10/13/17
By: Weather Reporter Bill Kinsland
(Sautee)- There is an old poem penned in 1882 by James Whitcomb Riley which opens with the words “When the frost is on the punkin…”. So it’s October, a time when we expect nice cool weather and time for “first frost” and warm drinks flavored with pumpkin spice. Not so in White County this year!
If you think the temperatures have been more like summer, you’re right. Actually, thermometers Tuesday and Wednesday broke all-time high-temperature records all over White County.
On Tuesday, the high temperature at WRWH in Cleveland was 84 degrees which was 11 degrees above normal, breaking the previous record of 82 set in 2010. Wednesday afternoon, again another record was broken when the temperature reached 86…fully 13 degrees above normal…, overturning the previous record of 83 set in 2010.
In Helen, the temperature topped out at 87 degrees Tuesday afternoon, which was 14 degrees above normal. This beat the previous record of 84 set way back in 1958! On Wednesday, a new record was set with another 87-degree reading…again 14 degrees above normal… overturning the previous high temperature of 86 set in 1959.
In Sautee, the high Tuesday was 79 degrees, some 13 degrees above normal. This broke the previous high of 75 recorded in 2007. On Wednesday the mercury popped up to 82 degrees. This was 16 degrees above normal, beating the previous record of 75 set in 2010.
The prospects for “First Frost” remain slim, looking at the current forecast for the next 7 days. Although somewhat cooler than this week, high temps will be in the low to mid 70’s, cooling into the 60’s by Monday or Tuesday….and low temps will be in the 60’s, cooling to the low or mid 40’s by Monday night.
