We'll have a wonderful view of the Full Sturgeon Moon this evening. Skies should be mostly clear to partly cloudy at 9:45 p.m. EDT when the Moon is Full. However, it will be a mild and more humid evening with temperatures generally in the 70s if you're out for a late-evening walk. The Moon rises at 7:13 EDT this evening, and it sets tomorrow morning at 6:47.
So, how did the August full Moon get its name? The fishing tribes are given credit for naming it, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
Thunder and lightning are quite frequent with Summer storms in August. So, this month’s full Moon also goes by the name of the Lightning Moon for the Summer thunderstorms. Other names given to the Moon in August are the Red Moon and the Dog Moon. Full Moon names date back to the days of the 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.
As for our weather, it will be warm and humid through Thursday with daytime highs in the 80s and nighttime lows in the 60s and lower 70s. A cold front will approach later Thursday, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the region. Behind the front, however, pleasant weather is expected Friday through the upcoming weekend under mostly sunny skies, lower humidity, and comfortable temperatures.
Paul
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Dwindling Daylight Marks Summer's Final Month
This Friday marks eight weeks since the Summer Solstice, and the Autumnal Equinox is just a little more than one month away. Summer officially began on Friday, June 21, while Fall starts in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday, September 22 at 4:44 p.m. EDT. Where has the time gone?
I'm sure you’ve noticed by now that our days are getting shorter. In fact, today's sunrise at 6:01 EDT marks the first time since April 23 that the Sun rises after 6 o'clock. This evening's sunset is at 7:53 p.m. The times of sunrise and sunset on the first day of Summer were at 5:19 a.m. & 8:30 p.m., respectively. That means we’ve lost one hour and 19 minutes of daylight over the last eight weeks. And, daylight will continue to dwindle.
By the end of August, the sun rises at 6:18 and sets at 7:27, meaning that over an hour of daylight will have been lost in the evening alone since the first day of Summer. Just over one month from now, on the Autumnal Equinox, the sunrise is at 6:38 a.m. and sunset is at 6:53 p.m. The loss of daylight accelerates through the three months of Autumn.
A very nice stretch of weather is ahead through the start of the weekend. A cold front cleared the region last night after delivering less than a quarter-inch of rain (0.19") at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford yesterday. The monthly total (0.84") is still nearly an inch below normal (1.72") through yesterday. The average temperature this month is 72.8 degrees, which is 1.5 degrees below normal.
Enjoy the next couple of days and the last month of Summer!
Paul
I'm sure you’ve noticed by now that our days are getting shorter. In fact, today's sunrise at 6:01 EDT marks the first time since April 23 that the Sun rises after 6 o'clock. This evening's sunset is at 7:53 p.m. The times of sunrise and sunset on the first day of Summer were at 5:19 a.m. & 8:30 p.m., respectively. That means we’ve lost one hour and 19 minutes of daylight over the last eight weeks. And, daylight will continue to dwindle.By the end of August, the sun rises at 6:18 and sets at 7:27, meaning that over an hour of daylight will have been lost in the evening alone since the first day of Summer. Just over one month from now, on the Autumnal Equinox, the sunrise is at 6:38 a.m. and sunset is at 6:53 p.m. The loss of daylight accelerates through the three months of Autumn.
A very nice stretch of weather is ahead through the start of the weekend. A cold front cleared the region last night after delivering less than a quarter-inch of rain (0.19") at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford yesterday. The monthly total (0.84") is still nearly an inch below normal (1.72") through yesterday. The average temperature this month is 72.8 degrees, which is 1.5 degrees below normal.
Enjoy the next couple of days and the last month of Summer!
Paul
Monday, August 12, 2013
Marking the Anniversary of Hurricane Connie in 1955
A fairly quiet and warm day is ahead under partly sunny skies and high temperatures in the lower 80s. If you have the day off, I certainly envy you. Aside from a cold front approaching tomorrow, most of the week looks great. However, things were quite different 58 years ago today. Nearly four inches (3.92") of rain fell on August 12, 1955. Take a look at the front page of The Bridgeport Telegram from Saturday, August 13, 1955.
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 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. For now, however, enjoy the day. However, make sure to bring your sunglasses and suntan lotion. The UV Index is high. That's quite a difference from this date in 1955!
