A weather event is not climate. The coldest ever October temperature in the lower 48 states was recorded in Peter Sinks, Utah on October 28th, at -45 degrees F (-43 degrees C). Peter Sinks is located in the mountains north of Logan, Utah
Source: Winter weather in October: Arctic cold breaks records in Utah, Denver
Utah State University has a page explaining why such incredibly cold temperatures form at this location.
Most electric vehicles will not operate at this temperature; those that do will likely experience up to -50% reduction in range. Many gas cars will not start either at those temperatures.
The cold weather descending from California is the critical factor in why winds have been so high in parts of California.
The Governor blames “climate change”. But are the high winds due to climate change?
“Would this fire have happened if there was no climate change? Probably,” said Paul Ulrich, an associate professor of climate modeling at UC Davis.
Source: California fires: Is climate change making the winds stronger?
Professor Cliff Mass, professor of atmospheric sciences says:
Now several folks are talking about this event being associated with global warming. CA Governor Newson said this in a press conference. This is simply not true.
But what message is the public hearing? That this event is due to “global heating” even though science does not say that about this event.
The winds were due to a very cold air mass descending south from Canada, which causes high pressure relative to areas further south. This cold air led to 3 low temperature records in my town, one at -3 degrees F. Spokane, WA experienced its coldest October on record.
This cold air mass, in turn causes strong winds to flow from the high in the north and north east towards California. This is a common event in the fall. If you read the California fires story, above, you will learn of many associated causes of the fires (including more people, building more homes in wild land areas, and PG&E’s historical lack of electrical line maintenance, and uninsulated power lines in close proximity to trees.)
Warmer air, like in California, is often associated with nearby very cold air masses. That’s just how weather systems work.
