By Brad Spakowitz
CORRESPONDENT
As if a magical switch had been flipped, the heat and humidity of August ended abruptly as September began.
In some ways, the first days of September were an autumn preview, featuring cloudy, drizzly and damp days.
While most of Labor Day Weekend was quiet, as folks headed back to work Sept. 7 they were greeted by thunderstorms, a few strong to severe, with some spots reporting large hail.
Parts of southern Brown County and Outagamie County had hail as large as 4 inches in diameter – unusually large for our area, and easily the largest hail in years.
The Green Bay National Weather Service confirmed a 4.5 inch diameter hailstone fell 5 miles north-northeast of Appleton, tying for third as the largest hail ever reported in the state.
The next most significant rainfall event was Monday, Sept. 20, bad timing for the first Packers home game.
The Autumnal Equinox arrived at 2:21 p.m. Sept. 22, with a chilly north wind, and fittingly the first frost advisory of the season for central and northern Wisconsin.
Much of the remainder of the month was pleasant, with plenty of sun, comfortable temperatures, low humidity and a general sense of late season tranquility.
The final morning of the month featured dense fog, some lasting into midday.
For the official record, September was 1.7 degrees warmer than the 30-year average.
Temperature extremes ranged from a high of 86 degrees Sept. 19 to a low of 42 degrees Sept. 24.
The sparse rainfall puts September 2021 as the 14th driest on record.
Now we’re into October, a month of noticeable changes.
The biggest change we’ll see is the view out our windows.
The month started out relatively green, but as it unfolded we get to enjoy the explosion of fall color.
It doesn’t last long though, by the end of the month many trees are bare, especially with plenty of wind.
The other noticeable change is the continuation of rapid daylight loss, another 1 hour and 28 minutes by the end of the month, placing sunrise at 6:32 a.m. and sunset at 5:42 p.m. Oct. 31.
The shortening days and lengthening nights, along with a lower sun angle brings a downward trend in temperatures.
The average high temperature Oct. 1 is 63 degrees, and drops to 50 degrees by the end of the month.
The average low temperature drops from 42 degrees at the start of the month to 33 degrees by Oct. 31.
Of course, average low temperatures are not always a good reflection of what really happens.
Historically, the first frost here is around Oct. 8, and frosty nights become a regular occurrence by late month.
October averages 2.44 inches of rain – and another sign of the changing seasons – .2 inches of snow.
But there can be snow surprises, as was the case when 5.6 inches of snow fell from Oct. 28-31, 2019.
October can be a great time of the year for stargazing, as the nights are not yet too cold and the bugs are not much of a problem.
Enjoy it all, as November is around the corner and with it is usually some hints of winter.