Fairfield Woods Middle School's Sixth-Graders Soar as Weatherkids Stars

Paul

Recalling the Historic Nor'easter Two Years Ago

The historic Nor'easter which happened the weekend of October 29 and 30, 2011, was one for the record books. An unusual early Autumn storm delivered record-breaking October snow and massive power outages across Connecticut the last weekend of October two years ago. By the time the storm pulled away, over a foot of snow fell across much of Northern Fairfield County, and four inches blanketed Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, making Saturday, October 29, the snowiest October day on record.

Many trees and tree branches came crashing down due to the weight of the heavy, wet snow, the leaves still on the trees, and the gusty winds. The snow totals were unbelievable for October. Danbury reported 17 inches of snow, while Ridgefield (15.5") and Shelton (12.8") received over a foot. Locally, Wilton (10.8"), New Canaan (6.0"), Norwalk (5.5"), and Bridgeport (4.0") also had record-breaking snow. Viewer Ralph Fato of Norwalk sent this photo of the Route 7 connector Saturday afternoon.

The normal average monthly snowfall for October in southwestern Connecticut is just a trace. Prior to that weekend, the only measured snow in October fell on Sunday, October 4, 1987, when a half-inch coated the region. That's what made this Autumn snowstorm historic. Take a look at this photo of an ice- and snow-covered lake along Route 7 Sunday afternoon, October 30.

In the wake of the storm, skies cleared, the wind abated, and the temperature dropped like a rock. The mercury fell into the 20s inland and lower 30s along the shoreline, causing icy roads and cold homes for those without power. Take a look at these photos, including a picture of a downed tree and snow-covered Route 7 in Danbury. Was it really October?

Paul

Hurricane Sandy: One Year Later

Today marks the first anniversary of the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. It devastated much of the Eastern seaboard with powerful winds, record-low pressure, and historic tidal surges. The hurricane, which brought heavy rain and flooding across the mid-Atlantic region, made its heralded landfall near Atlantic City, N.J., around 8 p.m. Monday evening, October 29, 2012. It arrived slightly earlier than originally projected because it had picked up speed, moving at about 28 mph.

Although our region was spared the heavy rainfall, winds increased throughout the day Monday, reaching a peak wind gust of 76 miles-an-hour at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford later that evening. The hurricane-force gusts resulted in massive power outages, downed trees and power lines, and three deaths in Connecticut.

Unfortunately, the storm came during a Full Moon, causing a storm surge of 10 feet at Bridgeport harbor late Monday night. Sandy's strength and angle of approach combined to produce a record storm surge of water into New York City. The surge level at Battery Park topped 13.88 feet at 9:24 p.m. Monday, surpassing the 10.02 feet record water level set by Hurricane Donna in 1960.

The local shoreline communities, especially Fairfield and Milford, were hit hardest. Many homes, which had been hammered by Tropical Storm Irene just over a year earlier, were severely damaged or destroyed by Sandy. Here is a video of the storm surge at nearby St. Mary's by the Sea in Bridgeport.

 
Flooding prevented some homeowners from even getting to their homes near the beach in Fairfield. People were getting around by kayaks and canoes in the shoreline neighborhood, which was buzzing with the sound of pumps taking water out of houses. At one point Tuesday, United Illuminating reported that 100% of its Fairfield customers were without power. Schools were closed the rest of the week, and Fairfield Ludlowe High School opened a shelter for displaced residents and pets.

An Easton volunteer firefighter died while clearing debris in front of a fire truck Monday evening, October 29, on Judd Road. Lt. Russell Neary was struck by a falling limb. The body of a missing 34-year-old man, who was last seen swimming in the heavy surf after jumping from a pier Monday evening,  was recovered in Milford. Also, a 90-year-old Mansfield woman was killed and two family members were seriously injuted when a tree fell on them during the storm Monday.. 

