Marking the 15-Year Anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene

Tropical Storm Irene hit the region 15 years ago today, and it will long be remembered by residents of southwestern Connecticut for the number of lives it affected. 

According to Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Connecticut Light and Power, more than 700,000 customers were without power Sunday, August 28, 2011, easily breaking the previous record of 480,000 following Hurricane Gloria in September of 1985. In fact, 98% of Redding and 89% of Weston households were without power on Monday, August 29, 2011.

The shoreline was hit the hardest, especially during the storm surge at the time of high tide late Sunday morning, August 28. Several homes collapsed along the beach in Fairfield, and many residents had to be evacuated due to the flooding. There were 35 streets which were under mandatory evacuation. 

The center of the storm passed through southwestern Connecticut late Sunday morning, August 28, just about the time of high tide, which was 11:10 a.m. in Bridgeport. To make matters worse, tides were astronomically high due to the new Moon. 

Although the storm's effects would be felt for quite some time, it could have been much worse. The highest wind gust reported in the region was 63 miles an hour at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford just before daybreak. 

The highest wind speed was 46 miles an hour, and the average wind speed was 24.9 miles an hour. Fortunately, winds never reached hurricane force, but that certainly was little consequence to the thousands of people who were without power or who suffered damage from Irene.

Rainfall totals ranged from just over three inches to more than a half-foot in Northern Fairfield County. Officially, the Sikorsky Airport set a record of 2.50 inches, bringing the two-day storm total to 3.35 inches. That's not far from the monthly average of 3.75 inches. 

Thus far this year, the Atlantic tropical season has been fairly quiet. However, that was not the case 15 years ago today.

Paul

Wettest Meteorological Summer on Record at Bridgeport

This is the wettest meteorological Summer on record at the Bridgeport climate station. The 21.21" of precipitation since June 1 broke the previous record of 20.23" (1972) for June, July, and August.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 24, 2026 at 8:59 PM

The Bridgeport climate station has recorded 21.21" of precipitation since June 1 --- the start of meteorological Summer --- which is more than double the 10.25" normal through August 24. Last year's total was 3.85" through the same period.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 24, 2026 at 4:54 PM

Paul

Flood Watch in Effect for Fairfield County Through Early Friday Morning

A Flood Watch is in effect for Fairfield County until Friday at 2 a.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 20, 2026 at 2:04 PM

Paul

Marking the 71st Anniversary of Hurricane Connie's Arrival to Southwestern Connecticut

Long-time area residents will never forget August of 1955 when two of the most memorable hurricanes --- Connie and Diane --- battered the Northeast. Hurricane Connie soaked New England with torrential rains on August 13, 1955. Then, just five days later, Tropical Storm Diane followed suit creating massive flooding not seen since the 1930s. 

The combination of Connie and Diane yielded rainfall totals close to 25 inches in some areas, resulting in unprecedented flooding. Nearly all of the major rivers in the lower Connecticut Valley exceeded flood stage. Some rivers rose more than 20 feet over their banks. Read the Valley News archive of daily weather events from August of 1955 to gain a better understanding of the power of those two August hurricanes.

While the two hurricanes affected the entire Atlantic coast, Connecticut suffered the most damage. For example, of the 180 lives that were lost, 77 were in Connecticut. Of the 680 million dollars in property damage, over 350 million dollars occurred in Connecticut. Over 200 dams in New England suffered partial to total failure. Many of these were in the area immediately south of Worcester, in the Thames and Blackstone headwaters. 

If August was not bad enough, two months later, a four day storm dumped an additional 12-14 inches of rain in southwestern New England. This event was not as widespread as the August storms, but record flood levels were achieved in some locations of the Housatonic and Hudson River basins.

Paul

Radio Broadcast from WAVZ-AM in New Haven of The Great Flood of August 18, 1955 in Connecticut (Part II)

Radio Broadcast from WAVZ-AM in New Haven of The Great Flood of August 18, 1955 in Connecticut (Part I)

August 18 Marks Two-Year Anniversary of Historic One-Day Flooding Across Parts of Southwestern Connecticut

A historic deluge delivered more than one foot of rain to parts of southwestern Connecticut Sunday, August 18, 2024, during a heavy rain storm which destroyed many homes, businesses, and roads.

Oxford reported 14.83" of rain, breaking the previous 24-hour rainfall record in Connecticut of 12.77" at Burlington during Hurricane Diane on August 19, 1955. Here are the official rain totals from across the region, including Fairfield and New Haven counties, from the National Weather Service:

Oxford was the hardest hit municipality. Two women lost their lives when they were swept away by the raging floodwaters. The photo below shows the flooding along Oxford Road.

Ironically, the storm happened on the 69th anniversary of The Great Flood of 1955 during Hurricane Diane. The video below shows the incredible rescue of people from the Brookside Inn on Oxford Road. Read the complete story by clicking here.

This home on East Hill Road in Oxford was completely washed into the Five Mile Brook.

