[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Rlemega

What are you talking about, we usually have at least one storm that dumps 8-15 inches of snow on us. Do you live in CT?

Well in Connecticut – I would think the northern half of the state, and probably the NW Hills (Litchfield) would have a good shot of averaging at least 1 snowfall greater than 8.0 inches….but I would think it would be a long shot in the southern half of Connecticut - Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London Counties of it being the “average” every year.

The only study I know of that studied the “size” of annual snowfall events in the United States - is a book out a few years ago called - “Snowstorms Along the Northeastern Coast of the United States (by P. Kocin and L. Uccellini) Search Amazon books you should be able to find it, it’s moderately inexpensive. It’s a fun book. Their research is based on the number 5.0 + snows falls from VA to ME. I won’t read you the whole book here – but here is a quick breakdown of Connecticut’s data:

Annual number of 5.0 inch + snowfalls by region in Connecticut (6 regions) -

Northwest Connecticut - 7 to 8
Northcentral Connecitut - 5
Northeast Connecticut - 5
Southwest Connecticut - 2
Southcentral Connecticut - 2
Southeast Connecticut - 1

Remember – these are not 8 to 15 inch snows…these are only 5.0 + snows.

As you can see…the southern half of Connecticut only averages two 5+ inch snowfalls on all winter. Obviously, although one storm could be 14 inches…..another could be 5.1 inches. It seems to jive with NWS station data in Startford, which only averages 22.5 inches of snow a year. If the southern counties of Connecticut only “average” two … 5.0 + inch snow events each winter…..(even if they were just 5.0 in each) thats already almost 50 % of the whole season. I would think ….at least in Southern Connecticut, an 8.0 inch snow event “every winter is a bit of a long shot. I’m sure that by every third winter or so - the probabilities would be higher (greater than 75%). I can say for sure - that in my area of movement (from New Haven east out to Saybrook and the Lymes)….in some years we don’t a single storm that has 8.0 inches. Of course I’m in far southern Connecticut.

It’s a bit pathetic…. when you think that places up in Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine…etc…where they get 110- inches + of snow each winter……. have 5 + inch snowstorms fifteen times a year….. while places in southern Connecticut can only muster two (lol). I put in the link to the NWS (SWEA)… Recent Snowstorms. You can have a look. Last year winter (2007/2008)
for example - no single storm produced an 8.0 inch + snowfall across southern Connecticut.

Check the NWS site up in Boston – they have data for northern Connecticut. I would be interested to see if they had a single 8 + inch storm last year. I know up in Windsor Lock they had like 44-inches of snow last winter. Maybe they track that stuff up there.

Cheers..

[andthentherewere3]

Last year was unusually mild, no question about that. Having lived here since 1982 I can attest to that. It was not typical of what we usually see in terms of snowfall amounts.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

Last year was unusually mild, no question about that. Having lived here since 1982 I can attest to that. It was not typical of what we usually see in terms of snowfall amounts.

Actually last year (winter 2007/2008) WAS pretty close to normal in terms of seasonal snowfall.

Bradley Airport, CT - the offical NWS station in Northern Connecticut – recived 47.5. inches of total snow. This was 101% of their normal 46.9 inches. You can see here - National Weather Service Climate
Just click on June 27th for DBL and see the seasonal snow total.

Bridgeport, CT - the offical NWS station in Southern Connecticut – recived 20. 2 inches of total snow. This was 81% of their normal 25.2 inches. You can see here - National Weather Service Climate
Just click on June 27th for Bridgeport and see the seasonal snow total.


So as winter snow fall goes....we were still in the 80 to 100% of normal snowfall across Connecticut. I think it can be very confusing to many, because the media will always hype up the worst season in the last 10 years...and tell you that's what's normal.

As I have said to many others - snow is one of the most hyped things in climate data.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

Actually last year (winter 2007/2008) WAS pretty close to normal in terms of seasonal snowfall.

This past winter seemed to be less snow, more sleet, freezing rain and rain (of course, snow mixed in). It seemed that in the 90s it was more of the fluffy white stuff.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by JViello

This is what Sky said:



You posted all about CT, New England contains 5 other states.

