Severe Storm Brings Damaging Winds & Destruction to Region

A powerful cold front plowed into southwestern Connecticut early this morning, bringing 60-plus mile-an-hour winds, moderate-to-heavy rain, power outages, and severe damage to the region. Part of the roof of Fairfield Ludlowe High School was destroyed, causing an early dismissal and a three-day weekend for students, teachers, and staff.

  

The storms was caused by a clash of two air masses. Ahead of the front, temperatures surged to a record 58 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford at 4:36 a.m., which broke the previous mark of 54 degrees set one year ago. It was also 35 degrees warmer than normal for this time of the year. The peak wind gusts happened after 4 o'clock as the front approached. The wind gusted to 61 mph at the airport at 4:28 and 64 mph in Norwalk at 4:15.

The near-hurricane force winds caused the damage to the Ludlowe roof. According to a letter sent to parents from FLHS principal Greg Hatzis, "In the early morning hours of January 31, storm winds blew off a section of the rubber membrane on the FLHS roof. The affected area is above a main hallway in the second floor (Warner House). This left a portion of the building without a moisture barrier and the rain from the storm entered the building. This hallway contains fifteen classrooms, about ten of which sustained some water damage."

Wind gusts were even stronger in other parts of the state. In fact, a 78-mile-an-hour wind gust was clocked in Westbook at 5:20 a.m., and a 73-mile-an-hour wind gust was recorded at Madison at 5:25 a.m. East Haven (68 mph), Old Saybrook (65 mph), Middletown (64 mph), and New Haven (61 mph) also had wind gusts over 60 miles an hour.

The damaging winds also caused many power outages. Many residents of Westport were without power following the height of the storm. Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff said the storm left more than 40 percent of the town without electricity at one point. A dozen utility crews were on hand to help restore power.



Moderate rainfall accompanied the cold front. More than one inch of rain fell in Danbury, and over a half-inch (0.60") was measured at Sikorsky Airport. The winds shifted out of the West once the front passed before daybreak, and temperatures dropped steadily throughout the day. After reaching the record high of 58 degrees after 4 o'clock, the mercury dropped to 46 degrees just before one o'clock as winds gusted over 30 miles an hour. By 7 o'clock, the temperature fell to 36 degrees.

Now, cold weather is here to stay. Daytime temperatures will remain in the 30s through the middle of next week with nighttime lows in the lower 20s. Another system will bring snow to the region by Saturday night into Sunday afternoon. Two-to-three inches of snow are possible by the time the storm exits Sunday night. Another round of snow is expected later Tuesday into Wednesday.

Never a dull moment in the weathercenter.

Paul

Blizzard Two Years Ago Today Resulted in Snowiest January on Record

A powerful storm exploded over southwestern Connecticut two years ago this morning, delivering heavy snow, gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. Nearly a foot-and-a-half of snow was reported in most communities in the area before the snow moved away by daybreak, January 26, 2011. Not surprisingly, it resulted in the snowiest January on record across southwestern Connecticut.

Officially, after that memorable storm, nearly three feet (34.8") of snow had fallen at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, breaking the previous January record of 26.2 inches set in 1965. The normal snowfall for the month is 8.5 inches. Last January, just 7.4" of snow fell, while three years ago, only 7.7 inches of snow fell in January. Take a look at this photo from viewer Margaret in Devon which was taken at 2 o'clock in the morning two years ago today.



Here are snowfall totals from Wednesday, January 26, 2011:

• Norwalk: 17.0"
• Darien: 15.5"
• Milford: 15.0"
• Fairfield: 15.0"
• Greenwich: 14.5"

Once again, my neighbor, Todd, who owns a snowplow, drove me to work. Without question, it was the worst ride to work in my 15-and-a-half years of doing morning weather at News 12 Connecticut. I have never seen I-95 as snow-covered and as dangerous as two years ago today. There were several tractor trailers jacknifed, and the backup was extensive on the Northbound side in Westport. The heavy, wet snow made driving extremely difficult.



