October records and early sunsets

Heading into the start of November, the end of Daylight Saving Time is typically the big story. But this year the continuing warm spells and a worsening drought have been the main headlines. (More on the time change in a bit.)

Halloween Records

High temperatures reflected late-summer across all of Delmarva on Thursday, and made for a toasty evening for the kids in costumes for trick-or-treating. Highs of 80-82 degrees were common in most areas, even along the coastlines. It was warm enough for new records in Dover and Wallops.

Driest on Record

And an unseasonably warm Halloween wasn’t the only record setting event. In Salisbury and Georgetown, October came to a close as the driest on record. In fact, it was so dry that October of 2024 became the driest month – of all-time – in both locales. Sunday also continues Georgetown’s record streak of 37 days without measurable rain, with Salisbury tied for its 2nd longest streak on record.

Drought Worsens

The vast majority of Delmarva is now experiencing moderate or severe drought. A few opportunities for showers exist late in the week and possibly this weekend, but this may only be good news for the fact that the pattern is finally shifting. It will take some time and consistent rainfall to reverse course.

Early Sunsets

Early Sunday morning marked the end of Daylight Saving Time. Losing an hour of daylight in the evening, sunset is now before 5pm for most of Delmarva and will be for all spots this coming week. We won’t see sunsets past 5pm again until the second week of January.