When it came to the weather, October certainly did not end the way it had started.

The Valley was dealing with serious drought and heat as the calendars changed to the year’s tenth month, though repeated shots of chilly air allowed the month to finish much wetter and a bit cooler than September.

 

 

There were six straight days of warm, dry weather, as the area was riding off these conditions to end September. A heavy-hitting system arrived on October 7th, bringing over an inch of rain in most spots, especially north of I-80. While dry for the following few days, conditions did cool a bit.

More run-of-the-mill weather dominated the second full week of the month, with highs closer to average and two days with 0.01” of precipitation. Conditions heated up right before another potent low-pressure system moved through, dumping totals close to an inch in spots on October 19th.

 

 

Lake-effect rain showers were responsible for five straight days of rain to start the third work week of the month, until cool, stable weather headlined the month’s final weekend. Another potent low cruised through the area on Halloween Eve.

Officially, the airport’s average temperature for the month was 52.7°F. Each day's observed high and low temperatures are taken into account. This is 0.5°F above the average October temperature of 52.2°F. The month is the second straight to finish above-average, as well as the fourth in five.

The month of October broke a sudden dry streak. The monthly observation of 4.34” is exactly an inch above the average October rainfall. Though it rained a good deal, it didn't do so for an extended period. Just two of the first fifteen days were rainy, helped by significant rain on October 7th. Lake-effect rain plagued the third full week of the month and set any lingering drought arguments aside. 

 

 

As warmth transitions to chill, our region typically sees its first temperature drop close to freezing in the month of October. The first frost came just a tad later than usual, as high pressure dropped temperatures to 34°F on the morning of October 9th. This is three days later than the 30-year running average.

The first freeze, or temperatures below 32°F, comes ten days later, on average. This year, it came eight days later, on October 17th. Coincidentally, this year’s growing season came to an end on the same date as last year’s. Read more about the difference between a frost and a freeze here.

 

 

While snow was not a concern in the area last month, it is not unheard of for flakes to arrive during the month of October. In 87 tracked years, measurable snow has fallen in 33 of those years (38%), most recently in 2023. The average date of the first measurable snowfall doesn’t come until early November.

 

 

How does this impact Youngstown’s yearly weather trends? October has strengthened the chances that this year’s temperatures will finish above average for the 10th straight year. To date, the year stands at just over a third of a degree above its all-time average, though still the coldest start to a calendar year since 2015. The surplus of rain finally got our area close to average, as well, and as of Halloween, the airport is holding on to the slimmest of surpluses- just 0.01” above the year-to-date average precipitation.

 

 

How will November fare? It is looking more likely that the first half of November will sag below average, especially to begin the second full week of the month. There, our area may get its first shot of accumulating snow. As the month wanes, temperature projections are leaning above average. As for precipitation, neither side is favored.

For further information, check out Gavin’s analysis of the past few months’ weather: