NOTE – Rainfall and temperature information is based on data kept at
Milford Lake by the Corps of Engineers. For more information contact
Chuck Otte, 238-4161.
October 2017 Weather Summary
October did cool off significantly from September, and it did bring us our
first freezing temperatures and the end of the growing season, but it
still continued the trend of above average temperatures, but fortunately
we also had above normal rainfall.
The average daily high during October was 69 degrees, 1.3 degrees above
normal. The average overnight low was 48.5, 4.5 degrees above normal which gave us a monthly mean temperature of 58.8, 3 degrees above normal. The highest temperature during the month was 86 on October 2nd. The coldest temperature was 26 degrees the morning of the 27th. There were three temperature records set during October and one record tied. All records were new record high low temperatures. The low of 68 on the 5th tied the record high low for that date first set in 1955. The low of 68 on the 1st broke the old record of 66 set in 1950; the low of 68 on the 12th broke
the old record of 66 set in 1956; and the low of 66 on the 20th broke the old record of 63 set in 1958. The hottest October on record was in 1963 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 69 degrees. The coldest October on record is a tie between 2002 and 2009 when we had a chilly monthly mean
temperature of 49.1 degrees. While scattered light frosts had been noted around the region earlier in the month, the growing season came to an abrupt end on the 27th with a morning low of 26 degrees. This was 8 days later than the average first freeze date of October 19th (since 1951). The last freeze in the spring was on April 10th, 4 days earlier than normal. This gave us a 200 day growing season in 2017, twelve days longer than the long term average of 188.
A rainy period the first half of October brought some much needed precipitation to the region. Normal October precipitation is 2.62 inches. Milford Lake received 3.45 inches of rain and Junction City received 3.29 inches. Year to date precipitation, through the end of October, is 30.58 inches. Milford Lake has received 34.02 inches, Junction City has received 30.43 inches. Halloween day brought a gray cold day and light snow throughout the mid-day period. While there was never more than a trace that collected it does qualify as a snowfall. But because precipitation records are recorded as a 24 hour period that ends at 7 a.m., it will actually show up in the records as a November 1st snowfall. Long term average snowfall for October is just above a trace at one tenth of an inch!
November brings significantly shorter days (compounded by the return to standard time) as well as noticeably colder weather. Average daily highs range from 61 on the 1st to 47 on the 30th. Overnight lows drop from 39 on All Saints Day to 25 by month´s end. Precipitation drops off as well with only 1.55 inches for a long term average November total. The chance for snow increases as well with a long term average November snowfall of 1.0 inch.