A powerful thunderstorm swept across the Connecticut shoreline overnight, producing a narrow but destructive swath of wind damage from Milford through New Haven and into East Haven.

There are really two separate forecast questions worth looking at with this storm: Was the potential for severe weather predictable several hours in advance? And once the storm developed, was there enough evidence on radar to warrant a warning?

The environment was supportive of strong to severe thunderstorms. We mentioned the potential for strong thunderstorms during the evening newscast prior to the event, but there was no outlooked area in Connecticut from the Storm Prediction Center.

Most convection-allowing models showed a cluster of thunderstorms moving through Connecticut shortly after midnight.

Here’s a 5-hour HRRR forecast sounding valid at 1 a.m. Thursday for New Haven.

There’s an appreciable, though certainly not extreme, amount of CAPE. 1,681 J/kg of MUCAPE is forecast. Low-level lapse rates are relatively steep as well.

The actual observation at Tweed-New Haven Airport at 1 a.m. was 77°/67°, which would imply even steeper low-level lapse rates than the HRRR forecast and, importantly, not much of a low-level inversion.

More important than any individual parameter may have been what wasn’t present: a strongly stable nocturnal boundary layer. The water temperature in New Haven Harbor was around 76°, virtually the same as the air temperature at Tweed. There wasn’t much opportunity for a stabilizing marine layer to develop ahead of the storm.

In other words, this wasn’t a case of a surface-based thunderstorm encountering a cool, stable marine layer along the Connecticut shoreline. The boundary layer remained quite warm and relatively well mixed for 1 a.m.

Another notable feature on the forecast sounding is the 44 knots of 0–6 km bulk shear. That’s more than enough shear to organize thunderstorms when coupled with sufficient instability.

So while the environment wasn’t screaming a widespread severe weather event, the ingredients were there for an organized thunderstorm capable of producing damaging winds.

At first glance, the storm isn’t particularly impressive as it crosses New Haven Harbor.

The storm motion is generally west to east and the storm does not initially have the appearance of a strongly outflow-dominant thunderstorm which so many thunderstorms near the Connecticut shoreline are.

Look a little more closely at the velocity data, however, and things become more alarming.

There are inbound radial velocity values of around 39 knots just offshore of Milford.

39 knots doesn’t leap off the velocity display as an extreme value. But in this case, simply looking at the magnitude of the radial velocity is misleading.

That’s because most of the wind in this storm is blowing nearly perpendicular to the radar beam originating from KOKX on Long Island.

Doppler radar only measures the component of the wind moving toward or away from the radar. When the wind is blowing nearly perpendicular to the radar beam, the radial velocity can dramatically underestimate the actual wind speed.

Time for a back-of-the-envelope, or more precisely, back-of-a-little-sticky-note, velocity calculation.

The relationship between radial velocity and the actual wind velocity can be approximated by:

Vr = V cos θ

where Vr is the radial velocity measured by the radar, V is the actual velocity and θ is the angle between the wind vector and the radar beam.

If we assume the wind was blowing about 70 degrees off the KOKX radial, just an eyeballed estimate, then:

V = 39 kt / cos(70°)

That gives an actual velocity of roughly 114 knots.

Now, this calculation comes with an enormous caveat.

As the wind direction approaches 90 degrees relative to the radar beam, small errors in the estimated angle produce very large changes in the calculated velocity. At 65 degrees, for example, 39 knots radial corresponds to about 92 knots. At 70 degrees it’s about 114 knots. At 75 degrees it’s more than 150 knots.

What it does show is that 39 knots of radial velocity significantly understated the magnitude of the actual wind because of the unfavorable radar geometry.

We have a report from a WeatherFlow station at Lighthouse Point Park of a wind gust to 103 mph.

A nearby personal weather station recorded a gust to 97 mph in Morgan Point (East Haven) and a third station had a wind gust to 86 mph close by.

The westerly wind also had an unusually favorable exposure at Lighthouse Point. It blew across New Haven Harbor before reaching the park, encountering relatively little surface friction along the way.

The damage at Lighthouse Point Park was substantial. Structural damage occurred at the historic carousel building and numerous large trees were uprooted across the park.

In Milford, trees were uprooted across town, with significant structural damage reported to one building near the Milford/Orange town line.

There is also a particularly cool view of the storm from the other side of Long Island Sound. A meteorologist on the North Shore of Long Island photographed the storm's shelf cloud as it moved north toward New Haven.

I wasn’t surprised that we had an isolated severe thunderstorm. I was surprised by this storm’s intensity.

These extreme convective wind gusts can be remarkably localized. Less than a mile away from some of the most significant damage, the peak wind gust at Tweed-New Haven Airport was only 37 mph.

I can’t think of many stronger wind gusts actually recorded in Connecticut. Sometimes it’s just a stroke of luck having an anemometer in the exact right place of an intense storm.

Meteorologically this storm is an interesting example of how an otherwise unremarkable-looking nocturnal thunderstorm can produce an exceptional localized winds. The environment was supportive, the storm was organized, and the radar contained clues that something significant was underway.

Thankfully, despite the destructive winds, no one was injured.

A wildfire outbreak in western Ontario has sent a thick plume of smoke into New England. The result has been poor visibility, poor air quality, and temperature forecasts that have been too warm.

First, it’s wild how often we’ve been dealing with this lately. After more than 40 years living in Connecticut, it’s clear that something has changed. Wildfire smoke has become more and more frequent. The fingerprints of climate change are all over this.

The result is scenes like this. An almost-apocalyptic sky.

So what’s next? It appears Thursday will be another smoky day, with periods of thick smoke, especially during the afternoon and evening. It’s still not clear how quickly the smoke will clear, and there is the potential for another smoky day on Friday.

Due to the smoke, temperatures have been running at least 5°F cooler than they otherwise would be. That should continue Thursday and Friday, with highs in the mid 80s and comfortable humidity levels.

