October 2002 Weather Summary

October, 2002 was a record breaking month in most places across Pennsylvania and will make for an interesting summary. Overall, temperatures were normal in the southern half of Pennsylvania and slightly cooler than normal across northern Pennsylvania. The western half of the Commonwealth had normal amounts of precipitation, although the eastern and central portions had above average amounts of precipitation. October also brought the first snowfall of the season and even set a record in some places for the maximum snowfall amounts.

The month of October started off under high pressure with mild temperatures lasting through Thursday, October 3rd. Then, a passing cold front brought rain to the Commonwealth through Sunday, making the latter end of the week quite wet. The passing of this cold front also mildly lowered temperatures, although they easily recovered from the onset of high pressure.

This high pressure dominated at the start of the second week of October, as the low that brought rain the previous week moved off to the coast. Mostly sunny skies prevailed with seasonable temperatures, until a second trough plagued the Commonwealth by Friday, October 11th. This trough enveloped Pennsylvania with rain until Tuesday, October 15th, when a quick-moving high pressure system brought temporary sunny skies. The sunshine was short-lived however, when a deepening low pressure system brought rain to the Commonwealth for the rest of the week. This low pressure system was centered over Canada and deepened as a result of staying stationary from the presence of high pressure. The low, however, combined with a secondary low pressure system that was over Eastern Canada before finally moving northward on Monday.

Even as the low moved off of the coast on Monday, residual effects were still be experienced from the low, as temperatures dropped considerably. By Thursday, October 24th however, rain had returned to Pennsylvania (and the entire eastern portion of the Country) and temperatures cooled even further. A brief dry and warm period ensued, before a low pressure system set in and brought the first snowfall of the year on the eve of Halloween.