It rained a bit more than average on the central Oregon coast in October, but the rain gauges need a lot more the last two months of the year to get to average, according to Yachats-area weather watchers.
Adam Altson, whose house overlooks the ocean in Yachats, recorded 6.04 inches of rain in October, which is slightly above his eight-year average. But his 10-month total is still just 38.47 inches of rain, his lowest ever to date.
Julie Bailey, who lives at the 200-foot level of Horizon Hill, recorded 7.98 inches of rain in October for a year-to-date total of 49.85 inches. That’s almost exactly the same as Bailey’s 10-month total in 2023 but 15 inches below her total last year at this time.
Jim Adler, who lives three miles up the Yachats River valley, measured 8.54 inches of rain in October, which was nearly three-quarters of an inch above his October average. His eight-month rain total is 56.55 inches.
Just to reinforce the difference of coastal weather, Bob Williams, who lives eight miles up the Yachats River valley, recorded 9.06 inches of rain in October for a 10-month total of 66.81 inches – almost 30 inches more than what Altson has received.
Don Tucker, who has been recording weather data for 19 years at his home two miles north of Yachats, measured 6.88 inches of rain in October, slightly above his 10-month average of 6.43 inches. His year-to-date total is 46.27 inches of rain, four inches below normal.
Other October weather notes
- Adler: “I’ll need a combined November and December of 34.18 inches of rain in order to make this an average year of 90.73 inches. Not unthinkable, just fairly unlikely.”
- Bailey: 18 days of rain October, but 18 days of temperatures over 60 degrees, including 80.7 degrees on Oct. 6.
- Altson: Measured 2.67 inches of rain Oct 25, his one-day record for October. His high temperature of 83.9 degrees on Oct. 6, prompted this research: “They never seem to fall in the middle of the summer, so I checked my records. Sure enough, I’ve recorded 23 days with a temperature greater than 80. I have never reached that mark in June or July. I’ve reached it eight times in March, April and May, four times in August, September is the leader with eight days, and I’ve now reached it three times in October.”