I woke up to the sound of muffled thunder shortly after midnight, and when I went to look out the window, I saw nothing but white. The snow was falling heavily, and I knew the storm had intensified due to the gusty winds, thunder, and lightning. This was no ordinary snowstorm. Nearly a foot of snow had accumulated by midnight. When Todd arrived at my driveway at 2:20, I couldn't get the kitchen door open because the snow was piled so high. Just walking to his plow was a chore in itself. Here's another shot from Devon two years ago this morning.



A blustery and cold day is ahead under mostly sunny skies and a high temperature in the upper 20s. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and milder. A mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain will develop later Monday, but that will allow for much milder air and rain to arrive by the middle of next week.

Paul

Full Wolf Moon to Shine Brightly This Weekend

We're off to another cold start this morning with temperatures in the single digits inland and lower teens along the immediate shoreline. However, the clear night sky was illuminated brilliantly by the nearly-full Moon. In fact, I could easily make out the shadows of homes and trees in the middle of the night. The Full Wolf Moon officially happens Saturday, January 26, at 11:38 p.m. EST.

Since the length of daylight is still relatively short, the full Moon will appear for nearly its longest duration of the year. In fact, today's moonrise happens at 3:58 p.m., and tomorrow's moonset is at 6:26 a.m. That means the Moon will be "out" for nearly 14-and-a-half hours. Sunrise this morning was at 7:09. During the Summer, when the Sun rises earlier and sets later, a full Moon isn't "out" nearly as long since the daylight is much longer.

The Moon rises about 30 to 70 minutes later each day, so the Moon is out during the daytime as often as it is out at night. As the Moon wanes, it becomes a half Moon and a crescent Moon on the way to a new Moon. The complete phase cycle is about 29.5 days average duration. The time in days counted from the time of New Moon is called the Moon's "age." Each complete cycle of phases is called a "lunation."



So how did the name of the January full Moon originate? Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for this month's full Moon. Sometimes it was also referred to as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full Snow Moon, but most tribes applied that name to the next Moon. The next three full Moons this year include the February 7th Snow Moon, March 8th Worm Moon, and April 6th Pink Moon.

As far as our weather is concerned, we won't be able to see the Full Moon tonight due to a weak Clipper system which should bring less than an inch of snow to southwestern Connecticut. The light snow will exit the region after midnight. Tomorrow will be partly sunny, blustery, and cold with a high temperatures in the upper 20s. Sunny skies are expected Sunday before milder temperatures arrive by next week.

Paul

Frigid Wind Chills Expected Today

The coldest air of the season will be with us through the start of the upcoming weekend. Low temperatures dropped into the lower single digits inland and upper single numbers along the immediate shoreline early this morning. However, a gusty Northwest wind will develop today, and wind chill values are expected to be close to zero for much of the day. Yes, bundle up!

Exposure to brutally cold wind chills for even a brief period of time can be dangerous. Make sure you're bundled up before heading outside, and keep your extremities covered. The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss on exposed skin caused by the wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down the skin temperature and eventually the body temperature.

The adjacent photo (click to enlarge) is a wind chill chart. Feel free to print the chart and keep it handy. It shows corresponding values for the air temperature and wind speed. Today, for example, when the high temperature struggles to reach 20 degrees and the wind is blowing at 20 miles an hour, the wind chill will be between zero and five degrees above zero. At this wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes!

Frostbite occurs when body tissue freezes. The most susceptible parts of the body are the fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. Symptoms include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Get medical attention immeditaely for frostbite. The affected area should be slowly warmed.

Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 degrees. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion. Get medical attention immediately. If help is not available, begin warming the body slowly.

Warm the body core first, and not the extremities. Warming extremities first drives the cold blood to the heart and can cause the body temperature to drop even more. That may ultimately lead to heart failure. Do not take any hot beverage or food. About 20% of cold-related deaths occur in the home, according to the National Weather Service Office.