Are you also saying that we have not had "bad" winters since the "Blizzard" of 1978? Oh please tell me that's not where you are going...

I know what you do and respect that...but I also know a lot of engineers that can't see past their protractor. I hope you are not one of those.

American Heritage Dictionary - bliz·zard
(blĭz'ərd) Pronunciation Key n.

A violent snowstorm with winds blowing at a minimum speed of 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and visibility of less than one-quarter mile (400 meters) for three hours.

If any of those storms did not contain that technical aspect, please enlighten us.

But since Sky mentioned CT being shut down for three days - it wasn't due to cold temps. No he was talking about heavy snowfall. You yourself just admitted said storms dumped more snow as well.

P.S. Talking about weather comes far from "raising my hair."

Well I’d like to think I’m more exciting than most engineers… however - numbers are numbers, and facts are facts. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Also, I know this “New England” Vs Tri-State thing splits Connecticut so often (maybe its that Yankee – Sox crap)…..However, I wish people would stop talking about Connecticut it terms of “New England weather”, as if it’s a unified climate zone. It’s not. Most places in Connecticut share far more climatic elements with NYC, Long Island, New Jesery…etc, than they do with New England. There is very little “New England” about Connecticut’s climate and weather.

Yes… the 1978 Storm was a whopper. Still produced the lowest barometric pressure of any non-tropical storm in Connecticut.


Did that come off as more exciting?

[jojofree]

Originally Posted by Rocklin

I tried Cutters bug repellant--that was pretty much useless. I actually think they ate the stuff....:-)

Anything you would rec using?

Any bug spray with the ingredient DEET. Make sure you wash it off after you come in though. It is powerful stuff.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

Well I’d like to think I’m more exciting than most engineers… however - numbers are numbers, and facts are facts. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Also, I know this “New England” Vs Tri-State thing splits Connecticut so often (maybe its that Yankee – Sox crap)…..However, I wish people would stop talking about Connecticut it terms of “New England weather”, as if it’s a unified climate zone. It’s not. Most places in Connecticut share far more climatic elements with NYC, Long Island, New Jesery…etc, than they do with New England. There is very little “New England” about Connecticut’s climate and weather.

Yes… the 1978 Storm was a whopper. Still produced the lowest barometric pressure of any non-tropical storm in Connecticut.


Did that come off as more exciting?

Well, by now it's obvious that your world revolves around lower Fairfield county and points South...Nothing wrong with that I guess, but there is more to CT than FFC.

I think we all realize there are several "zones" to New England's weather - but that doesn't make CT any less New England - just another part of it.

Since you are saying that "lower" CT along the sound makes CT "half New York" and "Not New England" would you say the same for Rhode Island?

It's a small state, and the lower half is in the similar position to CT. So is RI also "very little" New England too? Or do the lack of commuter trains to NYC take it out of contention for you.

P.S. In the spirit of full disclosure - are you a meteorologist? Yes or no?

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by JViello

Well, by now it's obvious that your world revolves around lower Fairfield county and points South...Nothing wrong with that I guess, but there is more to CT than FFC.

I think we all realize there are several "zones" to New England's weather - but that doesn't make CT any less New England - just another part of it.

Since you are saying that "lower" CT along the sound makes CT "half New York" and "Not New England" would you say the same for Rhode Island?

It's a small state, and the lower half is in the similar position to CT. So is RI also "very little" New England too? Or do the lack of commuter trains to NYC take it out of contention for you.

P.S. In the spirit of full disclosure - are you a meteorologist? Yes or no?

First, I am not a meteorologist (there is very little work for someone with that job title anymore) …I do have an MS in Meteorology, and a BA in Physical Geography (climatography). My position now is with a company that supplies demographic (which I do very little of) and climatic (which I do most of) data to various companies.

Next - I don’t live in Fairfield County (I live in Middlesex County). I don’t think the world revolves around Fairfield, New Haven, or Middlesex counties. However, I do think - there is a severe upstate bias in Connecticut, in term of climate, culture, even economics. I have read this forum on and off for a year now…I have noticed that most of the moderators, posters, bloggers….ect, are from the northern half of the state. This is one of the main reasons I post now and then - to give outsides a fair presentation of life in Connecticut - from the southern half of the state ( in terms of climate, culture, economics, …etc).

