A closer inspection of this month reveals some eye-popping numbers. First of all, four record high temperatures have been established this March, including a streak of three straight days from Monday, March 12, through Wednesday, March 14. In addition, six of the last eight days and nine days overall have been at least 10 to 20 degrees warmer than normal.
This will mark the 13th straight warmer-than-normal month across southwestern Connecticut. That's quite a streak. The last time we had an average monthly temperature below normal happened in February, 2011, at the end of one of the snowiest stretches in recent memory. However, the average temperature that month was less than one degree (0.8) below the normal average of 31.9 degrees.
Whereas March through August of last year were slightly warmer than normal, the average monthly temperature has spiked considerably over the last half-year. Consider that the average monthly temperature has been at least four degrees above normal since November, and the last three months have been five-to-six degrees above normal.
The biggest spike in average monthly temperatures has occurred over the last two months when February finished 6.3 degrees above normal while this month has averaged 7.6 degrees above normal. Temperatures will continue to run well above normal through the end of the week, and I'm confident a few more record highs will be established. The normal daytime high temperature for this date is 48, while the normal morning low is 33.
Today is officially the first day of Spring, but it's felt and looked like Spring for quite some time now. Cooler air is expected by the weekend with daytime temperatures holding in the 50s Saturday and Sunday. Some showers are expected by the end of the weekend. We sure could use the rain, but that's a topic which can wait for another day.
Paul
