Mid October Weather Can Be Fickle

Strong thunderstorms pushed through southwestern Connecticut last night, producing heavy rain and some localized flooding on area roads. Now, a warm and humid air mass will set the stage for more showers and a potentially strong thunderstorms this afternoon with high temperatures in the lower 70s. The mercury climbed to 68 degrees before daybreak, which is five degrees above the normal high for the date.

This is the time of the year when almost any kind of weather is possible. In fact, the record high temperature for today is 80 degrees, which was established in 1990. Just three years later, a record low of 32 was recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. That's nearly a 50-degree range.

You may recall that a Northeast wind brought unseasonably cold temperatures to southwestern Connecticut two years ago tomorrow, turning a cold rain into snow from Redding to Wilton and eventually to Stratford and Westport. The high temperature of 44 degrees was recorded just after midnight that morning, and the mercury kept falling through the 30s during the afternoon. A coating of snow blanketed West Redding.



Consider the normal high temperature for this time of the year is 63 degrees, and you'll quickly get an idea of how unusually cold it was. In fact, by late afternoon on October 15, 2009, it looked and felt more like mid December rather than mid October. The normal high temperature for December 15 is 41 degrees, which is where the mercury was two years ago. That's five degrees colder than the normal low of 46! However, October snow is not all that unusual, believe it or not.

The earliest measured snow across southwestern Connecticut fell on Sunday morning, October 4, 1987, when a half-inch of snow was recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. There have been 13 dates this month on which a trace of snow fell, including October 29, 2008. The average snowfall for the month, based on 40 years of averages, is a trace, so the wet snow on October 15, 2009, was certainly not all that unusual.

Our weather will turn the page to blustery and more seasonable conditions this weekend. Tomorrow will be partly sunny and quite windy with a high in the low-to-mid 60s. Sunday will feature a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the 60s. A quick shower is possible Monday before more rain moves in by the middle of next week.

Have a good weekend.

Paul

Whatever Happened to the Asian Lady Beetle Bug?

The recent stretch of unseasonably mild weather through Columbus Day helped push the average monthly temperature to 60.8 degrees, which is nearly three degrees above normal for October. In fact, Monday's high of 85 degrees tied the record for the date. Although I welcomed the warmer weather, I began to worry about the annual infestation of an unwelcome house guest.

About a week ago I started checking the windows and doors outside my home for signs of the Asian lady beetle. You may recall that two years ago, there was an infestation of these "stink bugs." Hundreds and even thousands of these harmless creatures were invading homes and businesses in October, 2009. However, last year I didn't see any.

It was exactly two years ago that I wrote about the invasion of the lady beetle. The onset of warmer air in mid-October usually signals the return of the ladybugs, lured out of forests by the warm daytime sun and driven indoors with the evening chill. It happens every year just about this time, and it’s not that unusual, according to Eric Day, manager of the Insect Identification Lab at Virginia Tech. “You get these warm days (in) October, and they get active,” he said. “If you have a house that’s infested, you can literally find thousands and thousands inside.”

Two years ago, after I saw many of them inside my home, I decided to examine the windows more closely. It didn’t take long to figure out how the ladybugs were getting between the screen and window. The insulation at the top of the screens was all but destroyed, and the little creatures were flying inside. I needed to take action by securing the window and door frames with strong tape. I did the same thing each of the past two years, just in case.

Day said the type of ladybug that causes the ruckus is known as the Asian lady beetle, an invasive species present in the Eastern United States for about 15 years. How the bugs got here is unclear, but the best guess, he opined, is that they hitched a ride on cargo ships or escaped from the United States Department of Agriculture experimental fields, a charge the agency denies.

As if the mere presence of tens of thousands of bugs in your living room isn’t enough, they emit a gut-churning musky odor that lingers after they die, and they die quickly in dry, indoor air. They also leave yellowish stains on everything, caused by a defense mechanism called “reflex bleeding.” The ladybugs aren’t particularly harmful, and in most cases, the bugs will just retreat or die without any treatment.

If the lady bugs haven't appeared by now, I think we're going to be okay. Much more seasonable temperarures are expected this weekend and next week after a cold front moves through the region tomorrow. Daytime temperatures may not escape the 50s by the end of next week. Let's hope we don't see the lady bugs this year.

Paul

Looking Ahead to October

October is my favorite month of the year for a variety of reasons. Naturally, we begin to experience Autumn across southwestern Connecticut, and the pleasant temperatures afford us the opportunity to enjoy the many outdoor activities planned throughout the month. Whether it be a hayride with the family, a visit to a pumpkin patch, or a seat at the local high school football game, October is just about the ideal month to be outside.

Temperatures begin to cool dramatically throughout the month. In fact, the average daily mean temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford falls from 60 degrees October 1 to 50 degrees by Halloween. The average daily high temperature drops from 69 degrees to 58 degrees, and the overnight low cools from 52 degrees to 42 by the end of the month.

The warmest temperature ever recorded in October in southwestern Connecticut was 89 degrees, which was set October 8 of 2007. That broke the previous mark of 86 degrees set on October 6, 1997. It occurred one day after another record high of 78 degrees was established on October 7, 2007. The mercury also hit 85 degrees on October 10, 1949.