Paul

Declination of the Sun Changes Dramatically During August

I'm sure you've noticed that the length of daylight is decreasing across southwestern Connecticut. The mornings are getting lighter later, while the evenings are getting darker earlier. That's to be expected this time of the year. However, have you noticed the subtle change in the length of the shadows? That's due to the lower angle of the Sun in the sky.

It has been nearly eight weeks since the Summer Solstice, and the Autumnal Equinox is just a little more than five short weeks away. The Sun is not nearly as high in the sky today as it was on the first day of Summer. The Sun was 23.26 degrees North of the celestial equator on June 21, which is as high as it ever gets in southwestern Connecticut. The days were at their longest and the shadows were at their shortest.

Today, though, the Sun is just 14.52 degrees North of the celestial equator, meaning that it's nearly four degrees lower in the sky than it was August 1 (+18.10 degrees) and nearly ten degrees lower than it was at the end of June (+23.13). The Sun's lower angle in the sky continues to accelerate through the end of the month. By August 31, for example, it will be just 8.52 degrees North of the celestial equator.

The Sun's rays remain North of the celestial equator through September 23, when the Sun is just 0.10 degrees above it. From that point on, the Sun's rays continue to sink below the celestial equator until December 21, the first day of Winter, when they reach -23.26 degrees. That, understandably, is the shortest day of the year in terms of sunlight.

So, what does this all mean? In short, the Sun's angle is continuing to sink lower in the sky, the shadows outside are getting a little longer each day, and the length of daylight is decreasing each day. The midpoint of Summer was a little less than two weeks ago, and now Autumn is staring right at us. I'm not ready for Summer to leave just yet.

Paul

Hurricane Connie Struck Coastal Connecticut 70 Years Ago Today

Many long-time area residents will never forget the deluge which happened 70 years ago today. Hurricane Connie brought nearly four inches (3.92") of rain to the region on Friday, August 12, 1955. Take a look at the front page of The Bridgeport Telegram from Saturday, August 13, 1955.

August of 1955 will be remembered for two of the most memorable hurricanes --- Connie and Diane --- which battered the Northeast. Hurricane Connie soaked New England with torrential rains on August 12 and 13, 1955. Then, just five days later, Tropical Storm Diane followed suit creating massive flooding not seen since the 1930s. Take a look at the front page of The Bridgeport Telegram from Saturday, August 20, 1955.

The combination of Connie and Diane yielded rainfall totals close to 25 inches in some areas, resulting in unprecedented flooding. Nearly all of the major rivers in the lower Connecticut Valley exceeded flood stage. Some rivers rose more than 20 feet over their banks. Read the Valley News archive of daily weather events from August of 1955 to gain a better understanding of the power of those two August hurricanes!

While the two hurricanes affected the entire Atlantic coast, Connecticut suffered the most damage. For example, of the 180 lives that were lost, 77 were in Connecticut. Of the 680 million dollars in property damage, over 350 million dollars occurred in Connecticut. Over 200 dams in New England suffered partial to total failure. Many of these were in the area immediately south of Worcester, in the Thames and Blackstone headwaters. Here is a photo of Winsted, Connecticut, virtually devastated following the flood.

If August was not bad enough, two months later, a four day storm dumped an additional 12-14 inches of rain in southwestern New England. This event was not as widespread as the August storms, but record flood levels were achieved in some locations of the Housatonic and Hudson River basins. The tropical season has been fairly quiet thus far, but things usually stir in late August and September. Tropical Storm Irene (2011) and Hurricane Gloria (1985) are two recent examples.

Paul

"Dog Days of Summer" Officially End Today

The Dog Days of Summer officially come to an end today. In case you’re wondering, the "dog days" last for 40 days, from July 3 to August 11. They are directly related to the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major, or the big dog. Sirius is known as the Dog Star, and we see it clearly illuminating the night sky from early Autumn through early Spring.

However, during this time of the year, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. During late July, Sirius is in “conjunction” with the Sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the Sun, creating a stretch of very hot, humid, and sultry weather. Actually, the conjunction of Sirius with the Sun varies slightly with latitude, and a gradual drifting of the constellations over time means that they are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome.

Although this is typically the warmest time of the year in southwestern Connecticut, the added heat is not due to the added radiation of a far-away star, regardless of how bright it is. The heat of Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere is a direct result of the Earth’s 23.5 degree tilt on its axis. Today's normal high temperature is 82 degrees, just one degree shy of the normal high for late July.

Paul

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Fairfield & New Haven Counties Through This Evening

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Farirfield and New Haven counties until 8 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 8, 2026 at 3:09 PM

Paul

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Fairfield County Through This Evening

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Fairfield County until 9 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM

Paul

Heat Advisory Issued for Fairfield & New Haven Counties

A Heat Advisory will be in effect for Fairfield and New Haven counties from Thursday at 11 a.m. until Friday at 8 p.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 5, 2026 at 3:38 PM

Paul

Weather Affects Mood

How do you feel when the weather turns hot and humid? Tired? Lethargic? Sleepy? What about the heavy rainstorms we've experienced over the past month? Does it affect your mood? The heat, humidity, and seemingly-constant rain may affect you more than you think. If you feel "out of it," you're probably not alone. 

