Dome Telescope on the Westport Astronomical Society's Webpage at http://www.was-ct.org/.



The Stamford Museum and Nature Center's Observatory is hosting an Open House beginning at 5:30 to view the transit of Venus. The program is suitable for adults and children eight years of age and older. The museum and observatory are located at 39 Scofieldtown Road in Stamford. Admission is free to members. For non-members, the admission price is $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 8 to 17. Call 203-977-6599 for more information. The following image is courtesy of topnews.in.


The Sun will set about halfway through the transit across much of the country. This will be just the 7th transit ever witnessed in human history. "In the 18th century, astronomers believed that they could use the transit of Venus to answer one of the most pressing questions of the time -- which was the size of the solar system," said Andrea Wulf, author of Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens. "But they also knew their measurements would improve navigation, which was, of course, important for a trading empire or naval power."

According to the Web site transitofvenus.org, "The 2012 transit of Venus is a celebration of our ability to understand our place in the cosmos. We say we want to have a nation of critical thinkers capable of making informed decisions. So let's take that first step of science and observe. Witness nothing less than the solar system in motion, and extrapolate the passing of a planet in front of our star to the distant points of light in our night sky."

Paul

May Featured Wet & Warm Weather

If you thought last month was rainy and dreary, you're right. Nearly five inches of rain fell in May at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, which was nearly an inch above normal. In addition, the month was much warmer-than-normal, continuing a streak of 15 consecutive months with above-average temperatures across southwestern Connecticut. June will begin on a soggy note, too, with periods of moderate and heavy rain later tonight and early tomorrow.

Officially, 4.57" of rain fell last month, well above the 3.80" normal for May. Sixteen of the 31 days (52%) featured measured rain, including seven of the first ten days last month. In fact, each of the first four days delivered measured rain. Rain fell three straight days twice last month from May 8 through 10 and May 14 through 16. The greatest 24-hour rainfall happened May 9 and 10 (1.16"). If you're wondering, the wettest May happened in 1989 when nearly 10 inches (9.53") fell.

Despite the wetter-than-normal May, we're still well below normal for the year. Over the last three months since March 1, we've measured 8.58" of rain. That's still more than three inches (3.40") below the 11.98" normal through the same period. Since the beginning of the year, slightly more than 13 inches (13.14") has fallen, which is well below the 17.87" normal through May 31. Comparatively speaking, nearly 23 inches (22.96") fell during the first five months a year ago.

The average temperature last month was 62.9 degrees, which was nearly four degrees (+3.8) above the 59.1-degree normal average for the month. Incredibly, only four days were cooler-than-normal. The average daily temperature was at or above normal for 14 straight days from May 4 through May 17. The warmest stretch of the month happened the last week of May when three of the days featured daily average temperatures greater than 10 degrees above normal.

The warmest temperature last month was 85 degrees on May 26 and 29, and the coldest tempertaure was 45 degrees on May 12. The temperature range was a relatively narrow 45 degrees. The mercury climbed into the 80s four times last month, and there were 10 more days when temperatures reached 70 degrees or more. The average monthly temperature was just one-and-a-half degrees shy of the all-time warmest May on record (64.4 degrees in 1991).

Although we'll start the month of June on a relatively quiet note today, clouds will increase this afternoon. Rain will develop later this evening, and moderate-to-heavy rain can be expeced later tonight into tomorrow morning. The rain will taper to showers by early tomorrow afternoon, but not before an inch of rain is possible. Better weather will arrive by Sunday, but a shower or thunderstorm can't be ruled out during the afternoon.

Paul