Weather: Upcoming storms will cool our area
October has started out very warm and dry across the Inland Northwest.
This was a trend that was carried over from September, which had an average temperature at the airport that was 2.9 degrees above normal. The warmest day was 88 degrees on the 21st, the coolest morning was reported on the 12th with a low of 39 degrees.
It was also drier than average as rainfall totals last month were less than 50 percent of normal. In Spokane, only 0.26 inches of rain fell while 0.67 inches was measured in Coeur d’Alene. October has also started out with no measurable moisture, but that is about to change.
As of early Tuesday, the long-range forecast models are showing a series of Pacific storms that are expected to bring wetter and cooler weather to our region beginning as early as this weekend. The strong ridge of high pressure that has brought severe drought conditions to California and drier than normal weather, at least over the past few months, is going to weaken enough to allow the storm door to open in our region. However, areas to the south, like California, may have to wait until late this month or November to finally get some much-needed moisture.
Speaking of California, it was very hot there last weekend. Strong high pressure combined with Santa Ana winds sent temperatures into the 90s and even topping the 100 degree mark in Southern California. The San Francisco Bay Area, normally cool with highs in the 60s and 70s at this time of year, reported temperatures into the mid-90s last Saturday.
In contrast, it felt more like November in the Midwest. High temperatures were only in the 40s near Chicago and strong winds made it feel like it was in the 30s last weekend. There was even snow reported last weekend, the first of the season, in the Upper Midwest. The second-earliest snowfalls on record were reported Peoria and Rockford, Illinois, with flurries. Chicago had the third-earliest snowfall on record while Eau Claire, Wisconsin, hadn’t seen snow this early since the 1800s.
Longer-term, I do see a wetter and mild weather pattern for the rest of October and into November across the Inland Empire. Our first snowfall may arrive near the full moon Nov. 6.