October: Fair, Dry, Gone

“October was so beautiful in many respects it is hard to realize just how fortunate we have been,” Richard G. Hendrickson wrote in his monthly weather report from Bridgehampton. “First, there were no heavy rains, therefore no flooded cellars, no washouts, or deep gullies in our large potato fields, no gullies that eroded severely for public transportation. Our roads, walkways, and cellars were all spared a flood, yet during our next month it could happen.”

Mr. Hendrickson, a United States Cooperative weather observer, recorded a scant .15 inch of rain in October. Compare that to 1.35 inches in October of last year.

The highest temperature last month was 79 degrees on the 4th. The lowest Mr. Hendrickson recorded was 25 degrees on the night of Oct. 26.

“November should give us cooler weather, heavier rainfall, cloudier days, and stronger winds,” the veteran weather observer predicted.