Weather: October’s weather

Our past month has given us an above-average number of rain days. October’s bright blue weather was interrupted during the month on 11 days with rain. This is way above the average number of rain days during an average October month.

The bright sunshine and high 60-degree temperatures have prevailed during the daylight hours to give the farmers their fresh farm vegetables. These we have enjoyed throughout our long moderate fall, which is typical of eastern Long Island. Other areas, such as upstate New York and New England, have not had the mild ocean temperatures that prevail here. These mild temperatures continue to allow many of our vegetables to grow well into the month of November and sometimes even into December.

I well remember the year 1938, “the year of our hurricane,” when we had beautiful sweet corn for Thanksgiving. No one would believe it! Most of it went to cattle and hog feed. Such is farming at times.

Mild temperatures have prevailed throughout October, until the 28th, when the low was 38 degrees. The next night it lowered to 37. On the 30th, it was 34 and on the 31st it was 28, the lowest for October. This is just about average in late October and sometimes early November.

Our near miss of a hurricane this year has damaged most tree leaves to the point that, in the main, there is more brown than other colors in the leaves. This is due to wind damage and lack of circulation in the leaf itself.

In the years to come, the future holds a higher percentage of severe coastal storms for our area. This is all due to a very slight but nevertheless consequential rise in our temperatures. Yes, there will be skating and ice-boating but not as good as in Grandpa’s day. Nature runs in cycles. Sure, the snowfalls will be the same but the iceboating a little less.

High temperature for our past month was 80 degrees on the 9th and 10th. Lowest was 28 on the 31st. On the 18th, the high temperature was 70. I don’t think we shall see that high of a reading again until late April or early May.

Measurable rain fell on 11 days. The most rain recorded was 1.37 inches on the 29th. Total rainfall for October was 5.51 inches. We have not yet had an autumn soil-washing rainfall of over 4 inches or more. This should come in November.

This past month has been the time when the last of the sweet corn was picked, the apples and pears too. Now it is apple and pumpkin pie time.

A fall storm will pound our beach with a severe northeast gale. Yes, the ground will tremble then!