More than 750,000 people were reported to have lost power across the region. Cities including Washington and Boston closed their mass-transit systems. Schools were closed, and shelters began to fill with hundreds of thousands of people ordered to leave their homes and seek safety. Wall Street trading was disrupted, as were political campaigns throughout the region just eight days before election day. Here is a view of the waves at Laurel Beach in Milford.

When hurricane hunter aircraft measured its central pressure at 940 millibars -- 27.76 inches -- Monday afternoon, it was the lowest barometric reading ever recorded for an Atlantic storm to make landfall north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The previous record holder was the 1938 "Long Island Express" Hurricane, which dropped as low as 946 millibars. Here is a time-lapsed loop of the surface pressure around Hurricane Sandy beginning October 26th.

 

 Paul

This Month May be the Driest October Ever on Record

We need rain, desperately. The official monthly rainfall total at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford through this morning is just 0.28", which is well below the 2.86" normal through the period. In fact, there have been just four days with measured rain this month, and three of them produced 0.03" or less. The weather forecast calls for dry conditions to continue through the middle of next week.

The dry weather pattern has been with us for the last six weeks. Only six of the last 42 days have produced measured rain. The only appreciable rain happened September 12 when more than an inch (1.13") was recorded. The total rainfall over the six-week span is less than an inch-and-a-half (1.43"). The ground remains extremely dry. Take a look at this month's climate summary for Sikorsky Airport.

The driest October on record happened exactly 50 years ago when a third-of-an-inch was recorded in 1963. Nearly four inches (3.96") of precipitation fell in October of 2011, including the four inches of snow during the Nor'easter of October 29th, while over three inches (3.24") fell last year, including the rain from Hurricane Sandy. Conversely, the wettest October on record happened in 1955 when nearly 11 inches (10.72") fell.

This year's total precipitation is just under 30 inches (29.78"), which is nearly a half-foot below normal (35.24"). The immediate forecast calls for dry weather through the upcoming weekend and into the middle of next week. The weekend will be fair, breezy, and chilly with daytime highs moderating into the upper 50s by Sunday.

However, it looks like rain will finally happen by Halloween evening, which may spoil festivities for the trick-or-treaters once again. You may recall that Halloween was postponed or cancelled in several local communities each of the last two years due to the weather. Further, the forecast for Halloween rain may keep this month from being the driest on record.

Paul

Brunswick Boys of Greenwich Star as Weekly Weatherkids

Paul

This October is the Warmest on Record

Mother Nature has provided us with splendid Autumn weather across southwestern Connecticut. The last couple of weeks have been dry and mild. In fact, this is the warmest October on record through yesterday. The average daily temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford is 62.4 degrees. Local climatologist Ralph Fato created this graphic which illustrates the Top 10 Warmest Octobers on record at Bradley and Sikorsky airports, respectively.

Through the first 18 days this month, the average daily temperature has been at or above normal every day. Four days featured an average daily temperature at least 10 degrees above normal, and the average daily temperatures for October 4th and 17th were 13 degrees above normal for both days. There were two days on which the daily average was exactly normal for the date (October 9th and October 14th). The monthly average temperature is running 5.4 degrees above normal.

The other story has been the lack of rain. Just four of the last 29 days have featured any measured rain across southwestern Connecticut. Three of those days had three-hundredths of an inch or less. The only day with appreciable rainfall was October 7 when nearly a quarter-inch (0.21") was recorded. The last eight days of September were dry, and  there was a nine-day stretch from October 8th through October 16th without any measured rain.

Our weather pattern is about to change, though. A cold front and associated area of low pressure will bring much cooler air and some rain to the region by Wednesday. Daytime high temperatures will fall into the low-to-mid 50s as a storm system moves just offshore. The highs Thursday and Friday will struggle to reach the mid 50s, but it will be blustery under a mix of sunshine and clouds. It will remain in the 50s through the upcoming weekend. I'm sure that will have a big effect on lowering October's average daily temperature.

