October arrives Sunday, and with it the possibility - however remote - for snow in Baltimore. No, there's none in the forecast. But the 10th month is the first for which Baltimore has a recorded history of snowfall.

The earliest recorded date for snow in Baltimore is Oct. 9.  Just a trace fell on that date in 1895, and again in 1903, according to the National Weather Service. The earliest measurable snow was 0.3 inch, which fell on Oct. 10, 1979.

There have been traces of snow on five other occasions, all between 1930 and 1977. The only other date with measurable snow on the city's weather books is Oct. 30, 1925, when 2.4 inches was recorded downtown.

The 27-year hiatus between the last October snowfall (1979) and today is the longest on the record books, although there have been two 22-year gaps (1903-1925 and 1930-1952). Snow fell twice during October 1952, and three times during the 1970s.

Generally speaking, October is a delightful month in Baltimore. The average daily high temperature slips from 73 degrees on the 1st,to 62 degrees by Halloween. The overnight lows sink from 50 degrees to 39.

But it can still be quite warm. The record highs range from 97 degrees (Oct. 5) to 80 degrees (Oct. 25). The record lows range from 25 degrees on the 24th, to 36 degrees on the 1st.

On average, the month at BWI-Marshall sees 3.16 inches of rain, but we saw 9.23 inches only last year - the wettest October for Baltimore since 1871, thanks to the remnants of a tropical storm. The driest October on the books was in 1963 - an infamous drought year, when only a trace of October rain was recorded at BWI.

The snowiest month here, on average, is January (7 inches). The latest date for snow in Baltimore?  May 9 - a trace, in 1923. Seems a very long way off.