This Valentine's day I thought I would take time to acknowledge everything that makes New England's weather so special and why I am so fond of it. Really.
1: Springtime weather
Nothing puts me under more pressure than when someone from outside New England asks, "What weather should I expect in March?" That's a bit of a loaded question. I give a temperature range of 5-75 degrees for March, particularly for mid-March. This is not hyperbole. My hometown's lowest temperature in March 2022 was 7 degrees on March 1st and reached a monthly high of 74 degrees on March 18th.
Spring is the season that tries to please everyone, and in doing so, pleases no one. Warm weather fans in New England were ecstatic when the temperature finally reached 70 degrees on March 18th of last year. The second 70-degree day would not come until two months later, on May 12th. During that time, spring did her best to appease New England's cold weather fans, but all she ended up doing was creating a lot of mud.
2: The diversity in seasons
It's no secret that New England gets to enjoy the best of all four seasons. From scenes resembling the Arctic in the winter to sensations resembling a tropical rain forest in July to drowning in mud in the spring to, of course, fall, which will be discussed later, the seasons have a lot to offer. I enjoy the weather, so I appreciate living somewhere that allows me to experience a little bit of everything.
What's even better is that you don't have to wait for a specific season to enjoy it. Seasons have a habit of blending together at times. Sick of the cold in January? Don't worry, next week will feel like spring. Boston experienced -30 degree wind chills one Friday and 60 degree warmth the following Friday in February 2023. If you enjoy the cold and are concerned about winter being too warm, don't worry. By March, there will be plenty of winter (and probably April). DISCLAIMER: This is not a forecast, but rather a gut feeling. Believe me.
3: Experiencing (just about) everything
With such a wide range of seasons comes a wide range of weather events. Blizzards, flooding rains, thunderstorms, damaging winds, an occasional tornado, arctic blasts, scorching heat waves, and coastal flooding are all common in New England.
It doesn't stop there, of course. You might even feel a (very) minor earthquake. By mid-July, all eyes will be on the tropics, as it is not uncommon for a tropical cyclone to make its way up here. There are some things that (fortunately) don't happen here. A dust storm will never occur. Small wildfires do occur, but not the massive ones seen in the West.
4: Fall
October makes up for all of the crazy weather we endure in New England throughout the year. It's difficult to find better weather than what we have in October. For one month, we are treated to crisp, not cold air after a summer of sweltering heat, incredible color shows all around us, hot chocolate, fairs, pumpkins, football returning, Halloween, and apple cider donuts, to name a few things.
As the season progresses, you are rewarded with Thanksgiving and ski resorts dusting off the lifts and resuming operations. It's difficult to put into words how wonderful this time of year is around here. You simply have to experience it. Fall is the best of the seasons. October is the best month of them all, hands down.
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