October 2026 General Discussion

[Chinook]

It's like a giant claw coming to get us

[EC609]

3 hours ago, michsnowfreak said:

Where are you living now?

Definitely disagree with summer extending 2 months - thats simply not true. However, average temps have risen more in spring/fall. In the southern Great Lakes, we still get accumulating snow in April, frosts/freezes/snow into May, snow in October, and sometimes cold and multiple snows in November. Every year is different of course, but the growing season is not based on an "average" temperature. 

Spring in particular is often a very dreary season in these parts, so an increase in temps would be beneficial to many a normie, though you will still get the cold/snow late. Chopping a few days off the first/last dates for snow/freezes really doesnt mean much in the grand scheme of things. Winter is cold, summer is hot...transition seasons are a massive wildcard.

Detroit first/last freeze *** first/last measurable snow
Last 30 years (1997-2026): October 27 – April 21 *** November 20 – April 5
POR (1874-2026): October 22 – April 24 *** November 16 – April 8

Chicago first/last freeze *** first/last measurable snow
Last 30 years (1997-2026): October 24 – April 20 *** November 20 – April 2
POR (1872-2026): October 25 – April 18 *** November 17 – April 2
 

I'm about 80 miles due South of Chicago. I would have thought by now I would have seen a frost. I know the Shenandoah Valley has already had multiple mornings in the 20s but they always have that. Hell, it snowed 10-18 inches there on October 10, 1979.  The summers have definitely lengthened over the last 20 years. I would probably have to move to Michigan or Wisconsin to get more of the climate that I would enjoy.

[michsnowfreak]

2 hours ago, EC609 said:

I'm about 80 miles due South of Chicago. I would have thought by now I would have seen a frost. I know the Shenandoah Valley has already had multiple mornings in the 20s but they always have that. Hell, it snowed 10-18 inches there on October 10, 1979.  The summers have definitely lengthened over the last 20 years. I would probably have to move to Michigan or Wisconsin to get more of the climate that I would enjoy.

The summers haven't lengthened 2 months is my point. This October is very abnormal warmth wise, especially out your way. Im not sure what your exact averages are being 80 miles south of Chicago, but the Chicago area saw several October snowfalls in recent years. Naturally Michigan or Wisconsin are colder, but you cant consider a top 10 or 5 month "normal". 

November looks to start with well above avg temperatures, and it will be interesting to see how the back half of the month plays out, because November has the largest difference of any month from first to last day of the month, so the natural quick descent into winter November sees will be fighting the influence of a strong nino.

[Chicago Storm]

28 minutes ago, michsnowfreak said:

Im not sure what your exact averages are being 80 miles south of Chicago, but the Chicago area saw several October snowfalls in recent years. 

i can confirm that this is not the case.

only 1 measurable snowfall since 2020, and that occurred on halloween 2023 (0.9").

[kevlon62]

https://www.weather.gov/lot/halloween_climate

[OrdIowPitMsp]

Happy Halloween, some wet weather overnight and throughout the day but overall this looks like the nicest Halloween here in 4 years with a high around 57. 
 

2 of the past 3 have featured trick or treating with snow on the ground so not having to dress the kids in winter gear with costumes overtop will be nice for a change. 

[cyclone77]

Picked up 0.02" yesterday, and 0.04" early this morning.  

[michsnowfreak]

12 hours ago, Chicago Storm said:

i can confirm that this is not the case.

only 1 measurable snowfall since 2020, and that occurred on halloween 2023 (0.9").

I was going by vague memory as a general statement (I dont know Chicago stats like I do Detroits lol). It was 2019 & 2023.

[michsnowfreak]

4 hours ago, kevlon62 said:

https://www.weather.gov/lot/halloween_climate

Interesting that Chicago never had measurable snow on Halloween til 2014 then has had it 3 times since.

Detroit has only had it twice (1993- 0.1", 2023- 0.2"). 

Halloween 1950 was a scorcher (79° at Detroit but 81° on Nov 1st).

[nvck]

October finished as the 7th warmest and 11th driest in cincinnati, dating back to 1872. Only 0.59" of rain!

[Brian D]

DLH Oct mean of 49.5 tied 9th warmest of 92 unique temps. Midpoint temp is 44.6. PWS near old wx bureau site in downtown DLH recorded 51.3. Precip of 1.90" was tied 80th wettest (tied 56th driest) of 135 unique amounts. Midpoint amount is 2.29". TH co-op Oct mean of 49.8 tied 12th warmest of 73 unique temps. Midpoint temp is 46.4. Precip of 2.16" was 61st wettest of 121 unique amounts. Midpoint amount is 2.16". 

