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Today’s Forecast

56º | Partly cloudy | 4% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:18 a.m. | Sunset 4:34 p.m.
 

Travel and Outdoors

Waking up in a fog? In October, that’s normal
The outline of the sun and trees are barely visible through thick fog
Portland has recorded four days of dense fog so far this October. | Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday
October may be better known for Halloween or fall colors, but in the Portland metro area we also know it as Fog Month.

Two mornings of thick fog in the Willamette Valley this week slowed traffic and had us reaching for a beanie and extra sweater before walking our dogs.

National Weather Service (NWS) Portland meteorologist Clinton Rockey told PDXtoday this weather pattern should come as no surprise. “This is definitely the time of year — October and early November is the sweet time,” he said, adding that early fall rain provided the perfect conditions for fog to form. “There are three key things you need: wet ground, clearing skies, and light winds.”

Portland records an average of 12 days of fog each October, the most of any calendar month, including six “dense fog” days where visibility drops to a quarter mile or less. So far this October we have witnessed four dense fog days, a long way from the historic record of 16 in 1949. Some readers may also remember October 1986, when Portland shivered through a record 10 days in a row of dense fog.

Rockey, however, sees foggy conditions in a more positive light. “A lot of people — especially kids — love fog. It’s like an Etch A Sketch where you can’t really imagine what’s out there without using your imagination,” he said.

The NWS, however, does not advise you to use your imagination when driving. Instead, during your morning commute, you should:
  • Reduce your driving speed and use low beams
  • Leave extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you
Asked

Which is your favorite Portland weather month?
A. October (Fog Month)
B. December (Rain Month)
C. January (Snow Month)
D. July (Sun Month)
E. Other (Tell us the month and why)
Let us know
Events
Thursday, Oct. 19
  • Portland Fermentation Festival | Thursday, Oct. 19 | 6-9 p.m. | Ecotrust Building, 721 NW Ninth Ave., Portland | $15-$30 | Try kimchi, miso, and other fermented foods and experience a “bacterial petting zoo” at this event also known as “Stinkfest.”
  • “Young Frankenstein” | Thursday, Oct. 19-Sunday, Oct. 29 | Times vary | Winningstad Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, Portland | $32-$59 | Experience this unique adaptation of Mel Brooks’ hilarious 1974 hit film.
Friday, Oct. 20
  • Sipping by the Tombstones | Friday, Oct. 20 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Davis Graveyard, 8703 SE 43rd Ave., Milwaukie | $40 | Get a behind-the-screams look at this popular neighborhood haunt, meet the display’s creators, and enjoy food and drinks at this 21+ event benefiting DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital.
Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Oddities & Curiosities Expo | Saturday, Oct. 21-Sunday, Oct. 22 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland | $12-$235 | Browse a variety of rare and unusual items like preserved butterflies, funeral collectibles, and original art, take a rabbit taxidermy class, see sideshow performances, and more.
  • Mead and Read Night | Saturday, Oct. 21 | 5-9 p.m. | Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery, 4515 SE 41st Ave., Portland | Free | Listen to five local authors read from their works while drinking mead at this medieval-themed space.
  • Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo | Saturday, Oct. 21 | 6 p.m. | Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., Portland | $23+ | The stakes are simple, win and the Timbers are in the playoffs.
Saturday, Nov. 4
  • Michael Lewis: Going Infinite | Saturday, Nov. 4 | 12 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway Ave., Portland | $5-$30 | No. 1 best-selling author Michael Lewis (The Big Short, Moneyball) will appear at a special event at Portland Book Festival.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Biz

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News Notes
Transit
  • TriMet is adding Multnomah County District Attorney staff to increase the safety of the community when using public transport by holding people who commit crimes against riders accountable. The team is focused squarely on transit-related cases and will work closely with other agencies and community groups.
Number
  • 27. That’s the percentage of Oregonians who say they have “ghosted” (i.e. completely ignored) a romantic interest, or been ghosted themselves, according to a recent Forbes survey. While that figure seems scary, it places Oregon as the least likely state to be ghosted in the US. (KOIN)
Plan Ahead
  • Must be the season of the witch. The Portland SUP Witches will take to the Willamette on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m. Paddleboarders in pointy hats (warlocks are invited too) will float between Willamette Park and Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The event is also a fundraiser for local nonprofits.
Real Estate
  • A rare oversized lot? Check. An alpaca enclosure? Check. Not one, but two Airstreams? Check. Listed at $799,900, this unique urban oasis in St. Johns is centered around a lovely three-bedroom Craftsman homestead. (Portland Monthly)
Biz
  • Outdoor retailer REI announced additional job cuts six months after the closure of its Portland store. Thirteen staff members in Oregon will be impacted by the Seattle-based company’s recent restructuring. (KOIN)
Seasonal
  • The scariest thing about Halloween? The cost of candy. Lizzy Acker with The Oregonian/Oregon Live went on a local sweets search, keeping in mind factors like price, variety, and vibes. Who took the overall throne? Fred Meyer, for selling huge bags, decorations, and a cheap bowl for the treats. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
Feel Good

Pachyderms vs. pumpkins

Oregon Zoo elephants will let the gourd times roll ahead of Halloween
Two elephants stomp on giant pumpkins at Oregon Zoo
Oregon Zoo elephants pulverize giant pumpkins during last year’s Squish the Squash event. | Photo by Shervin Hess/Oregon Zoo
First they destroy them, then they enjoy them.

No, those words aren’t from a horror film, Oregon Zoo elephant handler Steve Lefave is referring to the Squish the Squash event — one of the most unique animal Halloween traditions in the world.

This morning marks the event’s 25th anniversary, when the zoo’s Asian elephants will demolish some of the region’s largest pumpkins at 10:30 a.m.

Trust us, this is an event worth tuning in for. “We’ll be giving our elephant family some extra-large pumpkins to stomp on and chomp on,” Lefave said.

The tradition started in 1999 when Hoffman’s Dairy Garden of Canby provided an 828-pound pumpkin for the elephant family to enjoy. Since then, local farmers have continued to donate overstock pumpkins each year for the zoo to use.

The event is a lead-in for the zoo’s Howloween celebrations, held Oct. 28-29.
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The Wrap
 
Mark Worley Headshot

Today’s edition by:
Mark
From the editor
As someone who grew up in Tasmania (down under Down Under), I’m thrilled to be visiting Portland for a few days to work with Ben and Cambrie during Fog Month. These mornings feel like home. Enjoy the sun today Portlanders.
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