Connecticut has a temperate climate, with mild winters and warm summers. The January mean temperature is 27°F (–3°C) and the July mean is 70°F (21°C). The coastal areas are warmer in summers than the interiors. Norfolk, in the northwest, has a January mean temperature of 22°F (–6°C) and a July mean of 66°F (19°C), while Bridgeport, on the shore, has a mean of 30°F (–1°C) in January and of 71°F (22°C) in July. Connecticut had experienced drought in 1749, 1762, 1929–33, the early 1940s, 1948–50, and 1956–57. The worst recent drought, which occurred in 1963–66, resulted in a severe forest-fire hazard which damaged crops, and forced rationing of water.
Downtown Hartford was hit by a flood in March 1936. On 21 September 1938, a hurricane struck west of New Haven and followed the Connecticut Valley northward, causing 85 deaths and property losses of more than $125 million
Connecticut’s flora and fauna is noteworthy. While Connecticut’s swamp areas contain various ferns, abundant cattails, cranberry, tussock sedge, skunk cabbage, sweet pepperbush, spicebush, and false hellebore, the hills are decorated with mountain laurel (the state flower), pink azalea, trailing arbutus, Solomon's seal, and Queen Anne's lace.
You are most likely to find a wide variety of wildlife in this region which includes gray foxes, timber wolf, cougar, panther, raccoon and rattle snakes. Common birds include the robin (the state bird), blue jay, song sparrow, wood thrush, and many species of waterfowl; visible in winter are the junco, pine grosbeak, snowy owl, and winter wren.