Low temperatures hang around the area; portable houses on Lake Minnewaska

Saturday morning’s low of a minus 2 degrees tied the record low for Nov. 23, which was set in 1985. It fell to a minus 2 at about 5 a.m. and bounced between 0 and 2 below zero until 8:30 a.m. November 23, 1985, the high only reached 8 above; last Saturday’s high was 16.
It was the first time this late fall that the temperature has fallen below zero. Last year, the first minus temperature wasn’t recorded until Dec. 10 when it fell to 14 degrees below zero. In 2011, the first below zero reading came Nov. 20 when it fell to a minus 6 degrees, setting the record for the date.
While temperatures are forecast to be below average this week, there are no more below zero days in the forecast. There certainly aren’t any forecasts that would bring temperatures that would break any more record lows in the coming days. The average high this fourth week in November is 32 degrees with a low average of 17 degrees.
To break a record between Nov. 24 and Nov. 30, a temperature has to fall into the double digits below zero.
Photo:  A Thanksgiving drive by Lake Minnewaska revealed portable fish houses all ready for the winter season. According to Minnewaska Bait and Tackle, fishermen are finding 6" of good ice on many parts of the lake, though this early in the season extreme caution is advised.