October in Seattle

 

 Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum) in Madison Valley in October 2013

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea) in Madison Valley in October 2013

 Seattle Japanese Garden in October 2013

Hamamelis mollis (Chinese Witch Hazel) at the Washington Park Arboretum in October 2013

 

 Sorbus commixta (Japanese Rowan) at the Washington Park Arboretum in October 2013

October 2013 in Seattle was cooler & much drier than normal.  The mean temperature was 51.7F/10.94C.  The normal mean temperature is 52.8F/11.56C.  Total precipitation was 1.54 inches/39.12mm.  Normal precipitation is 3.48 inches/88.39mm.  The highest temperature was 73F/22.78C on 10/6.  The lowest was 38F/3.33C on 10/29.  There were 2 days with heavy rain, 4 days with rain, 11 days with light rain & 24 days with fog (12 of them with visibility at less than 1/4 mile) 15 cloudy days, 12 partly cloudy days & 4 fair days.      

There was an unusual amount of fog during an extended period of high pressure, drought & dense low clouds.  Warm-weather systems coming from both east & west trapped cool, foggy air over the city for two weeks from 10/10 to 10/24.  Some people were unhappy with this, but it could easily have rained instead.  I love fog & have pleasant memories of my walk to school in that mysterious atmosphere.  When the month of October started, most deciduous shrubs & trees were still green.  By the end of the month, most, but certainly not all, had turned to red, orange, brown, yellow & gold.  Only a few had lost all or most of their leaves.  There was very little wind to strip away the foliage.  I moved from an apartment at Othello Station to a house with space for a garden in Rainier Vista on October 31.  I was very excited about that.