Extreme weather can occur during in month in Colorado we well know. June however is when traditional spring severe weather arrives in the state oftentimes with hail, damaging wind and tornadoes.
Over 40 percent of the tornadoes that occur in Colorado happen during the month of June. Far more common are thunderstorms with hail and wind, each responsible for extensive damage each year.
While severe weather is common, so too are brilliantly sunny and mild days as we close out spring and enter summer. If you are looking for cold, it isn’t likely but it is possible as the Denver area has seen freezing temperatures and yes, even snow, during the month.
The month of May 2017 brought a wide variety of conditions. We experienced everything from summer-like temperatures to snow to severe weather with hail. In the end, average temperatures were below normal and precipitation more than double of average.
Between two systems at the start of the month, we began May with cool conditions and a bit of rain. Drier and very warm conditions then arrived on the 5th through the 7th before we cooled down to near normal levels for a couple of days.
On the 8th of the month, severe weather paid its first visit of the season unleashing heavy rain and most notably, large hail. While Thornton was spared the damage, areas to the south and west were pummeled with hail nearly 3 inches in diameter. The storm goes into the books as the costliest hail storm in Colorado history.
Weather conditions then settled down for the next 10 days with temperatures varying from cool to quite warm. On the 18th of the month, we then received a late season snowfall. Thornton recorded 1.9 inches snow and a healthy 1.64 inches liquid precipitation from snow melt and rain.
The balance of the month was much quieter. Some days saw light rain with temperatures not straying too far from average for the most part.
Thornton’s overall average temperature for the month was 55.5 degrees. This was a good ways below Denver’s long term average for the month of 57.1 degrees. Out at DIA where Denver’s official measurements are kept, it was slightly warmer with an average of 55.9 degrees.
Temperatures saw a wide range during the month. Thornton’s warmest reading was 87.8 degrees on the 6th of the month. Our coldest came in the wake of the snow on the 20th at 31.0 degrees. Denver saw its high of 86 degrees on the 6th as well and its low of 32 degrees on the 4th.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 2.12 inches during the month of May. Both Thornton and Denver easily exceeded those marks. Here in Thornton we recorded 4.84 inches of precipitation; in the Mile High City, 3.66 inches.
Snow in May is not unusual but getting it as late as we did is. On average Denver records 1.1 inches during the month. In May 2017, Thornton saw 1.9 inches. Out at the airport, a mere trace was recorded.
The month of April had a bit of a mixed bag for Thornton. While we saw temperatures above normal and snowfall below normal, precipitation actually ended up right near Denver’s long term average.
We started out cool on the first day of the month, warmed up for two days, then were delivered our first snowfall of the month on the fourth day. From there we saw a string of above normal temperatures, some far above, that lasted almost uninterrupted for two weeks.
Some rain finally fell for the three days beginning the 20th and temperatures cooled a bit. Then, on the 28th, we received our second and final snowfall of the month and followed it up with a very cold day before rebounding on the final day of the month.
Thornton saw an average temperature during April 2017 of 49.6 degrees. This was a good ways above Denver’s long term average for the month of 47.4 degrees. Out at the airport, they were cooler with an average of 48.9 degrees.
Thornton’s temperatures ranged from a maximum of 80.3 degrees on the 14th down to a low of 24.1 degrees on the morning of the 30th. Denver saw similar extremes of 79 degrees, also on the 14th, and a low of 24 degrees on the 10th.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 1.71 inches during April. Thornton was right there with the average at 1.70 inches in our rain bucket. At DIA, things were quite a bit drier with only 0.98 inches being recorded.
Snowfall lagged behind average for the month, especially at the average. Denver recorded only 2.5 inches officially while here in Thornton we came in at 5.8 inches. Once again this highlights the problems with having Denver’s official measurements kept so far from where they were taken historically and far away from population.
Thornton, Colorado temperature summary for April 2017. (ThorntonWeather.com)Thornton, Colorado precipitation summary for April 2017. (ThorntonWeather.com)
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
244 AM MDT MON MAY 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2017...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2017
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 90 04/30/1992
LOW -2 04/02/1975
HIGHEST 79 04/14 90 -11 77 04/23
04/13 04/22
04/14
LOWEST 24 04/10 -2 26 25 04/01
AVG. MAXIMUM 63.2 61.5 1.7 59.4
AVG. MINIMUM 34.5 33.3 1.2 35.1
MEAN 48.9 47.4 1.5 47.2
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 1 0.3 0.7 0
DAYS MIN <= 32 15 13.0 2.0 11
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 8.24 1900
MINIMUM 0.03 1963
TOTALS 0.98 1.71 -0.73 2.56
DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.06 -0.03 0.09
DAYS >= .01 10 9.1 0.9 10
DAYS >= .10 5 4.5 0.5 6
DAYS >= .50 0 0.9 -0.9 2
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.5 -0.5 1
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.22 04/29 TO 04/29 04/15 TO 04/16
04/16 TO 04/16
04/16 TO 04/16
STORM TOTAL MM MM
(MM/DD(HH)) MM 04/16(00) TO 04/16(00)
04/16(00) TO 04/16(00)6
04/16(00) TO 04/16(00)6
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM MM
TOTALS 2.5 6.8
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 478 529 -51 526
SINCE 7/1 4803 5731 -928 5230
COOLING TOTAL 0 1 -1 0
SINCE 1/1 0 1 -1 0
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 04/01 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.......................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 11.6
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 1/121
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 44/300 DATE 04/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 56/300 DATE 04/09
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 6
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 17
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 7
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 53
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 1 RAIN 1
LIGHT RAIN 10 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 1 SNOW 3
LIGHT SNOW 7 SLEET 0
FOG 10 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 4
HAZE 2
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
March 2017 was anything but typical for the Colorado Front Range. Temperatures were well above normal and perhaps most notably, no measurable snow was recorded – a rarity for March.
