Best Weather on (or near) New England coast??? (Newport: live, vs.)

[tg9999]

What area on the New England coast (or within 20 miles of the coast) has the best year round weather?

We have visited Boston, Newport, Stonington and Mystic --- the weather has always been great --- BUT WE'VE ONLY VISITED IN THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL. We don't mind cold winters, so long as it is not extremely cold. We hate extremely hot, humid summers, and that is why we are looking at New England.)

We understand the entire New England coast is subject to serious storms, but are there any coastal areas from Connecticut to Maine that are a "less stormy" the others?

Housing costs, jobs, demographics, amenities, etc, irrelevant to our inquiry. We are just interested in your thoughts re the best year round weather on or near the New England coast. Thanks in advance.

[Verseau]

You might want to define what you consider "extremely hot" and "extremely cold" -- coastal New England is more temperate than inland areas but there's a big difference between, say, Greenwich, CT and Eastport, ME. Greenwich ranges from about 20 to 38 degrees on average in January, and about 64 to 84 in July. Eastport ranges about 13 to 32 in January and 51 to 75 in July.

There are posters here who are more knowledgeable about the regional weather patterns than I am, but I can offer my observations. It seems that most of the worst storms come up the coast from the south, so places like Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts (Cape Cod and the islands, etc.) are often hit hard by these storms. The coast of Connecticut is also often in the storm's path but is somewhat "buffered" by Long Island.

On the other end of the spectrum, Nor'easters that come down from the Maritimes in Canada often strike hardest in downeast Maine. So it would seem to me that the least "stormy" areas of the coast are probably in the middle, let's say between Boston and Portland. But these places are definitely not exempt from storminess and frankly I'm not sure there's a huge difference between different areas of the coast. But hopefully the others can weigh in on this one.

[GregW]

When a December to March No'eastah rolls up the coast there ain't no place nice. It is all cold, wet and somtimes icey. Iffen ya want misery drive up ta Owl's Head Light near Rockport durin' a No'eastah and get outa yo' caah an' stan arond fo' a spell. That 'ill sho' ya what a No'easta is like.

[dognh]

Except for mid-to-northern Maine you can basically drive the entire New England coast in about 4 hours.

The point. There's not really a dramatic difference. All areas have four seasons. Obviously Maine has a harsher winter than Connecticut, but Connecticut is still in the northeast. It ain't the Carolinas.

As far as least impact from storms, I'd probably say coastal Connecticut, as it is buffered by Long Island. But really there is not much of a difference.

Basically, unless there's a specific reason, I'd rule out anything north of Portland Maine. Then choose based on proximity to job/lifestyle vs. weather.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by dognh

Except for mid-to-northern Maine you can basically drive the entire New England coast in about 4 hours.

The point. There's not really a dramatic difference. All areas have four seasons. Obviously Maine has a harsher winter than Connecticut, but Connecticut is still in the northeast. It ain't the Carolinas.

As far as least impact from storms, I'd probably say coastal Connecticut, as it is buffered by Long Island. But really there is not much of a difference.

Basically, unless there's a specific reason, I'd rule out anything north of Portland Maine. Then choose based on proximity to job/lifestyle vs. weather.

Well, yes there actually is a big difference.

Southeast CT, is technically a "mid-atlantic" climate. Check the "classifications" for landscape etc and you'll see this little strip that covers Southeast CT.

I think they only average about 20 inches of snow per year. The ocean temp is also considerably warmer than say off the Cape or North of Boston.

[dognh]

Originally Posted by JViello

Well, yes there actually is a big difference.

Southeast CT, is technically a "mid-atlantic" climate. Check the "classifications" for landscape etc and you'll see this little strip that covers Southeast CT.

I think they only average about 20 inches of snow per year. The ocean temp is also considerably warmer than say off the Cape or North of Boston.

Should I believe the "classifications" or my own lying eyes?

CT is in the northeast and has very different weather than coastal virginia, carolina, etc. Like I said, 4 seasons, including winter with snow.

For example last week, it snowed in CT and was dry and sunny in NH, and ME. Ocean temps also are not dramatically different - maybe 3-4 degrees from CT to ME.

The big difference is in terms of coastal storm imact - coastal CT is protected by Long Island. RI, MA, NH & ME have no such protection

If the poster is looking for real mid-atlantic climate, I wouldn't recommend going any farther north than southern Jersey.

[fishnfool]

I don't know about the ocean temps....probably similar in the winter, but in the summer there is a dramatic difference in water temps north of the cape. I'm in the water all summer in NH and it's cooooold....south of the cape it's bathwater relative to NH and ME.

[Jennymcb]

If the Cape wasn't so touristy, I would like the climate down there. Golf season is at least two months longer than NH. But come summertime, there's just nothing easy about the Cape.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by dognh

Should I believe the "classifications" or my own lying eyes?

CT is in the northeast and has very different weather than coastal virginia, carolina, etc. Like I said, 4 seasons, including winter with snow.

For example last week, it snowed in CT and was dry and sunny in NH, and ME. Ocean temps also are not dramatically different - maybe 3-4 degrees from CT to ME.

The big difference is in terms of coastal storm imact - coastal CT is protected by Long Island. RI, MA, NH & ME have no such protection

If the poster is looking for real mid-atlantic climate, I wouldn't recommend going any farther north than southern Jersey.

I think you should believe science and weather data - and someone who lives here.

Ocean temps are much more than 3-4 degrees.

This chart shows an 8 degree difference, and if you go a little further into LI Sound it's even more.



I've never said it was the same as VA, BUT someone in Southern NC could say that Southern NJ is "much much colder than NC" but they are still both mid-Atlantic climates. YET even Southern NC water is only 6 degrees warmer than NJ while S.E. CT is *8* degrees warmer than Southern ME and NH.

Here are December high temps:



Hey, look at that! Same as MD and some parts of VA!

Here is the average snowfall I spoke about:



I'm SURE you can post data that shows the North shore and Maine to have less than 25" of snow per year. No?

Again, am I saying it's the same as coastal NC or VA? No. Am I saying it's the same as Southern Maine? No - that's my point. Southeast CT IS the exception...you can't just say "All of New England is the same except for a couple degrees"...you just can't because reality and weather data says otherwise.

P.S. When you say "it snowed in CT" you DO realize that a few flakes were mixed in with the rain and that's about it right? You do also realize the last time this happened was Oct of 1980 right? I mean it snows in FL and NC sometimes. Does that mean FL and NC has a Northeast climate?

[WannaComeHome]

Hey, look at that! Same as MD and some parts of VA!

Except for the cold snaps in the winter, southern NH tends to run about 10 degrees colder than MD. Sure, there are times when it gets downright cold up there, but GENERALLY, it's not that far off. Now central and northern NH.... different climate.