Annual Precipitation More Than One Foot Below Normal at Bridgeport Climate Station

The Bridgeport climate station has recorded 27.19" of precipitation this year, which is more than one foot below normal (39.62") and well below last year's total (41.86") through Wednesday.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 27, 2025 at 10:37 AM

Paul

Recalling the Thanksgiving Day Snowstorm 36 Years Ago

Thirty-six years later, the Thanksgiving Day snowstorm of November 23, 1989, still remains the snowiest November day on record in southwestern Connecticut. The storm, which began Wednesday evening, November 22, delivered more than a half-foot of snow in less than 24 hours, while creating havoc on area roadways and major airports in the Northeast. Officially, 6.6 inches of snow fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford.

The first Thanksgiving Day snowstorm in 51 years postponed traditional high school football rivalry games and even prevented Snoopy and Bugs Bunny from making it to the big parade in Manhattan. Snow fell from Virginia to New England, breaking records in Boston, New Jersey, and New York City. By the time it dwindled to a flurry late Thursday, November 23, the storm delivered 4.7 inches of snow to Central Park.

The unforgettable storm was the seventh measurable Thanksgiving Day snow recorded in New York City since the National Weather Service started keeping records more than 120 years earlier. The last white Thanksgiving in the city was in 1938, when 3.9 inches of snow fell. In Newark, nearly six inches of snow fell in less than 24 hours, breaking the Thanksgiving record of four inches set in 1938.

The New York City police department said there were about 1.8 million spectators and marchers at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They described it as a light to medium turnout. Strong gusts in the early morning tore at the seams and patches of the giant Snoopy and Bugs Bunny helium balloons, puncturing Snoopy's nose and tearing a hole in his comrade's side, a Macy's parade official, said.

Boston experienced the heaviest Thanksgiving Day snow in 65 years, and in southern New England, three to eight inches were recorded. Long Island was the hardest hit, in particular Northport and Centerport, where five to seven inches fell. In Brooklyn and New Jersey, up to five inches were reported. There were no record lows in temperature, however.

What do I most remember about the snowstorm? I just began working as the evening weather anchor at News 12 Connecticut two months earlier, and the snow caught just about everybody by surprise. Although there was some snow in the forecast, I distinctly remember telling the viewers that it shouldn't amount to much, and travel shouldn't be adversely affected. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Paul

A Fateful Decision That May Have Saved JFK's Life

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The following is a CBS article on how the weather may have played a role on that fateful day.

(CBS News) President John F. Kennedy was murdered in Dallas sixty-two years ago today. Among the young reporters on the scene that day were Peter Jennings of Canadian TV and later ABC; Dan Rather of CBS; Jim Lehrer of the Dallas Times Herald and later PBS; and a cub reporter from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram -- our very own Bob Schieffer.

Those who covered the assassination and who are still around all these years later have had a long time to think about what might have been. It was a misty morning as the president spoke in Fort Worth. But by the time he got to Dallas, the sun had come out. 

Jim Lehrer was at Love Field assigned to cover the president's arrival for the Dallas Times Herald. He remembers seeing the bubble top on the presidential limousine.

"I asked the agent, a man I knew, who was the agent in charge of the Dallas office of the Secret Service," he said, "'You gonna leave the bubble top up?' I'll never forget it, Bob, he looked up at the sky and [said], 'It's clear.' So then he turns to the other agents who were all there by the car ... and he said, 'Lose the bubble top.'"

Lehrer believes it was a fateful decision. "I think Lee Harvey Oswald probably would not have taken the shots," he said had the bubble top been on the limousine.

The bubble top was not bullet proof, but it could have made the president a difficult target or it could have deflected the bullet.

Jim Lehrer ran into that same Secret Service agent later that evening at the Dallas police station. He recalls that the agent came up to him and said, "Jim, if I just hadn't taken off the bubble top."

Showers Expected Late This Evening and Tonight Across Southwestern Connecticut

Less than one-third of an inch of precipitation is expected across southwestern Connecticut through Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 14, 2025 at 1:01 PM

Paul

Classic Nor'easter Dumped More Than a Half-Foot of Snow on Region 13 Years Ago Today

Just nine days after Hurricane Sandy devastated parts of southwestern Connecticut, especially shoreline communities, a classic Nor'easter brought gusty winds, cold temperatures, and record-breaking snow to the region, Wednesday, November 7, 2012. The snow began falling late-morning as the storm exploded, causing bands of moderate-to-heavy snow to fall the rest of the day and through the night.

Officially, Sikorsky Memorial Airport recorded 8.3 inches of snow from November 7 through early November 8. The six inches that fell November 7 was a record for the date and the second snowiest November day on record. More than a half-foot of snow (6.2 inches) fell on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, 1989. Three inches of snow fell on November 27, 2002. 

Here are some of the snow totals from across southwestern Connecticut:

• Monroe: 11.5"
• Danbury: 9.9"
• Bridgeport: 8.0"
• Ridgefield: 8.0"
• Darien: 7.9"
• Greenwich: 6.0"
• Trumbull: 6.0"
• New Canaan: 6.0"
• Norwalk: 5.8"
• Stamford: 5.3"

A strong North wind continued to pull colder air into much of New England throughout the day. The high temperature of 39 degrees November 7 happened at 10:21 a.m. By mid-afternoon, the mercury had dropped into the low-to-mid 30s, causing the precipitation to fall as heavy wet snow. The low temperature fell to 31 degrees at 8:24 p.m. The normal high and low temperatures for November 7 are 56 and 40 degrees, respectively. The average temperature of 35 degrees on November 7 was 13 degrees colder than the normal average of 48.

Initially, it appeared the storm would be more of a wind-maker rather than a snow-maker, as computer models pushed the center of the storm farther to the East. However, the winds never reached the 50-mph forecast gusts which were anticipated. The highest wind gust at Sikorsky Airport was 36 miles per hour out of the North, and the highest wind speed was 29 miles an hour. The average wind speed during the storm was 19.2 miles an hour.

Paul

Frost Advisory Friday Morning for Southern Fairfield & New Haven Counties

A Frost Advisory will be in effect for southern Fairfield and New Haven counties Friday from 12 a.m. until 7 a.m. EST: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 6, 2025 at 5:55 AM

Paul

Wind Advisory Issued for Fairfield & New Haven Counties

A Wind Advisory will be in effect for Fairfield and New Haven counties from Wednesday at 9 p.m. until Thursday at 8 a.m. EST: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM

Paul

October Slightly Cooler and Much Wetter Than Normal Across Southwestern Connecticut

The average monthly temperature for October at the Bridgeport climate station was 56.3° F, which is slightly cooler than the 56.4° normal. The range was 81° (Oct. 5) and 36° (Oct. 27).

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM

The Bridgeport climate station recorded 4.58" of precipitation in October, which is 0.74" wetter-than-normal. Nearly two and three-quarters inches of rain (2.73") were recorded the last two days of the month.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) November 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM