Record Heat Temperatures for Boston and Worcester
Early November brought an unprecedented multi-day streak of high temperatures and a nearly record streak without appreciable rains across New England.
On November 6th, highs reached 77°F in both Worcester and Providence, with 82°F in Boston and 84°F in Hartford. These unseasonably warm temperatures along with a lack of precipitation caused an amplification of drought conditions to severe and even extreme levels not seen in over three years. These record breaking temperatures are bringing renewed attention to discussion about the issue of global warming and climate change.
The drought and record warmth combined to produce wildfires. Red Flag (Fire Weather) Warnings were issued for many consecutive weeks, according to the National Weather Service, as extreme fire spread was observed. Due to dry conditions, sporadic brush fires developed across many towns in Massachusetts.
Eighty-five percent of wildfires are human caused. Since there were no natural triggers such as dry lightning to produce these fires, it’s very likely that it was produced by cigarettes or fire pits. As these fires were raging on, causing hazardous smoke and haze, water levels ran low in cities like Attleboro, causing the city’s mayor to declare an emergency and make arrangements to tap into water supplies from surrounding towns.
As the month came to a close, a wetter pattern began to emerge. On November 21st, a rainstorm brought over an inch of rain to most areas in the region which helped reduce the impacts of major wildfires across Massachusetts. The last week of the month brought another round of rain, including wet conditions on Thanksgiving Day. The month ended with well below normal temperatures and dry conditions with a few snowflakes mixed in.
