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Friday, January 28, 2011

Random Weather Update

An Alberta clipper is to blame for the flurries and snow showers flying through the air today. Those flakes will diminish this evening, but watch for icy spots on the street. Any melting that took place will refreeze forming patchy black ice. Temperatures will tumble into the mid 10s to low 20s.

A second clipper is diving down from Canada tonight, affecting Minnesota. This disturbance will quickly rotate through the state tomorrow providing mostly cloudy skies with a period of light snow and flurries. Some areas could pick up a fresh coating to an inch of fresh powder during the afternoon. Hey, what’s another inch of snow at this point? Temperatures will remain near 30 degrees.

Sunday will be dry but chilly with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the 20s. With more chilly air next week, there is no melting on the way for the snow stuck on the side of the road. Our next chance for a big storm will be on Wednesday with a wintry mix possible.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Wednesday Night Storm Drops 6"-18"!

This will be a winter we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Windsor Locks measured a foot of fresh powder bringing the MONTHLY snowfall total to 56.9". This far surpasses the previous record for snowiest month of 45.3" set in 1945. Hartford Metro and Litchfield County reported 6"-12" of fresh snow, with nearly everyone else reporting 10"-18". Snowfall rates were around 4" per hour at times last night. Good luck finding somewhere to put it all.

Hartford County:

South Windsor: 15.0"
Manchester: 14.8"
Windsor Locks: 12.0?"
Avon: 9.5"
North Granby: 6.5"
Granby: 6.0"
Bristol: 12.0"

Tolland County:
Staffordville: 19.0"
Ellington: 13.0"
Somers: 8.5"

Windham County:
Moosup: 17.5"
Danieson: 15.0"
East Killingly: 16.5"

Litchfield County:
Thomaston: 10.5"
Winsted: 7.5"
Cornwall:7.0"
Winchester Center: 6.0"
Litchfield: 7.0"

Fairfield County:
New Canaan: 18.0"
Greenwich: 14.5
Danbury: 13.0"
Darien: 12.5"
Shelton: 13.0"

Middlesex County:
Middletown: 15.0"
Haddam: 12.0"
Old Saybrook: 13.0"

New Haven County:
Milford: 15.0"
Southbury: 12.5"
Beacon Falls: 9.5"

New London County:

Lisbon: 17.5"
Colchester: 15.0"
North Franklin: 13.5"
Groton: 12.0"
Uncasville: 9.0"
Norwich:8.5"

Wednesday Night/Early Thursday Storm Video Update

With a special guest star!

SNOWIEST MONTH EVER!

CONGRATS, IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!! As of midnight, Bradley International reported 2.9" of snow making this the snowiest month on record for Windsor Locks. Our monthly total is now 47.8" breaking the old record of 45.3" which was set back in 1945!!! Records date back to 1905. Oh and it's not done snowing yet.

Snowfall Reports

More Snow Totals

And, you guessed it, more Snowfall Reports

Three NWS offices cover CT so that's why there are so many sites with snow totals. Enjoy the storm!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Storm Update 9:36 PM

The heaviest snow is overspreading the state and will fall from now until around 3AM. Although some towns mixed in with sleet and rain over the past few hours, everyone is expected to change all over to snow for the duration of the storm. Snowfall rates will appraoch 1"-2" per hour. We’re still expecting the heaviest totals to be along the shoreline, especially near the eastern part of the state. The storm is rapidly intensifying and there are numerous reports of lightning within this storm, south of Long Island. So don’t be surprised if you hear a rumble of thunder tonight. We still expect this storm to move out around or before sunrise with 6”-12” of snow on the ground, with locally higher amounts in the southeast.

Wed Storm

Accumulations: We are still anticipating 4”-10” of snow with the highest amounts in southeastern CT and the lowest amounts in northwestern Litchfield County. There will be a wide range of totals with this storm.

Timing: The first round of snow arrived ahead of schedule. Southern Connecticut already got into some of the heavier snow bands with a quick 1”-3”, making the evening commute slippery and creating traffic problems. The second round of snow is approaching for tonight. The heaviest snow will be 10 PM - 3AM. But the storm is already gone by sunrise. So this will be another fast mover. The morning commute tomorrow will depend on how quickly the plows can clean up the mess from the night before.

Other Factors: There still could be some sleet at times in southeast CT. But this is mainly a snow event. This will be a more of a wet, heavier snow than a lot of the other storms we have seen so far this year. Winds will increase overnight, gusting up near 40 mph.

