Hartford, Connecticut - Climate

Climate

Hartford lies in the humid continental climate zone (Köppen Dfa). Summers are typically hot and muggy, while winters are cold with frequent snowfall. The average annual precipitation is approximately 46.3 inches (1,180 mm), which is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Hartford typically receives about 49 inches (124 cm) of snow in an average winter; the record seasonal snowfall was 115.2 inches (293 cm) during the winter of 1995–1996. The first snowfall typically occurs in mid to late November and the last snow of the season usually occurs in late March, although accumulating snow has occurred as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May in extreme events. During the summer, temperatures often exceed 90 °F (32 °C), and do so on an average of 17 days per year, though the record number of occurrences was 38 in 1983. Conversely, temperatures dip to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below on an average of 4 nights per year. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months since the frontal boundary that separates the tropical air mass from colder air to the north moves back and forth over the city. While these thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and hail, tornadoes are rare. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also struck Hartford, although the occurrence of such systems is rare and is usually confined to the remnants of such storms. Hartford saw extensive damage from the 1938 New England Hurricane, as well as with Hurricane Irene in 2011. The highest temperature recorded in Hartford is 103 °F (39 °C) on July 22, 2011 and the lowest is −26 °F (−32 °C) on January 22, 1961.