Our next chance for rain arrives Saturday with scattered showers and thunderstorms. The timing and amount of rain remain a bit uncertain at this juncture, with some differences between the various computer models.

High temperatures will climb into the mid- and upper-90s inland, while areas along the shoreline remain somewhat cooler as a weak sea breeze develops.

Humidity will also be uncomfortable, with dew points at or above 70°F.

Of particular interest Tuesday is the potential for a significant severe weather event across portions of Quebec and northern New England.

The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted an elevated risk for damaging winds and tornadoes, including significant severe weather (winds over 65 kt and tornadoes of EF2 strength or greater). This NAM forecast sounding near Montreal shows very steep mid-level lapse rates, tremendous instability, and very strong vertical wind shear.

Locally, however, the atmosphere will be capped. A good rule of thumb is that when 700 mb temperatures exceed 10°C, the cap is generally too strong for thunderstorms in Connecticut. We’ll be near 13°C, so we aren’t expecting thunderstorm development here.

A front will approach Wednesday that could ignite some storms. However, most model guidance shows the front moving through early enough to miss the peak heating of the day. As dew points drop, the atmosphere should dry out enough to preclude thunderstorm development. We’ll continue to monitor the situation.

Temperatures will remain above 90°F Wednesday and Thursday, but humidity levels should turn much more manageable.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Tuesday, July 14, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 86°F
- Normal Low: 64°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 100°F (1965)
- Record Low (min temp): 51°F (2009)
- Record Highest Minimum: 72°F (2014) (tie — also in 2013, 2010, 1975, 1965, 1943, 1927, 1921)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 65°F (2017)
- Record Precipitation: 2.47 in (1975)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 93°F (2019) (tie — also in 1984, 1974)
- Record Low (min temp): 57°F (2009)
- Record Highest Minimum: 73°F (2025) (tie — also in 2016, 2010, 1995, 1966)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 68°F (2017)
- Record Precipitation: 1.69 in (1975)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:28
- Sunset: 20:24

🌙 Moon Phase
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- Next Moon Phase: New Moon on Tue Jul 14, 2026

📅 Calendar
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- Next 3 Holidays:
- Labor Day on Mon Sep 07 (in 55 days)
- Fall (September equinox) on Tue Sep 22 (in 70 days)
- Columbus Day on Mon Oct 12 (in 90 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 11:45 AM EDT • 6.60 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 10:51 AM EDT • 3.74 ft
- 11:19 PM EDT • 4.94 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 09:40 AM EDT • 2.75 ft
- 10:08 PM EDT • 3.63 ft

The Independence Day storms of 2026 will be remembered for years to come. They produced widespread damaging winds and what may ultimately prove to be the largest hailstones ever documented in Connecticut.

Let’s start with the hail.

This radar cross section was taken around the time large hail was falling in Terryville and Bristol. It's an impressive sight. The north-south cross section (looking east) shows a pronounced overhanging top on the storm over Terryville.

The storm reached a height of nearly 55,000 feet. The highest reflectivity, greater than 70 dBZ, was centered just below 30,000 feet where temperatures were around -20°C, an ideal environment for rapid hail growth.

The largest hailstones, estimated at roughly 3.5 inches in diameter, fell about 10 minutes after the storm reached its maximum height.

Looking at the lowest radar scan, approximately 4,500 feet above radar level, we see a textbook radar signature for very large hail, highlighted by the littld red box.

Very low Correlation Coefficient values (around 0.85), along with ZDR values near or slightly below zero, are classic dual-polarization radar signatures of large hail.

Another striking feature is the pronounced Three-Body Scatter Spike, often called a hail spike, extending downradial from the storm on the Albany radar. This is another strong indication of exceptionally large hail.

So why did this storm become so intense?

The environment was certainly supportive of severe thunderstorms. The afternoon weather balloon launch from Long Island sampled a pocket of unusually steep mid-level lapse rates, around 8°C/km, along with nearly 50 knots of wind near 700 mb. Together, those ingredients provided ample instability and strong wind shear.

Even so, I was a bit surprised by just how intense this supercell became.

Several factors likely contributed.

• First, the storm remained discrete, with relatively little competition from neighboring storms. That allowed it to strengthen and maintain its organization.

• Second, west to northwest flow kept the marine layer confined to the coast, allowing the storm to remain strong all the way to Long Island Sound.

• Finally, the exceptionally steep mid-level lapse rates, which were steeper than many forecast models suggested, are a hallmark of many of New England’s most significant severe weather events.

The wind damage was equally remarkable.

Given the storm’s impressive organization and DCAPE values exceeding 1,000 J/kg, widespread damaging straight-line winds were not unexpected. Radar sampled winds greater than 50 knots as the storm moved through Salisbury and then again from Torrington to Plainville.

Perhaps the most striking observation came near New Fairfield, where the Long Island radar sampled radial velocities approaching 80 knots. That's an exceptionally strong signal.

In total, approximately 200,000 utility customers lost power, including about 186,000 Eversource customers. That’s an extraordinary number for a thunderstorm event. The only larger Connecticut thunderstorm outage I could find was the July 1991 storm, which left roughly 202,000 CL&P customers without power.

The power outage map tells the story. Outages were heavily concentrated along the supercell’s track from Salisbury to Montville, with another corridor of significant damage around New Fairfield and Brookfield.

Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll learn whether the Terryville or Bristol hailstones officially set a new Connecticut record.

Regardless of what the record books ultimately say, this ranks among the most intense storms I've covered in more than 20 years on the air in Connecticut. Considering it struck on the evening of July 4, after a hot and humid day when so many people were outdoors, we're fortunate the storm did not result in serious injuries or fatalities.