1-26 Update on Wed PM-Thu Storm

Another ugly freeze frame of myself. WOW.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011

It's SO Cold....

I asked facebook friends to fill in the blanks. The answers were funnier than anything I could think of. Here are five of my favorites!

Stephen Sloat:There are penguins at my bird feeder!

Dave Traskos: It's so cold that even Paris Hilton changed her phrase to "Thats cold!"

Vinnie Alianiello: That I saw a dog frozen to a fire hydrant.

Neal Half Pint Perron: I can see Russia from my house

David Roucoulet: I SAW someone pass gas.

Weather Discussion--Two Rounds of Snow

Snow showers will develop after midnight tonight. Most places will just pick up a light coating of snow. But there could be a few towns, especially in northern Connecticut that get close to an inch or two of fresh powder. The bad news is, there will be some slick spots tomorrow morning. The good news is, the snow is associated with milder air. Temperatures tomorrow will be about 20 degrees warmer than today. Any leftover snow will end by midday with partial clearing. Tuesday night will be quiet with partly cloudy skies. Our next Nor’easter is taking shape in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm will cross over Florida, bringing the south a round of severe weather. Then the storm will ride up the east coast, heading towards the Virginia coast by Wednesday.

There is still a lot of uncertainty in the track of the storm. But at this point a wintry mix of snow, sleet, rain and freezing rain will break out late tomorrow (between 1 P.M. – 4 P.M.) Then precipitation will change entirely over to snow. Areas that turn to snow quickly (inland) will have a good chance at 6” or more of snow accumulation. The evening commute on Wednesday will probably be a bit messy as the storm overspreads the area. Mixing will occur longer in southeast Connecticut where milder air will try to mix in.

The track of the storm will determine accumulations. If the storm tracks further east then the state will get all snow. If the storm tracks closer to the coast, more rain and sleet will move further inland, cutting down accumulations down a bit.

This system will quickly exit the region on Thursday morning (8-11 A.M.) with clearing skies and colder temperatures for the end of the week.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Friday, January 21, 2011

Record January Snow

We are now 0.1" away from tying the record for snowiest January in Windsor Locks. That means we are pretty much guaranteed to break the record, especially if next Wednesday's storm stays on course. Keep in mind, records date back to 1905 and January snow totals were not available from 1997-2000.
  1. 1996: 43.1"
  2. 2011: 43.0"
  3. 1923: 40.1"
  4. 1978: 37.0"
  5. 1987: 34.0"

So far this season Windsor Locks has reported 57.2" of snow. Normal snowfall for the season to date is 20.8". That's 36.4" above average!

Last year on this day we had 14.5" of snow so far in the season.

Friday's Storm Summary

Well the timing of the storm was the biggest issue, arriving during the morning commute. But snowfall accumulations were lackluster. The storm intensified too far away from Connecticut to be able to drop the bigger snow accumulations. But I think most people are happy we are counting the storm in inches this time (instead of feet). Especially because this active pattern is not over yet. Where are we going to put all this snow!?

Accumulations were generally between 3" - "6" with this storm, with up to 8" in some spots. Thompson got hit the hardest with 8.0" of snow. Norfolk picked up 7.1".

Fairfield County:
Greenwich: 5.0"
New Canaan: 4.6"
Norwalk: 4.5"
Darien: 4.5"
Westport: 4.5"
Bridgeport: 4.5"
Danbury: 3.3"

Middlesex County:
Old Saybrook: 2.0"

New Haven County:

East Haven: 5.0"
Ansonia: 5.0"
Milford: 4.0"
New Haven: 4.0"
Waterbury: 3.0"

New London County:

Gales Ferry: 3.5"
Old Lyme: 2.5"
Groton: 2.0"

Hartford County:
Simsbury: 6.0"
Suffield: 5.2"
Manchester: 5.0"
West Hartford: 4.8:
Avon: 4.0"
South Windsor: 3.0"
Berlin: 2.8"
Windsor Locks: 3.8"

Tolland County:
Storrs: 6.5"
Stafford Springs: 5.0"
Vernon: 4.0"

Windham County:
Ashford: 6.5"
Woodstock: 5.8"
Brooklyn: 4.0"

I have no Litchfield County snowfall totals...I love Litchfield County! Send me some!

Friday

We have another quick hitting, high impact snow storm on our hands. It will be in and out of here within 12 hours and the timing will be horrible for the morning commute.