According to the Web site Science Daily, “The positive impact warm, sunny weather can have on mental health and mood are real,” are the findings of a University of Michigan study. “It should not be surprising that weather and seasons affect human behavior, given that humans have evolved with seasonal and weather changes since the dawn of the species.” 

Researchers found that pleasant weather improves mood, memory, broadens our creative ability and our openness to new information. “Being outside in pleasant weather really offers a way to re-set your mindset,” said Matthew Keller, the University of Michigan post-doctoral researcher who led the weather-related psychological study. “We found two important variables: how much time you spend outside and what the season is.” 

Ten mood variables were related to eight weather variables in a multidimensional study on weather according to pubmed.org. Data was collected for 23 male subjects over 11 consecutive days. Mood variables included concentration, depression, sleepiness, optimism, and skepticism. The weather variables included hours of sunshine, precipitation, and temperature. “Humidity, temperature, and hours of sunshine had the greatest effect on mood,” the study found. 

“High levels of humidity lowerered scores on concentration while increasing reports of sleepiness. Humidity was the most significant predictor in regression.” Our humidity was especially high yesterday. Were you feeling tired or having trouble concentrating? 

The study adds that the implications for school and work performance are critical, and it highlights the importance of humidity as a weather variable. I am sure the extremely high humidity and recent rains have played major roles in the way we feel.

Paul

Heavy Rain Christens August & Follows Soggy July

Here are the latest rainfall totals from across southwestern Connecticut as of Monday evening:

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) August 4, 2026 at 2:12 AM

Paul

Bridgeport Climate Station Measures More Than One Foot of Rain for July; Nearly Sets Record for the Month

The Bridgeport climate station measured 12.33" of precipitation this month, which is approximately one-half inch short of the July record of 12.84" set in 1971. Last July featured only 1.15" of precipitation.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) July 31, 2026 at 12:26 PM

Paul

Heavy Rain Pushes Monthy Precipitation Total to Nearly One Foot at Bridgeport Climate Station

The second heavy rainstorm in one week delivered more than one month's worth of precipiation to several communities across southwestern Connecticut Wednesday. 

According to National Weather Service reports, Fairfield received the most amount of rain from the storm, with more than three-and-a-half inches (3.61") through early Wednesday morning.

However, heavy showers and thunderstorms continued through much of the day into Wednesday night, producing up to one inch of additional rain. 

Shelton (2.89"), Westport (2.87"), Stamford (2.64"), and Newtown (2.57") measured more than two-and-a-half inches of rain.

Most municipalities across southwestern Connecticut reported between one-and-a-half and three inches by Wednesday morning.

The Bridgeport climate station recorded nearly three inches (2.90") for the day, bringing the monthly total (11.93") to just about one foot, which is nearly four times the normal climatological average (3.06") through July 29.

Paul

Flood Watch Issued for Fairfield and New Haven Counties Through Wednesday

Two-to-four inches of precipitation are expected across southwestern Connectiut through Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) July 28, 2026 at 3:22 PM

Paul

Full Buck Moon Occurs This Wednesday, July 29, at 10:36 a.m. EDT

The Full Buck Moon occurs this Wednesday, July 29, at 10:36 a.m. EDT. Named for the Summer regrowth of deer and elk antlers shed in the Winter, this month’s Full Moon is also called the Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, Mead Moon, and the Rose Moon. 

July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer rush out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon since thunderstorms are common during this time of the year. 

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans in what is now the Northern and Eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring Full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred. There was some variation in the Moon names but, in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. 

A Full Moon rises at about the same time the Sun is setting. The Full Moon will rise later and set earlier this time of the year. In addition, the Full Moon will appear lower in the sky since it won’t be visible nearly as long as during the mid-Winter nights. The Moon will be visible for about nine hours and 45 minutes. 

Conversely, six months from now in January when the amount of daylight is at a minimum, the Full Wolf Moon will appear higher in the sky and be visible for about 17-and-half-hours. That’s over eight hours longer than this time of the year! 

Paul

A Summer Reality Check

Believe it or not, the days are indeed getting "shorter." In fact, we have lost exactly 40 minutes of daylight since the first day of Summer. Sunrise on June 21 happened at 5:19 a.m. EDT. This morning's sunrise was at 5:44 a.m., 25 minutes later. Sunset is now at 8:16 p.m., 15 minutes before the latest sunset, at 8:31 p.m., in late June.

By the end of the month, sunrise occurs at 5:47 a.m., while the Sun sets at 8:10 p.m.. Two weeks later, by mid-August, the shorter days become even more pronounced, with sunrise and sunset times at 6:02 a.m. and 7:51 p.m., respectively. 

The "shorter" days have to do with the Earth's revolution around the Sun and the 23.5 degree tilt on its axis. By the end of September, the Autumnal Equinox begins a six-month period of "longer nights" and "shorter days" in the Northern Hemisphere.

Paul