June Finished Wetter & Warmer Than Normal

Even though there were only five days with more than a tenth of an inch of rain last month at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, the total rainfall was nearly a half-inch above normal. Officially, more than four inches (4.01") were recorded, which is well above the 3.61" normal for June. In addition, the average temperature last month was 69.4 degrees, which is nearly one degree above normal (68.6).

There were seven days with measured rain in June, including more than an inch-and-a-half (1.65") June 13. Three other days featured more than a half-inch of rain, including June 5 (0.72"), June 9 (0.78"), and June 19 (0.66"). There were two streaks of five straight days without measured rain (June 14 through June 18 and June 20 through June 24). However, only 0.03" of rain fell over the last 11 days last month.

Twenty-one of the 30 days last month featured average daily temperatures at or above normal. Six of the first eight days in June were warmer than normal. Four of the five days from June 9 through June 13 were cooler-than-normal, while June 21 through June 23 saw the average daily temperatures below normal. Otherwise, six of the last seven days last month were warmer-than-normal.

The mercury didn't reach 90 degrees the entire month, marking just the fourth time on record (since 1948) at the airport that the temperature failed to reach 90 degrees through the first six months of the year. The three other years were 1950, 1962, and 2004. The hottest day was June 18 (89) degrees, while the temperature soared to 88 degrees June 26. The coolest temperature last month was 50 degrees on June 1.

Paul

One Year Anniversary of Tornado in Greenwich & Stamford

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado moved through Greenwich and Stamford Monday morning, July 1, 2013. The tornado touched down on North Street in Greenwich just North of the Merritt Parkway. It continued East/Northeast into Stamford and lifted on Janes Lane, approximately a half-mile West of Scofieldtown Road.

Extendive tree damage was observed along the tornado's path, starting on Taconic Road and continuing onto Skyridge Road. The worst stree damage was observed just South of the intersection of Stag Lane and Stanwich Road. Tree damage continued onto Carrington Drive and at the Mead House Farm. The tornado began to weaken as it moved into Stamford, just South of Web Hills Road and Lynam Road. There were no injuries, and no visible structural damage was observed during the survey.

 

According to Dan Warzoha of Greenwich Emergency Management, "The first initial reports were (of a) thunderstorm, possibly (a) microburst. When we got crews to the area, it was evident to us something more forceful had happened."

The estimated time of the tornado was between 10:58 and 11:08 a.m. EDT, and the estimated maximum wind speed was 80 miles per hour. The maximum path width of the tornado was 150 yards, and the path length was 3.7 miles. Governor Dannel Malloy signed an emergency order after the tornado swept through the region.

Paul

July Preview

Half the year is over. Now that July is just about here, it’s time to look ahead at what the month brings climatologically to southwestern Connecticut. I'm sure you remember the record heat wave one year ago. The temperature climbed to 90 degrees July 14 and reached into the 90s the next six days for a seven-day heat wave. That was unprecedented across southwestern Connecticut. In fact, we also experienced a four-day heat wave from July 5 through July 8.

This year, the mercury has not reached 90 degrees over the first six months of the year at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. That's only happened three other times since 1948 (1950, 1962, and 2004). It looks like we won't reach the 90-degree mark through the upcoming holiday weekend. Not surprisingly, July is the warmest month of the year with a mean temperature of 74 degrees. The hottest temperature ever recorded at the airport happened  July 22, 2011, when the mercury topped 103 degrees, tying the record originally set in 1957. The following day, July 23, 2011, another record high of 96 degrees was recorded.

The mercury reached the century mark two other times — July 2, 1966 and July 5, 1999. In fact, the average daily temperature climbs from 72 degrees at the start of the month to 75 by July 31. Last July was the warmest on record with an average temperature of 78.5 degrees, breaking the previous mark of 78.4 degrees in 1994.

July of 2010 was another hot one. You may recall the heat wave over the Independence Day holiday weekend four years ago. The high temperatures from July 4 through July 7, 2010, were 97, 93, 98, and 95 degrees, respectively. In fact, record high temperatures were established July 6 and 7. The mercury also reached 95 degrees July 24. The average temperature for the month was 78 degrees, a half-degree shy of last year's all-time record.

Many people have asked me why the hottest time of the year happens over a month after the first day of Summer. Well, it takes the Earth awhile to absorb the heat. As the Sun’s angle gets higher in the sky and the days grow longer in May and June, the Northern Hemisphere slowly starts to warm.

It’s much like warming your home. When you turn your thermostat up to 72 degrees after being away all day in the Winter, it will take awhile for the house to warm up. It doesn’t happen instantly. That’s why our hottest days are typically in July and early August.

On the flip side, the coolest temperature ever recorded in these parts in July was 49 degrees on July 1, 1988. Aside from that, every record low for the month is in the 50s. Believe it or not, according to the National Weather Service record book, a trace of snow fell at the airport on July 4, 1950. I find that too hard to believe.

As far as precipitation is concerned, the wettest July on record happened in 1971 when over a foot of rain (12.84″) fell. The average monthly rainfall is 3.77 inches. There have been several memorable rainstorms in July. For example, nearly a half-foot (5.95″) of rain fell on July 19, 1971, and nearly four inches (3.93″) was recorded on July 29, 1990. Two other days delivered well over three inches of rain — July 30, 1960 (3.57″) and July 23, 1953 (3.45″).

