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Weather History

January 10 to January 16: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
January 10 to January 16: This week in Denver weather history

January weather is like the weather of any other month in Denver  in that you can see just about any type of condition possible.  However, three conditions are dominant during the month – wind, snow and cold.  All three make many appearances in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

7-10

In 1962…a major winter storm dumped 13.5 inches of snow on metro Denver.  A foot of the snow fell on the 8th when northeast winds gusted to 30 mph.  The storm was followed by an intense blast of very cold arctic air.  Minimum temperature readings of 24 degrees below zero occurred on both the 9th and 10th.  The temperature never reached above zero on the 9th when a maximum reading of 1 degree below zero was recorded.  Temperatures were below zero for 37 consecutive hours.

8-10

In 1983…winds of 70 to 90 mph howled through Boulder. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville.  A tree blown down by the wind damaged a house in eastern Boulder County.  The strong winds developed behind a cold front late on the 8th and continued through the 10th.  At Stapleton International Airport…west to northwest winds gusted to 49 mph on the 8th…to 45 mph on the 9th…and to 48 mph on the 10th.

9-10

In 1962…the low temperature plunged to 24 degrees below zero on both days.

In 1972…a west wind gust to 60 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport…while in Boulder a wind gust to 86 mph was recorded at the National Bureau of Standards. The roof of a house was blown off…and trees were blown down in Boulder.  The high winds contributed to the damage from a building fire in Boulder.

In 2000…heavy snow and strong winds in the mountains spilled into the Front Range foothills.  Ward…northwest of Boulder…received 9 inches of new snow.  Wind gusts to 91 mph were measured in Golden Gate Canyon…with gusts to 77 mph at Loveland Ski Area and to 73 mph along State Highway 93 north of Golden.  West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.

In 2011…a winter storm brought moderate to heavy snowfall to areas in and near the Front Range foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 13 inches…3 miles south of Golden; 11.5 inches near Eldorado Springs…10.5 inches… 2 miles southwest of Boulder; 10 inches…3 miles southwest of Roxbourough State Park; 9 inches at Genessee…8.5 inches in Arvada…4 miles south-southeast of Bennett and greenwood village…8 inches… 8 miles south of Elizabeth; 7 inches at Commerce City and 6.5 inches near Louisville and at Denver International Airport. Gusty winds produced snow drifts up to 2 feet deep over the Palmer Divide.

10

In 1893…strong west winds in Boulder and the adjacent foothills caused only minor damage.

In Denver…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 64 degrees and a low of only 40 degrees…which was a record high minimum for the date.

In 1911…southwest Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees.

In 1932…the first thunderstorm ever officially recorded in Denver during January occurred in the early morning. The assistant observer heard two prolonged peals of thunder between 4:20 am and 4:25 am.  Another off-duty observer was awakened by the thunder.  Other people reported both thunder and lightning.  Light snow was falling at the time.  Pellets of graupel or hail were reported from some parts of the city.  Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches.  Northwest winds gusted to 30 mph.

In 1962…as the temperature dipped to a frigid 24 degrees below zero…setting a new record minimum for the date… The pressure adjusted to sea level reached the highest ever recorded in Denver…31.24 inches (1057.8 mb).  The altimeter setting reached 30.70 inches…and the actual station pressure recorded was 25.260 inches.

In 1988…strong winds occurred throughout the day in and near the foothills.  Peak gusts to 85 mph were recorded at Rollinsville…84 mph at Echo Lake…and 64 mph in Boulder.

In 1990…a third consecutive day of 50 to 85 mph wind gusts occurred in and along the eastern foothills.  A 5 mile portion of the Denver-Boulder turnpike was closed after clouds of blowing dust and gravel caused several multicar accidents near Broomfield.  One 59-year-old woman was killed and two others injured.  A wind gust to 81 mph was recorded at the nearby Jefferson County Airport.

In Boulder…wind gusts to 85 mph were blamed for ripping off a portion of a roof on a house…as well as blowing out the large picture window.  West winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport.  The warm Chinook winds set a record high temperature of 71 degrees in Denver for the date.