I have noticed a few strange things over the years here. There seems to be this silent and unspoken attempt by some northern Connecticut residents, business, even the media - to stamp out anything having to do with the NYC metro area. There seems to be this fear that Manhattan will turn Connecticut into Long Island. Many northern Connecticut residents think the only perspective any Connecticut resident should have is New England ( Boston is the center of their world (or maybe the Red Sox)). Stone walls, Jim Calhoun’s twangy New England accent, or the Merrit Parkway, don’t change demorgrapic and climatic facts. Look at the goofy Channel 8 Weather map shows central Vermont in the middle of the screen, while New Haven is down near Geoff Fox’s knees. If you bump into these folks…tell them maps are usually centered on your location(lol). Of course they won’t do that – because it will show more of the Tri-State area and less of “New England” To a person who even has a casual knowledge of geography - it’s absurd.

I have news for those in the “north” …there are tens of thousands of people across southern Connecticut that could care less about Boston, the Red Sox, skiing, UCONN, Stow, or a craft fairs up in New Hampshire. I’m one of them! This seems to steam northern Connecticut folks so bad. I have never been to Boston, hate baseball, never been to Stow, VT (I don’t ski – I surf), and a craft fair puts me into a coma.

The answer to your second question is yes - scientifically southern Rhode Island has very little climate similarities to the vast part of New England. Massachusetts northward to southern Canada is in one climate Zone (Dcb). Connecticut/southern Rhode Island to Virgina are in another climate zone (Dca).

Of course that doesn’t’ sit well with the “we love snow New England” crowd.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

I have read this forum on and off for a year now…I have noticed that most of the moderators, posters, bloggers….ect, are from the northern half of the state. This is one of the main reasons I post now and then - to give outsides a fair presentation of life in Connecticut - from the southern half of the state ( in terms of climate, culture, economics, …etc).

I have noticed a few strange things over the years here. There seems to be this silent and unspoken attempt by some northern Connecticut residents, business, even the media - to stamp out anything having to do with the NYC metro area. There seems to be this fear that Manhattan will turn Connecticut into Long Island. Many northern Connecticut residents think the only perspective any Connecticut resident should have is New England ( Boston is the center of their world (or maybe the Red Sox)). Stone walls, Jim Calhoun’s twangy New England accent, or the Merrit Parkway, don’t change demorgrapic and climatic facts. Look at the goofy Channel 8 Weather map shows central Vermont in the middle of the screen, while New Haven is down near Geoff Fox’s knees. If you bump into these folks…tell them maps are usually centered on your location(lol). Of course they won’t do that – because it will show more of the Tri-State area and less of “New England” To a person who even has a casual knowledge of geography - it’s absurd.

I have news for those in the “north” …there are tens of thousands of people across southern Connecticut that could care less about Boston, the Red Sox, skiing, UCONN, Stow, or a craft fairs up in New Hampshire. I’m one of them! This seems to steam northern Connecticut folks so bad. I have never been to Boston, hate baseball, never been to Stow, VT (I don’t ski – I surf), and a craft fair puts me into a coma.

Of course that doesn’t’ sit well with the “we love snow New England” crowd.

Finally someone said it! Positive rep to you as I could not agree more.

Many here in FFC and even in New Haven/Litchfield Counties have never been to Boston.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

I have news for those in the “north” …there are tens of thousands of people across southern Connecticut that could care less about Boston, the Red Sox, skiing, UCONN, Stow, or a craft fairs up in New Hampshire. I’m one of them! This seems to steam northern Connecticut folks so bad. I have never been to Boston, hate baseball, never been to Stow, VT (I don’t ski – I surf), and a craft fair puts me into a coma.

Excellent post. I couldn't agree with you more. Over half of the state's population lives in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. These folks don't travel to Boston for work but do commute to NYC, get New York-based TV stations, and/or get the New York Times. Additionally, they know that they're part of the New York Metro:

New York Metropolitan Area

Lastly, and don't shoot me for this, I have observed that most Fairfield County residents will say that they live in Fairfield County, not New England, and laugh at the notion of New England winters claiming that they usually get only a dusting when the rest of the state gets a foot of snow.