November 2015 Summary – Warmer and Drier than Average

Blue Hill Observatory
November 2015 Summary:

The month continued the drier than average pattern this year and most days featured above normal temperature. The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 46.1 deg F was 5.5 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for November and four degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average, which made November the seventh warmest on record and the warmest since 2011. The average maximum temperature for the month was 54.3 deg F, which was the tenth warmest on record and the average minimum temperature for month was 38.6 deg F, which was the seventh warmest on record. The maximum temperature for the month was 72F on the 5th, and the coldest temperature was 23F on the 24th.  There were 21 days during November with above normal temperatures, including all of the first 13 days of the month. The high temperature on the 6th tied the record high for the date of 71F previously set in 1959, and the low temperature of the 6th of 60F set a new high minimum temperature record for the date surpassing 58F in 1938.  The low temperature of 60F on the 6th also tied the record high minimum temperature for the entire month of November, which was previously established on November 8, 1996. The mean temperature of 66F on the 6th made this the warmest November day (in terms of the mean) since November 4, 1990, and this was the first cooling degree day in November since that date. This was only the eighth November day in over 130 years that had a mean temperature of 66F or higher (and a cooling degree day of 1 or more). After a very cold start this year, 2015 has reached a tie for 24th warmest January through November since 1885. The month was much drier than average with a precipitation total of 2.59 inches, which was about two inches less than average. Much of this total, 1.18 inches, fell in 24 hours on the 20th. The month also brought the first snowfall of the season, a trace, on the 30th. One of the brief cold spells of the month was accompanied by a very high sea-level pressure reading of 30.88 inches late on the 25th, which tied the highest pressure ever recorded in November previously set on November 28, 1932. The mean wind speed was 12.7 mph, which was the sixth lowest for November, with a prevailing direction from the west. A peak gust of 43 mph was observed from the south-southeast during the rains on the 20th. November was much sunnier than average with 54 percent of the possible bright sunshine, which was seven percent more than the long-term mean.

Fall (September-November) 2015 Summary:

The Fall season was generally very warm, especially September, which was the warmest on record, and November, which was the seventh warmest on record.  The 24-hour mean temperature for the Fall season of 54.8 deg F was almost four degrees warmer than the 120-year average for this season and about three degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average, and the Fall season tied for the second warmest since 1885. Each month of the Fall season was drier than average and the total precipitation for the three months, 9.16 inches, was more than three inches less than the 120-year long-term mean and more than four inches drier than the 30-year mean. The mean wind speed for Fall was 12.1 mph, which tied with 2011 for the fourth slowest on record for the season. Sunshine was very high during Fall, and the total of 592.9 hours of bright sunshine was the seventh highest on record for the season. This was 60 percent of possible, or seven percent higher than the long-term mean.

BHO Warmest November 24-Hour Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015):

1) 47.9 in 2011
2) 47.4 in 1975
3) 47.1 in 2006
4) 46.4 in 1948
46.4 in 1979
46.4 in 2009
7) 46.1 in 2015
8) 46.0 in 2001
9) 45.7 in 1953
45.7 in 1999

BHO Warmest November Average Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015):

1) 57.0 in 2011
2) 55.8 in 1975
3) 54.9 in 1927
4) 54.8 in 2001
5) 54.6 in 1931
54.6 in 1941
54.6 in 2006
8) 54.5 in 1948
54.5 in 1994
10) 54.3 in 2015

BHO Warmest November Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015):

1) 40.7 in 2006
40.7 in 2009
3) 40.4 in 2011
4) 40.2 in 1948
5) 40.1 in 1975
6) 39.3 in 1979
7) 38.6 in 2015
8) 38.4 in 1931
9) 38.0 in 1953
10) 37.9 in 1963

BHO November Cooling Degree Days (1885-2015):

1) 3 on Nov 2, 1950 (81/54/68)
2) 2 on Nov 7, 1938 (75/58/67)
2 on Nov 3, 1990 (75/58/67)
4) 1 on Nov 3, 1927 (72/59/66)
1 on Nov 1, 1956 (74/58/66)
1 on Nov 4, 1987 (77/55/66)
1 on Nov 4, 1990 (75/57/66)
1 on Nov 6, 2015 (71/60/66)

BHO Highest November Sea-Level Pressure, inches (1885-2015):

1) 30.88 in 1932
30.88 in 2015
3) 30.86 in 1887
4) 30.83 in 1896
5) 30.82 in 1891
6) 30.80 in 1996
7) 30.79 in 2013
8) 30.77 in 1914

BHO Slowest November Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2015):

1) 12.1 in 1992
12.1 in 2000
3) 12.3 in 2012
4) 12.5 in 2006
12.5 in 2009
6) 12.7 in 2015
7) 12.8 in 1996
8) 12.9 in 2008

BHO Warmest Fall (Sep-Nov) 24-Hour Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015):

1) 55.1 in 2011
2) 54.8 in 1931
54.8 in 2015
4) 54.3 in 1946
54.3 in 2001
6) 54.2 in 1953
7) 54.0 in 1999
54.0 in 2005

BHO Slowest Fall (Sep-Nov) Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2015):

1) 11.9 in 2013
2) 12.0 in 2008
12.0 in 2012
4) 12.1 in 2011
12.1 in 2015
6) 12.2 in 2000
12.2 in 2004
12.2 in 2009

BHO Highest Fall (Sep-Nov) Sunshine, hours (1885-2015):

1) 623.3 in 2001 [64%] 2) 610.7 in 1941 [62%] 3) 605.1 in 1973 [62%] 4) 599.3 in 1966 [61%] 5) 594.5 in 1952 [61%] 6) 594.4 in 1998 [61%] 7) 592.9 in 2015 [60%]
8) 592.4 in 1916 [60%]