Positive temperature departures continue

It feels like I am posting about this very often, and that is because I am - our country is getting hotter by the year (more on that soon), and Connecticut is no exception. The last time I posted about monthly averages being astronomically higher than usual here in March we were at a pace that would be dangerous to continue for all life in our state. Fortunately, we backed off that degree of deviation, but here is where we have been over the course of the very hot last eight and a half months:

Bridgeport
November: +4.3
December: +5.7
January: +5.6
February: +6.3
March: +7.8
April: +3.6
May: +3.8
June: +1.0
July (through the 12th): +5.1

Hartford
November: +3.9
December: +5.9
January: +5.5
February: +6.0
March: +9.3
April: +2.5
May: +4.3
June: 0.0
July (through the 12th): +3.1

Well...at least the Hartford area broke the streak as they put up a perfectly average June. However, on the southwest coast the multi-year trend continues. Hartford would normally have 23.63 inches of rain through today since January 1, though they have only seen 17.20 fall. Bridgeport is not much better at an average of 22.64 but only coming up with 17.82 inches. These are significant deficits, and while they have not been crippling to us as of yet in terms of typical water usage, when added to the extremely hot conditions it has meant that small creeks and streams plus vernal pools have dried up all the faster this year, limiting or eliminating the breeding of everything from frogs and salamanders to odonates.

That is only scratching the very basic surface of our now disastrous climate as it runs out of control faster than most of the already dire predictions. Climate change is not a topic of consideration for the future or a peril that may befall us in decades - it is happening now, every day, affecting every aspect of life on this planet. We are in deep trouble, and it is time to start spreading the word with a little more vigor and haste. It is not fear mongering when it is something we should all truly be very frightened of.


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician