Growing Season Is Over, Widespread Freeze Coming To Massachusetts
BOSTON (CBS) -- Welp, we stretched it out as long as we could. Our 2021 growing season is about to come to an end.
As we sit here on November 2, many of the suburbs north and west of Boston have had at least a touch of light frost this season but we have yet to have a true, widespread killing freeze.
This should come as no surprise in a year where we seem to be setting high-temperature records at a dizzying pace. After a record warm summer and now on pace for a record warm year, this fall has delivered more of the same.
Boston didn't dip below 50 degrees until October 18th this year, 5 days later than the prior record in 2018. We also tied a record for the longest stretch of days with a min of 50 or higher, 141 days (From May 29 to October 18).
As of this writing, Boston still hasn't dropped below 40 degrees, which places 4th latest on record (November 7th, 2017 & 1971 being the latest).
And it isn't just Boston…the first frost has lagged behind by several weeks for just about all of New England. Concord, New Hampshire didn't drop to 32 degrees until October 24th, about a month later than average! And way up in Caribou, Maine it took until October 25th to finally hit 32 degrees, well over a month later than average.
Foliage season was incredibly late and dull this year thanks to all the warmth and rain. On November 1st we were getting pictures of flowers blooming and veggies growing from around southern New England!
Alas…the cold is FINALLY coming.
The temperature drop Tuesday night will start slow due to some clouds and a few showers (mainly to the south). After midnight, skies will gradually clear and the radiational cooling will begin. By Wednesday morning we expect low temperatures largely in the 30s (low 30s well to the north and west and upper 30s to near 40 near the coastline.
The coldest night of the season thus far will be Wednesday night. With light winds and mainly clear skies, temperatures will drop to between 25-35 degrees across most of the area, including the Coastline.
The Cape and Islands may be the one remaining location in the upper 30s. Any vegetation left outdoors Wednesday night will likely die. If you have any plants that you want to keep alive a bit longer, time to bring them in.
I wouldn't say this is the start of a "cold" stretch, but certainly a more seasonal one. Expect near to slight below (by a few degrees) average temperatures through the Weekend with highs generally in the low to mid-50s. While this doesn't seem like a major headline, consider this…Dating back to mid-August, Boston is averaging just 1 below average temperature day every 8 days. So, any stretch of slightly cooler than normal weather is worthy of attention!
Will these trends continue into the winter? You will just have to stay tuned! Our weather team will have their winter forecast in just a few weeks!