Today is first day of fall
Mountain snow and autumn plumes begin to shine
By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer
White and gold are the colors of autumn in the Rocky Mountains. Today marks the official beginning of one of the most beautiful seasons in Central Idaho. Photo by Willy Cook
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Mother Nature dug into her autumn wardrobe last week and donned a white hat and a gold-and-green sweater. But maybe she?s getting a little forgetful because fall didn?t officially start until today.
Fall in the Rocky Mountains is usually pretty mild and dry, but this year is turning conventional wisdom on its head. Temperatures have been cold, and weather has been wet. Snow has been early and fairly abundant.
For the inhabitants of this rugged part of the world, it means hats and jackets need to come out of the closet a little sooner than one might have guessed. Not to mention windshield ice scrappers hidden in the summer debris of our vehicles.
But there are other signs of transition, too.
This year?s crop of new, colorful skis are appearing in store windows. Charitable raffles, including Sun Valley season passes, are circulating. Mountain bikers are planning their final big rides into the high country.
?The mountain biking?s awesome because it?s beautiful out. There?s hardly anybody here, and it?s almost time to go skiing,? said local resident Caleb Baukol.
Baukol pointed out the beauty of living in a place where seasonal transitions are a predictable part of life. There?s always a change to look forward to.
Despite the chilly weather of late, weather forecasters are predicting a return to normal for the month of October over most of the Rocky Mountain states. And as dismal as it sounds in a ski town, the long-range winter forecast points to above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation throughout the northern Rockies.
The ongoing drought is forecast to continue.
?That would be bad news for us,? said Idaho Department of Water Resources spokesman Mike Keckler. ?As you know, we have very little water carryover whatsoever in our reservoirs.?
Keckler was encouraged to hear that it?s been snowing in the mountains already, and he opted for a cup-half-full perspective on the coming winter.
?We?re keeping our fingers crossed,? he said. ?We?re going to be a little more optimistic. We have to be. We?re in the fifth year of a hard drought, and we have got to get some relief. We?re hoping it?ll start this winter.?
