An Unusually Mild October

October temperatures ranged from 4°F to 8°F above normal.

October 2021 was unusually warm, with average temperatures for most areas ranging from 4°F to 8°F above normal. Average temperatures at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 3.6°F above normal in Portland, ME, to 7.7°F above normal in Syracuse and Buffalo, NY. All of the major climate sites experienced one of their 10 warmest Octobers on record, with six sites being record warm - Syracuse, NY; Dulles Airport, VA: Newark, NJ; Harrisburg, PA; Williamsport, PA; and Scranton, PA.

October 2021 was record warm for six major climate sites and among the 10 warmest for the other 29 sties.

October precipitation ranged from 50% of normal to more than 200% of normal.

While October started off quite dry, the second half of the month was much wetter. October precipitation ranged from 50% of normal in several areas including parts of northern New England and south-central Pennsylvania to more than 200% of normal in several areas including central New York and north-central Pennsylvania. October precipitation at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 62% of normal in Caribou, ME, to 232% of normal in Rochester, NY. Overall, 28 major climate sites were wetter than normal with 16 of them ranking this October among their 20 wettest on record. Drought and abnormal dryness persisted during October in some of the drier locations.

October 2021 ranked among the 20 wettest on record at 16 major climate sites.

There’s a tilt toward above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures for November for most areas. Click to enlarge.

November could follow in October’s footsteps, with above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures favored for November for much of the Northeast according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.