Coldest Month on Record Comes to a Close

It was a month for the record books. Not only was last month the coldest February on record, it was also the coldest month ever on record at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. The average daily temperature in February was 19.9 degrees, which broke the previous record for the month of 24.1 degrees set in 1978. In addition, it was also the coldest month on record, breaking the previous mark of 21.9 degrees, established in January of 2004.

So, just how cold was it? Every day last month was colder-than-normal. The temperature dropped into the single digits 14 of the 28 days (50%), with a record low temperature of -2 degrees February 16. Eighteen days featured an average daily temperature at least 10 degrees below normal, and three days were at least 20 degrees colder-than-normal. Fifteen of the last 16 days of February brought average daily temperatures at least 10 degrees below normal.

Nearly two feet of snow (21.5") fell last month, easily topping the average snowfall for the month (8.1). Sixteen days featured at least a trace of snow, with the jackpot of 10.3" on Groundhog Day, February 2. Nearly four inches of snow fell February 21, and there were four straight days with at least a trace of snow from February 7th through the 10th.

However, as far as liquid precipitation is concerned, just over two inches (2.23") fell in February, which is more than a half-inch below normal (2.79"). The greatest 24-hour precipitation total was just about an inch (0.99") from February 1 through February 2. The greatest snow depth was 14" on February 4 & 22. What a month, to be sure!

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, five 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 8, 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

Cold & Snowy February Continues

The snow is falling this afternoon, and our snowy and extremely cold February continues. In fact, this is the 12th day out of 21 with at least a trace of snow this month at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. The total snowfall this month through yesterday is 17.2 inches, which is more than double the normal snow for the entire month (8.1").

This has been an extremely cold month, too. The average daily temperature this month through Friday is just 19.7 degrees, which is an incredible 12.1 degrees below normal. It would take a lot of time to research the last time any month has been that much colder-than-normal across southwestern Connecticut.  The last 26 days have been much colder-than-normal at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford.

Record low temperatures were set just eight hours apart for February 19 and 20. The temperature dropped to nine degrees Thursday evening at 10 p.m., breaking the previous record of 10 set in 1959. Just eight hours later, the mercury plummeted to one degree early Friday morning, breaking the previous mark of two degrees set in 1966.

Friday's high temperature at Sikorsky Airport was just 20 degrees, which tied the record low maximum temperature for the date which was established in 1966. It was also less than half the normal high temperature for the date (41 degrees), and six degrees below the normal low for the date (20 degrees). It tied the lowest daily high temperature for this month, which happened twice before (February 13 & 16).

The temperature has not climbed above 32 degrees at Sikorsky Airport since Thursday, January 15. However, that streak should be broken tonight or early tomorrow as a southwest wind ushers milder air into the region. Travel is not recommended this evening, though, as the snow and ice will make roads quite slippery. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 8 o'clock tomorrow morning across all of Connecticut.

Snow will continue this evening before mixing with sleet and freezing rain after midnight. Three-to-six inches of snow are possible before the changeover. An additional one-tenth of ice accretion is likely tonight. Although the high temperature is expected to climb to the upper 30s tomorrow afternoon, it will become frigid once again next week.

Paul

Today Marks 12th Anniversary of Presidents Day Blizzard

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the unforgettable Presidents Day Blizzard of 2003. It ranked as the snowiest day on record at the time at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, tying the previous mark of 16 inches established on December 19, 1948, over a half-century ago. In New York's Central Park, where records date back well over a century, the 19.8 inches ranked as the fifth snowiest single day total. The weather map below is from midday February 17, 2003.

The snowfall totals across southwestern Connecticut were impressive. Darien and New Canaan measured the most snow (20 inches), while Westport (19"), Bridgeport (17"), Norwalk (16"), and Milford (15") also posted impressive totals. New Fairfield, in Northern Fairfield County, led the way locally with exactly two feet of snow. Here is the satellite image of the massive storm.

The magnitude of the storm was quite impressive. It spread heavy snow across the major cities in the Northeast from Washington to Boston. In fact, it was the biggest snowstorm on record in Baltimore (28.2") and Boston (27.5"). The storm actually developed in the southern Rockies on February 14 and moved through southern Missouri and the lower Tennessee Valley over the next two days. Eventually, the storm brought heavy rain and severe weather to the deep South.

In the Northeast, Arctic air helped slow down the storm and kept all of the precipitation in the form of snow and some sleet. By late Sunday evening, February 16, the snow reached the New York City area, and by midnight, it was snowing across all of southwestern Connecticut. A secondary area of low pressure developed off the Virginia coast the morning of February 17, turning the Nor'easter into a full-blown blizzard.

A storm system is sliding to the South this morning, resulting in slick roads and some travel difficulties. However, it won't be anything like what we experienced 12 years ago today.

Paul

Blizzard Crippled Region 57 Years Ago Today

According to our weather record book, over a foot of snow fell on this date, Sunday, February 16, 1958. A front-page article from The Bridgeport Post dated Monday, February 17, states "The prostrate Fairfield County area today began to shake off the crippling effects of a howling blizzard which slammed into the region late Saturday and dumped 14 inches of snow before tapering off late last night."

Sustained winds were clocked at 20 to 30 miles an hour during the height of the storm, and wind gusts reached as high as 55 miles an hour. There were eight deaths reported in Connecticut as a result of the storm, including one in Stratford and three others in Fairfield County. Snow drifts reached as high as 15 feet in some places, and schools and many factories were shut down.

Making matters worse, the temperature dropped to near zero inland the following morning. Back roads were described as impossible to navigate due to the high snow drifts. A spokesman for United Illuminating Company reported that the service crews and office staff were nearly 100 percent on duty throughout the storm. Crews concentrated on snow removal operations around substation sites. Fortunately, electric service during the blizzard continued uninterrupted, according to UI officials.

I am always fascinated about local weather history. I subscribe to a Web site which archives local newpapers, including The Bridgeport Telegram and The Bridgeport Post. Naturally, I typed in the date and found the front-page articles about the blizzard. I enjoy looking at the headlines and reading the stories in the newspaper. You can click on the images to enlarge them and read more about the blizzard which happened over a half-century ago today.

Paul

Stretch of Brutally Cold Weather Continues Into Fourth Week

This has been one of the coldest Winters in recent memory. In fact, today was the 21st straight day at Bridgeport with a colder-than-normal average temperature. The last day which featured an average temperature above normal happened January 25. All but 13 days this calendar year have been colder-than-normal. I took this photo of the Sun reflecting off the window at the base of the steeple of my church this afternoon.

 
Adding insult to injury is the current spell of dangerously cold weather. Today's high temperature at Bridgeport was 23 degrees, which occurred at 12:23 a.m. EST. The mercury dropped through much of the day. However, the gusty Northwest winds produced wind chills of -10 to -20 degrees today. The peak wind gust at Bridgeport was 51 miles an hour, and the peak wind speed was 36 mph. The average wind speed today was just over 20 mph.

February has been especially harsh. Every day this month has been colder-than-normal, including the last two days, which featured daily average temperatures of 19 and 14 degrees below normal, respectively. The average temperature at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford this month is 22.1 degrees, which is a whopping 9.2 degrees below normal. The highest temperature this month is 36 degrees, which happened February 10 and 12.

The record low temperature for tomorrow, February 16, at Bridgeport is four degrees, which was set in 1987. I believe we'll break the record fairly easily. The coldest temperature thus far this Winter at Bridgeport is two degrees, which occurred February 3. This will most likely be the coldest night of the Winter. Take a look at the following graphic, produced  by the National Weather Service office in New York. Please click to enlarge.

Stay warm.

Paul