Chuck Otte [email protected]
County Extension Agent, Retired
Unlike the last two months, which didn’t deviate from average very much, September took a marked swing to the warmer and drier side of the spectrum. Neither was record breaking, but certainly noticeable! The average daily high during September was 84.4, 4.0 degrees above normal. The average overnight low was 60.5, 3.0 degrees above normal. This gave us a monthly mean temperature of 72.5, 3.6 degrees above average. While it was warm, it was actually cooler than four out of the last five Septembers! The highest temperature for the month was 98 on the 19th. The lowest temperature for the month was the morning low of 53 on both the 26th and the 30th.
While 90 seems like a high temperature for September, it isn’t uncommon. Over the last 70 years, September has yielded an average of six days in September with a temperature 90 or above. Some years we have no 90 or higher readings and some years (1954) we’ve had as many as 20 days of 90 or above. Last year we had 13 days of 90 or above. September of 2024, in this regard, was average with 6 days of 90 or above. There were two temperature records set in September. The overnight lows of 77, on the 19th and again on the 21st set new record high lows for those dates. The previous record on the 19th was 75 set in 2022. For the 21st the previous record was 74 set in 1956. The hottest September on record was in 1954 with a monthly mean temperature of 78.1. It should also be noted that five of the hottest Septembers on record were 2019 (76.3 - second hottest), 2023 (75.0 - fourth hottest) and 2021 (74.6 - fifth hottest).
The coldest September on record was in 1974 with a monthly mean temperature of 61.1 degrees. After average rainfall in August, September took a decidedly dry turn. A few days of light rain, from the 19th to the 25th, provided the only precipitation for the month. Average precipitation for September is 2.85 inches yet all that could be managed for the month was 0.52 inches. Normal year to date precipitation through the end of September is 28.50 inches. Year to date in 2024 we are running slightly below that with 27.29 inches.
The driest September on record was in 1947 when 0.24 inches was all that was recorded. The wettest September was in 1967 when 13.28 inches deluged the area. September 2024 was the fourth driest September on record, dating back to 1931.October historically brings autumnal weather to the region with warm days and crisp nights as well as our average first frost date. Average daily highs begin the month at 75 and by Halloween day they have fallen to 61. Overnight lows on the 1st are 51 and by the 31st they have dropped to a chilly 39 degrees.
Average precipitation for October is 2.48 inches. For those snow loving residents there is a very slim chance of snow during October with a long term average October snowfall of a mere one tenth of an inch. The average first frost date is October 20th. However, in seven of the last ten years, the first frost has occurred later than October 20th, as late as November 13th in 2021. With temperatures running well above average to start the month, we could be looking at a November first frost date again!