This was one of those dark days of December ----low clouds, fog, drizzle. We have lost close to 6 hours of daylight since the Summer Solstice, and it all bottoms out on the 21st. So far, this month has been kind to much of the southern two-thirds of Connecticut with limited cold and wintry precipitation. But there is an old saying, "When the days begin to lengthen, the cold starts to strengthen" With all this quirky weather could there be a White Christmas this year?

Read more »

We had about 40 people participate in our first "guess the first inch of snow" contest and the snow came on Dec. 7. It actually began about 11 pm on the 6th, but didn't measure up to an inch until the 7th. And the winner is....James. The official measurement for New Haven was 1.3 inches - about the same as outside our studio. Ironically, Windsor Locks just had 0.5 inch; yet, Bridgeport officially came along with a record 2 inches for the date. Another irony- the first measureable snow of last season was on the same day...Dec. 7. But again, congratulations to James, and maybe you can tell us how you did it! Was it just a lucky guess? As we said at the start, the cut off date was Dec. 1, so all guesses submitted after Dec. 1 were not counted. One question....what should James get as a prize?

In any case, this is going to be a very busy week of weather. There's more of everything on the way.

Well, our snow contest is alive and well. We have moved beyond the cutoff date for submitting a guess(Dec.1), and we may be getting closer to that first inch. You never can be too sure. Two years ago, our first inch didn't occur until mid-January- winter was almost over! The year before, we had the first snowstorm in November. But cold weather is getting ready to settle into the region. We'll have opportunities...maybe sooner than later.

Read more »

Until Monday, we are still running our snow contest, but I couldn't let the day go without wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving, and many more to come. This day has special meaning for many of us. I can remember one Thanksgiving which was especially painful, but it had a happy ending - eventually.

Read more »

During my teaching days, I would open up a snow pool with my students...just for fun....to guess when the first inch of snow would fall at our college. Twenty-five cents bought you a day, and if you hit it right, winner took all. Of course, all kinds of elaborate rules had to be set up. I never tossed in my guess...I was the scorekeeper. I allowed 4 guesses for one day. Then, there were restrictions on exactly where and what time the snow was measured. Was it enough that it began before midnight, but didn't reach the inch until after? Which day counted? The guess closest to the snow day without exceeding the date would win. There were plenty of protests but it was in good fun, and it lasted for 27 years until I retired from teaching. Want to play? Here's how

Read more »

It really doesn't bother me that much, but every November my postage stamp-size front lawn fills with my neighbor's leaves. I don't have a single tree, but across the street, several trees let loose this time of year, and all the leaves seem to collect outside our front window.

Now, I have some very nice neighbors, and I would never say anything to them, but maybe they'll read this blog and lend a hand during cleanup time. Besides, I bet a lot of other people run into the same problem. It is just the price we pay for living in beautiful New England where each season offers its own personality which many are wondering about now that we are into the month of November.

Read more »

I don't know about you, but I feel left out. For weeks, we have been watching a handful of states get all the attention during this election. We still vote on Tuesday. I hope our vote still counts. You wouldn't know it by watching Wolf Blitzer. But, politics aside, we do live in a battleground state. Connecticut is among a few states where just about anything the weather has to offer will occur. Few places can claim our variety of weather - and let's be proud, even if Joe the Plumber lives someplace else.

Read more »

It happened again. The Commissioner of baseball was prepared to wait until Thanksgiving to finish the rain-delayed World Series in Philadelphia - but many thought it was over Monday night after the fifth inning. Somehow three different weather services were caught up in the confusion. The rain wasn't thought to be a serious problem, until it started falling around the third inning. Monday brought cold winds, and even snow to the suburbs of Philadelphia. It would have been a good day to pack it in from the start.....but the collective weather wisdom was that all could go forward. Forecasting for sporting events has its hazards - but forecasters keep at it, and today, I noticed the World Series of long range forecasts has been circulating - a three-month version which carries us through most of the winter. Any guesses?

Read more »