Paul

Remembering the Devastating Flood of October 14 & 15 of 1955

The following was written by Brent M. Colley on the 50th anniversary of the October 14 & 15 devastating flood and printed by the Norwalk River Watershed Association

In 1955, the worst natural disasters to strike Connecticut since the hurricane of 1938 occurred within a two-month span. Two hurricanes, one tropical storm, and a pair of floods ravaged homes and businesses throughout the state in the months of August and October.

The August disaster was a result of back-to-back hurricanes in mid-August 1955. Hurricanes Connie and Diane arrived toward the end of a wetter-than-usual Summer, combining to drop over 24 inches of rain on the Northern regions of Connecticut between August 13th and August 20th, leaving record levels of flooding and widespread havoc in their wake.



Many Connecticut rivers, particularly the Housatonic, Naugatuck, Still, Quinebaug, Mad, and Farmington, overflowed their banks as never before; towns and cities in Litchfield and Hartford counties were particularly hard hit. The downtowns of many cities were devastated, including Winsted where the downtown was completely washed away. Property damage mounted into the tens of millions of dollars. Almost 100 people were killed, an estimated 4,700 were injured, and countless others were left homeless.

Surprisingly, towns and residents of the Norwalk and Saugatuck Watershed in the Southwestern section of Connecticut did not sustain rainfall accumulations as high as those to the north and were spared of flood conditions in August. Their time was yet to come.

The Cross Street Bridge in Norwalk, underwater, collapsed, and buried in debris. This was the highway from New York to Boston.

In October, a four day tropical storm dumped an additional 12-14 inches of rain on southwestern New England. This event was not as widespread as the August storms; however, the Flood of October, 1955, was devastating to the local communities along the Norwalk and Saugatuck Rivers. Millions of dollars and several lives were lost as a result of the rains that fell between Friday Oct. 14, and Monday Oct. 17th, 1955. 

Newspaper reports from several local publications varied greatly on the amount of rain and the amount of time in which it fell. These numbers varied from the 12.58 inches reported by Georgetown Weatherman's George Howes to as much as 13.88 inches reported in Ridgefield. The time frame also varied from 36 hours to 48 hours depending on the source of information. Regardless of the exact amount and time frame, a great deal of rain fell upon an already saturated watershed on the weekend of October 14th, 1955.

The dam broke and was washed away at the Gilbert and Bennett factory in Georgetown.

All of Fairfield County was hit, but Branchville, Georgetown, Norwalk, Wilton, and sections of Ridgefield were hit worse, because of the Norwalk River. According to Charles Howes, Georgetown's weather observer, and his assistant, Conrad Borgensen. Starting at 7am on Friday morning, Mr. Howes recorded .62 inches by 5:30pm, and another 2 inches by midnight. By noon Saturday, another 2.23 inches had fallen. During the next 24 hours, 7.82 inches of rain was dumped upon this area.

By mid-afternoon Saturday, the Georgetown Fire Department and all available men were stationed at the bridges into town and at Branchville. The danger: fire and/or explosions from the washed-out gasoline tanks of the Branchville Motors garage, their contents riding the crest of the flood, causing alarm for several hours.

By 6pm the Norwalk River had flooded Route 7 from Branchville Station to just south of the Georgetown Motors garage. The Branchville train station, businesses, and homes in the area were swamped, the bridge near Branchville cemetery completely washed away.

Shortly after 6pm residents were evacuated from Branchville and Georgetown, some by boat, others by heavy-duty trucks. Residents who did not have relatives or friends they could not reach in the area were taken to the Georgetown Firehouse where they remained overnight.

Bridge approach washed out entering Wilton from New Canaan (on the Silvermine River). A dog checks it out.

The Press reported the Peatt family on Mamanasco Lake brought in boats and "went to Branchville to rescue some people whose houses were surrounded by still rising waters of the Norwalk River."

A house in Norwalk that has become an island in a turbulent river. The floodwaters had dropped from from their peak when this shot was taken.

