Autumn: My favorite season, but...

Where's the cool weather that's supposed to accompany it? As far as I'm concerned, cool weather and Autumn go hand-in-hand, but that has not been the case for the lower Mississippi Valley region.

As my friends back in Western Washington have been enduring a glum, cool, wet summer & fall, we've been enduring an abnormally warm one. Last Saturday, for instance, November 1st, we set out early on a brief drive towards the forested areas outside of St Louis, to enjoy the Fall foliage at its peak. I wore shorts, a t-shirt, and sandals, as though it were early September still, since it climbed well into the mid 70's by early Noon. It felt odd seeing the beautiful colors, but feeling as though you might break a sweat if you sat in the car too long without a breeze to cool you off. By all rights, we should have been donning sweatshirts and touting travel mugs with tasty coffee as we drove about. Instead, it was 'sunglasses with the windows rolled down'. :(




Relief has finally arrived, however, as the warm, upper level ridge that has blanketed the region is being pushed off by a strong cold front, bringing with it, temps about 15-20° lower. Yesterday we saw highs in the upper 70's, but by tomorrow, Friday, 11/7, it'll only climb into the 50's, and that brings a big smile to my face. Sweatshirt and a latte, here I come!