Timing: The heaviest snow will be during the morning commute (5 AM-9 AM). Snowfall rates of 1”-2” per hour at times. The storm will end between 11 AM – 1 PM Friday. The sun will probably peak through after the snow ends.

Impacts: Many school closures and delays, especially because of the timing of this storm. Messy morning commute, slick snow covered roads. There may be some flight delays, but airports can usually handle this kind of storm without too many issues.

Accumulations: 5”-9” of snow. The snow will be very light and fluffy for most of the state, although it will be a little heavier along the shoreline. Most places will see the lower end of that range...around 5".

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I found this YouTube clip made in Farmington today where people were sledding on ICE instead of snow! I guess ice can be pretty fun...when you're not driving on it!

Snow/Ice Totals

Here are some snowfall totals from today (Tuesday's storm). Now ice is falling on top of all this snow, giving it a nice crunch sound when you walk around today. We generally saw 1"-3" of snow with higher amounts in NW Connecticut. New Canaan is already reporting 0.10" of ice!

Hartford County:
Burlington: 3.5"
Unionville: 3.2"
Windsor Locks: 3.0"
New Britain:2.8
Southington: 2.0"

Middlesex County:
Haddam: 3.0"
Tolland County:
Tolland: 3.0"
Storrs: 2.0"
Stafford Springs: 2.0"
Ellington: 2.0"

Windham County:
Brooklyn: 1.5"

Fairfield County:

Darien: 2.2"
Danbury: 2.1"
New Canaan: 1.4"
Stamford: 1.0"
Bridgeport: 1.0"

New Haven County:
Waterbury: 2.2"
Southbury: 2.0"
Meriden: 2.0"
New Haven: 1.0"

New London:
Colchester: 1.0"
Lisbon: 0.5"

Temperatures are now rising above freezing along the shoreline. Inland areas will also slowly warm-up creating improving conditions.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Rain/Snow/Ice Storm Tuesday

Get ready for a messy wintry mix as low pressure moves up the east coast. There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect for Hartford, Tolland, Litchfield, and northern Fairfield and New Haven Counties until 7 AM Tuesday morning. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Windham, New London, Middlesex, and southern Fairfield and New Haven Counties from 6 AM until 3 PM Tuesday.

Timing: Snow will break out between 2 AM- 6 AM before mixing in with sleet and freezing rain. Mixing will happen in the early morning for the shoreline, mid morning for central Connecticut and late morning for the northern hills.
Eventually, as more warm air works in, the icy mix will give way to plain rain during the afternoon and temperatures will reach the low and mid 30s. Rain will come down heavy at times late-afternoon, especially in eastern Connecticut which could create sloppy conditions for the evening commute.

Ice Impacts:

Ice accumulations on tree limbs and power lines could result in some downed trees and power lines. This will especially be a concern in northwest Connecticut where ice could accumulate .2”-.4”.

Icy roads are harder to navigate than snow covered roads. Roads will be very slippery at times, especially before the changeover to rain. There may be flight delays and cancelations as airports deal with the icy conditions.

Rain Impacts:
With snow blocking storm drains, poor drainage flooding will be an issue. Rain can also add weight to the existing snowpack which can put stress on rooftops.

Rain will help melt some of the snow sitting around, creating a slushy mess on the road for the evening commute

Snow Impacts:
Roads will be snow covered early Tuesday morning. Snowfall accumulations will not be as noteworthy as the ice or changeover to rain. I am expecting 3”-6” north of I-84, 1”-3” everywhere else, with the exception of the immediate shoreline and southeastern CT who will see 1” or less.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Holy Cold, Batman!

Here are the low temperatures from this morning. My teeth are chattering just looking at them! We had decent radiational cooling last night. Without the insulation cloud cover provides, all our warmth escapes into the atmosphere. Snow on the ground also helps cool off temperatures for obvious reasons (snow is cold)!

Low Temperatures (in degrees F)
  • Willimantic: -9
  • Windsor Locks: -6
  • Danbury: -5
  • Hartford: 1
  • New Haven: 4
And this wasn't a quick drop below freezing!
  • Willimantic: 0 or below for 11 hours
  • Danbury: 7 hours below zero
  • Windsor Locks: 4 hours below freezing

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Hartford Top 10 Storms Since 1905

  1. January 11-12 2011: 24"
  2. February 12, 2006: 21.9"
  3. February 11-12, 1983: 21.0"
  4. December 19-20, 1945: 18.2"
  5. December 29, 1945: 17.7"
  6. February 19-20, 1934: 17.4"
  7. February 20-21, 1921: 17.0"
  8. February 6-7, 1978: 16.0"
  9. December 26-27, 1947: 16.9"
  10. March 5, 2001: 16.3"

These are records for Windsor Locks, one of two climate sites in the state. I'm sure there were bigger storms back before 1905, but we don't have reliable records before that time.