Nazzareno Ancona reported seeing the gas station on Route 7 flooded with water half-way up the garage door, water coming in the back door and coming out the front door "bringing everything with it," he said.

The dam at Perry's Pond, on Route 53, above Georgetown (now Route 107) gave way a little before 9pm Saturday night sending a rush of water into the heart of Georgetown. In addition, there was a landslide about a half mile up Route 53 (now Route 107), but cars were able to get through.

At 9pm a northbound train out of Norwalk came to a halt in the "wilds" between Honey Hill and Seeley Roads in Cannondale. The stalled train and its 83 passengers would remain stranded for the next 14 hours until three U.S. Army helicopters were able to airlift them to safety in a rescue mission that spanned 3 hours. They were all transported to Danbury via buses.

By 10:30pm water was 4 feet deep in the center of Georgetown. Factory pond was so high that residents later reported water up to their porches on Portland Avenue.

The nearly 8 inches of rain that fell between Saturday and Sunday taxed the dams along the Norwalk River, in all likelihood already fatigued by the storms of August, to such an extent that at approximately 10:30pm the dam at Great Pond gave way, sending a surge of water through the Norwalk River Valley with such force that all dams and most of the bridges in its path crumbled in its wrath.

The concrete bridge on Route 7, which is parallel to the railroad trestle (between DeLuca's Hardware and Bob Sharp), crashed into the river just before 11pm Saturday night, and shortly after that the trestle, undermined by the flood waters, collapsed as well, leaving the tracks still spanning the river, but with no visible means of support.

Temporary bridge for Route 7 over Norwalk River.

At approximately 11pm, there was an audible "pop" as the embankment surrounding the the dam that had served the Gilbert & Bennett factory for over 100 years gave way sending water levels in Georgetown and through the factory to heights estimated from 8 to 12 feet deep.

Connery's Lumber Yard was washed away when the dam broke at the factory, and evidences of it could be found as far down the Norwalk River as Cannondale. It's safe to say Harold Connery was a good humored man. Following the Flood, Harold was asking all his customers downstream if they had received the shipments of lumber he sent them.

The dam at the "old mill" (Old Mill Road) went shorty after the dam at the factory gave way, sending more tons of water down the valley.

As dams to the north succumbed to the avalanche of water surging down the valley, Cannondale and Wilton were next in the river's path of destruction. Flood waters inflicted heavy damage on the New Haven Railroad tracks at several points in Wilton. The trestle in Cannondale, just below what was left of the Cannon Grange Hall, collapsed. At the northern approach to the Cannondale trestle, the tracks twisted crazily off their embankment; and were seriously undermined at several other points throughout Wilton.

Four Wilton bridges spanning the Norwalk River - at Honey Hill, Seeley, Old Ridgefield, and Kent Roads - were wiped out, as were bridges at Silver Spring and Cedar Roads. Washouts made other bridges at Old Mill Road, Wolfpit Road, Arrowhead Road, and Cannondale impassable; but these washouts and others in Silvermine were patched up with gravel on Monday and Tuesday by town road crews and contractors.

In houses along Cottage Row in the center of Wilton which frequently experienced cellar floods but nothing worse, the water rose above the main floors- almost to the ceilings in the Grover Bradley and George Barringer homes. The home of Mrs. Millie Beers in South Wilton was twisted off its foundation. Mrs. Beers was rescued by two firemen.

The Silvermine River in the southwest corner of Wilton also went on a rampage. Several families along the river fled their homes as the raging waters threatened to wash them away. Many evacuees spent the night with neighbors; several families slept in the Wilton Congregational Church and parsonage, the firehouse and town hall.

At Wall Street in Norwalk, more details of the destruction along the Norwalk River.

Over in Redding the damage was primarily roadway and bridge wash-outs along the Saugatuck and its tributaries. The small brook that courses down Route 53 (now 107), at the top of the Glen Hill, became a raging torrent undermining the road there. The road was passable until late Monday afternoon when, S. Harold Samuelson, first selectman of Redding, ordered the road closed.

