As I write this a snowstorm is raging in the Colorado Rockies and cold weather is about to sweep from the Northwest down upon us in a few hours. September sped by and October has arrived, and we are now nearing 9 days deep into Autumn. The wind driven rainstorm that ensued after a powerful line of thunderstorms moved through on Monday Night had many of us realizing that fall is gaining strength. That first real Fall storm produced a remarkably widspread 3/4 of an inch to 4 inches of rain over a very wide area. Many reportings stations (including my own in Iliff) are now running 15-20 inches of rain/rain water equivalent for the year. Sterling averages around 17 inches per year by the way. And we have 3 months left! So I say this: Do not let tonight shock you. It is going to be damp and cold. An intense cold front is set to plow through, bringing some wind and cold rain. Expect temperatures to drop from the 60s now and into the 40s by this evening (maybe windchills in the 30s by mid-evening!) and maybe actual air temperatures into the upper 30s by tomorrow morning. Temperatures tomorrow and Friday look cool: Only upper 50s to low 60s for highs, a far cry from the late season heat of last week. Friday night football games will see temperatures into the 40s during post-sunset evening play. Tonight, snow may mix in as nearby as the Kimball, Nebraska area. The first big snow of the year is occuring in areas above 8000 ft right now! Tomorrow evening and Friday evening, temperatures could potentially drop into the low 30s in far Northeastern Colorado if skies clear. Currently no frost or freeze warnings for those nights. Our march toward winter is inevitable. Each day is nearly 3 minutes shorter than last, the noontime sun angle is getting progressively lower (notice how much longer shadows are throughout the day now), and at sunrise and sunset, the sun says goodbye to us farther and farther south. The seasonal change is really beginning to be felt. October is the month in which an enormous transition occurs from early Autumn to winters doorstep in this part of the country. Average highs are now only around 70 and average lows around 40, and those are rapidly dropping. Most years, October at some point or another feature our first accumulating snowfall. Trees in our area are really begin to change colors as well. At the months beginning, things always still look sort of summery. But in four short weeks, right around Halloween, typically the trees are bare or nearly bare. A lot happens in October to our natural environment. Hard to believe though that after our early September cold snap and freeze scare that we had an amazing following couple weeks of very warm weather. However, the last few days in the 60s and 70s have let us know that it is not Summer anymore. Still, we probably have a goodly number of days in the 70s (and even a few 80s) to enjoy yet this Fall, intermixed with days of much colder weather. One last note, I will continue to keep everyone updated far in advance of potential first real snows. We escaped this time by the skin of our teeth! But each days makes snow a more likely possibility from here on out. Cheers!
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 21:32:02 +0000
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