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Weather
Researched and Written by Janine Weins
(Posted 1/3/07)

The area of the six New England states—72 thousand square miles—is less than 2% of the land area of the United States. In this relatively small area the weather is as variable as it is almost anywhere in the world. New England summertime temperatures often exceed 100°F.

Looking to the west, we can see the thickening storm clouds approaching Acorn Hill Farm.

The devastating 1938 hurricane caught the people of Lyme by surprise. Now, because of equipment such as this weather station on Acorn Hill Farm, we can be better prepared for severe weather events.

On July 4, 1911, it was 106°F in Nashua, New Hampshire. On August 2, 1975, the temperature in New Bedford, Massachusetts, reached 107°F. New England can be cold. On December 30, 1933, it was –50°F's in Bloomfield, Vermont. It can be windy in New England, particularly in the mountains. On April 12, 1984, a record wind gust of 231 miles per hour was recorded on Mt. Washington. New England weather not only varies with the seasons, it varies across the region; according to the USDA New England has six Plant Hardiness Zones. Latitude and geography are in large part responsible for the variability of New England weather.

New England is about halfway between the North Pole and the equator and a battle ground for cold–dry air from the north and warm–moist air from the south. The mountains impact local weather because the temperature decreases as elevation increases and precipitation tends to fall on the windward side of mountains while drier air flows on the downwind slopes. The cool ocean currents on the Maine and New Hampshire coasts, and the warm currents on the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts influence summer weather and help to define the snow–rain boundaries in the winter.

New England is regularly impacted by major weather events. The most devastating New England storm in the last century was the 1938 hurricane that caused more than $4 billion in damages and took the lives of more than 600 people. New England has not been spared tornadoes, which because of their high winds are potentially the most deadly storms. June 9, 1953, 90 people were killed and more than 1,200 injured when a tornado struck Worcester, Massachusetts.

Nor'easters are large coastal storms in which the air flows counterclockwise around an area of low pressure. When a Nor'easter moves inland, it can bring copious amounts of precipitation. The blizzard that dropped 50 inches of snow on Rhode Island in February of 1955 was a Nor'easter.

When a layer of warm air is sandwiched between an upper freezing layer and a thin lower freezing layer, the perfect storm is set of an ice storm. In an ice storm, snow falling through the layer of warm air melts. When the melted snow falls through the freezing lower layer it is supercooled. If it is cold, the supercooled moisture freezes when it hits utility lines, trees, and the ground. The ice storm in January, 1998, caused widespread damage and economic losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

New England also experiences heat waves, cold spells, drought, and rainstorms. In October of 2005, flood waters cause by heavy rains swept away lives and homes in Alstead, New Hampshire.

The diversity of the New England economy and the life style of New England residences is a reflection of the diversity of the weather. Skiing and related snow sports benefit from Nor'easters and make a major contribution to the economy. Farming and tourism depends on the changing seasons. The mountains, rivers, and ocean affect our weather and make New England a special place in which to live. In New England we can snow ski, ice climb, water ski, swim in the ocean, pick alpine plants, deep sea fish, fly fish in clear mountain streams, soar in a hang glider, canoe down miles of rivers, watch falcons soar, sunbathe on a beach, or participate in any of hundreds of other outdoor activities because of New England's geography and climate.