Cold? You're Not Alone.


Every State, with the exception of Florida, has snow on the ground. This includes Hawaii where about seven inches of snow is atop Mauna Kea!

FREE SNOW!

I think big storms bring out generosity in people. Just take Joe in Stratford for example. He's giving out free snow! What a nice guy. ;)

Forecast Discussion

With clear skies in place , temperatures will drop quickly tonight with overnight lows in the single digits and teens, BRRRRR! Colder air will be in place on Friday keeping temperatures roughly 10 degrees below normal. Luckily, winds will subside, getting rid of the “wind chill factor”. After a sunny start to the day, some patchy clouds will develop. Clouds will continue to increase on Saturday as a cold front approaches. The front may trigger a few snow showers late in the day or at night. But we are not expecting much accumulation this time around! Another more potent storm will approach on Tuesday bringing a wintry mix.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Snowfall This Season

Obviously we have seen above average snowfall this season. Just how much above average? I checked for you of course!

Windsor Locks:
Snowfall this season: 46.6"
Normal: 16.3"
That's 30.3" above average!!

Bridgeport:
Snowfall this season: 33.2"
Normal: 7.1"
That's 26.1" above average!!

And this pattern continues to remain very active in the weeks ahead! Bring it on!

Snowfall Totals

Some of these are a little old. but you get the general idea. 1'-2' fell statewide with some towns approaching 30"!

Hartford County
Manchester: 27.0
Glastonbury: 25.5"
New Britain: 24.3"
South Windsor: 22.1"
Wethersfield: 22.0"
Suffield: 21.0"
Enfield: 21.0"

Tolland County
Staffordville: 29.0"
Tolland: 25.0"
Ellington: 24.0"
Vernon: 23.0"

Windham County
East Killingly: 21.0"
Ashford: 19.0"

Fairfield County:
Newtown: 29.0"

Middlesex County
Haddam: 22.0"

New Haven County
Branford: 19.8"

New London County
New London: 14.0"

Record Breaking Snowfall

Tuesday night/Wednesday’s storm is making headlines across the country. But it’s also a storm we are going to be talking about for years to come. We made the history books, setting a new record snowfall in Windsor Locks, one of our climate sites in Connecticut.

New snowfall through 1 PM at Bradley Intl. Airport in Windsor Locks totaled 24.0”. This beats the greatest storm total of 21.9” which occurred February 12, 2006. This also sets a new record for greatest daily snowfall!

Video Update 2:30 AM January Nor'easter

Video Update 1 AM, January Nor'easter


Quick update on the type of snow, current observations and a band of heavier snow moving through the state!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Video Update For Tuesday NIght/Wednesday Storm!

The video looks like a bad kung fu movie...but gets the job done.


We have another major storm on our hands that could rival the "christmas blizzard" in snowfall amounts.

A low pressure system that has been bringing a wintry mess for the south the past few days will lose steam as it moves up the East Coast. At the same time a pocket of energy moving from the Midwest will join it, creating conditions for what is called a "bombogenesis." Bombogenesis is a sudden and rapid drop in pressure that brings with it an explosion of intense precipitation and wind.

Timing: The Tuesday evening commute will be dry. Snow will start around midnight, coming down heavy through midday Wednesday with snowfall rates of 2”-3” per hour possible. The heavy snow will taper to snow showers in the mid to late afternoon. The morning commute will be dangerous. Snow will end Wednesday night.

Impacts: Schools will likely be closed Wednesday, flights will be canceled. So be prepared to rebook. Once again we are dealing with wind driven snow. So low visibility will be an issue Tuesday night into Wednesday with near white out conditions possible. Snow drifts will be a foot or more. At this time, power outages do not look like a huge issue although there may be a few. Wind gusts will approach 40 mph. Wind gusts will not be as high as they were during the “Christmas Blizzard”

Accumulations: 8"-16", with highest amounts in eastern CT. This snow will have a high snow-to-liquid ratio, meaning that it will be rather “fluffy” (not great “snowball” making snow).

Cleanup: Cleanup will be challenging, especially in western CT where some places picked up a foot of snow Friday night. Snow is already piled high on the side of the road.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Video Update!