Obviously, the best way to avoid hypothermia and frostbite is to stay warm and dry indoors. If you must go outside, dress appropriately. Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. The trapped air inside the layers will insulate the body. Remove the layers to avoid sweating and subsequent chill. Wear a hat since half of body heat can be lost from the head. Cover your mouth to protect the lungs from the extreme cold. Mittens are actually better than gloves. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.

Remember, as far as the wind chill is concerned, it only affects people and animals. The only effect the wind chill has on inanimate objects such as car radiators and water pipes is that it cools the object more quickly to the current air temperature. For example,if the outside air temperature is five degrees below zero and the wind chill temperature is -31 degrees, then the car's radiator will not drop lower than -5.

I hope this helps. I know I'll be bundled up when I go outside today. Adding insult to injury will be an area of low pressure which will bring some light, fluffy snow to the region late tomorrow and tomorrow night. Perhaps an inch or two of snow will accumulate. However, temperatures are expected to moderate well into the 40s by the middle of next week. I can hardly wait.

Paul

Recalling the Snow, Wind, & Cold Eight Years Ago

Eight years ago this morning we were preparing for a powerful Winter storm which arrived by the early afternoon. I was at the grocery store stocking up on food, supplies, and batteries. The impending blizzard brought heavy snow, damaging winds, and bitter cold to southwestern Connecticut. Yes, the snowstorm of Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23, 2005, was one for the record books and will not soon be forgotten
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The snow began falling shortly after lunchtime, and it became steadier and heavier through the afternoon. The cold air was already in place since the mercury dipped to two degrees at daybreak. By later in the day the winds began gusting out of the Northeast, and Arctic cold air had settled into the region. Roads became almost impassable by late-afternoon, and by nightfall the snow was virtually blinding.

A Blizzard Warning was issued by the National Weather Service that day. For at least three hours, the blowing snow reduced visibility to less than a quarter of a mile, and wind gusts were frequently clocked over 35 miles an hour. Adding insult to injury was the wind chill, which fell below zero by nightfall.

By the time Sunday morning, January 23, arrived, the snow had moved away, but the damaging winds and biting cold were here to stay for the time being. Nearly a foot of snow had fallen across southwestern Connecticut. Here are some of the official totals reported by the National Weather Service office:

• Milford 12.0"
• Orange 12.0"
• Darien 10.5"
• Fairfield 10.3"
• Norwalk 10.3"
• Bridgeport 9.5"
• Greenwich 9.0"
• Westport 9.0"
• Stratford 8.0"

Sunday morning's low temperature fell to six degrees above zero at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, but what I most remember about that morning was the howling and downright dangerous winds. Here is a sampling of some of the peak wind gusts from across the region:

• Orange 53.0 mph (6:39 am)
• Bridgeport 49.0 mph (6:24 am)
• Westport 45.0 mph (2:05 pm)

Shoveling the nearly one-foot of snow in those conditions was extremely difficult. I remember taking several breaks that day because the wind was just too strong. The afternoon high temperature only reached 25 degrees, but it certainly felt much colder than that. Another factor was the blowing snow, which reduced visibility even though the skies became clear and sunny for much of the day. The weather made headlines nationwide:


 

By Sunday evening, roads were extremely icy, and the mercury continued to drop. The low temperature that night fell to five degrees above zero, and the wind continued to howl. It wasn't until later Monday afternoon, January 24, that the wind slowly began to subside and, by the following day, the temperature climbed to a more seasonable 34 degrees.

Bundle up the next few days. Temperatures will be quite cold the rest of this week. The mercury will dip into the single digits inland and close to 10 degrees above zero along the immediate shoreline tonight. However, wind chill values will fall to 10 below zero. Tomorrow will be the coldest day of the week with afternoon temperatures holding close to 20 degrees. A Winter storm is poised to take aim on us by Friday afternoon, possibly bringing moderate snow into early Saturday. Stay warm!