Halfway down the Glen Hill, a landslide blocked the highway until Sunday afternoon, when a bulldozer pushed a one-way lane through it. At the foot of Glen Hill, the road was impassable over the bridge at the junction of Routes 53 and 107; the bridge withstood the raging Saugatuck, but the roadway was completely washed away on either side. On Monday afternoon, a car was still standing in a deep hole that had been the approach to the bridge, leaning crazily against a telephone pole. Further downstream was another car in the river. Its occupants had abandoned it on the road Saturday night.

Upstream was the site of the tragedy which saddened the whole town. At the Diamond Hill Road bridge, Edward Arthur Phoenix, 53, and his wife, Veronica, 47, of Fox Run Road lost their lives on Saturday night when the Phoenix's car was swept into the river below the bridge. Mr. and Mrs. Phoenix were coming home from dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Blair of Great Pasture Road.

A three and one-half hour frantic and near successful attempt to rescue Mrs. Phoenix from a tree, after her husband had been swept to his death, made the tragedy even more horrifying. While volunteer firemen and neighbors tried vainly to reach her in the darkness she clung doggedly to the tree, aware of the efforts to save her. But at length her strength failed and she fell into the river and drowned. At one time the rescuers were within 20 feet of the tree but were turned aside by the tremendous force of the torrent.

An Army helicopter spotted the woman's body Monday morning, 1,500 feet from the Diamond Hill Bridge. Mr. Phoenix's body was recovered early Tuesday about 50 feet further downstream.

All approaches to West Redding were blocked; not a bridge was left intact by the tributaries of the Saugatuck River. Route 53 all the way to Bethel was blocked, the only route to Bethel or Danbury left open was the Black Rock Turnpike, which people reached by devious ways.

Paul

Current Dry Spell Quite Different from October Weather Eight Years Ago

We need some rain. There have been just three days with measured rain this month at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. In fact, 19 of the last 22 days have been dry across the region. The total monthly rainfall of 0.26" is well below the 1.56" normal through yesterday. The yearly rainfall of 29.76" is more than four inches below the 33.94" normal. However, it was quite a different story eight years ago this month.

More than two inches (2.12") of rain fell at Sikorsky Airport on this date in 2005, capping a week of heavy rain. The remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy and Subtropical Depression Twenty-Two merged with incoming continental cold fronts in October of 2005 to produce torrential rains over interior New England as well as over parts of New Jersey and New York. Particularly hard hit was the state of New Hampshire, which saw roads and bridges wiped out, several reported deaths, and whole buildings destroyed. Rainfall from both rain events totaled well over 20 inches in some areas.

Locally, thousands of homes and businesses lost power, primarily in Bridgeport. Localized flooding was reported in certain areas of Connecticut. One death occurred when a woman was swept away at Diana's Pool on the Natchaug River, and another woman fell into the churning Connecticut River. In addition, the rains softened the soil, creating mudslides that damaged a lengthy stretch of railroad tracks near Naugatuck, interrupting service. Here is a map illustrating the rainfall totals from October 14 through 16, 2005.

Residents in low-lying areas of Shelton, Seymour, Stratford, and Oxford were evacuated as heavy rains forced the Housatonic River out of its banks, inundating homes and businesses. The damage totaled to $6 million. Coastal flooding was a problem on Long Island, and severe beach erosion was reported in many areas. It was the wettest October on record for Hartford and Central Park.

The heavy rain was brought to the region by a slow-moving frontal system. Stretching from the Florida panhandle to Maine, the front drew tropical moisture -- including the remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy -- up the East Coast. The front parked itself off the coast, allowing an area of low pressure to form just off of the Delmarva Peninsula. The low brought a second round of heavy rain to the Northeast eight years ago today. It was an October not soon to be forgotten.

