Yakima To Experience Indian Summer

It’s October, but for the next week, it’s going to feel like August. Temperatures are going to be in the 80s starting tomorrow, peak at 85 on Monday, and drop back into seasonal norms by next Saturday. Some Yakimanians are happy to get a last stretch of summer weather to enjoy the outdoors, while others are just ready for fall to start right away!

Indian Summer

It is actually unknown where the term Indian Summer comes from, but it refers to an unseasonably mild stretch of weather in the autumn. Linguists believe it stretches back to early America, where white settlers noted that there was a special season when Native Americans would hunt in the early autumn.

Due to dryness by September and October, this season was often characterized by unrestrained forest fires that produced hefty amounts of smoke. This provided ideal hunting conditions for the Native Americans, which was noted by settlers.

How Often Does Yakima Have An Indian Summer?

Since there is no exact definition of what temperatures denote an Indian summer, we’ll consider it a period longer than 3 days of temperatures in the 80s in early October. This has occurred in 1906, 1907, 1908, 1917, 1921, 1933, 1943, 1952, 1958, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1987, 1988, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2020, and 2022.

Interestingly, it is relatively uncommon to have an Indian summer, occurring in only around 14% of years. However, Indian summer years frequently appear in clusters with a long stretch in between. Ex. 1906, 1907, 1908; 1970, 1971; 1987, 1988; 2014, 2015! The interesting thing is that the stretches between clusters average around a 9-12 year spacing.

The most Indian summers occurred in El Niño years with 8, which is relevant because of this year’s super El Niño. However, this is a weak correlation, as 7 occurred during La Niña years!

A dirt field with trees in the background

Records

Yakima’s hottest October occurred in 1906, where the average high for the whole month was 76.3; 1917 carried the longest Indian summer with a whopping 12 days in the 80s; and Yakima recorded its hottest October temperature on October 6, 2014, at 91!

In any case, enjoy this Indian summer and be on the lookout for some more in the next few years. They come in clusters!