Paul

More Than a Half-Foot of Snow Fell on This Date in 2004

Just a little more than a half-foot of snow fell on this date, Sunday, January 18, 2004. Officially, Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford recorded 6.5" of snow. I remember shoveling the snow before watching the New England Patriots defeat the Indianapolis Colts, 24-14, in the American Football Conference championship game in Foxboro, Massachusetts, that afternoon.

Here is the video of that storm taken in Norwalk.

   

Paul

Record Low Temperature of Five Degrees Below Zero Set on This Date in 1957

A record low temperature of -5 degrees was established on this date in 1957 at Bridgeport. Take a look at the front page of The Bridgeport Post from Thursday, January 15, 1957. Please click the image below to enlarge.

According to the article, "An Arctic cold wave held the area in an icy grip as the U. S. Weather Station at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport, Stratford, reported a reading of five degrees below zero, its lowest since the facility was established in 1938."

The article states, "A check of low temperatures around Fairfield County upheld Sandy Hook as the most popular spot for snowmen with a reading of 18 degrees below zero reported. Unofficial lows in other sections are as follows: New Milford -17, Newtown and Stevenson -14, Easton and Botsford -12, Monroe -10 & -15, Weston -12, Fairfield -7 to -12, Danbury -11, Norwalk and Stratford -5, and Westport and Milford -4."

Paul

Wild Weather Happened Seven Years Ago This Week

A Dense Fog Advisory was issued early this morning for near-zero visibility. Temperatures were in the mid-to-upper 40s at daybreak, and some showers will linger through mid-to-late morning. However, things were quite different seven years ago this week. An incredible stretch of weather brought just about everything, except the kitchen sink, to southwestern Connecticut.

In fact, several storms brought heavy rain, accumulating snow, damaging winds, and dangerous icing to southwestern Connecticut over a three-day period which began on Saturday, January 14, 2006, and continued through the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Monday, January 16, 2006. The wild weather ride actually didn't end until nearly a week later.

I recorded the following entries in my weather log, which I chart daily. Although most days are rather mundane, I highlighted these three days for obvious reasons. The weekend included record-high temperatures, record rainfall, tropical storm force winds, bitter cold wind chills below zero, icy roadways, and three-and-a-half inches of snow.

Saturday, January 14, 2006 --- A powerful Winter storm came barreling into the Northeast, producing record heavy rainfall of 1.59 inches, which broke the old mark of 0.91 inches, established in 1958. Strong southerly winds ahead of a well-defined cold front (51 miles-an-hour wind gust) brought down trees and power lines, and mild temperatures (56 degrees at 7:53 am) began a 36-hour stretch of severe weather across southwestern Connecticut.



I took each of these photos of the damage in my neighborhood from the storms. The first two show a truck and a car which were destroyed by falling trees in 50+ mile-an-hour wind gusts from January 14.



Sunday, January 15, 2006 --- Continued strong wind gusts (48 miles-an-hour) out of the North behind the front delivered much colder air (32 degree high and 11 degree low), and 3.5 inches of snow, creating a nightmare for local residents as power outages, below zero wind chills, and icy roadways punctuated the day's weather. The damage from the wind was extensive, as evidenced by the many trees which came tumbling down.



Monday, January 16, 2006 --- Bitter cold wind chills greeted early-morning risers as temperatures hovered between zero and ten degrees at daybreak. The high (29 degrees) and low (10) were well below normal for mid-January. Although the wind began to relax somewhat, we still had a peak wind gust of 31 miles-an-hour. United Illuminuating crews were out in full force attempting to restore power to many residents who were braving the ice, wind, and extreme cold for several days.



Personally, what I remember most from that weekend was losing power Saturday night, January 14, while my son and I were watching the New England Patriots' playoff game at Denver. We awoke to frigid, snowy, and icy conditions the following morning. However, fortunately for us, we were one of only a handful of families in our neighborhood to have power restored late the following morning. The majority of homes in our neighborhood remained without power for several days.