In 1996…strong northwest winds developed behind a pacific cold front that moved rapidly across northeast Colorado. A peak wind gust to 64 mph was recorded at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility in Jefferson County.  North- northeast winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.

10-11

In 1948…strong winds were reported in Boulder and Lakewood. Winds of 50 to 60 mph were reported at Valmont…just east of Boulder.  Only minor damage was reported.

In 1980…strong winds of 60 to 95 mph howled across metro Denver…causing some brief power outages and some broken windows.  A wind gust to 111 mph was recorded at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 10th.

In 1999…high winds gusting to 100 mph blasted the foothills. Peak wind gusts included:  100 mph at central city…98 mph at Wondervu…82 mph at Aspen Springs and Golden Gate Canyon… 81 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab in Boulder and near Nederland… 78 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon…and 72 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility.  West winds gusted to 38 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-12

In 1997…heavy snow fell over the Front Range foothills. A foot of new snow was measured at Blackhawk with 7 inches recorded in Coal Creek Canyon.  Only 3.3 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  East-northeast winds gusted to 18 mph at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-13

In 1963…a arctic cold wave plunged temperatures well below zero across metro Denver.  Temperatures were below zero for a total of 64 consecutive hours.  Low temperatures reached 25 degrees below zero on both the 11th and 12th.  The high temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 11th was the coldest ever recorded at Stapleton Airport and equaled the record low maximum for the month first set on January 19…1883…in downtown Denver.  The high temperature on the 12th reached only 1 degree below zero.  On the 12th…an 18-year-old youth died of exposure from the extreme cold in Denver.  There were many losses and damage to property from frozen water systems…stalled cars…and over-burdened heating systems.  Light snow accompanied the arctic blast. At Stapleton Airport…2.3 inches of snow fell on the 10th and 11th.

Continue reading January 10 to January 16: This week in Denver weather history →

World Weather

We can’t blame El Niño for all the world’s weather problems

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LIMA, Peru — As 2015 drew to a close, South America saw almost unprecedented flooding. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Paraguay, northern Argentina and southern Brazil as a result of unseasonal torrential rain. International media widely attributed the freaky weather to El Niño. Yet the whole truth is probably more complex.… Continue reading We can’t blame El Niño for all the world’s weather problems →
Climatology, Thornton Weather

2015 Thornton annual weather recap: Above normal temps, lots of precipitation

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The year that was lacked any major drama in terms of the weather.  Winter and severe weather conditions during their seasons were pretty typical.  Overall, the year saw temperatures and precipitation end above average.

Thornton’s average annual temperature for 2015 came in at 51.1 degrees.  That was a bit above Denver’s historical average of 50.5 degrees.  Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official measurements were taken, the average was 52.0 degrees.  Denver’s reading made the year the 18th warmest on record.

Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 98.1 degrees on August XX down to a low of -3.7 degrees on January XX.  We saw 44 days of high temperatures at or above 90 degrees and 131 days with low temperatures below the freezing mark.

Out at the airport, Denver saw a maximum of 98 degrees on August 15 and a low of 10 degrees below zero on January 4.  Officially the city saw 48 90 degrees days and 126 days with lows below freezing.

Denver averages 39.6 days of 90 degrees temperatures and 156.9 days with lows below 32 degrees.

In terms of precipitation, both Thornton and Denver saw their rain buckets record above normal levels.  Thornton measured 20.81 inches while DIA was drier with 18.31 inches.  Both marks were well above the annual average of 14.30 inches.  For Denver, it was the 25th wettest year on record.

Snow as well finished above normal for the calendar year.  Average is 53.8 inches.  Thornton recorded a hefty 72.1 inches of the white stuff.  Denver lagged us but was still above average with 64.4 inches.  February was the snowiest month for both locations with Thornton recording 26.7 inches and Denver 22.4 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s 2015 climate summary report.