The length of daylight actually decreases next month. For example, on July 1, the Sun rises at 5:23 and sets at 8:30. By the middle of the month, on July 15, the Sun rises at 5:32 and sets at 8:24. However, at the end of the month, it rises at 5:47 and sets at 8:10, meaning we lose 44 minutes of daylight. Remember, the “longest” day of the year happened at the Summer Solstice in late June.

Our weather will be warm and moderately humid today under a mix of sunshine and clouds with a high temperature in the lower 80s. Tonight will become mild and muggy with patchy fog and a low in the 60s. Tomorrow will be partly sunny, warm, and more humid with a high in the lower 80s. Showers and thunderstorms are expected Wednesday and Thursday. A soon-to-be tropical storm is forecast to move just offshore Friday and Saturday, hopefully keeping our streak of rain-free weekends intact. However, the system bears watching over the next couple of days.

Paul

Next Week's Heat Coincides With the Start of the "Dog Days" of Summer

The weekend forecast looks great. It will be mostly sunny, warm, and less humid with daytime high temperatures in the lower 80s. This will be the sixth straight weekend without measured precipitation across southwestern Connecticut. However, the heat and humidity will build early next week, and the mercury may flirt with 90 degrees by Tuesday. It will feel more like the "Dog Days of Summer."

Did you know that the "dog days" are actually a 40-day period which lasts from early July through mid-August? The dog days of Summer officially begin next Thursday, July 3, and run through August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere. It all has to do with the star Sirius, known as "the dog star." Sirius is the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere other than the Sun, and it is found in the constellation Canis Major, thus the name "dog star."

In the Summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. During late July, Sirius is in "conjunction" with the Sun. The ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the Sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, the "dog days," in honor of the dog star.

In ancient times, when the night sky was unobscured by artificial lights and smog, different groups of peoples in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by "connecting the dots" of stars. The images drawn were dependent upon the culture.
The Chinese saw different images than the Native Americans, who saw different pictures than the Europeans. These star pictures are now called constellations, and the constellations that are now mapped out in the sky come from our European ancestors.

They saw images of bears (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), twins (Gemini), a bull (Taurus), and others, including dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor). The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius. The star can be seen prominently in the Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, adjacent to Orion the Hunter.

The conjunction of Sirius with the Sun varies somewhat with latitude. Also, the constellations today are not in exactly the same place in the sky as they were in ancient Rome. The Summer heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness. The hot weather is a direct result of the earth's 23.5 degree tilt on its axis, meaning the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun during the Summer.

Make sure you get outside and enjoy this weekend. It will be beautiful. Summer vacations are now in full swing, and, so, too, will be the "dog days" by the end of next week. Have a great weekend.

Paul

Recalling the 2010 Bridgeport Tornado

It was four years ago yesterday that a tornado tore through Bridgeport, forcing more than 50 residents out of their homes for weeks. Parts of the city are still recovering as people remembered the afternoon of the storm. City officials say the tornado caused more than $3.5 million in damage.

The National Weather Service says winds reached up to 100 mph. One of the areas hardest hit was near the corner of Nichols and East Main streets. The Barnum Museum was almost completely wiped out. Four years later, museum officials say it is almost back to its regular operating hours after cutting back for reconstruction.

Other businesses in the city have completely rebuilt. Even though many businesses and homes were lost, officials say the damage was not enough to qualify for federal aid from FEMA.

Bridgeport Tornado by PaulWXman

Paul

Tornado Ripped Through Bridgeport Four Years Ago Today

It only took a matter of minutes, but a violent thunderstorm spawned a tornado which ripped through the Greater Bridgeport area four years ago today, resulting in much damage, destruction, and a loss of electricity for thousands. A powerful cold front collided with a hot and humid air mass to set the stage for a Tornado Warning and a strong thunderstorm cell between 2 and 3 o'clock Thursday afternoon, June 24, 2010.
                    

The temperature soared to 90 degrees for the second day in a row at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford that day, but the dew point --- or moisture content in the atmosphere --- was extremely high. As the front approached, the sky darkened, the heavens opened up, and vivid lightning along with hurricane-force wind gusts ripped through the Park City. Here is a photo of Washington Park in Bridgeport taken by one of our viewers, Melissa, following the storm.

There was dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning and a wind gust of 78 miles-an-hour in Bridgeport. The average wind speed during the height of the storm was 43 miles-an-hour. Nearly a half-inch of rain fell in a short period of time, resulting in some minor flooding of low-lying areas. But, it was the wind damage which caused a state of emergency to be declared in Bridgeport. Take a look at this picture of a fallen tree in the Park City taken by Takina.

Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch and former Governor Jodi Rell arrived on the scene to survey the damage from the storm. "It looks like Godzilla went through and ripped roofs off and threw cars around and tore wires down," Finch said as he spoke with reporters and residents who had gathered in the streets. "I mean, it's really amazing," he added. Shelley sent two photos of the damage on East Main Street.

Bethany sent the following photo of downtown Bridgeport.

Personally, my family and I ran to the basement that afternoon once we heard a Tornado Warning was issued and the skies darkened. In a matter of minutes, the wind began to howl and heavy rain fell. My sons were worried that a tornado would rip apart our home. Not unexpectedly, the power went out, but the storm exited shortly thereafter. We didn't get our electricity back until just before midnight. Here's one more photo taken by Amanda of minor flooding on James Street in Bridgeport.

Paul