16z Update: Tricky day 1 ERO update this morning. Don’t really
think any of the 12z high res or even recent HRRR runs have a good
handle on the convective situation over the Mid-Atlantic into
southern New England. Unusual to have a MDT risk in an area with
such low current and forecast instability. However, we should see
a rather well defined surface low develop today somewhere near or
south of Long Island. If this low becomes defined enough we could
see strong enough low level convergence and lift to generate
efficient warm rain into southern New England even without much of
any instability (which seems to be what the 12z HRRR is showing).
Confidence in this is low...and could very well see the better
convection and higher rates stay from Long Island and points
offshore. But since the HRRR like scenario of low topped
convection/warm rain tonight is a possibility, we will maintain the
MDT risk area.

So what’s going on?

This is a fairly classic setup for flash flooding: a broad area of low-level convergence, copious moisture (it is July, after all), and a slow-moving system. The biggest question has been where the heaviest rain will set up. We’ve seen significant run-to-run and model-to-model variation, but one thing has remained consistent: the models continue to show the potential for extremely heavy rainfall totals (10”+) somewhere in the region.

The European Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) showed an exceptionally strong signal for significant rainfall and flash flooding from western Connecticut through northern New Jersey during the 24-hour period ending at 8 p.m. this evening. This is a tool I like to use because it highlights the potential for highly anomalous events.

Radar is estimating more than 6" of rain in a narrow band along I-84, west of the Newburgh Bridge toward Point Jervis, NY. Thankfully, reports of flood damage have remained limited so far.

So what will the rest of the day and tonight bring?

This high-resolution ensemble forecast (HREF) shows the potential for more than 4" of rain from southeastern Massachusetts west into southwestern Connecticut. Interestingly, it does not have nearly as much rain around western Long Island, which is currently being hit very hard.

The latest HRRR (15z run) shows the maximum rainfall just southwest of Hartford, with more than 5". Meanwhile, the latest NAM (12z run) shows the maximum rainfall in Fairfield County, with more than 7"!

Needless to say, this forecast has low confidence. I still think a Flood Watch is the right call, and there remains the potential for localized, significant flooding impacts somewhere in Connecticut given the favorable setup. I just wish I knew exactly where.

I’ll be keeping you updated on social media throughout the day and into the evening.

Wednesday will be quiet. An upper-level disturbance will move east, but it is already in the process of weakening. Still, it should be enough to bring intervals of clouds and perhaps a few spot showers across southern New England. High temperatures will be in the 70s across Connecticut.

Thursday is more interesting. A second upper-level disturbance will remain intact and allow an unusually strong surface low-pressure system to track across Ontario and Quebec. The wind fields throughout the atmosphere will be very strong for the time of year. For example, at 700 mb (about 10,000 feet up), winds will exceed 50 knots on Thursday. This will result in very strong vertical wind shear.

Scattered showers and even some downpours can be expected in the morning. Whether we get a second round of stronger storms in the afternoon remains unclear.

The question is whether we’ll have enough instability while conditions are still favorable for storms to develop. Remember, severe weather requires both adequate wind shear and adequate instability to overlap in both time and location, along with an overall environment that supports thunderstorm development.

The NAM, for instance, shows a narrow corridor of surface-based instability developing. However, by the time it develops, very dry air moves into the mid-levels of the atmosphere, which could shut down storm development.

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That may be why many of our high-resolution models don’t show much in the way of storm development by Thursday afternoon.

All of that being said, given the unusually strong wind fields, we’ll have to watch closely to see if all the ingredients line up and how the expected severe weather outbreak in the Midwest tomorrow impacts this system. The Storm Prediction Center has most of New England in a Level 1 (of 5) risk and the Mid-Atlantic in a Level 2 (of 5) risk, which seems reasonable at the moment.

Beyond Thursday’s rain and storm threat, we transition into a fantastic stretch of weather for Juneteenth and Father’s Day weekend. Highs will be near 80°, humidity will stay relatively low, and plenty of sunshine is expected.

Monday could be unsettled. The GFS develops a coastal low that’s basically a nor’easter with heavy rain and gale-force winds. That outcome appears unlikely. Even so, the Euro shows high probabilities for over 0.5” of rain. We could use a steady period of rain given the recent dry spell, so let’s cross our fingers.

I’ll keep you posted on the forecast updates Wednesday!

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Wednesday, June 17, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 80°F
- Normal Low: 58°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 95°F (1957)
- Record Low (min temp): 42°F (1926)
- Record Highest Minimum: 71°F (1945)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 55°F (1959)
- Record Precipitation: 2.50 in (1920)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 95°F (1957)
- Record Low (min temp): 50°F (1965) (tie — also in 1958)
- Record Highest Minimum: 72°F (1957)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 59°F (1959)
- Record Precipitation: 2.59 in (2001)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:15
- Sunset: 20:28

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: First Quarter on Sun Jun 21, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 2 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 4 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 4 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 01:12 AM EDT • 7.49 ft ⚠️
- 01:50 PM EDT • 6.68 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 12:28 AM EDT • 4.92 ft
- 12:59 PM EDT • 3.79 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 11:48 AM EDT • 2.79 ft

By Wednesday, a weak upper-level disturbance will swing through the region as it continues to weaken. This should be enough to bring some clouds and perhaps a shower or two, but it does not appear significant at this time. Temperatures will once again reach the upper 70s.

Thursday’s forecast is particularly interesting. An unseasonably strong area of low pressure will track through Ontario and into Quebec, reaching nearly 4 standard deviations below normal in terms of intensity.

This will result in unusually strong wind fields across New England.

If enough instability develops, there would be a sizable severe weather risk, including the potential for tornadoes given the strong low-level wind shear.

However, it remains unclear whether sufficient instability will develop to support a significant threat. The SREF has highlighted much of New York and New England in a region favorable for severe weather, as shown below—an area where instability, vertical wind shear, and convective precipitation overlap.

