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.