The warmest October on record, not surprisingly, happened four years ago (2007) when the mercury averaged 61.8 degrees, breaking the previous mark of 60.2 degrees in 1971. The coldest Octobers on record were in 1981 and 1988 when the temperature averaged 50.5 degrees. The coldest temperature ever recorded for the month was 26 degrees, set three times, most recently on Halloween of 1988. The other two times were on October 24, 1969, and October 20, 1972.

October’s average rainfall is 3.54 inches. The wettest October ever recorded happened in 1955 when 10.72 inches fell across southwestern Connecticut. On three occasions over four inches of rain fell in one day: October 7, 1972 (4.14″), October 15, 1955 (4.76″), and October 19, 1996 (4.12″). Believe it or not, a half-inch of snow actually fell in these parts on Sunday morning, October 4, 1987. The driest October (0.33″) happened in 1963.

Daylight dramatically decreases this month. This Saturday, October 1, we enjoy 11 hours and 45 minutes of daylight. The Sun rises at 5:49 and sets at 5:34. However, by the middle of the month, October 15, the Sun rises at 6:04 and sets at 5:12. By Halloween, after the return to standard time, we only have 10 hours and 26 minutes of daylight. Sunrise happens at 5:23 while it sets at 4:49 in the afternoon.

We don’t “fall back” to Eastern Standard Time until Sunday morning, November 6, at 2 o’clock. That’s when we set our clocks back one hour and gain one extra hour of sleep. Daylight Saving Time was extended for one month beginning in 2007 as a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. So, the Halloween trick-or-treaters will get one extra hour of daylight in the evening.

Paul

Marking the 26th Anniversary of Hurricane Gloria

It has been nearly a month since Tropical Storm Irene delivered heavy rain, damaging winds, and knocked out power for several days for many people across southwestern Connecticut. More than 800,000 customers of United Illuminating and Connecticut Light and Power were without electricity, setting a record in Connecticut. The previous record happned during Hurricane Gloria, which occurred 26 years ago today.

I was a rookie educator at the time, having just secured my first position as a seventh grade teacher at a private school in New Haven. Weather was my passion, naturally, and I was able to share my excitement at the upcoming storm with my students. Just three weeks into the profession, I received a week's vacation unexpectedly.

I was also a weekend newscaster and disc jockey at WMMM radio in Westport. I received a phone call from program director Gary Zenobia just after I returned home from school on Thursday afternoon requesting that I host an overnight newscast to inform our listeners about the impending storm and emergency measures which may have to be taken. WMMM was a daytime-only station, meaning it was on the air during daylight hours and signed off at sunset, but this time it was granted an exception by the Federal Communications Commission.

As my family was applying tape to picture windows, securing lawn furniture, stocking up on non-perishable food, and checking batteries for flashlights and portable radios, I was packing a bag for my overnight stay at the radio station. We had a few reporters "on location" at various shelters throughout town, and then-First Selectman William Seiden joined me on the air most of the night to reassure listeners that their safety was our primary concern.

The overnight hours were anxious moments for all of us as we awaited the arrival of the storm. Local shelters began to fill up quickly, and I remember answering the telephone every couple of minutes from town residents who were sharing their concerns and fears. Gloria struck fast and furiously. The hurricane hit New York and Connecticut as a moderate hurricane early the next day. At the time of landfall on Long Island, Gloria had sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, while rapidly moving forward at 35 miles per hour.

This combination of sustained winds and rapid forward motion produced major hurricane conditions and gusts to 115 mph across a narrow area of Eastern Long Island, New York. Although Gloria was not a major hurricane when it struck Connecticut, it was still the most damaging hurricane to strike the state since Carol in 1954. The rain began overnight, and before long the winds became a serious matter.

As the morning wore on, Gloria continued to accelerate northward off the Eastern seaboard, brushing the coastlines of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey with hurricane-force gusts. Later that morning, Gloria finally crossed the coast of the United States mainland near western Long Island about 10-miles East of Kennedy International Airport. Passing over central Long Island, Gloria crossed the Connecticut coast near Bridgeport about 40 minutes later with sustained winds of 80 mph. By that time, I was already home, but there was no way I was going to go to sleep.

I recall the eye of the hurricane passing almost directly overhead by midday. That's when the skies cleared, the winds calmed dramatically, and the damage was plainly visible. Downed trees, power lines, and debris scattered just about everywhere greeted us as we stepped outside. Naturally, the power was out, too, and we remained "in the dark" for almost six days. Needless to say, I didn't have to worry about any lesson plans for quite awhile.

There were very few wind reports near the area of landfall in New York and Connecticut due to the complete evacuation of Coast Guard personnel from stations across the region. The strongest official wind gust recorded on Long Island was 84 mph at Islip. In Connecticut, the National Weather Service at Sikorsky Airport in Stratford recorded sustained winds of 74 mph with a gust to 92 mph.