Given the amount of shear present, this system will be worth watching closely. However, we are still another day or two away from having a better handle on how the system will evolve.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Tuesday, June 16, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 80°F
- Normal Low: 58°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 96°F (1967) (tie — also in 1957)
- Record Low (min temp): 39°F (1961)
- Record Highest Minimum: 71°F (1979)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 61°F (1959)
- Record Precipitation: 1.66 in (1932)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 95°F (1957)
- Record Low (min temp): 50°F (1961)
- Record Highest Minimum: 72°F (2004)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 62°F (1959)
- Record Precipitation: 1.21 in (1985)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:15
- Sunset: 20:28

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: First Quarter on Sun Jun 21, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 3 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 5 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 5 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 12:17 AM EDT • 7.64 ft ⚠️
- 12:55 PM EDT • 6.61 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 12:02 PM EDT • 3.73 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 10:51 AM EDT • 2.74 ft
- 11:17 PM EDT • 3.62 ft

Let’s start with the heat. 850mb temperatures (roughly 5,000 feet above the surface) will climb to nearly 20°C Thursday and Friday. As a rule of thumb, 20°C is a good threshold for extreme heat around here. This will support high temperatures in the low to mid 90s both days.

Dew point temperatures will climb as well, with heat index values exceeding 100° in spots away from daily sea breezes. The National Blend of Models shows high temperatures in the mid 90s both days, but it appears to be a bit too warm. Because of that warm bias, the forecast heat index values are also likely a bit high, but we’ll keep an eye on the trends.

Partly sunny and hazy skies can be expected both days outside of any storms that develop.

As for the storm potential Thursday and Friday, the forecast is not terribly clear-cut. On one hand, instability values will be sky-high. CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) values will approach 3,000 J/kg, which is quite high for New England.

While there’s a lot of instability, that’s only one necessary ingredient for severe weather. In order for storms to organize, you need vertical wind shear — winds that change in speed and direction with height.

Wind fields aloft look quite weak Thursday and especially Friday, which will lead to only meager vertical shear. On the model graphic above, you can see 500mb winds (about 20,000 feet up) of only about 30 knots. This is marginal at best.

That said, given the magnitude of instability, we’ll have to keep an eye on any storms that develop. Frequent lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds are possible with the strongest cells.

The Storm Prediction Center has elevated probabilities for damaging wind both Thursday and Friday across parts of the region.

Beyond the storm risk on Friday, the weather looks quite nice this weekend. Humidity values will drop even as temperatures stay quite warm. Plenty of sunshine is expected both Saturday and Sunday.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Thursday, June 11, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 79°F
- Normal Low: 57°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 98°F (1973)
- Record Low (min temp): 40°F (1980)
- Record Highest Minimum: 69°F (2005)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 55°F (1910)
- Record Precipitation: 1.21 in (2011)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 93°F (1984)
- Record Low (min temp): 47°F (1980) (tie — also in 1972)
- Record Highest Minimum: 71°F (2008)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 61°F (2009) (tie — also in 1968)
- Record Precipitation: 1.01 in (1958)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:16
- Sunset: 20:25

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: New Moon on Mon Jun 15, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 8 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 10 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 10 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 08:19 AM EDT • 5.88 ft
- 08:37 PM EDT • 7.14 ft ⚠️

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 07:41 AM EDT • 3.27 ft
- 08:06 PM EDT • 4.65 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 06:30 AM EDT • 2.41 ft
- 06:55 PM EDT • 3.42 ft

A warm front will move through southern New England Wednesday, bringing increasing clouds and a few showers. Temperatures will range from the 70s along the shoreline to the 80s inland.

Behind the front, temperatures and humidity will increase rapidly.

With a mix of sun and clouds Thursday, temperatures will climb into the low 90s inland. Dew point temperatures near 70° will send the heat index soaring to around 100° in spots.

The atmosphere will become quite unstable Thursday (CAPE values approaching 2,000 J/kg), but there doesn't appear to be much of a triggering mechanism for thunderstorm development. Additionally, vertical wind shear will be limited, reducing storm organization and keeping the overall severe weather threat relatively low. Nevertheless, an isolated strong storm is possible.

Friday will be steamy. Temperatures will be near 90° once again, with a heat index approaching 100°. With no upper-level disturbances nearby, the threat for thunderstorms appears fairly low through the day.

The weekend looks great. Humidity levels will drop a bit, and temperatures will remain warm, well into the 80s.

I’ll keep an eye on the thunderstorm risk later this week given the amount of instability, but for now the threat looks limited.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Wednesday, June 10, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 78°F
- Normal Low: 56°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 98°F (2008)
- Record Low (min temp): 38°F (1957)
- Record Highest Minimum: 71°F (2005)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 54°F (1916)
- Record Precipitation: 1.59 in (1966)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 96°F (2008) (tie — also in 1974)
- Record Low (min temp): 47°F (1983) (tie — also in 1957)
- Record Highest Minimum: 70°F (2008) (tie — also in 1984, 1974)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 59°F (1977)
- Record Precipitation: 1.01 in (1958)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:16
- Sunset: 20:25

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: New Moon on Mon Jun 15, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 9 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 11 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 11 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 07:21 AM EDT • 5.80 ft
- 07:43 PM EDT • 6.85 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 06:46 AM EDT • 3.26 ft
- 07:20 PM EDT • 4.34 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 05:35 AM EDT • 2.40 ft
- 06:09 PM EDT • 3.19 ft

The weekend forecast is more interesting.

Instability will build Saturday ahead of an approaching cold front. The front has moved faster than expected earlier in the week. The NAM model shows CAPE values approaching 2000 J/kg, which seems overdone compared to other models. It is likely overestimating low-level moisture.

Vertical wind shear is relatively modest, with weak mid-level flow, so widespread severe weather is unlikely. We’re in a “marginal” risk for severe weather from the Storm Prediction Center, which seems reasonable to me.

Most of the day looks quite nice, with partly sunny skies and highs near 90° inland and in the 80s along the shoreline. The main thunderstorm risk doesn’t arrive until late in the day, especially during the evening and overnight hours.

