At what point does weather become unusual? I am often asked if weather qualifies as “unusual” and I usually say it is not and offer some sort of historical precedent. But does historical precedent keep something from qualifying as “unusual?”
Every day in November so far has been warmer than average. Is this unusual? If something happens once every ten years, is it unusual? What about once every 50 years?
As a meteorologist and climatologist, I can usually find historical precedent for out of the ordinary weather, and that long-term perspective has its value. But I am willing to admit that the climatologist’s perspective might be different from the person who cannot remember what the weather was like last weekend.
So in that light, the present November weather is unusually except from a climatological perspective. From a climatological perspective, it is merely rare.