Paul

Greenwich Point Photos at Sunset

Take a look at these photos taken late yesterday afternoon at Greenwich Point. Viewer Hilkka Schulz of Stamford wrote, "The weather tonight was cold, but there was extremely clear visibility. The attached photos were taken at Greenwich Point at sunset. You can see the skyline of New York in the horizon." These are great, Hillka. Thank you.

Paul

Roger Ludlowe Middle School's Sixth-Graders Shine as Weekly Weatherkids Stars

I visited with the sixth-graders at Roger Ludlowe Middle School in Fairfield this week. They thoroughly enjoyed the program, especially the experiments, trivia, and prizes.



"Thank you for your visit yesterday," wrote sixth-grade Science and Language Arts teacher Cynthia Fryman. "The students loved the experiments and of course being on TV."

I also had a blast with the kids. They were great!

Paul

Take Precautions When Walking on Snow & Ice

The recent snow a little more than a week ago left icy patches on walkways and driveways, causing tricky footing in the early morning hours. Did you know that "baby boomers," or those between 40 and 59 years of age, are the most prone to falling on ice? They accounted for 30 percent of the emergency room visits. Those who were hospitalized stayed an average of 3.6 days. That's according to a study released by the Canadian Institute for Health Management.

However, older age groups were more likely to be admitted to the hospital, with injuries serious enough to require longer stays. Over one-third of all people hospitalized after falling on ice were 60 to 79 years of age. They were hospitalized for 7.6 days, on average. The elderly stayed in the hospital the longest after a fall on ice. The average stay for those aged 80 and older was 14.5 days.

Dr. Joseph Chen, medical director of the Iowa Spine Research and Rehabilitation Center, suggests wearing appropriate boots. "Snow boots, even though they can track mud into your house, provide a lot more traction for your feet than do dress shoes or even tennis shoes," he said. "Take shorter steps, and try to plant your whole foot gently down instead of using the typical heel strike that we use when we're walking or running," he added.

If you do fall on the ice and know immediately you have hurt your back, Chen says you should slowly try to get up. "It may be a bit more difficult to get up on your hands and knees if there's a large patch of ice. Be extra careful, and then walk slowly, using an extra hand-hold if one is available." Most of the time, falls on the ice lead to a strain of some of the deep muscles in the back. "Try to do some stretching exercises and take it a bit easy for the next few hours," he pointed out. "If you're able to take some Tylenol or ibuprofen, that may be helpful too."

Just one bad fall on ice can have long-term consequences. These include chronic pain in the affected area, a disabling injury that may mean loss of independence, or the fear of another fall, which discourages a healthy, active lifestyle. Fortunately, more melting should occur today through the upcoming weekend as daytime high temperatures climb into the 40s, well above the 37-degree normal this time of the year. Some light rain is likely by Friday, but temperatures will climb into the 50s this weekend.

Paul

Today Marks 17th Anniversary of Blizzard of 1996

I hope you had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the wonderful January sunshine yesterday. The afternoon high temperature climbed to 43 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, which is six degrees above the normal high for this time of the year. No major storms are expected through this week with daytime high temperatures in the 40s.

It was quite different 17 years ago, though. Did you know that today marks the anniversary of The Blizzard of 1996? That snowstorm still ranks as one of the most memorable in my nearly-18 years of providing the morning weather forecasts at News 12 Connecticut. In fact, it was one of only two times I stayed the night and slept in the weathercenter due to the heavy snow and strong, gusty winds.

The storm actually started late-morning, Sunday, January 7, as light snow overspread the entire Northeast. The snow gradually became heavier through the afternoon, and by evening, roads were just about impassable due to the rapid accumulation. By the time the storm began moving away the following day, nearly two feet of snow blanketed much of southwestern Connecticut.

