October 2019 Climate Summary for Eastern Utah and Western Colorado

*Please note that all data mentioned is collected from our automated observing stations from 10 different airports across eastern Utah and western Colorado. Some of our cooperative observers in more remote areas may have measured warmer or colder temperatures, or more or less precipitation than what was mentioned in this summary.*

Gusty winds out ahead of several approaching disturbances produced critical fire weather conditions across much of eastern Utah and western Colorado during the first few days of the month. A strong cold front pushed across the region at the end of the first week which resulted in a season-ending freeze for numerous valley locations. Yet another disturbance and associated cold front progressed across northwest and west-central Colorado on October 10th and produced up to 8 inches of snow for the northern and central mountains. The remaining lower valleys saw their season-ending freeze in the wake of this storm. The remainder of October remained fairly active with several early season winter storms moving through the region. The most notable was the October 28-30 winter storm which produced an average of 5 to 12 inches of snow for the northern and central Colorado mountains and up to 6 inches of snow in the adjacent valleys. Even more impressive was the anonymously cold arctic airmass that accompanied this system. Clearing skies, calm winds and fresh snowpack in the winter storm’s wake resulted in numerous record low temperature records to be shattered for October 30th and 31st. Additionally, several locations experienced their coldest maximum temperature on record both days as well.

While numerous early season winter storms moved through the region during the month of October, the mountains were favored for precipitation. As a result, the month ended up being drier than normal based on the 10 automated stations found at airports across eastern Utah and western Colorado, with all 10 of those stations ending October with below normal precipitation. The most precipitation fell at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport where 1.25 inches fell...0.22 inches below normal for October. The Canyonlands Field Airport in Moab, Utah saw the least amount of precipitation with only a trace...1.17 inches below normal. October was cooler than normal for most of the region with mean temperatures ranging anywhere from 4 to 8 degrees below normal. The warmest October temperature of 82 degrees occurred at the
Grand Junction Regional Airport on the 4th and 9th. The coldest temperature of -12 degrees F occurred at the Craig-Moffat Airport on October 30th.

Grand Junction had an average monthly temperature of 46.4 degrees which was 6.6 degrees below normal. The highest temperature was 82 degrees on October 4th and 9th and the lowest was 6 degrees on the 31st. 0.02 inches of precipitation fell throughout the month which was 1.04 inches below normal. 0.2 inches of snow fell which was 0.2 inches below normal.

Taking a quick look ahead to November, the official forecast from the Climate Prediction Center (https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead14/) shows odds of warmer than normal temperatures across eastern Utah and much of western Colorado as well as below normal precipitation.

For more climate information from other sites, please visit our climate page on our website at http://w2.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=gjt (select the NOWDATA tab for even more sites). You can also follow us on Facebook (@NWSGrandJunction) or Twitter (@NWSGJT).