Warm and windy weather dominated our weather for the first three weeks of the month. While only one record temperature was recorded, the overall warmth led to Denver seeing its third warmest March on record. The last week of the month finally brought about change resulting in cooler temperatures and some much-needed precipitation.
Thornton’s overall average temperature for March was 48.3 degrees. Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official temperature measurements are taken, it was slightly cooler with an average of 47.9 degrees. Both were far above the long-term March average of 40.4 degrees.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 81.7 degrees on both the 18th and 19th. Our coldest reading of the month came on the first of the month with a low of 16.8 degrees. Denver saw its warmest temperature of 81 degrees on the 18th and its low of 14 on the first.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.92 inches during the month of March. Both Thornton and Denver were right near that average with 0.93 and 0.90 inches recorded in their respective rain buckets.
Snow was one thing that was severely lacking. Denver only recorded a trace and Thornton had no measurable snowfall during the month of March. As one of our snowiest months, Denver averages 10.7 inches of snow during March so we were far off the mark this year. This is only the third time in record Denver weather history that so little snow has been recorded.
Thornton, Colorado’s March 2017 Temperature Summary.Thornton, Colorlado’s March 2017 Precipitation Summary.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
244 AM MDT SAT APR 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2017...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2017
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 84 03/26/1971
LOW -11 03/28/1886
HIGHEST 81 03/18 84 -3 74 03/11
LOWEST 14 03/01 -11 25 10 03/24
AVG. MAXIMUM 64.0 54.4 9.6 54.9
AVG. MINIMUM 31.9 26.4 5.5 28.3
MEAN 47.9 40.4 7.5 41.6
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 1.9 -1.9 1
DAYS MIN <= 32 16 23.6 -7.6 21
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.1 -0.1 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 4.56 1983
MINIMUM 0.03 2012
TOTALS 0.90 0.92 -0.02 0.90
DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.03
DAYS >= .01 6 5.9 0.1 9
DAYS >= .10 3 2.4 0.6 2
DAYS >= .50 0 0.3 -0.3 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.1 -0.1 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.45 03/24 TO 03/24 03/23 TO 03/23
03/23 TO 03/23
03/23 TO 03/23
STORM TOTAL MM MM
(MM/DD(HH)) MM 03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)
03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)3
03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)3
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM 5
TOTALS T 10.7
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 523 763 -240 716
SINCE 7/1 4325 5202 -877 4704
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 12.0
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/241
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 46/290 DATE 03/07
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 60/290 DATE 03/07
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 3
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 22
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 6
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 43
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 4
LIGHT RAIN 8 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 5
LIGHT SNOW 5 SLEET 0
FOG 6 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 2
HAZE 2
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
In what may mean an end to all those frustrating and dangerous weather conditions that plague the planet, today Google announced Google Wind, a ground-breaking weather control system. Now in use in the Netherlands, the system has brought an end to the windy and cloudy conditions in that nation. This will surely have an impact across the globe soon.
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.
Our eyes in the sky are facing budget cuts On Friday, The Washington Post reportedly obtained a memo from within the Trump administration about proposed funding for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The memo outlined steep cuts to several divisions, including the elimination of the $73 million Sea Grant research program, cuts to climate research… Continue reading NOAA’s satellites are on the chopping block. Here’s why we need them.→
The month of February was extraordinarily dry and warm for Thornton. Will March bring any relief, particularly on the precipitation front? History would say yes but long range forecasts do not look good.
March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to those numbers. 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.
Only you can prevent forest fires. For real. Forest Service Northern Region Wildfire Increasingly in the United States, wildfires are caused by humans, not lightning. In the past 20 years, thousands of wildfires have raged across the United States—and most of them are our fault. In a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National… Continue reading Humans are responsible for the vast majority of wildfires in the U.S.→
Climate models show twice as much warming during the 21st Century than what’s actually been observed, according to a new report highlighting the limitations of global climate models, or GCMs. “So far in the 21st century, the GCMs are warming, on average, about a factor of 2 faster than the observed temperature increase,” Dr. Judith Curry,… Continue reading Climate Models Are Warming Earth Two Times Faster Than Reality→
Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.
Extreme weather can occur during in month in Colorado we well know. June however is when traditional spring severe weather arrives in the state oftentimes with hail, damaging wind and tornadoes.
