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© Larry TanglenLaurel cheerleaders wore warm headbands and stocking caps to protect themselves from the cold temperatures at Friday night’s football game against the Dawson County Red Devils. Laurel won 49-7. The unseasonably cold temperatures dipped into the teens.
The first day of winter is more than two months away, but area residents received a reminder last week of what is in store for them as the seasons change.

The unexpected record setting cold brought freezing temperatures, freezing rain and snow to the area last week, brought road construction to a halt and left unprepared residents with frozen sprinkler lines and damaged garden produce.

The four-day record-setting cold blast tied the all time low temperature of 18 degrees on Oct. 9, set in 1993. The 1987 record low of 21 degrees for Oct. 10 was shattered with a 16 degree reading. Sunday, Oct. 11, the 1959 record low of 22 degrees was broken when the thermometer dropped to 14 degrees. Monday, Oct. 12 the temperature continued to drop to break the 1969 record low of 22 degrees with a bone-chilling 13 degree reading.

The low readings Oct. 11-13 all marked the earliest dates on record that such low temperatures have been reached, according to a report issued by the National Weather Service in Billings.

The previous earliest date for a temperature of 16, 14 or 13 degrees or colder was recorded Oct. 28, 1971, with a low reading of 3 degrees and Oct. 28, 1991 with a reading of 11 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to warm during the remainder of the week with seasonal highs climbing back into the mid-50s by tomorrow and the 60s by the weekend.

The temperature has not reached 60 degrees yet this October. Previously no other October has gone more than four days before recording a high temperature of 60 degrees or more. Temperatures are not expected to break the 60 degree mark until Friday.

The average high temperature last October was 59 degrees.

Today, Laurel residents can expect a chance of rain, snow, and freezing rain before noon, then a chance of rain continuing into the afternoon. The skies will be mostly cloudy, with a high temperature near 49 degrees. Winds 5 to 8 mph are expected and there is a 50 percent chance of precipitation during the day, dropping to 20 percent during the night. An overnight low of 34 degrees is predicted.

The National Weather Service forecast for the rest of the week:

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 57 degrees. West southwest wind around 8 mph.

Thursday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35 degrees.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60 degrees.

Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38 degrees.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67 degrees. Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41 degrees.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61 degrees.

Sunday night: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38 degrees.