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Average temps this fall should be higher than normal
YOUNGSTOWN
While today is the first day of autumn, meteorologists say don’t look for the weather to be very fall-like in the Mahoning Valley for some time.
“Fall will be a continuation of the summer pattern,” said Eric Wilhelm, chief meteorologist for 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner. “It will be a warmer-than-average autumn.”
Temperatures for the Mahoning Valley through the end of December will be above average, said Zach Sefcovic, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cleveland.
“We’re off to a warm start with highs in the mid to upper 80s” today and Friday, he said. “That’s 15 degrees above average. The high will go down to the low to the mid-70s by the weekend through the middle of next week.”
But, Wilhelm said, “October will start out pretty warm. The first week of October will be well above average. The highs will be in the 70s, about 10 degrees above average.”
It’s also not likely to be a wet fall, he said.
“We’ll be in the pattern we’ve been in for the past six weeks,” Wilhelm said. “That could lead to foliage being a little duller than average this autumn. The soil is dry and the vegetation is dry. When that happens, the foliage is a little more on the dull side.”
The area averages about 11 inches of precipitation during the fall, according to the NWS.
“Precipitation will likely be average this fall, but there will be variabilities, of course,” Sefcovic said.
The area also gets 4.4 inches of snow between now and Nov. 30.
The Valley should get around that amount of snow during those months, Sefcovic added.