October 2014 Summary – Fourth Wettest on Record

Blue Hill Observatory
October 2014 Summary:

The month was notable for being much warmer, wetter and cloudier than average.  The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 54.4F was 3.3 degrees warmer the 120-year average for October, and this was about three degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average.  The maximum temperature for the month was 79F on the 15th, and the coldest temperature was 33F on the 20th. There were no daily temperature records during the month although 19 of 31 days were warmer than normal.  The month tied for the fourth wettest October on record with a precipitation total of 9.96 inches, which was about six inches more than the 120-year average and more than five inches wetter than the 1981-2010 mean. Three daily precipitation records were set during the month including 1.63 inches on the 1st, which surpassed 1.44 inches on that date in 1984, 2.38 inches on the 22nd, which surpassed 1.37 inches in 1898, and 3.66 inches on the 23rd, which surpassed 2.18 inches in 1956. Much of the monthly rainfall occurred in a single Nor’easter on the 22nd-24th, which dropped a total of 6.18 inches of rain in a little over 48 hours. Thunderstorms were observed on two days during the month (the 18th and 22nd), which is one more day than average, and the annual total of 21 thunderstorm days is one less than average through October. The mean wind speed for October was 13.1 mph with a prevailing wind direction for the month of W. The peak wind gust was 58 mph from the NE during the storm on the 22nd.  October was very cloudy with bright sunshine totaling only 144.4 hours or 44 percent of possible, which was 12 percent less than the 120-year average for the month.