Historic heat wave

It has not only been hot in Connecticut - it has been historically hot! Last week either broke or tied a multitude of records in both our nearby region and state. July is always the warmest month with the few weeks after the summer solstice featuring the highest temperatures during our calendar year. However, it is not supposed to be this extraordinarily warm for so long a period and so consistently, nor is it typical to see some of the temperature highs and lows that were recorded. Let's go through some of the KBDR (Bridgeport's National Weather Service station at the airport in Stratford) highlights in list form as it featured some of the most significant events.

• From July 14 through July 20 the temperature hit or exceeded 90°F each day. This seven-day streak breaks the all-time record of six days which was set three times since records began in 1948: 7/7-7/12/93, 7/16-7/21/91, 8/28-9/2/53. That is a big record to fall!
• Another impressive record that was tied was the highest minimum temperature. On July 19 the temperature never dropped below 80°F which tied the all-time mark from July 4, 2002. Again, these records have been kept since 1948!
• July 16 and July 18 also had daily records for highest minimum temperature broken.
• A record high of 95 was set on July 16. Despite the constant heat we did not approach the upper 90s or 100 on the shore which protected most of those daily maximum temperature records.
• From July 16 through July 20 the temperature did not dip below 75°F!
• In fact, the temperature has only gone into the 60s on three days this entire month. We will have to see what kind of records these conditions may amount to.

From tropical cyclones to blizzards to extreme heat to heavy rainfall to anomalous nor'easters to frigid air Connecticut, and in particular coastal areas, is seeing some of the most extreme weather it has ever experienced in the last several years. We'll see if this run keeps up...will we have another tropical storm or hurricane later this season?

Scott Kruitbosch

Conservation Technician