A barometric pressure of 28.37 inches was measured by aircraft when Gloria crossed Long Island. The National Weather Service at Kennedy International Airport recorded a minimum pressure of 28.57 inches, while Sikorsky Airport in Bridgeport, Connecticut, recorded a low pressure of 28.47 inches. This was the lowest barometric pressure recorded in Connecticut and New York since Donna in 1960, 25 years earlier.

Gloria produced weak Category Two hurricane conditions across southwestern Connecticut. The storm continued to lose intensity as it passed over Long Island. Peak wind gusts in south-central and southeastern Connecticut were close to 95 mph as the tropical cyclone swept over the region. The metropolitan New Haven area was hit with wind gusts of 90 mph and heavy rain. There were only a few reports of minimal structural damage in southwestern Connecticut. Tree damage in Connecticut was heavy within 10 to 20 miles of the coast, and along the coast from around Bridgeport to New London.

By late Friday afternoon, the storm was long gone, but the cleanup was just staring. Since the power was out, my family and I headed to nearby Bridgeport to have dinner at a restaurant which was operating on emergency generators. I still think of Gloria whenever I drive past that restaurant. In fact, I still have my framed certificate from Mr. Seiden thanking me for my service to Westport. It was a storm I'll never forget.

Paul

Final Week of Summer Nothing to Write Home About

If you enjoyed the weekend weather, today promises to offer more of the same. It will be mostly sunny and cool with a high temperature in the mid-to-upper 60s. However, showers are expected by lunch tomorrow, and more showers are likely by Thursday and Friday. Daytime highs will reach the mid 70s by the end of the week. As you may know, we are into the last full week of Summer.

The Autumnal Equinox happens Friday morning at 5:05 Eastern Daylight Time. That's when the direct rays of the Sun are above the Equator, technically marking "equal day and equal night" across the face of the globe. As the direct rays of the Sun continue to move South of the Equator, the Southern Hemisphere will be enjoying the start of Spring next week.

However, here in the Northern Hemisphere, the amount of daylight continues to dwindle, and the Sun now sets before 7 o'clock in the evening. Recall that in late June, during the time of the Summer Solstice, the Sun set at 8:30. We've lost over an hour-and-a-half of daylight just in the evening alone over the last three months.



So why does the Equinox happen? The seasons of the year are caused by the 23.5º tilt of the Earth's axis. Because the Earth is rotating like a top, it points in a fixed direction continuously toward a point in space near the North Star. That's why the North Star appears to be the only star which doesn't move in our night sky. However, the Earth is also revolving around the Sun. During half of the year, the Southern Hemisphere is more exposed to the Sun than the Northern Hemisphere. During the rest of the year, the reverse is true.

At noontime in the Northern Hemisphere the Sun appears high in the sky during the Summer and low in the sky during Winter. It is highest at the Summer Solstice in late June and lowest at the Winter Solstice by the end of December. The half-way points in the year are called the Equinoxes. It is the time of the year when the Sun rises exactly in the East, travels through the sky for 12 hours, and sets exactly in the West. The photo below shows visitors at Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain in England.



However, on the Autumnal Equinox in southwestern Connecticut, the Sun rises at 6:40 a.m. and sets at 6:50 p.m., giving us 12 hours and ten minutes of daylight. That has to do with the angle at which the Sun rises and sets. Actually, "equal day and equal night" occurs for us on September 25th and 26th when we receive just about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

Take advantage of another nice day. Summer is on its way out, and Fall is just four days away. Today may very well be the best day of the week.

Paul

Waning Gibbous Moon & Jupiter to Shine Brightly Tonight

Another clear and chilly night is ahead with morning low temperatures dipping into the low-to-mid 40s across southwestern Connecticut. This morning's low of 48 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport marked the first time the mercury has dropped into the 40s since May 13, a stretch of 126 days.

If you're going to be outside this evening, make sure to take along your sweater and/or jacket. The local high school football season begins this evening with several intriguing matchups. A number of fairs and carnivals are scheduled this weekend, too. You way even want to start a backyard fire, toast marshmallows, and gaze into the heavens.

The two most visible objects in the Eastern sky during the late-evening hours will put on a brilliant showing this evening. Unfortunately, lingering clouds, light showers, and a gusty wind obscured the view of the Moon and Jupiter last night. However, you'll see a waning gibbous Moon near what appears to be a brilliant silvery non-twinkling "star." That, however, is the planet Jupiter.

Jupiter will rise above the Eastern horizon just before 9 o'clock this evening. The Moon, meanwhile, will be located about six degrees to Jupiter's left. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees. You will be able to get a perfect view tonight. A couple of hours after Jupiter rises, the planet will have climbed higher above the horizon, and it will gleam with a brighter light.

Now is a good time to start examining the famous Galilean satellites, the four largest Moons of Jupiter. They are Europa, Ganymede, Io, and Callisto. Tonight, you should be able to see all four of them. Three will be on one side (Callisto, Ganymede and Io), while Europa will appear on the other.

Whatever you have planned this weekend, the weather will certainly cooperate. It's the last weekend of Summer, but it will look and feel like early Autumn. Saturday will be partly sunny and cool with a high temperature in the mid 60s. Sunday will be partly-to-mostly sunny with a high in the upper 60s. Have a good weekend.

Paul