Behind the cold front, temperatures drop on Sunday and we dry out a bit. However, a cold pool of air at 500 mb rotates in aloft, which will steepen mid-level lapse rates and result in an unstable atmosphere.

I expect scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon. Once again, widespread severe weather seems unlikely, with very little vertical wind shear. Temperatures will be around 80° Sunday before any showers develop.

Next week continues to look good, with warming temperatures and mainly fair conditions.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Friday, June 05, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 77°F
- Normal Low: 55°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 96°F (1925)
- Record Low (min temp): 42°F (1964) (tie — also in 1910)
- Record Highest Minimum: 78°F (1925) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 53°F (1920)
- Record Precipitation: 5.88 in (1982) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 87°F (2025)
- Record Low (min temp): 46°F (1964)
- Record Highest Minimum: 70°F (2010)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 59°F (1993)
- Record Precipitation: 4.79 in (1982)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:17
- Sunset: 20:22

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Last Quarter on Mon Jun 08, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 14 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 16 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 16 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 03:01 AM EDT • 6.20 ft
- 03:37 PM EDT • 5.94 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 02:37 AM EDT • 3.79 ft
- 03:22 PM EDT • 3.34 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 01:26 AM EDT • 2.79 ft
- 02:11 PM EDT • 2.45 ft

Sunny skies can be expected both Thursday and Friday, with temperatures reaching around 90° away from the shoreline. A westerly flow should keep temperatures fairly warm at the coast, though a feeble sea breeze will try to develop both afternoons.

For most of the shoreline, temperatures will be near 80° on Thursday and in the mid-80s on Friday.

Saturday will be hot as well, with 80s at the shoreline and low-90s inland ahead of a cold front. That front will move through Saturday night and Sunday, bringing showers, clouds, and a drop in temperatures.

Humidity levels will increase Sunday, and with a front nearby, rain is expected. Some areas could pick up over 0.5" of rainfall, as both the GFS and European ensemble forecasts continue to indicate today.

Next week’s forecast looks pretty quiet. A ridge will build to the west, which should result in northwesterly flow locally, warming temperatures, and a period of dry weather. There will be a fairly persistent upper-level low to our southeast over the Atlantic, but that should be far enough away to avoid impacting our weather.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Wednesday, June 03, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 76°F
- Normal Low: 54°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 97°F (1919)
- Record Low (min temp): 37°F (1986) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Highest Minimum: 68°F (1943) (tie — also in 1918)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 55°F (1945)
- Record Precipitation: 1.47 in (1956)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 85°F (1999)
- Record Low (min temp): 44°F (1986)
- Record Highest Minimum: 66°F (1999)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 62°F (1997)
- Record Precipitation: 1.36 in (2006)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:18
- Sunset: 20:21

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Last Quarter on Mon Jun 08, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 16 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 18 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 18 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 01:36 AM EDT • 6.41 ft
- 02:12 PM EDT • 5.92 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 01:06 AM EDT • 4.00 ft
- 01:47 PM EDT • 3.30 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 12:36 PM EDT • 2.43 ft

The temperature dipped to 40° at Bradley Airport Tuesday morning, breaking the record low of 42° set in 2020. By the end of the week, temperatures will be back in the 90s.

Mostly sunny skies can be expected on both Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the 80s inland and 70s along the shore.

A sprawling area of high pressure across the eastern half of the country will keep conditions quiet, with gradual warming through the week.

By Friday, 850 mb temperatures will reach about +17°C (roughly 5°C above normal for this time of year), which is enough to support temperatures near 90° given a westerly flow. Low to mid 80s can be expected along the shoreline under partly sunny skies.

A cold front approaches over the weekend. Ahead of the front, it will be warm again Saturday, with temperatures around 90° inland along with a mix of sun and clouds.

The front moves through during the day Sunday, bringing cooler temperatures and a chance for showers. Humidity will also increase ahead of the front, with dew points climbing into the 60s.

The speed of the front remains somewhat uncertain, which will impact the timing of the heaviest rain. At this point, however, showers look likely on Sunday, including the potential for heavy rain. The Euro ensembles show more than 0.5" of rainfall across most of the state.

The timing of the front will also impact high temperatures on Sunday, but for now I'm forecasting highs in the 70s.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Wednesday, June 03, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 76°F
- Normal Low: 54°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 97°F (1919)
- Record Low (min temp): 37°F (1986) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Highest Minimum: 68°F (1943) (tie — also in 1918)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 55°F (1945)
- Record Precipitation: 1.47 in (1956)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 85°F (1999)
- Record Low (min temp): 44°F (1986)
- Record Highest Minimum: 66°F (1999)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 62°F (1997)
- Record Precipitation: 1.36 in (2006)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:18
- Sunset: 20:21

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Last Quarter on Mon Jun 08, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 16 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 18 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 18 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 01:36 AM EDT • 6.41 ft
- 02:12 PM EDT • 5.92 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 01:06 AM EDT • 4.00 ft
- 01:47 PM EDT • 3.30 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 12:36 PM EDT • 2.43 ft

Thursday will be fairly quiet, with morning sun, some afternoon clouds, and a few stray showers developing due to a pocket of colder air aloft. Highs will be in the low 70s.

Friday should also be decent overall, with mostly cloudy skies and highs around 70°F. The weekend is when the pattern becomes more interesting.

A fairly strong upper-level low will dive south out of Quebec Friday night into Saturday morning. Farther north, a period of heavy rain and mountain snow is expected. Locally, a round of gusty showers is likely overnight Friday into early Saturday, followed by unusually chilly weather during the day Saturday.

850mb temperatures will be nearly 10°C below normal. Even with some sunshine, temperatures will struggle to get out of the 50s Saturday. Across northern New England, some mountain areas will see accumulating snow. It will be an unusually dangerous day for hiking in the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine, with bitter wind chills, snow, and ice expected.