Paul

Discovery Magnet School's Fourth-Graders Shine as First Weatherkids of the Season

Paul

Hot Air Balloon Experiment Highlights First Weatherkids Visit of the Season

Paul

Discovery Magnet School's Fourth Graders Kick Off New Weatherkids Season

Paul

September Slightly Cooler and Drier Than Normal

September was a fairly quiet month across southwestern Connecticut, although the month featured a wide range of temperatures and much of the last half of September was dry. The average daily temperature last month at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford was 65.2 degrees, which is exactly one degree below normal. More than two-and-a-half inches of rain (2.72") fell, which is well below the 3.48" normal for September.

Eighteen of the 30 days last month were cooler-than-normal, including eight of the last nine days. The warmest stretch of weather occurred from September 10th through the 12th when the high temperatures were 80, 90, and 85 degrees, respectively. However, the mercury didn't climb above 72 degrees over the last eight days of the month. The warmest temperature was 90 degrees on September 11th, and the coolest temperature was 44 degrees on September 24th for a 46-degree range.

There were only seven days with measured rain last month. Three of them, though, brought less than five-hundredths of an inch of rain. The two wettest days were September 12th (1.28") and September 22 (1.13"). Otherwise, the two remaining rainy days delivered less than a quarter-inch of rain. The last eight days of September were rain-free, and only two of the last 17 days saw any measured rain. Here is the climatological summary for last month. Please click to enlarge.

This year's weather has been nothing short of dramatic. We've experienced the second driest April on record, the second wettest June on record, the first-ever seven-day heat wave in July, and a cool August. The weather adversely affected the growing season, which was apparent at last week's Connecticut Giant Squash and Pumpkin Growers' Association's annual Weigh-Off in Ridgefield. However, the recent stretch of sunny days and cool nights should provide for splendid Autumn foliage viewing across the Northeast.

Our stretch of fair weather continues today with sunshine mixing with high-level clouds and a high temperature in the mid 70s. Tonight will become mostly cloudy and mild with patchy fog and a low near 60. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a possible shower and a high in the lower 70s. The weekend will be partly sunny and humid with daytime highs holding close to 75 degrees. Much-needed rain arrives early next week.

Paul

Welcome to October

October is my favorite month of the year for a variety of reasons. Naturally, we begin to experience Autumn across southwestern Connecticut, and the pleasant temperatures afford us the opportunity to enjoy the many outdoor activities planned throughout the month. Whether it be a hayride with the family, a visit to a pumpkin patch, or a seat at the local high school football game, October is just about the ideal month to be outside.

However, the last two Octobers have been anything but quiet and tranquil around these parts. I'm sure you remember the unusual early Autumn Nor'easter which delivered record-breaking October snow and massive power outages across Connecticut the weekend of October 29 and 30, 2011. By the time the storm pulled away, over a foot of snow fell across much of Northern Fairfield County, and four inches blanketed Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, making Saturday, October 29, the snowiest October day on record.

Many trees and tree branches came crashing down due to the weight of the heavy, wet snow, the leaves still on the trees, and the gusty winds. There were more than 760,000 customers of Connecticut Light and Power and 9,000 United Illuminating customers without power Monday morning, October 31. Many school systems were closed or had delayed openings Halloween morning.

The snow totals were unbelievable for October. Danbury reported 17 inches of snow, while Ridgefield (15.5") and Shelton (12.8") received over a foot. Locally, Wilton (10.8"), New Canaan (6.0"), Norwalk (5.5"), and Bridgeport (4.0") also had record-breaking snow. Viewer Ralph Fato of Norwalk sent this photo of the Route 7 connector Saturday afternoon, October 29.

Last year, Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the Eastern seaboard with powerful winds, record-low pressure, and historic tidal surges. The hurricane, which brought heavy rain and flooding across the mid-Atlantic region, made its heralded landfall near Atlantic City, N.J., around 8 p.m. Monday evening, October 29. It arrived slightly earlier than originally projected because it had picked up speed, moving at about 28 mph.