Thornton, Colorado's 2015 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s 2015 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado's 2015 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s 2015 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
730 AM MST SAT JAN 2 2016
...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2015...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2015

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH             105   06/26/2012
                        06/25/2012
                        07/20/2005
 LOW              -29   01/09/1875
HIGHEST            98   08/15        64      34      100  07/07
LOWEST            -10   01/04        36     -46      -19  12/30
                                                          02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM     65.4              64.7     0.7     64.6
AVG. MINIMUM     38.6              36.3     2.3     36.5
MEAN             52.0              50.5     1.5     50.5
DAYS MAX >= 90     48              39.6     8.4       29
DAYS MAX <= 32     29              20.0     9.0       24
DAYS MIN <= 32    126             156.9   -30.9      150
DAYS MIN <= 0       7               5.8     1.2       14

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM        23.31   1967
 MINIMUM         7.29   2008
TOTALS          18.31             14.30    4.01    18.77
DAILY AVG.       0.05              0.03    0.02     0.05
DAYS >= .01       107              79.7    27.3       98
DAYS >= .10        49              34.9    14.1       44
DAYS >= .50        10               7.6     2.4       10
DAYS >= 1.00        2               2.3    -0.3        4
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    1.41   04/16 TO 04/17           2.85 07/29 TO 07/30

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL          115.9   1913


 24 HR TOTAL     23.6   12/24/1982 TO 12/24/1982
 SNOW DEPTH        MM   MM
TOTALS           64.4              53.8    10.6     46.1
 LIQUID EQUIV    6.44              5.40    1.04     4.61
SINCE 7/1        22.6              22.5     0.1     16.0
 LIQUID 7/1      2.26              2.20    0.06     1.60
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      0                MM      MM        0
DAYS >= TRACE      51              33.3    17.7       55
DAYS >= 1.0        25              16.3     8.7       17
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH         9   02/23                          6  12/31

 STORM TOTAL       10.5                             5.9
 (MM/DD(HH))       02/20 TO 02/23             12/29 TO 12/30

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    5479              6059    -580     5844
 SINCE 7/1       2187              2468    -281     2291
COOLING TOTAL     877               769     108      701
 SINCE 1/1        877               769     108      701

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
..................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.6
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/195
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    46/350    DATE  11/17
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    60/330    DATE  07/15

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           80
NUMBER OF DAYS PC            208
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         77

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     56

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM             71     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN               14     RAIN                      36
LIGHT RAIN              101     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          4     HAIL                       5
HEAVY SNOW                9     SNOW                      31
LIGHT SNOW               53     SLEET                      1
FOG                     111     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE     40
HAZE                     58

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

_____________________________________________________________________

..........2015 WAS WETTER AND WARMER THAN NORMAL..........

.........................TEMPERATURES...........................

TEMPERATURES FOR 2015 FINISHED ABOVE NORMAL WITH A MEAN OF 52.0
DEGREES F. WHICH IS 1.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS MAKES 2015 THE
18TH WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD. THERE WERE 48 DAYS IN WHICH THE
TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEGREES AND NO DAYS REACHING THE
CENTURY MARK. AUGUST 15TH WAS THE HOTTEST DAY OF YEAR WITH A
TEMPERATURE OF 98 DEGREES. THERE WERE 4 DAYS DURING THE YEAR IN
WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FELL BELOW ZERO. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE
RECORDED FOR THE YEAR OCCURRED ON JANUARY 4TH WITH A READING OF TEN
DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

 MONTH    MEAN TEMP  DEPARTURE     WARMEST       COLDEST
         (DEGREES F)FROM NORMAL  (DEGREES F)   (DEGREES F)
JANUARY     33.0       +3.2      40.3(1986)    16.8(1930)
FEBRUARY    33.8       +1.3      43.7(1954)    17.7(1899)
MARCH       45.0       +4.6      50.4(1910)    26.4(1912)
APRIL       48.7       +1.3      56.4(1981)    38.8(1920)
MAY         53.0       -4.1      64.7(1934)    48.7(1917)
JUNE        69.5       +2.1      75.0(2012)    60.6(1967)
JULY        72.8       -1.4      78.9(2012)    67.3(1895)
AUGUST      74.0       +1.5      77.0(2011)    66.5(1915)
SEPTEMBER   69.4       +6.0      69.4(2015)    54.7(1912)
OCTOBER     56.5       +5.6      59.9(1950)    38.9(1969)
NOVEMBER    38.5       +0.2      50.9(1949)    22.0(1930)
DECEMBER    29.4       -0.6      43.8(1933)    17.4(1983)
ANNUAL      52.0       +1.5      54.9(1934)    47.8(1912)

.......................PRECIPITATION............................