As the cold pool moves offshore, much better weather is expected Sunday. Highs will return to the 70s with partly to mostly sunny skies.

Unfortunately, the forecast for early next week has deteriorated. Another upper-level low appears set to move south again, bringing another cold pool of air aloft. This will create an unstable atmosphere capable of producing showers and thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday afternoon.

These upper-level lows and cold pools can produce thunderstorms capable of hail and slow-moving downpours. This will be something to monitor closely over the next several days.

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Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Thursday, May 28, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 75°F
- Normal Low: 52°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 93°F (2016) (tie — also in 1977)
- Record Low (min temp): 38°F (1997)
- Record Highest Minimum: 69°F (1991)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 50°F (1906)
- Record Precipitation: 2.16 in (1906)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 90°F (1991)
- Record Low (min temp): 40°F (1961)
- Record Highest Minimum: 67°F (1991) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 56°F (2009)
- Record Precipitation: 1.48 in (1985)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:21
- Sunset: 20:16

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Full Moon on Sun May 31, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 22 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 24 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 24 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 10:04 AM EDT • 5.88 ft
- 10:15 PM EDT • 6.83 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 09:24 AM EDT • 3.06 ft
- 09:36 PM EDT • 4.34 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 08:13 AM EDT • 2.25 ft
- 08:25 PM EDT • 3.19 ft

There’s a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm Wednesday as some instability develops during the afternoon. Our models differ on the extent of precipitation, with the NAM being the most bullish. Severe weather is unlikely given only modest levels of instability and shear.

Temperatures will climb into the mid and upper 80s away from the Sound Wednesday, with 70s along the coast.

Thursday and Friday look quiet with a mix of sun and clouds and temperatures in the 70s. Friday night and the weekend, however, look a bit more interesting. An unusually intense upper-level low will dive south into New England with very cold air aloft.

It’s cold enough aloft, in fact, that a period of snow is possible in the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. Locally, a period of showers is possible Friday night, followed by a few scattered showers Saturday during the day with temperatures in the 60s.

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The omega block that sets up should keep temperatures cooler than normal for at least a couple of days across New England from Sunday through early next week.

As the pattern breaks down, warmer weather should return later next week.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Wednesday, May 27, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 75°F
- Normal Low: 52°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 94°F (1965) (tie — also in 1914)
- Record Low (min temp): 37°F (1969) (tie — also in 1968)
- Record Highest Minimum: 69°F (2024) (tie — also in 1914)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 49°F (1961)
- Record Precipitation: 2.28 in (1946)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 87°F (2014)
- Record Low (min temp): 36°F (1961)
- Record Highest Minimum: 65°F (2012)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 46°F (1961)
- Record Precipitation: 1.50 in (1961)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:21
- Sunset: 20:15

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Full Moon on Sun May 31, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 23 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 25 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 25 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 09:16 AM EDT • 5.85 ft
- 09:31 PM EDT • 6.81 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 08:39 AM EDT • 3.07 ft
- 08:55 PM EDT • 4.30 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 07:28 AM EDT • 2.26 ft
- 07:44 PM EDT • 3.16 ft

A cold front on Wednesday brings a slight chance for a shower and cooler weather by Thursday. 850 mb temperature anomalies will shift from around +5°C to -5°C, signaling a return to colder-than-normal temperatures.

Thursday and Friday will be in the low 70s with partly cloudy skies. An unusually intense and compact upper-level disturbance will dive south out of Ontario and Quebec Friday night, potentially creating a narrow band of locally heavy rain along with sharply colder weather.

Most of our models keep the worst of this to our north, but it’s worth keeping an eye on. In fact, the European model is cold enough to produce significant snowfall under the cold pool in the Presidentials of New Hampshire, with 6"+ shown for Mount Washington.

The weather pattern looks a bit unsettled and cool for the weekend and early next week as a large omega block sets up over North America. Areas on either side of the block — the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast — will see cooler-than-normal temperatures, while near-record warmth is possible near the Arctic Circle in central Canada.

Besides Saturday’s system, however, no big storms are showing up on the horizon despite the somewhat unsettled jet stream pattern.

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Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Tuesday, May 26, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 74°F
- Normal Low: 51°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 99°F (2010) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Record Low (min temp): 36°F (1992) (tie — also in 1972)
- Record Highest Minimum: 69°F (1965)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 49°F (1967)
- Record Precipitation: 1.60 in (2003)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 94°F (2010)
- Record Low (min temp): 40°F (1967)
- Record Highest Minimum: 64°F (2018) (tie — also in 2012, 1965)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 49°F (1967)
- Record Precipitation: 2.51 in (2003)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:22
- Sunset: 20:14

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: Full Moon on Sun May 31, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 24 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 26 days)
- Summer (June solstice) on Sun Jun 21 (in 26 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 08:24 AM EDT • 5.85 ft
- 08:44 PM EDT • 6.75 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 07:51 AM EDT • 3.15 ft
- 08:12 PM EDT • 4.21 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 06:40 AM EDT • 2.32 ft
- 07:01 PM EDT • 3.10 ft

If there’s some good news, it’s that we should be able to salvage most of Saturday with dry weather. We can thank an area of high pressure and dry air locked in over New England.

Dry air in the low levels of the atmosphere should hang tough for most of the day. It’ll likely be raining above our heads, but much of it should evaporate before reaching the ground. Fairfield County is a bit of a closer call since it’ll be closer to the deeper moisture.

Sunday will be a soaker. Periods of rain, heavy at times, can be expected. Our models generally show 1"-2" of rain across the state along with unusually cold weather for this time of year. Many towns will be stuck in the 50s.

Monday is our transition day and remains a somewhat low-confidence forecast. The GFS continues to show a chance for rain, but the Euro model dries us out nicely. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’ll be able to see some better weather, but stay tuned.

