Cold Front, Fall Arrive in El Paso This Week

Prepare to give your AC and evaporative units a rest for a few days. Fall officially arrives this week, and right on cue, cooler temperatures do too.

After a week of above normal highs, cooler temperatures are heading our way with the arrival of the season’s first cold front just ahead of the first day of fall on Wednesday.

But I use the term "cold front" loosely. Real El Pasoans know "cold front" doesn't necessarily mean bundle up in a heavy jacket, as will be the case with this one.

Although a 10 degree drop from one day to the next sounds chilly compared to the unseasonably hot temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, real fall-like temperatures will have to wait.

According to the National Weather Service El Paso, temperatures will drop below 90º starting Tuesday, which is more in line with what afternoon temperatures should be this time of the year. So don't get too excited, Pumpkin Spice Lattes will still need to be ordered iced.

Record Highs

El Paso hit a string of unseasonably hot days over the last week or so, with daily highs nearing, tying, and breaking records. Tuesday’s (9/14) high of 98 tied the record set in 1918, and the triple we hit Thursday (9/16) was the latest 100-degree day in the season since 1956. Friday’s 98-degree reading was one degree shy of tying the record high of 99 set in 1956.

This Week: Fall, Cold Front Arrives

Per the TV weather guys and gals, winds will start to kick up on Monday (9/20) in advance of a cold front that will push into our little corner of the desert on Tuesday cooling us down instantly by around 10 degrees. For the remainder of the work-week, we’ll see mid-to-upper 80s.

Not exactly leggings and UGGs with an over-sized sweater weather just yet, but our bank accounts will certainly love the break from the excessively high electric bills.