Here Comes the Eastern Ridge!

[Stormsfury]

Good call, Stormsfury.

And good call, Don, on the pattern.

[donsutherland1]

With each passing day, it seems Bostonians have to look back ever farther to the past to glimpse the city’s glory days. When it comes to the high temperature record for November 1, fate proved no less cruel to the city. Fate showed no sympathy even as the hangover from the Boston Red Sox's torturous Game 7 loss in the ALCS lingered.

The day dawned fair and unseasonably mild. The bright sunshine appeared to hold the promise of a special day.

At 7 am, the temperature stood at 56 degrees, just a degree short of the normal high temperature for the date. As the sun rose higher into the sky, the mercury came out of the gate confidently. After a 2-degree rise from 7am to 8am, the thermometer quickened its ascent. By 9 am it had broken through the 60-degree barrier.

The next three hours saw the temperature gallop steadily higher hour by hour. It rose by 4 degrees, then 3 degrees, and then 4 degrees. At Noon the temperature had reached 73 degrees. The mercury was poised to turn down the afternoon stretch. Already, it was within striking distance of the record high of 78 degrees.

Hopes in Boston rose with the mercury. This time, Boston would keep its date with destiny. The city would taste the glory that had seemed to elude it at every chance. The sun was strong, the west wind warm. Boston was ready to celebrate.

Among Bostonians, the temperature’s seeming rise without pause conjured up visions of a horse of the caliber of a Secretariat or Affirmed thundering down the stretch at Suffolk Downs. An air of inevitability gripped the city.

At 1 pm, the mercury had stepped up two more degrees to 75 degrees. The record was in sight.

But then just as Pedro Martinez gave up his first flurry of hits, the thermometer held steady over the next hour. With the wind out of the west, the city was not yet ready to abandon hope. Still the tension mounted.

Then, as if to torture Boston in a fashion known only to that city, the mercury edged forward to 76 degrees at 3 pm. Suddenly it was just a hair short of the record. It did not matter that the sun was growing weary and had begun its slow journey for the horizon. The thermometer was fighting back. More importantly, it was winning its fight against time.

But, as has happened over and over again, there would be no happy ending. As Bostonians prepared the champagne glasses ready to celebrate with their New England peers in Worcester (new record high of 73 degrees) and Portland (record-tying high of 74 degrees), fate crushed any cause for celebration. Shortly after 4 pm after hanging on to the 76 degree reading for more than an hour, the mercury slipped to 74 degrees as clouds rolled in.

Heartbreak had visited Boston once more. Some day, glory will return to Boston. But for now, the city must wait.

[ColdFront77]

Don, what an extremely written and interesting account of Boston's failed attempt at reaching the record high temperature of 76°F for November 1st!

[donsutherland1]

Thanks for the kind words. It was a most interesting day. I'm sure most enjoyed the warmth even if the temperature fell just short of the record for the date.

[ColdFront77]

I bet it was, Don. It sounds like you live in eastern Massachusetts. Where are you located, if you don't mind me asking?

[donsutherland1]

Tom,

I'm in the New York City area. I do have frequent occasion to be in eastern Massachusetts, however.

[Stormsfury]

Record highs elsewhere in the US yesterday (Nov. 1st, 2003)

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=18065

[donsutherland1]

Today's record high temperatures included (old records are in parentheses):

Baltimore: 80 (78, 1990)
Bridgeport, CT: 74 (71, 1990)
New York City: 79 (78, 1990)
Newark: 81 (79, 1990)
Wilmington, DE: 78 (77, 1990)

[Stormsfury]

Looks like some daily records are falling by the numbers ...

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=18136

And especially today ... saw something about NJ earlier today reporting an 88º reading ... man, am I glad this ridging didn't take place in summer.

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=18163

[Stephanie]

Can you imagine SF?

It was beautiful out here though.

[Stormsfury]

Can you imagine SF?

It was beautiful out here though.

Yeah, I could ... but the Southeasterly fetch from the large surface high and the ULL / Invest 96L combo brought a moist flow right into the Tri-County area bringing some unexpected rainfalls ... needless to say, it was unseasonably warm and muggy, even by Charleston's standard for this time of year.

SF

[ColdFront77]

Tom,

I'm in the New York City area. I do have frequent occasion to be in eastern Massachusetts, however.

Thank you, Don. As you can see (to the left), I am from southeastern Massachusetts.