Although our region was spared the heavy rainfall, winds increased throughout the day Monday, reaching a peak wind gust of 76 miles-an-hour at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford Monday evening. The hurricane-force gusts resulted in massive power outages, downed trees and power lines, and three deaths in Connecticut.

Unfortunately, the storm came during a Full Moon, causing a storm surge of 10 feet at Bridgeport harbor late Monday night. Sandy's strength and angle of approach combined to produce a record storm surge of water into New York City. The surge level at Battery Park topped 13.88 feet at 9:24 p.m. Monday, surpassing the 10.02 feet record water level set by Hurricane Donna in 1960.

The local shoreline communities, especially Fairfield and Milford, were hit hardest. Many homes, which had been hammered by Tropical Storm Irene just over a year earlier, were severely damaged or destroyed by Sandy. Here is a video of the storm surge at nearby St. Mary's by the Sea in Bridgeport.

                    
 
Flooding prevented some homeowners from even getting to their homes near the beach in Fairfield. People were getting around by kayaks and canoes in the shoreline neighborhood, which was buzzing with the sound of pumps taking water out of houses. At one point Tuesday, United Illuminating reported that 100% of its Fairfield customers were without power. Schools were closed at least through Friday, and Fairfield Ludlowe High School opened a shelter for displaced residents and pets.

An Easton volunteer firefighter died while clearing debris in front of a fire truck Monday night on Judd Road. Lt. Russell Neary was struck by a falling limb. The body of a missing 34-year-old man, who was seen swimming in the heavy surf after jumping from a pier Monday evening, was recovered in Milford. Also, a 90-year-old Mansfield woman was killed and two family members were seriously injured when a tree fell on them during the storm Monday.

Hopefully, this October will be much quieter. Temperatures begin to cool dramatically throughout the month. In fact, the average daily mean temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford falls from 60 degrees October 1 to 50 degrees by Halloween. The average daily high temperature drops from 69 degrees to 58 degrees, and the overnight low cools from 52 degrees to 42 by the end of the month.

The warmest temperature ever recorded in October in southwestern Connecticut was 89 degrees, which was set October 8 of 2007. That broke the previous mark of 86 degrees set on October 6, 1997. It occurred one day after another record high of 78 degrees was established on October 7, 2007. The mercury also hit 85 degrees on October 10, 1949.

The warmest October on record, not surprisingly, happened six years ago (2007) when the mercury averaged 61.8 degrees, breaking the previous mark of 60.2 degrees in 1971. The coldest Octobers on record were in 1981 and 1988 when the temperature averaged 50.5 degrees. The coldest temperature ever recorded for the month was 26 degrees, set three times, most recently on Halloween of 1988. The other two times were on October 24, 1969, and October 20, 1972.

October’s average rainfall is 3.54 inches. The wettest October ever recorded happened in 1955 when 10.72 inches fell across southwestern Connecticut. On three occasions over four inches of rain fell in one day: October 7, 1972 (4.14″), October 15, 1955 (4.76″), and October 19, 1996 (4.12″). The driest October (0.33″) happened in 1963.

Daylight dramatically decreases during the month. October 1 we enjoy 11 hours and 45 minutes of daylight. The Sun rises at 5:49 and sets at 5:34. However, by the middle of the month, October 15, the Sun rises at 6:04 and sets at 5:12. By Halloween, after the return to standard time, we only have 10 hours and 26 minutes of daylight. Sunrise happens at 5:23 while it sets at 4:49 in the afternoon.

We don’t “fall back” to Eastern Standard Time until Sunday morning, November 3, at 2 o’clock. That’s when we set our clocks back one hour and gain one extra hour of sleep. Daylight Saving Time was extended for one month beginning in 2007 as a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. So, the Halloween trick-or-treaters will get one extra hour of daylight in the evening.

Happy October!

Paul