In Mount Shasta, October typically brings a white mountain, spectacular skies and exceedingly moderate weather. Add to the mix the arrival of fall color and October is often a spectacular month. This is often the season when lenticular clouds begin to show up with more frequency as the fluctuation of weather patterns often produces these unique and magnificent cloud formations. After I heralded the arrival of autumn at the end of September, October 2026 has proven a different beast. While never truly hot, the temperatures have hovered in the upper 70’s and 80’s. The sky has remained clear and often cloudless and the high temperatures have impacted the quality of the fall color. The only real consistently autumnal presence has been the increasingly low angle of the sun’s light. This alone has really made the season feel as it ought. It is still with great anticipation that I have been awaiting the rest of autumn’s superb attributes.

Thankfully, the turn seems to have finally arrived. The sky filled with clouds and a little rain has been forecasted.

The weather really started to turn on the 19th, nearly 3 weeks into October. I had a feeling the sunrise would be a good one so I headed out to Truchas Ridge for the sunrise. It certainly did not let me down. Before the sun was up the sky was filled with lenticulars. Though these shrank a bit by the time the color got good, it remained an absolutely stunning sunrise. The clouds persisted through the day. Fall felt like it was rolling in on the changing conditions.

Tuesday saw more lenticular activity, though it was marred somewhat by a massive cloud coming from a controlled burn south of Mount Shasta. It was still an epic sight in the fall illumination. Wednesday morning witnessed the clouds persisting and catching the morning light. Rain is coming. Fall is finally here, a relief after such a dry and warm beginning to the month.