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Nov. 3—There was a major league chill in the air to start October in Berks County, and it was accompanied by gloomy days and nights.

Those conditions eventually gave way to temperatures closer to the normal range, and a dry pattern that has run for months returned.

"This October featured long stretches of both gloomy and bright (by day) skies," said Jeffrey R. Stoudt, Berks weather historian and founder of the Berks Area Rainfall Networks. "The first five days of continuous gloom brought 2.76 inches of rain. Near the end, four consecutive days from 23rd through 26th brought 0.52 more. These spells account for 3.28 inches of the 3.92 total."

The temperature and precipitation are measured on the automated equipment at Reading Regional Airport, which has been the official National Weather Service site in Berks since early 1999.

The only date records for October were early, both on the 4th.

"The early spell was very cool for so early in fall and contained two daily max temperatures of 53," he said.

The record 53-degree high on the 4th was another example of 2022 weather knocking off an easy target. The previous record, 55 degrees, for the 4th was the easiest mark in October for coolest high temperature.

The other 53 fell on the 3rd but fell short of the record of 51 degrees from 1974.

The weather in 2022 has set or tied 16 temperature date records, warm and cold, and many of those old marks were easy pickings.

The first freezing temperature for the fall occurred on the 29th at the airport — just a few days later than average, Stoudt says — but there had also been close calls that the mercury dipped to 33, 34 or 35 degrees earlier in the month.

"Many of the normally cooler spots, especially low-down locations, had their first freeze earlier," he said. "The 22nd, 21st, 20th, 19th, 18th and even the 9th were all candidates for isolated to scattered freezes (at the usual cool spots) in Berks County. Meanwhile, some hilltop locations have not yet had their first fall freeze. The lowest temperature at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower so far is 36."

Colder air sinks into valleys.

"Soon after the first spell of gloom broke, the temperature rebounded to 76 on the 6th, and that was this October's warmest," Stoudt said. "Few other days warmed to the 70s. However, several clear nights with mostly calm air allowed cold air to drain to the valleys.

"That monthly high of 76 was the coolest (October high temperature) since October 2003 when the highest was 75. And it was the first October since 2015 that failed to warm to at least 80 on at least one day."

But, there had not been an 80-degree day since Sept. 21, and 2022 tied with 2008 for the earliest last 80-degree day in a year this century.

Stoudt said the coolest October monthly maximum temperature on record is 73 from 1976 and 1925, and those months are Nos. 1 and 2 in terms of coldest average for October in a temperature database that starts with 1898.

The average temperature of 53.8 degrees at the airport last month is well out of the 10 coldest list. That list has been undisturbed since 1993. The cold period of the 1970s through the mid-'90s accounts for eight of the 10.

"Nevertheless, this still marked the coolest October since 2009, and was in sharp contrast with last October (2021) which averaged 61.5," Stoudt said.

Drought watch

October started with Berks County in a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-issued drought watch, which was lifted later in the month.

At the airport, 36.02 inches of precipitation has been recorded for 2022, 2.76 below normal. The county overall is faring better at 39.2 inches, just 0.6 above normal.

The latter calculation is from the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, a division of the weather service, and it take more sites into account and is quality controlled by a hydrologist.

Revenge of the 80?

This month has gotten off to a balmy start.

"As to how extremely warm it becomes remains to be seen," said Stoudt, also a retired meteorologist. "Saturday looks to be the best prospect for peak warmth, at least the first peak. Another peak could develop next week after a slight setback.

"After falling short of 80 degrees during October, it lies within the realm of plausibility for it to reach 80 in November this year. ... Considering record highs of 84 on Nov. 1, 79 on Nov. 8 and 78 on Nov. 18, there is considerable potential to extend the latest 80 by a few days. Indeed, further opportunity appears plausible for next week."

The latest 80 in a year is an 82 on Nov. 2, recorded in 1950 and 1982.

For the moment, AccuWeather has posted a high of 80 degrees for Monday.

Just two years ago, November was balmy with eight consecutive days with highs 68 or above.

October weather

—Temperature: 53.8 degrees

—Normal: 55.2 degrees

—Rainfall: 3.92 inches

—Normal: 3.80 inches

Records

—53 degrees on the 4th: coldest date high (55, 1944)

—1.52 inches on the 4th: date rainfall (1.33, 1906)

Measurements from the Berks Area Rainfall Networks and the CoCoRaHS collaborative:

Bally, 6.89 inches; Henningsville, 6.36; Rock Hollow Woods, 5.94; Pine Grove, 5.91; Topton, 5.78; Elverson NE, 5.69; Hopewell, 5.67; Gibraltar, 5.48; Mohnton, 5.29; Dryville, 5.28; Cumru Township building, 5.27; Knauers, 5.25; Wernersville, 5.19; Reading, east and Boyertown, 5.15; New Morgan, 5.14; Frystown, 5.09; West Reading, 5.02; Boyers Junction, 4.95; Oley Furnace, 4.93; Cornwall Terrace and Lincoln Park, 4.90; Morgantown, 4.87; Wyomissing (Highlands), 4.72; Hamburg, 4.70; Lobachsville, 4.65; Shartlesville, 4.62; Birdsboro, 4.61; Womelsdorf, 4.60; Reiffton and Shillington, 4.52; Cacoosing, 4.51; Adamstown, 4.34; Vinemont, 4.25; Bernville, 4.16; Greenfields, 4.06; Mohrsville, 3.94; Mohrsville SW, 3.83.