November started on a chilly note with each of the first 10 days featuring average temperatures at or below normal. It was cooler-than-normal for seven straight days from Nov. 3 through Nov. 9. The month delivered another seven consecutive days with below-normal temperatures from Nov. 14 to Nov. 20. Finally, 15 of the last 17 days of the month had daily temperatures at or below-normal, including six straight cooler-than-normal days to wrap up the month.
Last month was the tenth coldest November on record at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. In fact, it was the coldest November since 1997. The following graph, produced by Ralph Fato, illustrates the top 10 coldest Novembers on record. Notice three of the coldest Novembers happened in the 1990s, and this is the only November this century to make the list.
It was also one of the coldest Novembers at Sikorsky Airport since 1950. Not only was it the coldest November this century, but it was also the coldest since November of 1997 (42.2 degrees). Ralph also created this bar graph illustrating the November mean temperatures at the airport over the last 62 years. Please click the image to enlarge.
November was also much drier than normal. The total precipitation for the month was 1.22 inches, which was more than two inches below normal (3.39"). Two of the five days with measured precipitation included the Nor'easter of November 7 and 8, which brought six-tenths of an inch of liquid and 8.3 inches of snow, establishing all all-time record snowfall for the month. Another tenth of an inch of snow fell Nov. 27, when nearly a half-inch of liquid brought the monthly precipitation total to over an inch.
December is beginning on a mild note. Sunday's high temperature was 50 degrees, which is three degrees above normal, and the daily average temperature of 45 degrees is five degrees above normal. Early morning fog will lift, giving way to developing sunshine today with a high temperature in the mid 50s. The mercury may even reach 60 degrees tomorrow before a cold front arrives tomorrow night and early Wednesday, bringing scattered showers and cooler air by the end of the week.
Paul