My first video update from home using a program called iShowU. Your feedback is appreciated..I want to continue making these updates better!

Sunday Night Newscast

 

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Another Day, Another Storm

 

Could be another blizzard next week...stay tuned!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Snow Totals

The state saw 2"-12" of snow. Seriously...that storm was nearly impossible to forecast!
Snowfall Totals
More Totals

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Calm Before the Storm

Today is the calm before the storm as Connecticut braces for snow to develop Friday into Friday night.

Most of Connecticut is under a Winter Storm Watch for Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday.

Temperatures today are seasonably cold, in the upper 20's to low 30's. The state has a light cloud cover, with calm winds.

A weak area of low pressure will be moving across the Great Lakes into western New York by early Friday and weaken. At the same time, another storm will be developing off shore. The area where these two connect is called an 'upper level trough,' causing a narrow band of moderate to possibly heavy snow.

Up to 8 inches could land on Western Connecticut, while parts of eastern Connecticut may only get one to three inches. Snowfall totals will be highly localized.

Light snow could break out across ports of Connecticut during the Friday morning commute. This light coating may cause slick conditions, and drivers are advised to use caution.

The snow will continue, with the heaviest to fall late Friday afternoon into Friday night. It will taper off into flurries by early Saturday morning.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

West Hartford Burglary

 

"Fanstruck"

I don't get recognized in public. When people see me on the street the usually ask what college I go to. But today while I was covering a West Hartford burglary, a man stepped on his breaks and asked,

"Wow. Are you...?"

There was another reporter behind me from WFSB. He was probably talking to her.

"Who Me? I'm Rachel Frank."

"Yeah. I watch you all the time! You're great", he said with enthusiasm.

I was genuinely excited. So I thanked him for watching. Then we just stood there staring at each other. The man said he was "starstruck". He used the word "starstruck" on me! I was speechless or I guess you could say, "fanstruck". Haha, I know I'm not a real celebrity but for that moment I felt like one.

So thanks West Hartford guy! You made my week. Wow that story blew.

Monday, January 3, 2011

2010 In Review

The National Weather Service issued a preliminary annual climate report. You can read the whole report here. Or I can give you the Cliffsnotes!

Overview:
  • 2010 ranked within the top five warmest years in record.
  • Near to above normal precipitation
Records:
  • 4th Wettest March on record: 6.81"
  • 4th Warmest March on record: 45.0 degrees, warmest since 1946
  • Warmest April on record: 54.7 degrees
  • 8th Warmest May on record 63.3 degrees, warmest since 1991
  • Warmest climatological spring (March, April, May): 54.3 degrees, 5.4 above normal
  • Tied 10th Warmest June: 70.6 degrees, warmest since 2008
  • Tied Warmest July 77.1 degrees, warmest since 1994
  • 3rd Warmest summer on record (June, July, August): 73.7 degrees, warmest since '49
  • December 2010 was the 4th consecutive December with above normal snowfall
  • December was the 8th December of the past 9 with above normal snowfall dating back to 2002.
Can You Take The Heat?
  • Number of days with 90+ temperatures: 34 days, 16 days more than average. This ties the third greatest total with 1965 and is the most since 35 days were recorded in 2002.
  • Heat waves (3 or more days at 90+ temperatures): July 4-9, July 16-18, August 9-11, August 29-September 2.
Daily Records Set Or tied:
  • March 19: High maximum 73 degrees
  • March 23: Daily precipitation: 1.07"
  • March 29: Daily precipitation: 1.58"
  • April 7: High maximum 93 degrees
  • May 2: High minimum: 61 degrees
  • May 3: Tied high minimum 61 degrees
  • May 11: Low minimum 29 degrees
  • May 12: Low maximum 49 degrees
  • May 13: Tied low minimum 32 degrees
  • May 26: High maximum 99 degrees
  • June 28: Tied high minimum 73 degrees
  • July 6: High maximum 102 degrees
  • July 6: High minimum 75 degrees
  • July 7: High maximum 100 degrees
  • July 7: High minimum 75 degrees
  • July 8: Tied high minimum 73 degrees
  • July 13: High minimum 74 degrees
  • July 14: Tied high minimum 72 degrees
  • September 1: Tied high maximum 96 degrees
  • October 1: Daily Precip: 2.26"
  • October 26: High minimum 62 degrees
  • December 1: Daily Precip: 1.43"
  • December 12: Daily Precip: 3.34
  • December 27: Daily snowfall 7.0"
More useless facts...ENJOY!

Instagram @RachelFrankCT