October proves to be the driest month of the driest year in the past 55 years in Page County

November 2, 2023 PVNPublisher 0

Higher temperatures, below average rainfall again in October

By Carl Quintrell, weather correspondent

STANLEY, Nov. 1 — Total rainfall for the month was 0.63 inches, or 2.54 inches below the October average of 3.17 inches. October was the driest month so far in 2023. The calendar year-to-date rainfall is now 20.95 inches, or 13.46 inches below average. To date, this has been the driest of the past 55 years of local weather record keeping in Page County.

The driest October was in 2003, with only 0.06 inch of rain recorded. The wettest October was in 1972, with 9.37 inches of rain (including 7.05 inches recorded on Oct. 5-6, 1972).

Here’s a look at the top five driest years in the past 55 years of local records going back to 1969:

#1 — 2023 with 20.95 inches of rainfall (through 10 months), -13.46 inches below average.
#2 — 1988 with 27.08 inches of rainfall; -13.156 inches below average.
#3 — 1977 with 28.32 inches of rainfall; -11.92 inches below average.
#4 — 2001 with 30.3 inches of rainfall; -9.94 inches below average.
#5 — 1974 with 31.04 inches of rainfall; -9.2 inches below average.

Above average temperatures were observed during October. The average mean temperature was 59.2 degrees, or 2.8 degrees above the 55-year average of 56.4 degrees. The average daily high temperature was 69.9 degrees, or 2.7 degrees above the average high of 67.2 degrees.

High temperatures climbed above the 80-degree mark on eight days, the 70s on nine days, the 60s on eight days and in the 50s on six days during the month. The high for the month was 84 degrees on Oct. 25. The warmest October on record was in 2007 and 2017, where the average daily high temperature was 73.2 degrees.

The average daily low temperature for the month was 48.6 degrees, or 3 degrees above the average low of 45.6 degrees. Low temperatures for the month were down into the 30s on two days, the 40s on 16 days, the 50s on 11 days and in the 60s on two days during the month. The low for the month was 35 degrees on Oct. 24. The coolest October on record was in 1988, where the average daily high temperature was only 61 degrees.

The peak wind gust for the month was 29 mph recorded on Oct. 9.

Two records were broken during October 2023:

Oct. 25 — high temperature of 84 degrees; previous record of 80 degrees in 2012.
Oct. 28 — high temperature of 83 degrees; previous record of 82 degrees in 2014.

Other statistics for the month include: