Update on October 2011 (warmest ever?) in GFK

Through October 24th, the mean monthly temperature has been 53.2°F here in Grand Forks. Through October 16th, it stood at 58.9°F. High temperatures through the work week look to top out at seasonable values in the mid to upper 40s. Then for the weekend, ridging should allow for a warm-up, with an abnormally warm Halloween of 60°F possible. With average temperatures in the mid to upper 30s this week, then mid to upper 40s for the weekend, it will continue to fall. The all-time record warmest October for GFK occurred in 1973, with a mean monthly temperature of 50.1°F. Although we are still 3.1°F above that mark, I suspect we will fall just short of the record within a degree or two. This warm stretch of days is a good example of what a long-duration positive Arctic Oscillation, or AO, (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/ao.sprd2.gif) can do for Northern Plains weather.