2015 WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR PRECIPITATION IN DENVER. THE FINAL TALLY
FOR THE YEAR WAS 18.31 INCHES WHICH IS 4.01 INCHES ABOVE THE NORMAL
OF 14.30 INCHES. THIS MAKES 2015 THE 25TH WETTEST YEAR ON RECORD.

 MONTH PRECIP     DEPARTURE     WETTEST       DRIEST
        (INCHES)  FROM NORMAL  (INCHES)      (INCHES)
JANUARY   0.38      -0.03      2.25(1883)    0.01 (1952...1934...1933)
FEBRUARY  1.25      +0.88      2.01(1934)    0.01(1970)
MARCH     0.79      -0.13      4.56(1900)    0.03(1963)
APRIL     2.65      +0.94      8.24(1900)    0.03(1963)
MAY       3.76      +1.64      8.57(1876)    0.06(1974)
JUNE      2.53      +0.55      4.96(1882)      T (1890)
JULY      1.06      -1.10      6.41(1965)    0.01(1901)
AUGUST    1.18      -0.51      5.85(1979)    0.02(1924)
SEPTEMBER 0.11      -0.85      5.61(2013)      T (1892...1944)
OCTOBER   1.76      +0.74      4.17(1969)      T (1934)
NOVEMBER  2.13      +1.52      3.21(1946)      T (1899...1901...1949)
DECEMBER  0.71      +0.36      5.21(1913)    0.00(1881)
ANNUAL   18.31      +4.01     23.31(1967)    7.29(2008)

...........................SNOWFALL..............................

64.4 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN 2015...WHICH IS 10.6 INCHES ABOVE THE
NORMAL OF 53.8 INCHES. FEBRUARY 2015 WAS SNOWIEST FEBRUARY ON
RECORD WITH 22.4 INCHES OF SNOW MEASURED AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT. SNOW ALSO FELL IN DENVER ON CHRISTMAS DAY...WITH 2.3
MEASURED AT THE AIRPORT.

 MONTH  SNOWFALL  DEPARTURE     SNOWIEST      LEAST SNOWIEST
        (INCHES)  FROM NORMAL   (INCHES)         (INCHES)
JANUARY     7.2      -0.2       24.3(1992)      T (2003...1934)
FEBRUARY   22.4     +16.7       22.4(2015)      T (2009)
MARCH       2.9      -7.8       35.2(2003)      T (2012...1995)
APRIL       5.3      -1.5       33.8(1933)      0 (1995...1992...1943...1930)
MAY         4.0      +2.9       15.5(1898)      0 (NUMEROUS YEARS)
SEPTEMBER   0.0      -1.3       17.2(1971)      0 (NUMEROUS YEARS)
OCTOBER     0.0      -4.0       31.2(1969)      0 (NUMEROUS YEARS)
NOVEMBER   11.3      +2.6       42.6(1946)      0 (1995)
DECEMBER   11.3      +2.8       57.4(1913)      0 (1881)
ANNUAL     64.4     +10.6      115.9(1913)    18.9(1887)
World Weather

2015 – A Year of Storms

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A look back at the snowstorms, tropical storms, typhoons, hurricanes and floods captured and analyzed by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission from around the globe during 2015. The complete list of storms by date and location are as follows: 1. New England Nor’easter – January 26 – New England, USA 2. Snowstorm – February 17… Continue reading 2015 – A Year of Storms →
National Weather

New El Nino storm slams into Southern California

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LOS ANGELES — Another El Nino-fueled storm soaked Southern California on Wednesday and brought with it flooding, mudflows and even a small tornado that struck Orange County in the early afternoon. Pea-sized hail and 45-mph winds made their way south from San Luis Obispo, forcing the region to recognize that the season of storms has commenced.… Continue reading New El Nino storm slams into Southern California →
Natural Disasters

Obama: Mississippi Flooding an Official Disaster

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President Barack Obama declared on Monday afternoon that the flooding and tornadoes that hit Mississippi in late December constitute an official major disaster. The declaration frees up federal dollars to go toward aiding five particularly storm-struck areas in the state: Benton, Coahoma, Marshall, Quitman and Tippah counties. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant expressed gratitude to Obama and… Continue reading Obama: Mississippi Flooding an Official Disaster →
Climatology, Thornton Weather

December 2015 weather recap: Average temperatures, above normal precipitation

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Warm and dry were the key weather words for the start of December 2015.  That however changed as the month progressed and colder, wetter weather arrived.

