November 2014 Summary – Cooler and Wetter Than Average

Blue Hill Observatory
November 2014 Summary:

The month was notable for being colder, wetter, and snowier than average.  The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 40.3F was 0.3 degrees cooler than the 120-year average for November, and this was about one and a half degrees colder than the 1981-2010 30-year average.  The maximum temperature for the month was 66F on the 5th, and the coldest temperature was 17F on the 29th. There were no daily temperature records during the month.  November was wetter than average with a precipitation total of 6.21 inches, which was about one and a half inches more than the 120-year average and nearly two inches wetter than the 1981-2010 mean. There were no thunderstorm days during the month. Several snowfalls during November brought a total of 8.7 inches for the month, making this the 11th snowiest November on record. Two daily snowfall records were set, 1.8 inches on the 2nd, which surpassed the previous record of 0.2 inches in 1906 and 1951, and 3.5 inches on the 14th, which tied the record set in 1997. The mean wind speed for November was 13.4 mph with a prevailing wind direction for the month of W. The peak wind gust was 46 mph from the NW during the snowfall on the 2nd.  November was typically cloudy with bright sunshine totaling only 130.3 hours or 46 percent of possible, which was 1 percent less than the 120-year average for the month.

Fall 2014 Summary:

The September through November period was warmer and much wetter than average. The 24-hour mean temperature for the season of 53.0F was 2.0 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for Fall, with most of this warmth coming in September and October followed by a cool November.  The total precipitation for the season was 16.58 inches, which was more than four inches above the long-term average. Fall started very dry, and September was the driest on record with only 0.41 inches.  This was followed by two wet months with the October-November precipitation total of 16.17 inches being the 4th wettest on record for those months combined.  Nearly half of the seasonal precipitation, 7.67 inches, fell on just three calendar days in October (the 1st, 22nd, and 23rd). The seasonal snowfall of 8.7 inches, which all fell in November, was nearly six inches more than average for Fall.  The September to November mean wind speed was 12.3 mph, which was much lower than the 120-year mean of 14.7 mph for those months, and this was the 8th lowest mean wind speed on record for the season. Bright sunshine for Fall was 52 percent of possible, which was only 1 percent less than the long-term average of 53 percent.