Yakima’s First Snowfall: The Date You Should Expect to See White!
While we may only be a few days into October, it's not too early to start thinking about being prepared for Winter. Yes, I know, the weather is great right now with temperatures today and tomorrow in the low 80's and Mostly Sunny skies, but, what does history suggest?
Better yet, what if historical average and some prognostications from The Old Farmer's Almanac actually predicted similar outcomes? In this case, I'm hoping it won't be true.
Many people love snow, while others find it difficult to enjoy with all of the shoveling and slippery roads and misery that a snowy winter brings on. I guess you can tell which camp I'm in. Weather Underground has a great number of weather facts and stats and historical data to peruse. Based on averages and computer models, they're predicting Yakima's first snowfall to come on November 5th. Yikes! That's one month from today!
So I checked The Old Farmer's Almanac and it too, predicts snowfall in the Pacific Northwest region during that same time period. Ugh. Now, don't get me wrong, I want plenty of snow for skiers to enjoy - but I'd be just fine if all of it landed in the mountains until it was time to melt and flow our way in the spring.
I suppose we can mark our calendars for November 5th and see what happens. Frankly, it's perhaps best to just assume that is the date that the snow starts flying, so as to motivate us to begin stocking up, preparing, and winterizing beforehand. Then, if it's still Sunny and 60 degrees like it was LAST year on November 5, we can relax and enjoy another short-sleeved fall day.