The two-day snow total at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Statford was 15 inches, including seven inches on January 7 and eight on January 8. That eclipsed the snow total of the so-called March 13, 1993 "Storm of the Century," which was 10.8 inches. Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks received 18.2 inches, just shy of the 21-inch record snowfall at the time, but more than the 14.8 inches just three years earlier.

Central Park in New York City recorded 20.2 inches of snow, making it the third highest snowfall at the time. Staten Island measured more than 27 inches of snow, and  LaGuardia International Airport recorded 24 inches, which exceeded the normal for the entire season of 22.6 inches.

An Arctic air mass covered New England as a massive storm developed over Virginia. The storm was actually energized by a 60-degree surface temperature contrast across western Montana which propelled a 175-mile-an-hour wind in the jet stream southward into the Plains causing the storm to form. This storm eventually brought the heavy snow from western North Carolina to southern New England.

Incredibly, the eastern slopes of the Appalachian Mountains from northern Virginia to Pennsylvania measured more than three feet of snow. The following map shows just how impressive the storm was. Southwestern Connecticut fell within the 15 to 20 inch range as far as total snow accumulations, with the heaviest amounts of 30 inches across southeastern Pennsylvania. The lightest amounts, oddly, fell well to the North.



It's hard to believe that 17 years have passed since the January blizzard of 1996. There aren't any worries about significant snow or Arctic cold over the next few days. In fact, quiet weather is expected the next several days with daytime high temperatures above normal for this time of the year. The next chance of any precipitation happens Friday, and it will be rain instead of snow.

Paul

Seasonal Snowfall on Par With Snowier Cities

Local climatologist Ralph Fato put together a pie chart of the snow totals to date for these select locations. The results are interesting, considering the fact that Connecticut has received more or the same amount as these cities, which are known to be snowy.

Here are the 63-year average for these locations. Take note of Bridgeport's average and its comparison to  the others. Chicago: 41.5”, Bridgeport: 27.5”, Hartford: 47.8”, Minneapolis: 51.6”, and Denver: 58.6” 

Thanks, Ralph.

Paul

Earth at Closest Point to the Sun in Annual Orbit

Even though this morning's low temperatures featured some of the coldest readings in quite some time, the early Winter is the time of the year when the Earth is nearest to the Sun. In fact, Wednesday morning at midnight, when the temperature was only in the 20s, the Earth was closer to the Sun than at any other time in 2013. This is when the Earth is at perihelion.

Since last July, the Earth has been falling ever closer to the Sun. Every moment since then, our planet has edged closer to the nearest star in the universe. The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is not a perfect circle. It’s actually an ellipse, so sometimes we’re closer to the Sun, and sometimes farther away. Various factors change the exact date and time every year, but aphelion (when we’re farthest from the Sun) happens in July, and perihelion (when we’re closest) in January.



At perihelion, our planet is about 91 million miles from the Sun. It moves outward to about 95 million miles from the Sun at aphelion. So, the Earth is about three percent farther from the Sun at aphelion than it is at perihelion. Naturally, some people have the mistaken impression that our seasons are caused by the changes in Earth's distance from the Sun, but this is not the case.

The temperatures and the seasons are not affected by the proximity of the Earth to the Sun or even the rotation of the planet on its axis. Rather, it is the tilt of the Earth that determines the climate. When it is at perihelion in January, the Earth is tilted away from the Sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sunlight is not "getting a direct hit" on the Earth's atmosphere. However, when it is at aphelion in July, the Earth is tilted toward the Sun.

So, as you bundle up and head outside on the second day back to work and school for many people after a long holiday break, take comfort in the fact that the Earth is closer to the Sun today than it is in the middle of Summer. I'm sure that's of little consolation, though, with a daybreak temperature in the single digits inland and the teens along the immediate shoreline. Today's high temperatures will hold in the mid-to-upper 20s this afternoon. Remember, though, it's the thought that counts.

Paul