One could almost mistake this fine fall October day for a hot summer July day, except the asters are blooming, and asters don’t bloom in July.
I walked the labyrinth of the lawn late this afternoon after work, deep in thought. It might have looked like I was mowing the lawn, but actually I was planning how to battle the moles, thinking about an idea for the garden bloggers’ bloom day in winter when flowers won’t be blooming outside at my house, and theorizing on why summer seems so persistent this year.
Why has summer been so persistent this year? So hot. So dry. So long. Today I think we tied the 1922 record with a high temperature of 87 F. Don’t quote me on that, but I think that’s right. (Edit… we DID tie the record, I was right.)
While I was mowing, I came up with two theories on why we are still ‘enjoying’ summer weather in October.
Theory 1: Mother Nature is trying to make amends for allowing winter to take up so much of spring’s time by giving us more summer. Remember how we all complained about the cold weather of April? It will be a cold day in spring before I do that again!
Theory 2: The garden fairies found a long forgotten secret potion and drugged Mother Nature. She’s fast asleep someplace and so hasn’t flipped the switch to turn on fall.
I have a feeling that fall will arrive all of a sudden one day, when Mother Nature wakes up and realizes what day it is. We’ll go from high temperatures in the 80’s one day to high temperatures in the 60’s the next day. In fact, based on what the weathermen are saying, I think that’s what’s going to happen here this coming Thursday.
I just hope Mother Nature isn’t so mad at the garden fairies that she makes winter colder or snowier than usual.
Any other theories on why summer is hanging on like this?
Hi Carol,
If you had a weather station you would know for sure what the high temperature was every day! 😉
–Robin (Bumblebee)
Robin(Bumblebee)… You are so right! I want a weather station! It would really enhance my total gardening experience.
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I think you’re probably right that Mother Nature is drugged and sleeping. I just hope she doesn’t act rashly when she wakes up.
Don’t you just hate weather like this? It goes from hot & sticky to chill & damp so fast that the body doesn’t have time to adjust. You’re optimistic if you’re picturing a change from the 80’s to the 60’s. I’m thinking it’s going to be more like a change to highs in the 40’s & low 50’s. If I were smart, I’d be hunting up gloves & having the kids try on their winter coats right now.
Carol, this is crazy weather indeed. I can’t believe the weather extremes we’ve had for the last year and it looks like that trend may continue.
I did see today that the weather prediction for Wednesday is 60. 90 on Monday and 60 on Wednesday, CRAZY!
Hi Carol,
Until you get your fun weather station, you could check the Weather Underground page. Scroll down and see the Personal Weather Sites for neighborhoods and subdivisions.
As to reasons, I’d wonder whether those Bears put a hex on you after the SuperBowl, but it looks like Chicago is almost as hot as Indianapolis!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
PS Thank you for linking to the Labyrinth post. It was special to me, and you have made it more so.
Global warming. global warming. global warming. That is why summer is persisting longer and arriving earlier. Get used to it. It is going to get worse.
Just another quirky October, Carol. We’ve had them before and we’ll have them again.
Actually, I enjoy this weather – hot , then cold, then hot again. At least it’s not boring.
Carltongardener… You and me both. I do have a feeling fall will arrive quite suddenly.
Mr. McGregor’s Daugher… Today was quite warm, probably another record. So I bought a new winter coat in anticipation of cold weather.
Robin’s Nesting Place… It is crazy weather, we’ll see what Wednesday brings.
Annie in Austin…Happy to include the link, it’s a great post that you wrote. And those Bears, wouldn’t they figure out that a hex on our weather would affect them, too? They aren’t that far away!
Healingmagichands… But wasn’t fall much earlier last year?
Carolyn Gail… Indeed, the weather isn’t boring. I guess since we tied the record that was set in 1922, “this has happened before” and will likely happen again.
Thanks all for the nice comments!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Enjoy your warm fall.
Our fall is unseasonalble cool.
Who knew?
Carol, it looks, from weather.com, like our drop in temps will happen tomorrow, and then it’s all over. I’m ready for it, but it’s going to be weird — I was sweating in my house today like it was July or something. In fact, I’m typing this in my bedroom, the only place where I have a window-unit a/c, and that a/c is running. In October. In Iowa.
It’s bizarre. And I can’t help but think this isn’t good for the plants…