Bend’s September was the warmest on record, National Weather Service says
Prineville also warmer than usual last month, but no record-setter
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In case you didn't notice -- and you probably did -- Bend experienced a much warmer than normal September -- a record, in fact, according to a report Thursday from the National Weather Service in Pendleton.
The average temperature recorded at Bend Airport east of town, the city's official recording station, was 63 degrees, which was 6.5 degrees above normal (the 30-year average) for September, the NWS said.
That makes it the warmest September on record. The previous warmest was 62.5 degrees in 2011, the weather service said. Bend's weather records going back to 1901.
High temperatures in Bend last month averaged 80.3 degrees, which was 6.8 degrees above normal. The month's high was 100 degrees, recorded on the 5th. Low temperatures averaged 45.8 degrees, which was also 6.3 degrees above normal. The lowest reading was 34 degrees, on the 28th.
On seven days, September high temperatures topped 90 degrees. It was at least 100 degrees on two days.
It was also, once again, very dry in Bend. Precipitation totaled just 0.05 inches during September, which was 0.36 inches below normal. Measurable precipitation - at least .01 inch - was received on just one day.
Precipitation this year has reached 5.49 inches, which is 1.68 inches below normal. Since October, the water year precipitation at Bend has been 6.89 inches, which is 4.47 inches below normal.
Bend's outlook for October from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center calls for above-normal temperatures and near to above-normal precipitation. Normal highs for Bend fall from 68.0 degrees at the start of October to 55.0 degrees at the end of October. Normal lows fall from 36.0 degrees to 31.0 degrees. The 30-year normal precipitation is 0.60 inches.
The picture was similarly warm at Prineville Airport, but not quite the record-breaker.
Prineville's average temperature of 62.4 degrees was 3.4 degrees above normal High temperatures averaged 81.7 degrees, 3.8 degrees above normal. Lows averaged 43, or 2.9 degrees above normal.
It was Prineville's fourth-warmest September on record. The warmest average temperatures was 65.9 degrees in 2011.
Prineville's precipitation totaled .029 inches in September, or .09 inches below normal. Precipitation for the year has reached 5.94 inches, 1.29 inches below normal. For the water year back to last October, the precipitation totaled 7.5 inches, or 3.18 inches below normal.
