October 10, 2024, 10:49 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Garden owners should always keep an eye on the weather. On the one hand, the weather forecast can help with this, while on the other hand, farmers’ rules can also provide a rough trend. myHOMEBOOK asked a weather expert what golden October will look like in 2024.
A golden October is generally associated with bright autumn leaves in the sunshine. Here, autumn initially shows its friendliest side before the onset of possibly dingy rainy weather. What will the weather be like in October 2024? And what should garden owners prepare for?
What a golden October means
Meteorologist Jörg Riemann from the Berliner Wettermanufaktur generally refers to a golden October as “high-pressure conditions with stable weather.” Fog forms early in the morning; the nights are already cold, but it can be sunny and warm during the day. “Golden October is basically an extension of Indian summer,” explains the weather expert when asked by myHOMEBOOK.
Farmer’s rule about the weather in October
This Indian summer, which is usually in September, also heralds a possibly golden October, according to an old country saying. “If it’s bright and beautiful at the end of September, it will go on like this for four weeks,” says the farmer’s saying. What will it be like in October 2024?
Taken literally, the farmer’s rule says that good weather at the end of September – i.e., a sunny Indian summer – will be followed by a golden October. Riemann says he is a fan of weather rules, but in this case, he has to temper expectations. “In the first half of October, it looks more like a typical autumnal weather situation. The wind may even reach gale force.” In general, stable high-pressure weather is not expected in the first half of the month. But: “If we’re lucky, it will get better in the second half.”
Farmer’s rule is scientifically proven
The Free University of Berlin has also already looked into the subject and made some astonishing findings, as the expert explains: “If it is sunny and warm or generally too warm at the end of September, the probability that October will also be warm increases to 65 percent. This means that a warm October can be expected in two out of three years.”
Although 65 percent doesn’t seem very high in principle, this is a significant probability when it comes to the weather, he adds. Unfortunately, the weather at the end of September 2024 is not so good, which is why October is off to a rather autumnal start. However, there have been relatively frequent golden Octobers in recent years, says the expert.
How the weather in October affects the garden
In principle, a golden October also has some advantages for garden owners. As the temperatures are usually pleasantly mild during the day and the sun is shining, the gardening season is simply extended.
However, this year is a little different. It could rain a lot, especially in the first half of October. “Good for nature, because plants and trees need the water,” explains Riemann. And if the weather improves in the second half of October, garden owners can use this time to gradually prepare the garden for winter.
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Will there be the first frost in October?
“That’s a good question,” says Riemann with regard to the weather in October 2024. The first frost is an important time for hobby gardeners, as all plants that are not hardy have to be moved then. According to Riemann, frosts are not expected in the first half of October.
What about the second half of the month? “With the nights getting longer and longer, frost may come close to the ground,” says Riemann. This is favored by a nocturnal cooling of the air layers near the ground. “It can be warm during the day, but the ground frost comes at night.” Riemann would not rule out frost, especially towards the end of October. Gardening enthusiasts should, therefore, take precautions in good time and provide frost protection for their plants.