Gorgeous weather begins on Tuesday with dry conditions, pleasant temperatures, and low humidity.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Saturday, May 23, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 74°F
- Normal Low: 50°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 96°F (1964)
- Record Low (min temp): 37°F (1976)
- Record Highest Minimum: 65°F (2013) (tie — also in 1964)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 52°F (1917)
- Record Precipitation: 2.07 in (1931)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 90°F (2021)
- Record Low (min temp): 42°F (1963)
- Record Highest Minimum: 64°F (2024) (tie — also in 1953)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 55°F (1982)
- Record Precipitation: 1.70 in (1979)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:24
- Sunset: 20:12

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: First Quarter on Sat May 23, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Memorial Day on Mon May 25 (in 2 days)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 27 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 29 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 05:24 AM EDT • 6.28 ft
- 06:01 PM EDT • 6.45 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 04:47 AM EDT • 3.77 ft
- 05:24 PM EDT • 3.77 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 03:36 AM EDT • 2.77 ft
- 04:13 PM EDT • 2.77 ft

Today’s 90° high at Bradley Airport is our fourth day in a row at or above 90° and marks the only 4-day heat wave recorded in the Hartford area this early in the year.

The cold front that brings the storms Wednesday evening will move through and break the heat for Thursday. Unfortunately, this front is more of an anafront, which will allow clouds and showers to linger behind it. Models show quite a bit of leftover moisture, and a weak upper-level low should support a period of showers, especially Thursday morning, followed by slow drying during the afternoon. Overall, it looks like a gray and cool day.

Friday will be better as the moisture clears. Partly sunny skies with temperatures near 70° can be expected.

The weekend forecast remains a challenge but is coming into somewhat better focus. For starters, we have a relatively strong high overhead Friday and Saturday. At least initially, the dry air should hold off the advancing rain and moisture from our weekend system.

In fact, if the Euro is right with such an impressive low-level dry pocket over southern New England, we may escape Saturday with no rain at all.

At this point, I’m expecting a mainly dry morning with a rising chance for showers and rain Saturday afternoon and night. It should be noted that the best chance for rain will be in Fairfield County, while the lowest chance for rain will be in Windham County — similar to what we saw in the April 25 event.

The GFS and Euro ensembles pictured here show a less than 30% chance of 0.1” or more of rain between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday in northeastern Connecticut, but a greater than 50% chance in southwestern Connecticut.

Showers are more likely Sunday — especially Sunday morning — as the dry air and high pressure get dislodged and shunted east. Temperatures will be in the 60s on Saturday but by Sunday will struggle to get out of the upper 50s.

Memorial Day has a shot of being OK. There is still some moisture around and a front nearby, so there’s a chance for showers, but it does not look like a washout.

The forecast beyond Memorial Day looks quite nice. A persistent northwesterly flow will develop over the Northeast that will favor warm, dry, and mainly sunny weather. With the northwesterly flow, it will be unusually warm at the beaches thanks to periods of offshore wind.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Thursday, May 21, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 73°F
- Normal Low: 50°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 93°F (1996)
- Record Low (min temp): 34°F (2002)
- Record Highest Minimum: 65°F (1975) (tie — also in 1911)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 47°F (1990)
- Record Precipitation: 2.35 in (1919)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 88°F (1959)
- Record Low (min temp): 38°F (2002)
- Record Highest Minimum: 64°F (1996)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 48°F (1990)
- Record Precipitation: 1.32 in (1985)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:25
- Sunset: 20:10

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: First Quarter on Sat May 23, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Memorial Day on Mon May 25 (in 4 days)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 29 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 31 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 03:22 AM EDT • 6.91 ft
- 04:01 PM EDT • 6.40 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 02:43 AM EDT • 4.39 ft
- 03:17 PM EDT • 3.63 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 01:32 AM EDT • 3.23 ft
- 02:06 PM EDT • 2.67 ft

Getting into the upper 90s is tough to do this time of year. The warmest temperatures recorded in the Hartford area prior to May 31 are:

• 99° - May 26, 2010

• 99° - May 20, 1996

• 97° - May 9, 1979

• 96° - April 14, 2023 (and 4 prior years)

Also of note, there have only been 8 heat waves prior to May 31. The most recent occurred May 17-19, 2017. There are no instances of 4 consecutive 90° days this early in the year.

There’s a low risk for a severe thunderstorm Tuesday. With a big upper-level ridge overhead, there won’t be much forcing to initiate storm development. That said, there is a fair amount of CAPE (instability) and wind shear, so any storm that develops could become severe.

There’s a bigger risk for severe thunderstorms on Wednesday as a cold front moves in from the northwest. Temperatures will climb to near 90° along with increasing humidity. There will be sufficient instability and wind shear for severe weather, with damaging winds and large hail possible in the strongest storms.

High-resolution models show the potential for severe storms with modest mid-level rotation. We are currently in a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather, but I expect this will be upgraded to a level 2 risk tomorrow.

Thursday and Friday look quiet with a mix of sun and clouds and highs near 70°.

The weekend looks problematic. Both the GFS and Euro ensembles show rain both days, with a large area of overrunning ahead of an area of low pressure moving in from the southwest.

To make matters worse, some of our guidance shows temperatures stuck in the upper 40s and low 50s for a period of time, with onshore flow and cold air damming developing. This is the kind of setup that would have brought snow or ice a month and a half ago.

This isn’t set in stone. A stronger high could shunt this whole system south, but right now the weekend forecast is not looking promising.

