Area may see Indian summerlike conditions

Indian summer is a brief, unseasonably warm period that tends to occur in late October or early November. It normally occurs just after the first hard freeze or immediately following an exceptionally prolonged chilly and wet spell.

In this part of the country there are usually at least a couple of periods of warm, dry and hazy weather during fall. Often, there are a few afternoons with record or near-record highs, thanks mainly to a strong high pressure ridge over the region. This unusually mild air sometimes reaches the normally cool and damp areas along the Washington and Oregon coastlines, providing some spectacular conditions for residents and tourists.

There are a number of theories as to the origin of Indian summer. In “The Americans, The Colonial Experience,” Daniel J. Boorstin states “that the term originated from raids on European colonies by Indian war parties that usually ended in autumn. It was the extension to the summerlike weather conditions in the fall as Indian summer.”

The term Indian summer could also be of Asian Indian origin. H.E. Ware, an English writer, noted that ships traveling in the Indian Ocean loaded their cargo during the fair-weather season, or Indian summer. Several vessels had an “I.S.” on their hulls at the load level that was thought to be safe during that time of year.

The term may also be the traditional period which early Native Americans harvested their crops. Early American settlers, nearly 400 years ago, observed Indian tribes “gleaning in the fields.” They likewise harvested late-season berries, nuts and pine cones from the nearby forests, and dried fish caught in the lakes and streams. The Indian summer weather was normally followed by all-important tracking snows that helped give the hunters an extra winter bounty of meat.

We may see some pleasant Indian summerlike conditions next week as high pressure briefly moves into the region.

November still looks like it will be cooler and wetter than normal. There already has been some snow in the higher mountains.

A number of people have asked if this winter will be a cold and snowy one. There was plenty of snow in the higher mountains during the last two winters, but below-average seasonal totals in many lower-elevation locations in Eastern Washington.

With the strengthening La Niña cooler than normal sea-surface temperature event in the south-central Pacific Ocean, it’s very possible this winter will be much colder and snowier for the Inland Empire. Much of our weather comes from the Alaskan region. Last week, several weather stations in Alaska reported record cold temperatures. Stay tuned.