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Northeast Regional Climate Center |
October became the 5th month in a row with above normal temperatures, each state individually and the region as a whole. The average temperature of 51.0 degrees was 2.0 degrees above the 1971-2000 average. It was the warmest October since 1995 and 1.5 degrees warmer than last year. There was little variation throughout the region - departures ranged from 1.5 degrees above normal in Rhode Island to 2.7 degrees warmer than normal in Maine.
The Northeast saw unusually wet conditions this month. It was the wettest October since 1895 in the Northeast as a whole and in every state except Maryland and Pennsylvania, which were both the 2nd wettest on record, and West Virginia (20th wettest). The region total of 8.76 inches beat the previous record of 6.6 inches set in 1995.
Several storms contributed to the extreme rainfall this month. The first to affect the region was the remnants of tropical storm Tammy from October 7-12. Soon after, a slow moving low pressure system off the coast brought heavy rain from October 14-16. During the last week of October a nor'easter drew moisture from Hurricane Wilma. This storm not only brought copious amounts of rain, but the first significant snow for the region. Snow fell from West Virginia to Maine with up to a foot in areas. Winds on top of Mt. Washington, NH, exceeded 100 mph and snowfall there totaled 78.9 inches, shattering the previous record of 39.8 inches set in October 2000.
The cost of the damage caused by the storms that affected the Northeast this month was approximately $67 million. New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey were hit the hardest; damage totals from these states alone exceeded $45 million.
Monthly Summary of State Temperature and Precipitation Averages.
