By Bill Kappel
Temperatures were well above normal most of the month, with plenty of sunny and warm days interrupted by just a few days with rainfall. Precipitation ended right below normal overall. Unfortunately, we have transitioned into a strong La Niña pattern, which usually means drier than normal conditions for us during fall and winter. This also can lead to some Arctic air intrusions during the winter as cold conditions develop through the northern Plains and southern Canada. So hopefully you enjoyed the warm September.
Temperatures started off warmer than normal over the first week of the month, but this period included some heavy rainfall. Strong thunderstorms developed the afternoon and evening of the 4th and continued into the early morning of the 5th. This was accompanied by gusty winds and areas of severe weather in the region. Temperatures cooled after this storm moved through, enough to bring a dusting of snow to the higher elevations above tree line.
After a dry and partly cloudy day on the 5th, scattered thunderstorms with brief rain showers developed each afternoon on the 7th and 8th. Temperatures warmed back above normal over the next week with highs consistently in the low to mid-80s from the 8th through the 12th. And with the exception of a quick shower on the afternoon of the 11th, dry conditions prevailed. This continued through the 15th with temperatures continuing above normal.
During the last week of summer, temperatures cooled only slightly into the upper 70s, but this was still above normal for mid-September. This quiet period was only interrupted by a few thunderstorms and rain showers on the afternoon of the 17th. Then just in time for the start of fall, our coolest weather of the month moved in. This produced rain starting during the early evening of the 21st which continued into the 22nd. Temperatures continued to cool as well. By the next morning, temperatures were in the upper 30s with rain, a definite sign that winter isn’t too far away. In the mountains, this wet and cold weather meant the first widespread snowfall.
After this system departed, the rest of the month was quiet and warm. Sunshine was the rule, with just scattered afternoon clouds. Temperatures remained well above normal for the rest of the month, with cool mornings. The good outcome from this was a nice progression into fall with leaves starting to change.
A look ahead
October can be an active weather month for the region with our first snowy conditions often experienced. Most years, we seem to get a good snowfall around Halloween, and after a warm and dry September, we could use a wet and cold October. Snow can be heavy at times during any part of October. For example, over 20 inches of snow fell from Oct. 9-10 in 2005 and 2006 saw over 24 inches of snow fall in less than 24 hours on Oct. 26. Of course, the big storm some of us remember occurred around during October 1997, when nearly 4 feet of snow and blizzard conditions shut everything down for several days. But we are just as likely to get mild and sunny conditions, and any snow that falls generally melts quickly, so enjoy those sunny days when you can.
September 2024 Weather Statistics
Average High 77.0° (+6.1); 100-year return frequency value max 77.5° min 63.5°
Average Low 46.1° (+4.9); 100-year return frequency value max 46.7° min 36.1°
Monthly Precipitation 1.07” (-0.73”), (60% below normal); 100-year return frequency value max 4.34” min 0.40”
Monthly Snowfall 0.0” (-0.4”)
Highest Temperature 85° on the 3rd
Lowest Temperature 35° on the 23rd
Season to Date Snow 0.0” (-0.4”), (100% below normal) (the snow season is from July 1 to June 30)
Season to Date Precip. 12.45” (-7.32”), (37% below normal); (the precip season is from Jan 1 to Dec 31)
Heating Degree Days 201 (-167)
Cooling Degree Days 87 (+64)
Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.
Other Weather articles
- November Weather Wrap (12/5/2024)
- October Weather Wrap (11/2/2024)
- August Weather Wrap (9/7/2024)
- July Weather Wrap (8/3/2024)
- June Weather Wrap (7/6/2024)
- May Weather Wrap (6/1/2024)
- April Weather Wrap (5/4/2024)
- March Weather Wrap (4/6/2024)
- February Weather Wrap (3/2/2024)
- January Weather Wrap (2/3/2024)