High pressure dominated the start of the month leading to 10 out of the first 11 days of the month seeing above normal temperatures.  No precipitation was recorded over that period as well.

Things began to change on the 12th of the month as Thornton saw a couple of inches of snowfall and temperatures dropped.  A second, far more potent storm arrived on the 15th giving the Mile High City its heaviest snowfall of the season to that point.

Warmer and drier conditions returned up until Christmas.  For the holiday, temperatures were over 15 degrees below normal and the afternoon and evening brought a white Christmas with moderate snowfall.

We then wrapped up the month with a string of well below average temperatures.  In fact, the mercury remained below the freezing mark for the balance of the month.

Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 29.3 degrees.  That is just below the long term Denver average of 30.0 degrees.  Out at the airport where Denver’s official measurements are made, the average was virtually identical to Thornton’s at 29.4 degrees.

Highs in Thornton ranged from a 66.5 degrees maximum on the 9th down to a low of 00.3 degrees on the morning of the 28th.  Denver saw its warmest temperature on the 9th also with a high of 69 degrees.  Its low came in at 0 degrees on the 17th and 28th.

In terms of precipitation, Thornton recorded 0.79 inches in the bucket.  At DIA, Denver was just a bit drier at 0.71 inches.  The December average for Denver is 0.35 inches.

Denver averages 8.7 inches of snowfall during December.  Both Thornton and Denver bested the average with 14.2 inches and 11.3 inches respectively.

Click here to view Thornton’s December 2015 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado's December 2015 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2015 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado's December 2015 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2015 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
130 PM MST FRI JAN 1 2016
...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2015...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2015

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              79   12/05/1939
 LOW              -25   12/22/1990
                        12/24/1876
HIGHEST            69   12/09        62       7       66  12/12
LOWEST              0   12/28        -4       4      -19  12/30
                        12/17
AVG. MAXIMUM     40.9              42.8    -1.9     44.1
AVG. MINIMUM     17.9              17.1     0.8     18.5
MEAN             29.4              30.0    -0.6     31.3
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32     10               5.8     4.2        5
DAYS MIN <= 32     28              29.4    -1.4       31
DAYS MIN <= 0       2               2.0     0.0        2

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         5.21   1913
 MINIMUM         0.00   1881
TOTALS           0.71              0.35    0.36     0.59
DAILY AVG.       0.02              0.01    0.01     0.02
DAYS >= .01         5               4.1     0.9        7
DAYS >= .10         3               1.1     1.9        2
DAYS >= .50         0               0.1    -0.1        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.32   12/15 TO 12/15

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           11.3               8.7
RECORD DECEMBER  57.4                             1913

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    1097              1086      11     1037
 SINCE 7/1       2187              2468    -281     2291
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1        877               769     108      701

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
.................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.8
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   4/210
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    41/280    DATE  12/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    64/290    DATE  12/15

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             22
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          4

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     58

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       0
LIGHT RAIN                0     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       3
LIGHT SNOW                8     SLEET                      0
FOG                      12     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      3
HAZE                      6

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Thornton Weather

December 2015 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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Fresh snow created a beautiful scene in this Thornton backyard. (Michelle Jones)
Fresh snow created a beautiful scene in this Thornton backyard. (Michelle Jones)

The month of December can offer everything from bone dry conditions to bone chilling cold and monstrous snowstorms.  The weather and wildlife all afford an abundance of photo opportunities as our December photo slideshow shows.

Leaves have fallen from trees now and the landscape can sometimes look quite stark.  However it only takes a quick shot of snow to change that picture greatly.  Throw in gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, plenty of wildlife big and small, kids playing and much more and the month can be quite colorful and eventful.

