This October has appeared to be warmer than most before
Aside from possible snowstorms today and this weekend,
summer-like weather has continued later into the autumn than usual,
according to weather experts.
“It’s not uncommon, they call it Indian summer,” said Chris
Spears, a meteorology major at Metropolitan State University and an
intern at the 9 News weather center. “This year it was more
long-term, the pressure was right over us.”
This October is one of the warmest and driest ever in
Colorado.
Spears said the warmest October was in 1950, with a 59.9-degree
average.
“So far, we’ve had an average of 56.9 degrees that’s above
normal. We’re expecting a cold blast at the end of the month,”
Spears said. “Pretty much from here on out, short-term, it’s going
to be rain and snow.”
The warm weather is due to high pressures over Colorado, Spears
said.
“The main ingredient has simply been this semi-stationary
persistent high pressure,” said Nolan Doesken, a climatologist at
the Colorado climate center at CSU.
If the rest of the month continues to lack significant
precipitation, this October will be in the top 10 driest Octobers
in Colorado history, Spears said.
“I think many students have been enjoying it greatly,” Doesken
said.
Freshman Justin Miles echoed this sentiment.
“I think it’s really nice,” said Miles, a philosophy major.
“Let’s appreciate it while we can.”
Other students affirmed this outlook on the warm weather
streak.
“I like it. I like the fact that you don’t have to wear a parka
down the street,” said freshman Ellen Zwickl, a double major in
engineering physics and German.
There are downsides to this warm streak, however.
“Fire danger has been going back up again,” Doesken said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a 1,000-acre fire outside of Jameson
had forced 300 people to evacuate their homes, according to The
Denver Post.
But the high pressure is expected to dissipate toward the end of
the month, and light precipitation is expected from here on out,
Spears said.
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