Paul
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 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. For now, however, enjoy the day. However, make sure to bring your sunglasses and suntan lotion. The UV Index is high. That's quite a difference from this date in 1955!
Paul
Friday, August 9, 2013
Weekend Weather Forecast
Keep the umbrella handy for periods of rain, locally heavy downpours, and potentially strong to severe thunderstorms today as a cold front approaches the region. It is quite humid this morning with dew points in the 70s and an air temperature in the low-to-mid 70s.
The key ingredient for potentially strong thunderstorms is the destabilization and warming of the lower-levels of the atmosphere. Cloud cover will hamper diurnal destabilization today, though. Any lingering rain and thunderstorm activity will end later this evening as the front accelerates and crosses the region. Tonight's lows will drop into the 60s under clearing skies late.
The silver lining is the weekend forecast. It looks like a winner. Tomorrow will feature a mix of sunshine and afternoon clouds with a high temperature in the mid 80s. The dew point is expected to drop into the 50s later in the day, according to the latest NAM/MOS guidance. Sunday will be mostly sunny, dry, and delightful with a high in the upper 70s to close to 80 degrees. Enjoy the weekend.
Paul
The key ingredient for potentially strong thunderstorms is the destabilization and warming of the lower-levels of the atmosphere. Cloud cover will hamper diurnal destabilization today, though. Any lingering rain and thunderstorm activity will end later this evening as the front accelerates and crosses the region. Tonight's lows will drop into the 60s under clearing skies late.
The silver lining is the weekend forecast. It looks like a winner. Tomorrow will feature a mix of sunshine and afternoon clouds with a high temperature in the mid 80s. The dew point is expected to drop into the 50s later in the day, according to the latest NAM/MOS guidance. Sunday will be mostly sunny, dry, and delightful with a high in the upper 70s to close to 80 degrees. Enjoy the weekend.
Paul
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Little League Weather
The Westport Little League all-star team has cruised through its first three games of the New England Regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, this week. The locals defeated Vermont, 9-2, Maine, 8-0, and New Hampshire, 12-2. Equally impressive has been the weather at Breen Field this week. The last two days, especially, featured sunny skies, low humidity, and comfortable temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s.
Westport's 12-year-old heroes play the Massachusetts representative from Newton South East Little League this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Game conditions are expected to be fairly good, although the humidity will be higher and skies will become partly to mostly cloudy. The high temperature is expected to climb into the upper 70s with a Southeast wind at 10 miles an hour. However, any shower threat should hold off until after the game.
If Westport completes its perfect 4-0 run in pool play, the team will be the top seed in the regional semi-finals tomorrow. The locals would play the fourth seed in the second semi-final game at 1 o'clock. Unfortunately, tomorrow's weather doesn't look as promising. It will be mostly cloudy and more humid with scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms, some of which may be strong, especially later in the day. The high temperature will reach the upper 70s with a South wind at 5 to 10 miles an hour.
The championship game is scheduled for this Saturday evening at 7 o'clock. Fortunately, Mother Nature should cooperate after a cold front pushes through the region early in the day. Skies are expected to be mostly clear with lower humidity and a temperature falling through the 70s. The wind will be North at 5 miles an hour with the humidity dropping to 70 percent. Sunset is at 7:58 p.m.
This is the fourth straight year a local Little League team won the state championship and advanced to the New England Regional tournament. The Fairfield American all-stars won the state 12-year-old title the last three years, advancing to the Little League World Series in 2010 and 2012. Here's hoping that neighboring Westport can book its trip to Williamsport next week. We're rooting for both the boys and Mother Nature to pull through!
Paul
Westport's 12-year-old heroes play the Massachusetts representative from Newton South East Little League this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Game conditions are expected to be fairly good, although the humidity will be higher and skies will become partly to mostly cloudy. The high temperature is expected to climb into the upper 70s with a Southeast wind at 10 miles an hour. However, any shower threat should hold off until after the game.
If Westport completes its perfect 4-0 run in pool play, the team will be the top seed in the regional semi-finals tomorrow. The locals would play the fourth seed in the second semi-final game at 1 o'clock. Unfortunately, tomorrow's weather doesn't look as promising. It will be mostly cloudy and more humid with scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms, some of which may be strong, especially later in the day. The high temperature will reach the upper 70s with a South wind at 5 to 10 miles an hour.
