Moderate rain, cooler days make October a fall classic

October was like most Octobers in years past — decidedly normal, said Jay Albrecht, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office at Sand Point.

The average high was 59.3 degrees, a tad below normal. The average low of 47.3 was 2 degrees higher than the average normal of 45.3 degrees.

Rainfall for October was about average, said Albrecht. Almost 3 inches fell, with rainfall to date this year at 23.69 inches, just a little below the average of 25.54 inches.

"Overall, the month of October is what you would expect," said Albrecht.

"October tends not to get a lot of snow, though Stevens Pass and White Pass had a few inches of snow during the Halloween weekend, making it a winter wonderland."

However, Albrecht said, that is about to change with a warm front moving in during the next couple of days — all that snow will wash away. This, too, is not out of the ordinary. Typically, the middle and late weeks of November are when the Cascades get their early snowpack.

Washington ski areas still are closed, waiting for those early storms.

"We'll open up as fast as Mother Nature will allow," said Stacy Schuster, sales and marketing director at Crystal Mountain ski resort. "So far, the upper mountain has about 8 inches, and we'll need approximately 30 inches to open up the slopes."

Schuster said the recent weather is a perfect setup for a good ski season.

"A lot of moisture is needed on the ground," she said. "Then cold temperatures come in to set the ground up for a nice, solid surface, which allows the snow to sit on top."

In most years, Crystal Mountain has opened in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Suesan Whitney Henderson: 206-464-2296 or swhenderson@sseattletimes.com