  • Slideshow updated December 31, 2015
  • To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

[flickr_set id=”72157662064667211″]

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

Weather History

January 3 to January 9: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
January 3 to January 9: This week in Denver weather history

January weather in Colorado can be as varied as during any month of the year.  Temperatures bordering on spring-like to bone chilling Arctic cold can be seen.  Snow of course plays a big part and while not always recognized as a big danger, high speed damaging winds are not unusual.

31-6

In 1973…the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days.  Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.

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In 1941…a protracted cold spell through January 7…1942… Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero.  The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero…the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero…and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.

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In 1940…the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle…light snow…and fog.  Fog occurred on each day.  On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle.  All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side.  This resulted in very slippery streets…which caused several minor traffic accidents.  The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.

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In 1971…a major storm dumped a total of 8.4 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph.

In 1972…a strong cold front late on the 2nd produced north wind gusts to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Snow…heavy at times on the 3rd…totaled 6.4 inches as temperatures hovered only in the single digits.

In 2000…heavy snow fell over the higher terrain of the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 7 inches 5 miles southwest of Sedalia.  Only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1949…the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado.  The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits.  This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero.  Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm… While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches.  The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown.  Numerous lives were lost…and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.

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In 1959…very cold temperatures…to near zero and below…caused power and gas lines…water pipes…and automatic sprinkler systems to break.  In Boulder… Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store…flooding three floors.  The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd…3rd…and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.

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In 1874…heavy snowfall totaled 6 inches with 5 inches falling in 3 hours.  Melted snow totaled 0.40 inches of precipitation.  Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph.

In 1887…west winds were sustained to 44 mph in the city.

In 1913…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 52 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.  The low temperature was only 40 degrees.

In 1951…northwest winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1967…a strong Chinook wind reached 90 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.  In downtown Boulder winds only gusted to 35 mph.  Northwest winds gusting to 49 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1986…winds gusted to 63 mph at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield and reached 73 mph at Echo Lake in the foothills west of Denver.  West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1994…high winds raked the eastern foothills.  Wind gusts to 99 mph were recorded on Squaw Mountain…south of Idaho Springs…and gusts to 85 mph occurred at the rocky flats facility in northwest Jefferson County.  Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport.  No significant damage was reported.

In 1996…very strong Chinook winds gusting to 104 mph blasted the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver. Three people were injured in separate incidents.  One man was injured when strong crosswinds toppled his moving van into oncoming traffic along Colorado 93 south of Boulder. Two other people received minor injuries from flying debris. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…eleven hazardous waste storage facilities received at least 100 thousand dollars in damage.  In addition…several power lines were downed leaving 3 thousand homes and stores without power.  Hundreds of car windows were shattered…and several signs were toppled from buildings.  Some of the strongest wind gusts included:  104 mph at Boulder municipal airport…98 mph in south Boulder…96 mph at Jefferson County airport…94 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research southwest of Boulder…91 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…and 90 mph at Wondervu southwest of Boulder.  West-northwest winds gusted to only 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.

In 2004…bands of heavy snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totals included 6.5 inches in Broomfield and 6 inches in Westminster…Arvada…and near Hudson.  Only 0.5 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  More snow fell in the foothills with 9 inches recorded near Jamestown.  Southeast winds gusted to 25 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…locally high winds developed in northern Jefferson County over and near rocky flats.  Peak wind gusts from 75 to 91 mph were recorded during the afternoon.  A semi-trailer truck was blown onto its side on State Highway 93 atop rocky flats.  Strong winds also spread across metro Denver.  West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading January 3 to January 9: This week in Denver weather history →

Severe Weather, World Weather

From ‘biblical’ floods to deadly heat, 2015 was a year of weather worsts

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The weather seemed to dominate headlines in 2015 — not one continent was spared from some sort of extreme weather event. Antarctica The southernmost continent, mostly covered in ice, kilometres deep in places and spread over 14 million square kilometres, recorded its warmest day on record in 2015. On March 24, temperatures at Esperanza Base, just… Continue reading From ‘biblical’ floods to deadly heat, 2015 was a year of weather worsts →