This past December was 7.3° warmer than December 2010, which saw the start of a very snowy period that extended into early February. The high this past month was 61° on the 5th, while the low was 10° on the 19th.

December was the tenth consecutive month with above normal temperatures after the first two months started on the negative side. Only six days in December were below normal, while only two days failed to go above freezing.

The total precipitation for December was 3.99 inches, which is only 92% of normal. However, this brought the total for the year to 61.90 inches, which is the most for any year since local precipitation records began in 1902, and surpassing the previous wet year of 1998 by 1.08 inches. The total for the year was a whopping 14.8 inches above the mean.

After last year’s record snow, this past December had only a trace, which tied 1953 and 1999 as having the least.

As mentioned the year 2011 was the wettest ever and the 5th warmest, with an average of 51.8°, only exceeded by 1998 and 2010 (52.4°), 1999 (52.3°), and 2006 (52.1°). The high temperature for the year of 102° tied the all time record, while the low for the year was 5 below zero on January 24.

--John Anderson

The month was 5.8° above the 30 year average. The last eight warm November’s have all been followed by a mild winter. All but one had below normal snowfall for the following winter. So, with that in mind, perhaps we can get a break after last winter.

Fifteen days reached at least 60°, while only eleven days dropped to the freezing mark. The high for the month was 68°, on the 8th, 9th, 14th, and 15th; while the low was 23°, on the 6th.

Although 5.6 inches of snow fell in October, not even a flake was noted in November. Total precipitation for the month was 4.78 inches, which was 0.49 inches on the wet side.

The total precipitation for the year now stands at 57.91 inches. With average precipitation in December, this year will go down as the wettest ever. Global warming is doing it’s thing – mild and wet.

--John Anderson

An additional 1.2 inches was measured on the morning of the 28th, bringing the month’s total to 5.6 inches, and making it the snowiest October of record. The previous snowiest October was 1979, with 2.8 inches. We’ve never seen so much snow in October, and may never again.

Total precipitation for the month was 9.19 inches, which makes it the 4th wettest October of record. Fourteen days had measurable precipitation, while an additional three days saw a trace. The six days from the 7th through the 12th were dry.

Despite the snow, the month was on the mild side. The average temperature of 53.7° was 2.1° above normal, and almost a degree warmer than last year. Twenty of the first twenty two days were on the plus side of the mean. The average temperature for the first 22 days was 58.5°, which is 5.5° above normal. Then eight of the remaining nine days were below normal.

The first freeze of the season was on the morning of the 28th, with a low of 29°. This was about three weeks late. The high for the month was 84°, on the 9th; and the low was 25°, on the 31st.

--John Anderson

Much of the warmth came in the last ten days, which averaged more than eleven degrees above normal. Each of those last ten days reached 70°, with two making it to 81°. The temperatures were near normal up to that period. Eight of the first fifteen days reached 80°, while the next five failed to reach 70°. The high for the month was 85° on the 5th, while the low was 40° on the 17th.

Rainy periods were contained to four days at the beginning of the month, and the last week and a half. Total precipitation amounted to 5.73 inches, with 1.13 inches being measured on the morning of the 24th. The total for the year of 43.94 inches is nearly ten inches on the wet side.

--John Anderson

Over one inch of rain was measured at the morning observation on four days, namely 2.04 inches on the 10th, 1.22 inches on the 16th, 1.55 inches on the 28th, and 1.71 inches on the 29th.

The 3.26 inch amount on the 28th and 29th was the result of Tropical Storm Irene travelling north through the Connecticut River area on the 28th.

0.63 inches, 0.84 inches, 0.95 inches, and lesser amounts fell on other days. Measurable precipitation fell on fourteen days.

August 2011 was 0.5° cooler than last year. The high temperature was 91°, on the 1st and the low was 53°, on the 23rd and 30th. The first was the only day to reach 90°. Eight days failed to reach 80°. No daily records were established during the month.

With the month of September comes cooling of about ten degrees from the beginning to end. Light frost might be observed in low areas towards month’s end.

--John Anderson

This past July was the second consecutive warm one since the cool July of 2009.

The average temperature of 75.2° was 1.1° below last year, but still the sixth warmest of record.

The high temperature for the month of 102° on the 22nd, tied the warmest day of record, which was on August 2, 1975. It surpassed the previous July record by one degree.

The low temperature on the 22nd of 77°, was also one degree warmer than any other July minimum, and tied the all time record for any day set on August 9, 1980.

So, the average temperature for July 22 of 90°, makes it the warmest day ever in local records!

Eight other days made it to 90 degrees. The low temperature for the month was a mild 55°, on the 1st. There were only seven below normal days, and all were no more than 4 degree on the negative side.