Old wx bureau-PWS/DLH arpt mean temps

10/48 48.1/45.2
10/49 47.1/45.2
10/50 46.5/45.8
10/51 41.9/42.0
10/52 39.8/38.7
10/53 49.8/50.3
10/54 42.2/41.7
10/55 45.2/45.1
10/56 48.8/49.3
10/57 43.9/43.2
10/58 45.3/45.2
****
10/23 47.4/45.6
10/24 52.0/50.1
*
10/26 51.3/49.5

[Chinook]

Toledo had an average temperature of 58.2. It was the 9th warmest October

[michsnowfreak]

31 minutes ago, Chinook said:

Toledo had an average temperature of 58.2. It was the 9th warmest October

9th warmest at Detroit as well with 58.3°. Interestingly, the warmest Octobers are all long ago.

1963	62.7
1947	60.3
1900	60.0
1920	59.5
1879	59.5
2021	59.4
2007	59.1
1971	58.5
2026	58.3

[cmillzz]

[Jackstraw]

3rd warmest October on record at KIND

[cmillzz]

24 minutes ago, Jackstraw said:

3rd warmest October on record at KIND

March, April, September, and October all made the top five warmest at KIND this year, with April and September claiming the top spot. Pretty insane stuff.

[Chicago Storm]

October 2026 finished tied as the 6th warmest October on record in Chicago.

Warmest September
1. 64.3° - 1963
2. 62.2° - 1971
3. 62.1° - 1947
4. 61.9° - 1920
5. 61.4° - 1900
6. 60.8° - 2026
6. 60.8° - 1956
6. 60.8° - 1879
9. 59.8° - 1924
10. 59.7° - 2024
10. 59.7° - 2021
10. 59.7° - 1953

[Spartman]

000
CXUS51 KILN 010531
CF6DAY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6)

                                          STATION:   DAYTON OH
                                          MONTH:     OCTOBER
                                          YEAR:      2026
                                          LATITUDE:   39 54 N      
                                          LONGITUDE:  84 12 W    

  TEMPERATURE IN F:       :PCPN:    SNOW:  WIND      :SUNSHINE: SKY     :PK WND 
================================================================================
1   2   3   4   5  6A  6B    7    8   9   10  11  12  13   14  15   16   17  18
                                     12Z  AVG MX 2MIN
DY MAX MIN AVG DEP HDD CDD  WTR  SNW DPTH SPD SPD DIR MIN PSBL S-S WX    SPD DR
================================================================================

