Snowy & Cold February Across Region

If February's weather got you down and made you look forward to Spring, there's a good reason why. It was much snowier and colder than normal. In fact, the average temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford was 3.5 degrees below normal, and nearly three feet of snow fell. Unfortunately, March will start on a cold note, but a major snowstorm will pass to the South of the region Monday.

Thirteen of the first 18 days last month were colder-than-normal, including a stretch of four straight days from February 9th through the 12th when the average daily temperature was at least 10 degrees below normal. Seventeen of the 28 days featured below-normal temperatures. There were 11 days with a maximum temperature of 32 degrees or below and 26 days with a minimum temperature of 32 degrees or below.

The average temperature last month was 28.9 degrees. The highest temperature of 49 degrees occurred February 2 (Groundhog Day) and the lowest temperature of seven degrees happened February 11. February 28 was the coldest day of the month with high and low temperatures of 24 and nine degrees, respectively, making the day 18 degrees colder-than-normal.

February's total snowfall of 32.1" was more than four times greater than the 7.2" normal. There were eight days with measured snow, including four in a row from February 13th through the 16th. A two-day snowstorm on February 13th and 14th dumped over a foot of snow (12.2"), while more than a half-foot of snow fell February 3 (6.7") and February 5 (7.5").

The total liquid precipitation for the month (4.20") was nearly one-and-a-half inches above normal (2.79"). The greatest 24-hour precipitation happened February 5 (1.32"). Overall, there were 11 days with at least a trace of precipitation last month. All of the measured precipitation happened over the first 18 days of the month. There was just a trace of precipitation the last 10 days of February.

March will begin on a cold note with daytime temperatures a good 20 degrees below normal through the middle of the week. However, there aren't any major storms in the immediate future. Some flurries are likely later Thursday into early Friday, but the temperature will slowly rebound later this week and finally reach into the 40s by this weekend.

Paul

Beware the Month of March

Today officially marks the last day of meteorological Winter. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that Winter ends at the stroke of midnight. There is a difference between meteorological Winter and astronomical Winter. Astronomical Winter began on December 21 when the Sun was the farthest from the Earth in the Northern Hemisphere. Meteorological Winter, on the other hand, is simply the period of the year when the Northern Hemisphere is the coldest. That lasts from December 1 through the end of February.

Tomorrow is the first day of March, and although it will feel good to turn the calendar page, the month is anything but serene. March is a transition month as Winter slowly yields to Spring. As for our weather, just about anything goes during the month. The best example of the unpredictable nature of March weather is illustrated on the 13th of the month. That's the date when the mercury reached 84 degrees in 1990, establishing records for the season, month, and date.

Just three years later, though, on the same date, the so-called Storm of the Century dumped over a foot of snow to the region, making it the second snowiest date on record for March at the time. Winds gusted over 40 miles an hour and wind chills were at or below zero. Most of the eastern third of the nation was affected by the massive storm, which stretched from Maine to Florida, including hurricane force winds, tornadoes, strong thunderstorms, and blizzard conditions.

And, four years ago, on March 13, 2010, we experienced an unforgettable Nor'easter which brought flooding rains, damaging winds, massive power outages, and two local fatalities. Peak wind gusts reached 50 to 60 miles an hour in most communities, resulting in downed trees and power lines. Many local roads were impassable, and rainfall rates of up to one-half inch per hour were reported across southwestern Connecticut.

So, what can we expect in March? Basically, anything and everything. Based on local climatology, the normal average daily temperature climbs eight degrees from 36 to 44. The average high temperature increases from 43 degrees at the start of March to 52 degrees by the last day of the month. The record high temperature is 84 degrees set on March 13, 1990, while the record low is four degrees established on March 19, 1967.

As far as precipitation is concerned, the average monthly total is 4.15 inches, making it the wettest month of the year. The wettest March on record occurred in 2010 when several storms brought 10.19" of rain, breaking the previous mark of 9.40" in 1953. The March 13, 2010, storm delivered 3.31" of rain. You may even recall the second wettest March day on record when 3.59 inches of rain fell on March 2, 2007. The average monthly snowfall is 4.3 inches, but there have been some memorable snowstorms. As late as March 22 nearly a foot of snow (11.1") fell in 1967.

The amount of daylight continues to grow during March, but this year we Spring ahead to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, March 9, so the evening hours will be much brighter than usual. Sunrise on March 1 happens at 6:27, and by the end of the month it will rise at 6:37, due in so small part to the start of DST. Believe it or not, the Sun sets at 5:41 this evening, but by March 31 it will set at 7:17. Personally, it will feel odd to have brighter evenings so early in the year. Not that I mind, of course.

