"Marginal" Risk for Severe Storms Across Southwestern Connecticut Today

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a "marginal" risk (level one) for severe storms across southwestern Connecticut today.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) April 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM

Paul

Elevated Risk for Wildfire Spread Today

There is an elevated risk for wildfire spread today across Fairfield and New Haven counties: forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatx...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) April 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM

Paul

Frost Advisory for Southern New Haven County Early Friday

A Frost Advisory will be in effect for southern New Haven County Friday from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. EDT: forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.ph...

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) April 17, 2025 at 6:13 AM

Paul

April Slightly Cooler-Than-Normal at Midway Point of Month

Halfway through the month, the average daily temperature for April at the Bridgeport climate station through Tuesday is 46.9° F, which is 0.3° cooler-than-normal. The range is 71° (April 4) and 31° (April 9).

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) April 16, 2025 at 1:53 PM

Paul

Stunningly Beautiful Sunday in Southport

03/23/2025 @ 1:00 p.m. EDT: The air temperature is 42° F with a dry 9° dew point and a norththwest wind gusting to 22 mph under a sunny sky at the mouth of the Mill River near Sasco Hill in the Southport section of Fairfield.

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— Paul Piorek WICC (@paulpiorekwicc.bsky.social) March 23, 2025 at 1:10 PM

Paul

Spring Arrives Today at 5:01 a.m. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere

Spring officially arrives in the Northern Hemisphere at 5:01 a.m. EDT. That's when the direct rays of the Sun pass over the Equator, technically creating "equal day and equal night" over the face of the Earth.

I've always observed the change of seasons with more reverence and awe than New Year's Eve. After all, the beginning of a new year is an arbitrary date which can actually be recognized just about any time during the year. However, an equinox or a solstice is a much more meaningful "event" and can be explained astronomically. The time is exact and changes every year although, for the most part, the date doesn't vary much.

The change of seasons is due to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth's axis. Because of the tilt, we receive the Sun's rays most directly in the Summer. In the Winter, when we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays pass through the atmosphere at a greater slant, bringing lower temperatures. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would not have seasons.

Now that Winter is just about in our rear-view mirror, how did we fare as far as snow is concerned? Officially, one-and-a-half feet (18") of snow fell this season at the Bridgeport climate station, which is well below the normal snowfall (31.2) through today.

Southwestern Connecticut didn't experience much of a Winter. However, recent history suggests that the official change of seasons in the Northern Hemisphere doesn't necessarily mean a smooth transition from Winter to Spring.

Happy Spring!

Paul