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Connecticut is located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The Constitution state is bordered by Massachusetts to the north and east, New York to the west, Long Island Sound on the south, and Rhode Island to the east. Known as the 3rd smallest of the United States with a total area of 5,544 square miles (14,359 square kilometers), Connecticut contains 4,845 square miles (12,548 square kilometers) of land areas, and 698 square miles (1,808 square kilometers) are covered by water. Major rivers include the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Thames Rivers.
Connecticut is divided geographically into five land regions, the Taconic Section, the Western New England Upland, the Connecticut Valley Lowland, the Eastern New England Upland, and the Coastal Lowlands. Its highest point is Mount Frisell at 2,380 feet (725.4 meters) above sea level. The lowest point in Connecticut is along the Long Island Sound, at sea level.
There are four distinct seasons within Connecticut. Temperatures vary across the state depending on elevation and proximity to the Long Island Sound. The average daily temperature in January is 25 degrees F (3.9 degrees C) and the average daily temperature in July is 74 degrees F (23.3 degrees C). The average yearly rainfall amount is 44.14 inches (112.1 centimeters), and the average snowfall 47.5 inches (120.7 centimeters). There is an average of 127 days with precipitation each year, whether rain or snow, and with a fairly even distribution throughout the year. Thunderstorms are present about 20 to 30 days each year, primarily occurring in summer afternoons or evenings. The most notable weather feature of Connecticut is the "northeaster", a powerful type of coastal storm that can produce strong winds and massive amounts of snowfall in the winter. Compared to other New England states, Connecticut’s climate is relatively mild.
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