 1  85  65  75  13   0  10 0.00  0.0    0 12.1 21 230   M    M   6        28 240
 2  75  51  63   1   2   0 0.61  0.0    0 10.4 17  20   M    M   9 1      24 210
 3  68  46  57  -4   8   0 0.00  0.0    0  7.2 17  70   M    M   2        24 100
 4  75  46  61   0   4   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.9 12 330   M    M   4        19 300
 5  68  46  57  -3   8   0 0.00  0.0    0  7.0 18  40   M    M   0        26  30
 6  69  43  56  -4   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.1 13 150   M    M   0        17 170
 7  78  49  64   4   1   0 0.00  0.0    0 11.0 23 230   M    M   1        29 240
 8  75  52  64   5   1   0 0.00  0.0    0  6.4 21 300   M    M   1        27 330
 9  75  48  62   3   3   0 0.00  0.0    0  5.8 12 160   M    M   4        16 110
10  68  54  61   3   4   0 0.04  0.0    0  8.9 17 140   M    M   9 1      24 110
11  63  58  61   3   4   0 0.02  0.0    0  7.5 16 110   M    M  10 1      21 120
12  79  56  68  10   0   3 0.00  0.0    0  8.2 15 220   M    M   7 12     20 200
13  87  66  77  20   0  12    T  0.0    0 11.7 21 240   M    M   4        27 240
14  84  62  73  16   0   8 0.24  0.0    0  9.7 16 230   M    M   7 18     21 300
15  72  58  65   9   0   0 0.13  0.0    0  8.9 22 240   M    M  10 1      29 230
16  71  48  60   4   5   0 0.35  0.0    0 14.6 25 290   M    M  10 1      38 290
17  54  38  46 -10  19   0 0.00  0.0    0  8.2 21  10   M    M   3        29 360
18  64  35  50  -5  15   0 0.00  0.0    0  5.4 12 160   M    M   0        20 130
19  68  38  53  -2  12   0 0.00  0.0    0  1.4  8 170   M    M   0        12 140
20  70  39  55   1  10   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.3  9  60   M    M   1        11  60
21  69  39  54   0  11   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.8 14 360   M    M   0 1      17 360
22  69  42  56   2   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.3 13  10   M    M   0        16  30
23  68  42  55   2  10   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.3 12  80   M    M   1 1      17  80
24  69  43  56   3   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  4.0  9 100   M    M   2 18     12 130
25  69  43  56   4   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  2.3  9 160   M    M   2        10 150
26  72  45  59   7   6   0 0.00  0.0    0  2.6  8 250   M    M   5        11 280
27  71  46  59   7   6   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.5  9 150   M    M   6        12 150
28  74  51  63  12   2   0 0.00  0.0    0  3.9 10 220   M    M   3        17 230
29  76  52  64  13   1   0 0.00  0.0    0  9.2 22 250   M    M   4        28 250
30  68  46  57   7   8   0 0.00  0.0    0  7.3 15 350   M    M   4        19 350
31  63  48  56   6   9   0 0.00  0.0    0  9.6 16 100   M    M   9        21 110
================================================================================
SM 2216 1495       185  33  1.39  0.0    209.5          M      124              
================================================================================
AV 71.5 48.2                               6.8 FASTST   M    M   4    MAX(MPH)  
                                 MISC ---->    25 290                 38 290   
================================================================================
NOTES:
# LAST OF SEVERAL OCCURRENCES

COLUMN 17 PEAK WIND IN M.P.H.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA (WS FORM: F-6) , PAGE 2

                                          STATION:   DAYTON OH
                                          MONTH:     OCTOBER
                                          YEAR:      2026
                                          LATITUDE:   39 54 N      
                                          LONGITUDE:  84 12 W                   

[TEMPERATURE DATA]      [PRECIPITATION DATA]       SYMBOLS USED IN COLUMN 16    

AVERAGE MONTHLY: 59.9   TOTAL FOR MONTH:   1.39    1 = FOG OR MIST              
DPTR FM NORMAL:   3.9   DPTR FM NORMAL:   -1.56    2 = FOG REDUCING VISIBILITY  
HIGHEST:    87 ON 13    GRTST 24HR  0.61 ON  2- 2      TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS      
LOWEST:     35 ON 18                               3 = THUNDER                  
                        SNOW, ICE PELLETS, HAIL    4 = ICE PELLETS              
                        TOTAL MONTH:   0.0 INCH    5 = HAIL                     
                        GRTST 24HR  0.0            6 = FREEZING RAIN OR DRIZZLE 
                        GRTST DEPTH:  0            7 = DUSTSTORM OR SANDSTORM:  
                                                       VSBY 1/2 MILE OR LESS    
                                                   8 = SMOKE OR HAZE            
[NO. OF DAYS WITH]      [WEATHER - DAYS WITH]      9 = BLOWING SNOW             
                                                   X = TORNADO                  
MAX 32 OR BELOW:   0    0.01 INCH OR MORE:   6                      
MAX 90 OR ABOVE:   0    0.10 INCH OR MORE:   4                      
MIN 32 OR BELOW:   0    0.50 INCH OR MORE:   1                      
MIN  0 OR BELOW:   0    1.00 INCH OR MORE:   0                        

[HDD (BASE 65) ]                                                                
TOTAL THIS MO.   185    CLEAR  (SCALE 0-3)  14                                  
DPTR FM NORMAL  -115    PTCLDY (SCALE 4-7)  11                                  
TOTAL FM JUL 1   229    CLOUDY (SCALE 8-10)  6                                  
DPTR FM NORMAL  -132                                                            

[CDD (BASE 65) ]                                                                
TOTAL THIS MO.    33                                                            
DPTR FM NORMAL    10    [PRESSURE DATA]                                         
TOTAL FM JAN 1  1165    HIGHEST SLP M ON M        
DPTR FM NORMAL    13    LOWEST  SLP 29.31 ON 31        

[REMARKS]
#FINAL-10-26#

10th warmest October on record