The first 15 days of October were a remarkable contrast to the warmth of September. September was the second warmest since 1881, but the first half of October was the coldest such stretch since records began.
Although the past few days have brought warmer temperatures, the average October temperature before this weekend was a remarkable 10 degrees below average, a full one degree colder than any other recorded start of October.
Also, while September was our sixth straight month with below- average rainfall, October has been quite wet. Through the 15th, this has been the sixth wettest October with 3.31 inches measured. Plus, it has been the seventh snowiest to that point with 0.7 inches recorded.
Does this mean a cold winter? Every year has unique weather, but none of the other years that started this cold and wet in October finished as a top 10 coldest or wettest winter.
Have a weather question you'd like answered? E-mail weather@wday.com , or write to WDAY Stormtracker, WDAY-TV, Box 2466, Fargo, ND 58108
