Record Cold Start to October

 A Very Cold Start to October

 
October 2009 is off to a very winter like start over the Northern Plains, including much of South Dakota and west-central Minnesota.  In fact, at Aberdeen, Watertown, and Pierre, the average temperatures through the first 15 days of the month (Oct 1-15) are currently the coldest on record!  In addition, every day of the month has averaged below normal thus far. 
 
What’s even more impressive are the margins of exceedance (see tables below). For instance at Aberdeen and Watertown, the current average temperature is about 2 degrees F colder than the previous record. Even more impressive is Pierre, where the current average temperature is a whopping 7 degrees below the previous record!! 

 

 
Coldest Average October Temperatures (Oct 1-15) in Aberdeen (1893-2009)
 
 

 
Value
Year(s)
1
38.7
2009
2
40.7
1925
3
42.3
1894
4
43.0
1952
5
43.1
1985,1959
7
43.8
2002
8
44.3
1977, 1917
10
44.5
2000

 
Coldest Average October Temperatures (Oct 1-15) in Watertown (1893-2009)
 
 

 
Value
Year(s)
1
37.4
2009
2
40.0
1925
3
41.2
1917
4
42.9
1977
5
43.2
1959
6
43.3
1952, 1985
8
44.2
2002
9
44.3
2000
10
45.2
1986

 
Coldest Average October Temperatures (Oct 1-15) in Pierre (1933-2009)
 

 
Value
Year(s)
1
38.1
2009
2
45.0
1959, 1946
4
45.1
1977
5
45.2
1969
6
45.5
1985
7
46.3
2002
8
46.5
1986
9
47.4
1970
10
48.0
1952

 


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