The start of October has been really pleasant fall weather. It really is a nice treat. Our first recorded low back in the 30°F range occurred on Oct. 4. The last 30°F range low was way back on May 12.

We are still dry -- way too dry, frankly -- and we are all reminded of that fact with the recent wildfires that have occurred around our region. Excluding the 0.01 inch of rain on Sept. 8 here at the home weather station, we haven’t seen any rain since July 20 -- that’s 80 days as of this writing.

September 2012 was a dry month, with the exception of the 0.01 inch mentioned above. The mean rainfall for September is 0.50 inch. Back in 1985, we experienced 2.08 inches. And back further, in 1948, we had a one-day maximum rainfall of 1.38 inches. Last month was a bit warmer, with a mean of 65.7°F, while the average mean is 63.7°F. We recorded the month’s high of 88.8°F on Sept. 8 and the month’s low of 42.3°F on the 12th. So, September closed as a warmer and drier month than normal.

Looking at the Climate Prediction Center’s short-term forecast, generally mid-month, our temperatures will remain normal, though our chance of precipitation is looking like a 40 to 50 percent chance of some activity. Here’s hoping this happens and some of this dust gets settled a bit. Though I don’t make weather predictions here, your guess is as good as others when we’ll see our first snowfall. It is a good time to think about getting your vehicles and home set up for winter. Don’t exclude yourself, have those winter jackets, gloves and heavy socks ready for you and your family.

Keep your eye to the night sky. Jupiter will be climbing high in the eastern sky before midnight. There are five other planets visible this month too. Mercury, Mars, and Saturn loiter close to the horizon during twilight. Uranus and Neptune appear farther above the horizon, though they glow too dimly for good naked-eye views. Get those binoculars out to view them. As the long October nights wind down, look for brilliant Venus in the predawn sky. Watch for a full moon on Oct. 29, the Hunters’ Moon.