Our long, hot summer continues and today Denver set a record high temperature.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s mercury topped out at 99 degrees today. That breaks the old record high temperature for August 9 of 98 degrees set in 2012.
Thornton lucked out and was actually a slight bit cooler today with a high of 97.4 degrees.
Another toasty day today, and one that was record-setting.
As measured at Denver International Airport, Denver’s official high temperature today topped out at 99 degrees. That ties the record high for July 18 set last year and in previous years.
Here in Thornton, we were actually warmer by one degree hitting 100.1 degrees. This is our first 100 degree reading of the year.
We knew getting our first 90 degree reading of the year was a possibility today and sure enough, we did. Not only that, Denver also set a record high temperature for the date.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the high temperature in the Mile High City hit 92 degrees today. That tops the old record high temperature for May 19 of 90 degrees set in 2009.
Thornton held itself just a bit cooler with a high of 91 degrees.
On average, Denver sees its first 90 degree day on June 10 so we are a few weeks ahead of schedule.
As it appears we are done with the white stuff for the season, we can now report a finally tally for snow.
Thornton’s season recorded 84.3 inches, the second most since Thornton Weather came online in 2006. Only the 2015 / 2016 season had more (85.7 inches).
The total is most notable because we never did receive a truly big storm, just a number of respectable ones. The totals were helped by big months in October, November and February which overcame a very dry December and January.
Officially, as measured at Denver International Airport, only 57.6 inches was recorded. This was a mere 1/2 inch more than Denver’s long term seasonal average of 57.1 inches.
Those numbers continue to reflect the problem with having the Mile High City’s official weather station located out at the airport where it is in a totally different microclimate whose conditions don’t reflect what the metro area really sees.
For comparison, the site at Stapleton closest to where Denver’s records were recorded for 57 years before the move to DIA saw 71.4 inches of snow this season.
Earlier this week we set three cold temperature records. Late tonight another fell.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the low temperature in Denver dropped to 19 degrees. The reading easily bested the previous record low temperature for April 16th of 22 degrees last set in 2013.
The month of March was a relatively quiet one for the most part. We didn’t see any particularly notable extremes and only one significant snowstorm.
The month started out on the cool side and we received our first snow of the month on the 2nd. We then put together a stretch lasting two weeks with largely calm and dry conditions.
The 19th offered up a return to wintry conditions as after some rain early in the day, a transition to snow began and we received a healthy 7.5 inches of the white stuff.
Mostly dry conditions were the feature of the last 10 days of the month with a few days seeing temps above normal but most coming in below.
Thornton’s overall average temperature for the month came in at 42.2 degrees. This was a good bit above Denver’s March average of 40.4 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official records are kept, the reading nearly matched ours at 42.5 degrees.
Our warmest day on the 11th delivered a high of 71.1 degrees while our coldest, the 21st, saw a morning low of 14.2 degrees. Denver’s maximum reading of 68 degrees came on four different days. Their coldest of 11 degrees came on the 21st.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.92 inches in March. Thornton bested that easily with 1.56 inches and Denver did as well with 1.26 inches.
Both Thornton and Denver fell short of March’s average monthly snowfall of 10.7 inches. Thornton came closest with 9.3 inches while at the airport 7.5 inches was measured.
Click here to view Thornton’s March 2020 climate report.
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather.
The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver. Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen!
For good measure throw in a chance for hail and even dust storms and April gives every type of weather condition you could like – or hate.
Certainly when you look back on February 2020, you probably will remember it as being cold and snowy. That indeed is true, as the numbers show, however that really only pertained to the first half of the month. The latter part was far more on par with what we expect to see.
The month did start out quite warm as we saw temperature readings well above normal on the first and second. The third, however, brought about significant changes and an end to the warmth that had carried over from January.
Several storm systems moved through over the next 10 days, bringing significantly colder temperatures and regular doses of snow. Indeed, 8 of the first 12 days of the month brought measurable snowfall. Into the third week of the month it appeared we were on pace for one of the coldest Februarys on record.
Things changed again on the 21st and five of the last nine days of the month brought warmer than normal temperatures. This was enough to drive up our average temperature which, while it did come in well below normal, was not in record-setting territory.
Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 29.9 degrees. This was a good ways below Denver’s long term average for February of 32.5 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, it actually was colder with an average of 28.1 degrees.
Our temperatures ranged from a high of 73.7 degrees on the 2nd down to a low of -2.2 degrees on the morning of the 5th. Out at DIA, they saw their warmest and coldest temperatures of 74 degrees and -5 degrees on the same dates.
Precipitation came in well above the Denver average for the month of 0.37 inches. Thornton recorded 1.09 inches while Denver measured 0.88 inches.
Snow was of course notable for the first half of the month and drove the monthly totals. On average, Denver receives 5.7 inches in February. Thornton far surpassed that with 22.1 inches and Denver did as well with 16.5 inches of the white stuff.
Click here to view Thornton’s February 2020 climate report.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
717 AM MST SUN MAR 1 2020
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2020...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2020
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 80 02/10/2017
LOW -25 02/01/1951
02/08/1936
HIGHEST 74 02/02 66 8 65 02/03
LOWEST -5 02/05 -4 -11 02/07
02/04
AVG. MAXIMUM 39.9 46.2 -6.3 40.8
AVG. MINIMUM 16.3 18.9 -2.6 15.3
MEAN 28.1 32.5 -4.4 28.0
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 10 3.9 6.1 8
DAYS MIN <= 32 28 26.9 1.1 26
DAYS MIN <= 0 2 1.3 0.7 3 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 2.01 1934 MINIMUM 0.01 1970 TOTALS 0.88 0.37 0.51 0.72 DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.03 DAYS >= .01 9 5.3 3.7 6
DAYS >= .10 4 0.7 3.3 3
DAYS >= .50 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.19 02/12
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS 16.5 5.7 13.4 2019
RECORD 22.4 2015
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1063 908 155 1029
SINCE 7/1 4499 4468 31 4417
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 0 0 0 0
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.................................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.3
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/212
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 40/350 DATE 02/25
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 54/350 DATE 02/25
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 8
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 13
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 8
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 64
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
The month of March in Denver is usually one that is welcomed heartily by residents. We begin to shake off the cold of winter with warmer temperatures and calmer conditions. That does not mean we are done with snow and cold by any means.
March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to our seasonal totals. While there is good snow potential in March, the month also typically brings much warmer temperatures.
March is historically Denver’s snowiest month and brings about 20% of our annual snowfall. Heavy, wet spring snow storms can oftentimes bring the entire month’s snowfall total in one monstrous snow.
We also start the transition to spring and severe weather season and the month typically brings our first thunderstorms of the year. Temperatures climb throughout the month and by the end our average daytime highs are near 60 degrees.
For a complete look at what lies ahead in March 2020, click here.
4
February in Colorado typically brings to an end an extended period when average temperatures are at their lowest. Winter begins to loosen its grip and temperatures get warmer but precipitation is not a particularly common event during the month.
Thus far, our snow season has been a mixed bag. We started fast in October and November but December and January added very little to the totals. February is only our sixth snowiest month so we may not see much snowfall for the balance of the month.
Temperatures however do usually see a nice rebound during the month. Average high temperatures climb from an average of 44 degrees at the start to 50 degrees by the end of February.