It’s not every day we start a post with weather history, but as of now, New England is on track for its driest fall (September-November) ever recorded in many locations. With just over a week left in November, many cities are reporting record-low rainfall totals:
While this has made for a beautiful stretch of sunny fall days, the ongoing drought has elevated brush fire risk and stressed water resources. Relief is finally on the way Thursday, as a coastal storm brings widespread rain to the region and even a touch of snow to the mountains.
Rain begins to overspread southwestern New England overnight, arriving in areas like the Berkshires and western Connecticut between 2-4 a.m. By 6-8 a.m., most of southern and central New England will see steady rain, with heavier downpours arriving mid-morning through early afternoon.
While the rain is welcome, the long dry stretch means oil and grime have built up on roadways. When combined with the first steady rain in weeks, this creates slick driving conditions.
As colder air begins to filter in Thursday evening, wet snowflakes may mix with rain at elevations above 2,000 feet in Vermont’s Green Mountains and New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
In addition to the rain, a raw east-northeast wind will pick up through the day, especially along the coast.
This rainstorm is a step toward addressing New England’s exceptional dryness, but it won’t be enough to erase the drought. More rain and snow events will be needed as we move deeper into the late fall and early winter season.
