[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Oh yeah, i don't remember where the thread is located, but to whomever it was that said we don't get single digit temps along the coast...

Actually, on average, the coast does get one or two a year (and about one subzero temperature per decade). The "plant hardiness scale" rating for the region I believe reflects the idea of 2 single digit lows/year (even slightly warmer NY City's reflects 1/year). I think all of CT is in the single digits this morning (Hartford and Danbury are close to 0 so I don't know if they went subzero last night).

I like the idea of this as a sticky, thanks Jay. As you can guess from some of my responses, I'm quite the "weather geek" but I don't dare go into the "weather" forum on C-D because I'd be there all day, LOL!

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by JayCT

given that there appears to be a lot of interest in discussing Connecticut weather on this board, I am starting a new thread to discuss just that. Please post all weather related questions and observations here and do not start unnecessary threads to discuss this topic. Thank you, JayCT, Moderator

A great idea!

There always seems to be questions about Connecticut’s climate from folks thinking of relocating here or even from residents. However, it’s tough to get information about the climate/weather of Connecticut (or anywhere else) with the typical media hype and incorrect information. If nothing else…at least there will be less misinformation about the true nature of Connecticut’s climate in relation to the rest of the USA. Here is all base data I have used in mapping about Connecticut. I think it will really give a good idea about Connecticut's climate. These maps are interesting because they show where CT fit's into the climate of the USA. All of the data is public information supplied by (NOAA) and the National Weather Service:

The two reference stations used were the National Weather Service station Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks (extreme northern CT) and the National Weather Service station in Bridgeport (in extreme southern CT).

The Climate of Connecticut

Connecticut is located in the lower middle latitudes between 41 and 42 latitude along the East Coast of the United States. I terms of latitude...Connecticut is closer to the equator than the north Pole. In terms of climate classification…Connecticut is located in the climate type known as “Humid Warm Temperate” Cfa. For reference - much of eastern China, Korea, Japan, and parts of eastern Australia are located in the same type of climate as the eastern United States.


ANNUAL MEAN DAILY TEMPERATURE: The average annual mean temperature is the average surface temperature averaged throughout the entire year. Most of Connecticut has an annual mean temperature of about 51 F. Places in the far north (up along the Massachusetts state line) have the coldest mean temperatures (about 48.5 F)…while places along the I-95 corridor in coastal Connecticut have the warmest mean temperatures (about 52 F).

For international residents here is a quick reference to a few World cities and their annual mean temperatures:

Vermilion, Canada (27 F)
Helsinki, Finland (38 F)
Moscow, Russia (39 F)
Montreal, Canada (41 F)
Berlin, Germany (47 F)
London, England (51 F)
Beijing, China (52 F)
Pusan, S. Korea (54)
Nice, France (57 F )
Naples, Italy (62 F)
Hong Kong, China (73 F)
Kingston, Jamaica (77 F)

Bridgeport, CT (52 F) Windsor Locks, CT (49 F).






MEAN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION: The mean annual precipitation is the average amount of precipitation (rain/melted snow combined) that falls over throughout the year.

With the exception of the Pacific Northwest…the far Eastern United States east of the Mississippi River (about 90 W) and south of the Northern New England States (about 44 N)… has the highest amount of precipitation on the USA mainland. Regionally, the eastern portion of the USA mainland becomes increasingly hotter and wetter as you move southward. In terms of seasonal rainfall, although most locations south of Boston and east of the Mississippi have slightly more rainfall in the warm season than in the cool season...rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The monsoonal tendency of precipitation (dry winters – wet summers) increases rapidly toward the southern subtropical Gulf and South Atlantic States. Typically, rainfall in the eastern USA in the warm/hot months falls quick convective showers/thunderstorms, which drop a lot of rain in a short time period. So sunshine is markedly greater than in the cool season.

Connecticut receives about 40 to 50 - inches of precipitation each year. The NWS station at Bradley Airport (northern CT) averages 44.5 inches of snow....while the NWS station in Stratford, CT (southern CT) averages 24.5 inches of snow. Most of Connecticut averages less than 60 days a year with snow cover...while parts of southeastern Connecticut (New Haven to Rhode Island ) average only 35 days with snow cover.







MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURES FOR EXTREAM MONTHS: Generally January is the coldest month and July is the hottest month across the United States. The two maps below show the mean temperatures for the extreme months across the USA.

January mean temperatures range from the single numbers (5 to 7 F) across northeastern Wyoming, North Dakota, and Minnesota…to the upper 60’s across south Florida (Ft. Lauderdale 68 F/Key West 70 F). July temperatures are much more uniform across the USA. Most locations have a mean temperature of above 70 F. The subtropical South Atlantic/Gulf states and the deserts of the Southwest are the hottest…while northern New England, areas along the Canadian border, the mountain West, the Pacific NW, and coastal California are the coolest.


