Rainy Pattern in April Continues Into May

The last two days could not be any more different weatherwise in southwestern Connecticut. Rain continues to fall early this afternoon, and the temperature is 45 degrees F along the Mill River on Brookside Drive in Fairfield, which is the normal high temperature for March 10.

Today marks the seventh day with measured rain this month (58% of days) and the 26th day since April 1 (62% of days) with measured rain in southwestern Connecticut. Here's a look at the Samp Mortar Dam on Brookside Drive in Fairfield.

Yesterday, meanwhile, was just about picture-perfect across the region. The daytime high temperature was 70 degrees, which occurred just after 3 p.m. EDT, and the sky was deep and blue for most of the day.

Today, though, is a different story. Just take a look at the radar as of early this afternoon.

Paul

Rare "Winter" Storm Affected Northeast 42 Years Ago Today

A "Winter" storm system brought snow and record-cold temperatures to much of New England on this date 42 years ago. In fact, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, a trace of snow fell, and the temperature dropped to 37 degrees that morning, establishing a record low for this date. Other than a trace of snow which was reported May 27, 2010, it's the latest Spring day on which any snow has ever fallen in southwestern Connecticut.

The storm was quite shocking for this time of the year. Consider the normal high temperature for May 9 is 65 degrees, and the normal low temperature is 48. Snow in southwestern Connecticut is almost unheard of seven weeks after the Vernal Equinox. The coldest temperature ever recorded this month was 31 degrees on March 10, 1966.

According to the Naugatuck Daily News, "A Spring storm dumped several inches of snow on some parts of Berkshire County in Massachusetts. The area hardest hit by the storm was Great Barrington, Massachusetts, where police reported 10 inches of snow on the ground. Similar amounts were reported in parts of Vermont. Great Barrington police said there 'were about 100 trees down, wires are down, and we've got reports of accidents we can't get to.'"

Residents in the northwestern Connecticut rural communities of Goshen and Cornwall reported unofficial snow depths of up to five inches. The snow began to fall heavily in the Hartford area at the height of the commuter rush, slowing traffic considerably on most roads. The National Weather Service said a deepening area of low pressure over Connecticut produced a variety of weather conditions across Western Connecticut.

I consider myself a local weather history buff, but I honestly don't remember this storm. Special thanks to local weather expert Ralph Fato for recalling it and bringing it to my attention. It certainly had to be memorable for those who had to dig out of nearly a half-foot of snow in the northwestern corner of the state. I'm sure they were wearing their Winter coats, too, with the mercury plunging into the 30s.

Paul

Less Than Half of Daylight Hours in April Offered Sunlight Across Southwestern Connecticut

Less than half of the daylight hours in April offered sunlight across southwestern Connecticut. Ralph Fato charted the number of hours of sunlight last month, and only 138 out of 400 possible hours of sunlight occurred.

Here is his monthly chart for April.

Paul