Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Much Needed Rain Above Normal In October

October was a wet month, according to local meteorologist John Teeter.

The normal amount of rain during the 10th month of the year is 4.33 inches. However, 6.14 inches fell last month, giving the area a surplus of 1.81 inches.

For the year, Nevada County is up 2.21 inches. The normal amount of rain to fall through October is 45.74 inches, with 47.95 inches having fallen to date.

Teeter said it rained eight days during October, with the largest single day amount being 2.51 inches on Oct. 6.

There were two watches or warnings posted during the month as well. Teeter said this is one less than normal.

When the month began, it was hot. On Oct. 1, the mercury climbed to a blistering 94 degrees. The temperature went down from then on.

The low for the month was 44, recorded on Oct. 25 and 26, while the average daily temp was 65.8 degrees. This, Teeter said, is 0.7 degrees lower than the normal of 66.5 degrees.

According to Teeter, the average temperature for 1880-1990 was 65.1 degrees. Between 1958 and today, though, the average temperature is 66.5 degrees. He said the 1958 through the present is used for his reports.

The wettest October for Prescott occurred in 1949 when 14.03 inches of rain hit the ground. Two years, in 1921 and 1888, October saw no rain at all, which is vastly unusual.

For November, he said, the average rainfall amount is 5.49 inches. The normal daily temperature is 53.7, while there are usually four weather watches of some type.

Teeter said the first killing frost can be expected in the area by Nov. 15.

"I got several calls during the year asking what the latitude and longitude of Prescott were, along with the elevation," he said. Teeter gives the latitude as 33 degrees, 48 minutes north, with the longitude being93 degrees, 23 minutes west. The elevation of Prescott, he said, is 308 feet above sea level.

"Everyone is wondering if we can expect a cold winter," Teeter said. "Who knows?

"The folklore signs are confusing and the commercial predictors are not in agreement, but most predict a warmer and wetter than usual winter. We haven't experienced a hard winter since 1983, and the ticks and chiggers are about to take over."