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Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Tuesday, May 19, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 73°F
- Normal Low: 49°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 94°F (1962)
- Record Low (min temp): 34°F (2009)
- Record Highest Minimum: 62°F (1969) (tie — also in 1911)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 48°F (1950)
- Record Precipitation: 1.23 in (1999)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 89°F (2017)
- Record Low (min temp): 38°F (2002)
- Record Highest Minimum: 66°F (2017)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 49°F (1950)
- Record Precipitation: 1.59 in (1966)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:27
- Sunset: 20:08

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: First Quarter on Sat May 23, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Memorial Day on Mon May 25 (in 6 days)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 31 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 33 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 01:26 AM EDT • 7.49 ft ⚠️
- 02:06 PM EDT • 6.48 ft

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 12:41 AM EDT • 4.92 ft
- 01:15 PM EDT • 3.62 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 12:04 PM EDT • 2.66 ft

As of 4 p.m., some spots in the Quiet Corner are close to 2.0” of rain, while most of Litchfield County has been missing out on the heavier rain.

Through the overnight hours, with the upper-level low nearby, we will see occasional showers and even a downpour or two, but most of the activity should remain fairly isolated.

Friday will be mainly cloudy with occasional breaks of sun, along with scattered showers as that upper-level low still doesn’t quite get out of here.

The low finally kicks out for the weekend, and it looks wonderful. Mostly sunny skies can be expected Saturday and Sunday, with highs in the 70s Saturday and the 80s Sunday. There’s a slight chance for some clouds and a few showers around daybreak Sunday morning, but overall the weekend looks great.

The heat builds by next week. Monday will be partly sunny and warm, with most towns reaching the 80s, but by Tuesday it turns downright hot. 850 mb temperatures approach +20°C both Tuesday and Wednesday, which supports temperatures well into the 90s assuming a favorable wind direction (i.e. not off the Sound).

I’m forecasting 93° for both Tuesday and Wednesday at Bradley Airport, with somewhat cooler weather along the Sound. The NBM (pictured below) shows 94° at BDL. Humidity levels will climb as well, bringing our first really muggy airmass of the season. Dew point temperatures rise into the 65°-70° range.

A few thunderstorms are possible Wednesday as a cold front approaches the hot and humid airmass in place.

The end-of-week forecast is complicated. The European model hangs Wednesday’s front nearby, with heavy rain possible into Thursday morning. The GFS, however, pushes the front through and brings another wave northeast for Friday, along with rain and much chillier weather.

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It’s still too soon to know much at all about Memorial Day Weekend, so stay tuned.

Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Friday, May 15, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 72°F
- Normal Low: 48°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 89°F (2004)
- Record Low (min temp): 32°F (2013)
- Record Highest Minimum: 64°F (2022)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 50°F (1938) (tie — also in 1930)
- Record Precipitation: 1.93 in (1972)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 82°F (1951)
- Record Low (min temp): 40°F (1996) (tie — also in 1971)
- Record Highest Minimum: 60°F (2012)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 51°F (1958)
- Record Precipitation: 1.07 in (2012)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:31
- Sunset: 20:04

🌙 Moon Phase
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- Next Moon Phase: New Moon on Sat May 16, 2026

📅 Calendar
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- Next 3 Holidays:
- Memorial Day on Mon May 25 (in 10 days)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 35 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 37 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 10:35 AM EDT • 6.35 ft
- 10:48 PM EDT • 7.56 ft ⚠️

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 09:49 AM EDT • 3.55 ft
- 10:06 PM EDT • 4.97 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 08:38 AM EDT • 2.61 ft
- 08:55 PM EDT • 3.66 ft

As the low cuts off, the storm will slow down and produce pockets of locally heavy rain. In general, 0.5"–1.0" of rain is expected, with pockets of nearly 2" in spots.

Where that 2" of rain sets up remains uncertain, with a significant amount of spread between models and across various ensembles. If I had to pick a location most likely to see the heaviest rain, it would be the Northwest Hills (as shown in the Euro), but this remains a difficult forecast.

Clouds will linger Friday, with a few showers as the storm fills and wobbles east away from us. High temperatures will be around 60° both Thursday and Friday.

A dramatic pattern change begins this weekend. A ridge of high pressure will build in behind this storm, allowing temperatures to rebound. Sunshine is expected both Saturday and Sunday, with highs in the 70s Saturday and 80s Sunday and Monday. As the warmer air moves in, a brief period of clouds or showers is possible, but it should not amount to much.

As the core of the warmth arrives, temperatures will approach 90° away from the shoreline on Tuesday. That warmth will also bring a spike in humidity and a chance for a few thunderstorms by midweek.

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Here is your Daily Weather Almanac for Thursday, May 14, 2026

🏙️ Hartford Area 30 Year Normals
- Normal High: 71°F
- Normal Low: 48°F

🏛️ Hartford Area (BDL) Records
- Record High (max temp): 88°F (1907)
- Record Low (min temp): 32°F (1987)
- Record Highest Minimum: 65°F (2022)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 50°F (1948) (tie — also in 1931)
- Record Precipitation: 0.85 in (1931)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🏖️ Bridgeport Area (BDR) Records
- Record High (max temp): 80°F (1985)
- Record Low (min temp): 37°F (1996)
- Record Highest Minimum: 61°F (2012)
- Record Lowest Maximum: 51°F (2019)
- Record Precipitation: 1.15 in (1957)
- Record Snowfall: 0.0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)
- Max Snow Depth: 0 in (2025) ⚠️ (monthly record)

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset
- Sunrise: 05:32
- Sunset: 20:03

🌙 Moon Phase
----------------------------------------
- Next Moon Phase: New Moon on Sat May 16, 2026

📅 Calendar
----------------------------------------
- Next 3 Holidays:
- Memorial Day on Mon May 25 (in 11 days)
- Juneteenth National Independence Day on Fri Jun 19 (in 36 days)
- Father's Day on Sun Jun 21 (in 38 days)

🌊 New Haven High Tides
- 09:44 AM EDT • 6.19 ft
- 09:59 PM EDT • 7.30 ft ⚠️

🌊 Old Saybrook High Tides
- 09:02 AM EDT • 3.50 ft
- 09:21 PM EDT • 4.74 ft

🌊 New London High Tides
- 07:51 AM EDT • 2.57 ft
- 08:10 PM EDT • 3.48 ft