Last year had some of the most extreme weather patterns in Connecticut history.
It was one of the warmest recorded years, according to data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Last year, the average temperature in the state was 52.2 degrees Fahrenheit, which was the same average in 2023.
There were some other records in Connecticut: this was the hottest summer on record for the city of Hartford, which experienced record high temperature averages in June and July. Bridgeport also had its hottest June in recorded history.
A climate station in Hartford also flagged the 2023-2024 winter as the wettest on record, and in Bridgeport, this winter had the most winter days with an inch of precipitation in recorded history.
Bridgeport also had the wettest—but least snowy—March on record, and the driest October.
After the floods this summer, the entire state dried out. Statewide, 2024 had the driest autumn ever recorded. However, Connecticut and Rhode Island were the only states in the northeast to not experience “abnormal dryness,” NOAA reports.
There were also some climate events in the state that, while not record breaking, are still notable. The Yantic River reached one of its five highest water levels on record, and there were more than 220 wildfires between October 21 and late November.
NOAA measures climate in temperature in various ways. It has 144 climate observation stations across the country, which takes data on climate and temperature. The National Weather Service (NWS), which is a part of NOAA, has 11,000 volunteers and automated observers that measure temperature around the country. Finally, there are Automated Surface Observation Systems (ASOS) that are a network of stations that are usually at airports. These stations measure temperature, precipitation and keep a continuous record of wind speed and direction.
There are four NWS stations in Connecticut that cover different regions in the state. These stations are in Uncasville in New London, Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Soapstone Mountain in Hartford and West Peak in Meriden.
The warmest year recorded in Connecticut history was 2012, when the average temperature was 52.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Worldwide, 2024 was the warmest year on record, according to NOAA’s annual global climate report. The entirety of North America had its warmest year on record, as did Africa, Europe, Oceania and South America. This was the second-warmest year on record for Asia and the Arctic.
NOAA has been tracking climate and weather data since 1850. The planets 10 warmest years since then all occurred in the last decade. It has been 48 years since the world has had a “colder than average” year.
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