The Vernal Equinox is less than three weeks away. That's the when the direct rays of the Sun are above the Equator, technically marking "equal day and equal night" over the face of the Earth. We'll enjoy about 12 hours of daylight on the first day of Spring, and the amount of daylight will continue to increase through late June.

Paul

Eli Whitney School's Fourth-Graders Enjoy Weatherkids Program

I visited with the fourth-graders at Eli Whitney School in Stratford, Wednesday morning, February 26, 2014. They are a great group of children.

Paul

Winter's Cold & Wind Make a Comeback

Now that Winter's winds and cold have returned, you'll definitely need to bundle up before heading out the door today. The mercury dipped into the teens inland this morning, and wind gusts of over 20 miles an hour were recorded across southwestern Connecticut. The normal high temperature for today is 41 degrees, but we'll be lucky to reach 30 degrees.

Exposure to brutally cold wind chills for even a brief period of time can be dangerous. Make sure to keep your extremities covered. The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss on exposed skin caused by the wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down the skin temperature and eventually the body temperature.

Take a look at the wind chill chart below. Feel free to print the chart and keep it handy. It shows corresponding values for the air temperature and wind speed. For example, when the temperature drops into the teens and the wind is blowing at 15 miles an hour, the wind chill is close to zero. At this wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes!

Frostbite occurs when body tissue freezes. The most susceptible parts of the body are the fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. Symptoms include a loss of feeling in the extremity and a white or pale appearance. Get medical attention immediately for frostbite. The affected area should be slowly warmed.

Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 95 degrees. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and exhaustion. Get medical attention immediately. If help is not available, begin warming the body slowly.

Warm the body core first, and not the extremities. Warming extremities first drives the cold blood to the heart and can cause the body temperature to drop even more. That may ultimately lead to heart failure. Do not take any hot beverage or food. About 20% of cold-related deaths occur in the home, according to the National Weather Service Office.

Obviously, the best way to avoid hypothermia and frostbite is to stay warm and dry indoors. If you must go outside, dress appropriately. Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. The trapped air inside the layers will insulate the body. Remove the layers to avoid sweating and subsequent chill. Wear a hat since half of body heat can be lost from the head. Cover your mouth to protect the lungs from the extreme cold. Mittens are actually better than gloves. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.

Remember, as far as the wind chill is concerned, it only affects people and animals. The only effect the wind chill has on inanimate objects such as car radiators and water pipes is that it cools the object more quickly to the current air temperature. For example,if the outside air temperature is five degrees below zero and the wind chill temperature is -31 degrees, then the car's radiator will not drop lower than -5.

So, take time to find your scarf, gloves, woolen hat, and heavy overcoat. Today will offer a reminder that there are still over three weeks of Winter left, and we'll sure feel it.

Paul

Sun's Angle in the Sky Much Higher Two Months Into Winter

I'm sure you've noticed by now that the days are getting longer. It is especially obvious during the late-afternoon. In fact, today's sunrise and sunset times at Bridgeport are at 6:38 a.m. and 5:35 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, respectively. That's quite a difference from just over two months ago --- on the Winter Solstice --- when sunrise and sunset happened at 7:15 a.m. and 4:26 p.m., respectively.

Not only have we gained over an hour of daylight during the evening, but you may have also noticed that the Sun is much higher in the sky. Consider that on the first day of Winter, the Sun was positioned at 23 degrees and 26 minutes South of the celestial Equator. That's when the Sun is lowest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. However, by January 15, the Sun was located at 21 degrees and 16 minutes South of the celestial Equator.

Today, the Sun is located at nine degrees and 46 minutes South of the celestial Equator. The Sun will be at the celestial Equator on March 21, the first day of Spring, and then move higher above the Equator for the next three months. It will be located at 23 degrees and 26 minutes North of the celestial Equator on the first day of Summer.

The Sun's rays are becoming stronger every day, too. The average high and low temperatures today at Bridgeport are 41 and 27 degrees, respectively. The daily average high and low will climb to 49 and 34 degrees, respectively, by the first day of Spring. By April 15, the average high and low will be 57 and 40 degrees, respectively. 

So, even though much colder air arrives this week along with some snow Wednesday morning, the days are getting longer, the Sun is higher in the sky, and the average daily temperatures are on the way up. This Saturday is also the first day of meteorological Spring, which runs from March 1 through May 31. Spring will be here before you know it.

Paul

Stanwich School's First-Graders Shine as Weatherkids Stars

I visited with the first-graders at Stanwich School in Greenwich Wednesday morning. It was a homecoming of sorts for me, since I taught a fifth-grade class in that building 24 years ago. Stanwich School is a private day school and one of my favorite stops on the Weatherkids schedule each year.



Paul