The total precipitation for the month of 2.43 inches was only 77% of normal. Although rain fall was light it was scattered throughout the month. However, 1.02 inches fell between the 24th and 26th.

--John Anderson

Here in Walpole, the storm dropped 1.22 inches of rain and 3/8” hail at 6:20PM and again at 9:35PM. We may go for a few years without hail, but June first had two hail events in three hours.

Total precipitation for the month was 4.97 inches, with 1.11 inches being measured on the morning of the 12th, and an additional 1.17 inches on the morning of the 23rd. A total of twelve days saw measurable precipitation. This year lawns are still naturally green from the uniform rainfall. With the year half over, the precipitation total stands at 25.69 inches, which is 112% of normal.

The average temperature for the month of 66.8°, was 0.3° on the mild side, mostly due to the cloud cover which kept the overnight low temperatures above normal. The high for the month was 92°, on the 8th, while the low was 42°, on the 5th. The high on the 8th was the only day to reach 90°. Eleven other days reached 80°, while seven other days failed to reach 70°.

--John Anderson

Most will remember May as cool and damp. Only nine of the first twenty three days were above normal, while the last eight days averaged 11.6° on the mild side. These eight days were so warm that the entire month’s average temperature of 60.0° was 2.6° above average. There was no frost in May, with the lowest being 35° on the 2nd.

The high for the month was 90° on the 27th. This was the first 90° day since 94° on September 2nd. The 90° on the 27th was a new record for the date. Three daily records were set with high overnight minimums of 64°, 65°, and 67°, on the 27th, 28th, and 30th respectively.

Precipitation for the month was 4.07 inches, and was noted on seventeen days. Eleven consecutive days, between the 15th and 25th, had precipitation. The monthly total was only 114% of normal. The total for the year of 20.72 inches is 1.15 inches above normal.

--John Anderson

After 2.8 inches of snow was measured on the morning of the 1st, the season’s total of 85.3 inches was the most since the winter of 2004 – 2005. Total precipitation for the month of 4.89 inches, including 1.51 inches on the 17th, was 120% of normal.

The average temperature of 50.0° was 2.6° on the mild side. Only ten days had an average temperature below the mean, with four consecutive days being the longest period. The high for the month was 78°, on the 27th, while the low was 27°, on the 7th and 8th.

The last freeze was 29°, on the 22nd. If this is the last freeze of the spring, it would be about two weeks earlier than normal.

--John Anderson

This was the least snowy March since 1995, and a tie for sixth lowest all time. Snow cover on the ground ended on March 11, after 81 consecutive days. With the lack of snow fall came a lack of precipitation, and the month’s total of 2.74 inches was only 62% of normal. Quite a change from the 16.75 inches measured last year. Only one quarter inch of rain fell in the last two weeks of the month.

The average temperature for the month was 38.0°, which is 1.2° on the mild side. Fourteen of the first nineteen days were above normal, while none of the remaining twelve were above the average, giving the appearance of a cool month. The high for the month was 71° on the 18th, while the low was 10° on the 3rd. The last time we reached 80° in March was in 1998, when it hit 90° on the 31st. Last year it warmed up to 91° on April 7.

--John Anderson

Through the end of February, the ground has been snow covered for 70 consecutive days. During that period, 81.9 inches of snow fell, which is the most for any year of record for that three month period, surpassing 75.7 inches measured 15 years ago.

February’s total snowfall was 16.5 inches, with the maximum depth of 34 inches being measured on the 2nd. This is the greatest snow depth since the Blizzard of February 1978.

Measurable snow was noted on nine days. Total precipitation for the month was 4.33 inches.

After eleven consecutive months with above normal temperatures in 2010, we have now gone the other way with three months on the cold side. The average temperature for February of 28.5° was 0.5° below normal. The high for the month was 60° on the 17th, followed closely by 59° on the 18th. The low for the month was 1° above zero on the 11th. Four other days fell below 10°. Six days failed to go above 32°.

--John Anderson

The December - January total of 65.4 inches surpasses the previous record for the same two months of 61.9 inches, in 1995 – 1996.

The largest storm was 16.8 inches, on the 12th and 13th. An additional 12.2 inches was measured on the morning of the 27th, which brought the total on the ground to 31 inches, which is the most since February 1978. Total precipitation for the month was 4.69 inches.

The January average temperature was 24.1°, which is only the coldest since 2009, when the average was 22.3°. The low for the month was -5°, which is the coldest since -6°, on January 16, 2009.

Despite global warming and the fact that the first eleven months of 2010 were above normal, winter was able to return in January. February average temperatures increase slightly and more significantly towards months end, but snowfall can still be a concern.

Hours of daylight increase dramatically as spring advances.

--John Anderson