The championship game is scheduled for this Saturday evening at 7 o'clock. Fortunately, Mother Nature should cooperate after a cold front pushes through the region early in the day. Skies are expected to be mostly clear with lower humidity and a temperature falling through the 70s. The wind will be North at 5 miles an hour with the humidity dropping to 70 percent. Sunset is at 7:58 p.m.
This is the fourth straight year a local Little League team won the state championship and advanced to the New England Regional tournament. The Fairfield American all-stars won the state 12-year-old title the last three years, advancing to the Little League World Series in 2010 and 2012. Here's hoping that neighboring Westport can book its trip to Williamsport next week. We're rooting for both the boys and Mother Nature to pull through!
Paul
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Summer's Halfway Point
Today marks the official midpoint of Summer. It has been 46 days since the Summer Solstice, and the Autumn Equinox is 46 days from today. It seems like the Summer is flying by. The brutal heat and humidity of July have been replaced by delightful mid Summer weather once again today under mostly sunny skies, low humidity, and temperatures in the upper 70s to close to 80 degrees.
The first 46 days of Summer this year have been record-breaking. For starters, July was the hottest month on record at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford with a daily average temperature of 78.5 degrees. That eclipsed the previous record of 78.4 degrees set in July of 1994. In addition, there were two heat waves last month, including the first-ever seven-day heat wave on record, which included the highest temperature of the month, 95 degrees, on July 16.
There have been 12 days with a high temperature of 90 degrees or more since the Summer Solstice compared to 11 last year and just six at the midpoint of Summer in 2011. Similarly, there were two heat waves during the first half of last Summer. The first heat wave last year happened from June 29 through July 1 with high temperatures of 91, 92, and 92 degrees, respectively. The second heat wave happened July 16 through 18 when the mercury hit 91, 93, and 95 degrees on successive days.
The first half of each of the last two Summers featured 14 days (30%) with measured rain. This year, 16 of the first 46 days of Summer (34%) have had measured rain, including four of the last ten days in June, 10 days in July, and two of the first five days of August. There were four rainy days from June 21-30, 2011, while the last 10 days of June 2012 featured five days with measured rain. The last two July's each featured eight rainy days. August 1-5, 2011, had two days with measured rain, and last August 1 through 5 had just one rainy day.
Our weather will become unsettled by the end of the week. Tonight will become partly cloudy and slightly more humid with lows in the 60s along the shoreline and upper 50s inland. Tomorrow will become mostly cloudy and more humid with a high in the mid-to-upper 70s. Thursday features a few early showers followed by late-afternoon showers and thunderstorms with a high near 80. Stronger storms are likely later Friday and Friday night before showers taper early Saturday.
Paul
The first 46 days of Summer this year have been record-breaking. For starters, July was the hottest month on record at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford with a daily average temperature of 78.5 degrees. That eclipsed the previous record of 78.4 degrees set in July of 1994. In addition, there were two heat waves last month, including the first-ever seven-day heat wave on record, which included the highest temperature of the month, 95 degrees, on July 16.
There have been 12 days with a high temperature of 90 degrees or more since the Summer Solstice compared to 11 last year and just six at the midpoint of Summer in 2011. Similarly, there were two heat waves during the first half of last Summer. The first heat wave last year happened from June 29 through July 1 with high temperatures of 91, 92, and 92 degrees, respectively. The second heat wave happened July 16 through 18 when the mercury hit 91, 93, and 95 degrees on successive days.
The first half of each of the last two Summers featured 14 days (30%) with measured rain. This year, 16 of the first 46 days of Summer (34%) have had measured rain, including four of the last ten days in June, 10 days in July, and two of the first five days of August. There were four rainy days from June 21-30, 2011, while the last 10 days of June 2012 featured five days with measured rain. The last two July's each featured eight rainy days. August 1-5, 2011, had two days with measured rain, and last August 1 through 5 had just one rainy day.
Our weather will become unsettled by the end of the week. Tonight will become partly cloudy and slightly more humid with lows in the 60s along the shoreline and upper 50s inland. Tomorrow will become mostly cloudy and more humid with a high in the mid-to-upper 70s. Thursday features a few early showers followed by late-afternoon showers and thunderstorms with a high near 80. Stronger storms are likely later Friday and Friday night before showers taper early Saturday.
Paul
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