Heavy rain on Halloween

Observation by Kendra Zamzow:

I have lived in Chickaloon for 10 years, and we seem to get our first "this snow is going to stay" snowfall around Halloween. This year it is raining and 36-degrees Fahrenheit - a few degrees cooler and it would be snow! There is also no snow in the forecast for the next week. The Matanuska Experiment Farm in Palmer says they got 1 1/8" of rain on Saturday. I think we got more than that, but based on their measurements I would revise my estimate down to 1 1/2 to 2 inches on Saturday. This is beneficial for me, as I can collect rainwater further into the year, and I am using less firewood. I wonder what animals it is beneficial for or detrimental to?

LEO Network Comment: Thank you Kendra for sharing! Please see related event article about the impacts of extreme rain in Girdwood Alaska during the same storm system. LEO Network recommends the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, CoCoRaHS, for anyone interested in local observations of precipitation. There is a huge need for local observers to provide precipitation measurements, and it is something that you can do from your home. For some expert climate perspective, we have shared Kendra's observation with the Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP).

Rick Thoman with ACCAP writes:

The end of October soaking in lower Matanuska Valley was the result of the same weather system that produced the flooding and damage in Girdwood and the Portage Valley. The 1.12" of rain at the Matanuska Experiment Farm is the second highest daily precipitation during the second half of October (observations, with some gaps, since 1917). Based on available data, and there are significant gaps, the Farm reports one inch or more snow cover on about half of Halloweens. There are no long term climate observations from Chickaloon but local expertise suggests snow cover is more frequent there at the end of October than at the Experiment Farm. Ms. Zamzow may want to consider installing a rain gauge in her location and if desired reporting through the CoCoRaHS network. Inexpensive but accurate rain gauges can be purchased through CoCoRaHS here. Because of the great variability in precipitation caused in part by the mountains interacting with storm systems, daily precipitation reports from Chickaloon would be of great value to many people and organizations.