Bridgeport, CT - January (30 F)
July (74 F)

Windsor Locks, CT - January (27 F)
July (74 F)

JULY




JAN





MEAN SUNSHINE IN WINTER: The maps below show the mean number of hours of sun for December… the cloudiest month on average across the United States. Winter sunshine is often a big issue when regions are contemplated. In summer most regions of the USA mainland have ample sunshine.

In December, the cloudiest areas of the USA have less than 140 hours of sunshine (meaning that around half the month may be cloudy)…while some areas have less than 100 hours in December of sunshine. The area around the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest are the cloudiest while areas in the Southwest and south Florida have the most sunshine. The USA mean average sunshine in December is (146.6 hours).

Bridgeport, CT averages 154 hours of sunshine in December and Windsor Locks, CT averages 148 hours of sunshine. As a whole…northwest Connecticut is the cloudiest region of the state.






GARDEN ZONE: Anyone who gardens is familiar with the USDA or Abor Day garden zone map. The USA is divided into 10 zones…based on the average annual yearly extreme low. Connecticut falls in the middle zones. Most of Connecticut is in southern Zone 6, while the I-95 corridor in southern Connecticut is in northern zone Zone 7.




...

[JViello]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

LOL, what is an oil pie?

We did have pizza last night though, as wstvs mentioned. (I refuse to call pizza a pie. An oily pizza doesn't appeal to me either, though. )

We ended up getting a pizza too. It was just too cold. LOL

My grandmother used to make something similar - we just called it "Oil Bread". Basically take a sheet pan, put in your dough, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle some garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano and basil, and then bake it and drizzle a little more oil on after it's baked. Something like a focaccia bread. She made it with cracked black pepper and fennel seeds as well. Yum.

Last time I was in Italy, we went to a pizzeria in Livorno and they made a "traditional" pizza, but what I found interesting and delicous was they drizzled olive over the finished pizza. Then again, olive oil IN Italy is so good I drink it by the shot glass. lol

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Oh yeah, i don't remember where the thread is located, but to whomever it was that said we don't get single digit temps along the coast...

LOL It was 7 degrees at my elevation in Manchester last night. So said my weather station I have set up anyway.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by JViello

My grandmother used to make something similar - we just called it "Oil Bread". Basically take a sheet pan, put in your dough, coat it with olive oil, sprinkle some garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano and basil, and then bake it and drizzle a little more oil on after it's baked. Something like a focaccia bread. She made it with cracked black pepper and fennel seeds as well. Yum.

That does sound good!

[kidyankee764]

Anyone else ready for summer?

[Cambium]

I still can't believe we're in Zone 7 for gardening! We were Zone 6 forever. Pretty soon we'll be Zone 9 and able to plant avacados and palm trees. Gees

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Snowman27

I still can't believe we're in Zone 7 for gardening! We were Zone 6 forever. Pretty soon we'll be Zone 9 and able to plant avacados and palm trees. Gees

Actually the planet has been cooling down over the last decade, not warming up.

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

That does sound good!

It is, and as a shortcut, using Adobe in place of the onion and garlic works pretty good too, but you have to go light as it's pretty salty.

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Anyone else ready for summer?

I am. This weather makes earning a living much harder.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by JViello

It is, and as a shortcut, using Adobo in place of the onion and garlic works pretty good too, but you have to go light as it's pretty salty.

When will it get back into the 40's? There's a beautiful ribeye in the freezer that's crying for me to throw it on the grill.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by Snowman27

I still can't believe we're in Zone 7 for gardening! We were Zone 6 forever. Pretty soon we'll be Zone 9 and able to plant avacados and palm trees. Gees

When I lived in Norwalk I was amazed at what I could grow, and how much faster things bloomed than where I am now in upper Fairfield County. And remember skytrekker? I'd swear he once mentioned he was growing palm trees. He was somewhere on the SE Ct. coast, I believe. I would love zone 7 some day. Like today.

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

When will it get back into the 40's? There's a beautiful ribeye in the freezer that's crying for me to throw it on the grill.

We grill all year long.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

When I lived in Norwalk I was amazed at what I could grow, and how much faster things bloomed than where I am now in upper Fairfield County. And remember skytrekker? I'd swear he once mentioned he was growing palm trees. He was somewhere on the SE Ct. coast, I believe. I would love zone 7 some day. Like today

Yeah, he actually took photos once and posted them on a thread. I wish I had the time to search for it. He actually lived in the suburbs of Hartford - Vernon or Windsor I think?

I lived in Norwalk for a year (Main Ave area) and when I would visit my parents up in your area it would always be ~5 degrees cooler. And when I lived in Shelton and visited friends in Harwinton, it was like an icebox up there in comparison.

Oh and I grill all year long too. Just grilled some chicken yesterday!