Weather of the Week

An unseasonably warm start to the week in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Top pick of the past few weeks. The nights will be warmer, low 40s to the low 50s; open up your windows for the last time this year! The 80s will subside by Thursday, dropping down into the low 60s for highs. Very dry, no rain in the forecast is raising concerns of brush fires, one of which has started in Central CT in the town of Berlin. Fires can start quickly and move rapidly. Winds thankfully are light, but the worsening drought is paramount to the wind. 

What’s Going on in the Weather World? 

Quiet weather across the US is expected up to Halloween, potentially some severe weather is possible. Otherwise, it’s almost too quiet. Since there is no real weather threat, let’s travel back to when it was quite active: October 3rd, 1979. On that day, a violent tornado tore through the heart of Connecticut and portions of western MA. At 3 pm, a large tornado dropped from a severe storm in Wethersfield, CT, ripping up roofs and trees. In Windsor, an elementary school was heavily damaged; students fortunately had a half day that day. The tornado kept moving north, leveling framed houses as it approached Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. The weather station at the airport recorded a gust of 87 mph as the tornado passed. A United Airlines aircraft was landing but pilots immediately saw said tornado and used evasive procedures to save all 114 souls on board. The costliest portion of the Windsor Locks tornado was the destruction at the New England Air Museum. Here, 20 vintage aircraft from the pre-WWII to Vietnam era aircraft were shredded by the tornado. After this, the tornado began to weaken as it entered Feeding Hills, MA. The tornado dissipated just outside of Westfield, carving a 12-mile path through CT and MA. It is the seventh costliest tornado in US History, at $1.5 billion (adjusted for inflation). 

Pictured above is the remains of the Air Museum on October 3, 1979. (Credit: Windsor Locks FD)