2014 has come to a close and as we look back on the year, we can see that it was a relatively average year lacking too much drama.
In terms of temperatures, Thornton saw an average overall annual temperature of 49.4 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official records are kept, the average was warmer at 50.5 degrees. By comparison, Denver’s 1981 to 2010 annual average temperature is 50.4 degrees.
Thornton recorded 29 days of high temperature readings at or above 90 degrees. On average Denver sees 40 of them. Denver matched our number with 29 as well.
The hottest reading of the year was 98.2 degrees which came on July 7. Denver’s highest reading of 100 degrees came on the same date.
At the other end of the spectrum, our coldest temperature was -12.6 degrees on February 5th. Denver bested us with two -19 degree readings, one on February 5th and another on December 30th.
In all, Thornton saw 155 days with readings below freezing. Denver recorded 150. Both were near the average of 156.9 days.
Precipitation for 2014 came in a good ways above average, largely due to a wet May and July. Thornton took 19.54 inches into the rain bucket while Denver received slightly less with 18.77 inches. Both were well above the annual average of 14.30 inches.
Snowfall for the calendar year lagged behind average in both Thornton and Denver. Thornton saw 46.2 inches of the white stuff, Denver a nearly identical 46.3 inches. On average we expect to see 53.8 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s 2014 climate summary report.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
200 AM MST THU JAN 1 2015
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2014...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014
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
08/08/1878
LOW -29 01/09/1875
HIGHEST 100 07/07 64 36 100 07/11
06/11
LOWEST -19 12/30 36 -55 -15 12/05
02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM 64.6 64.7 -0.1 63.9
AVG. MINIMUM 36.5 36.3 0.2 36.3
MEAN 50.5 50.5 0.0 50.1
DAYS MAX >= 90 29 39.6 -10.6 54
DAYS MAX <= 32 24 20.0 4.0 29
DAYS MIN <= 32 150 156.9 -6.9 169
DAYS MIN <= 0 14 5.8 8.2 11
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 23.31 1967
MINIMUM 7.29 2008
TOTALS 18.77 14.30 4.47 17.60
DAILY AVG. 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.05
DAYS >= .01 98 79.7 18.3 82
DAYS >= .10 44 34.9 9.1 42
DAYS >= .50 10 7.6 2.4 8
DAYS >= 1.00 4 2.3 1.7 3
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 2.85 07/29 TO 07/30 09/13 TO 09/14
STORM TOTAL 2.93 4.65
(MM/DD(HH)) 07/29(00) TO 07/30(00) 09/09(00) TO 09/15(00)
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 115.9 1913
0
0
24 HR TOTAL 23.6 12/24/1982 TO 12/24/1982
SNOW DEPTH MM MM
TOTALS 46.3 53.8 -7.5 72.1
LIQUID EQUIV MM MM MM MM
SINCE 7/1 16.0 22.5 -6.5 8.1
LIQUID 7/1 MM MM MM MM
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 0
DAYS >= TRACE 55 33.3 21.7 60
DAYS >= 1.0 17 16.3 0.7 20
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 6 12/31 9 02/25
12/30
24 HR TOTAL 5.4 12/29 02/24 TO 02/24
STORM TOTAL 5.9 11.7
(MM/DD(HH)) 12/29(00) 12/30(00) 03/22(00) TO 03/24(00)
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 5844 6059 -215 6302
SINCE 7/1 2291 2468 -207 2451
COOLING TOTAL 701 769 -68 999
SINCE 1/1 701 769 -68 999
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.....................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.2
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/214
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 51/310 DATE 07/11
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 66/340 DATE 04/29
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 72
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 226
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 67
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 54
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 15 RAIN 35
LIGHT RAIN 91 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 2 HAIL 6
HEAVY SNOW 6 SNOW 24
LIGHT SNOW 56 SLEET 1
FOG 115 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 32
HAZE 57
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
The month of December brings with it the official start of winter and oftentimes, colder and snowier weather conditions. It however can also offer unseasonably warm temperatures and bone dry conditions.
The holiday season is about to kick off with Thanksgiving and with many folks traveling in the coming weeks, the focus is oftentimes on the weather. Looking back at Denver’s historical Thanksgiving weather, we see that the day is usually dry with comfortable temperatures.
The weather during the month of November in Denver metro area can offer just about anything. While it is normally a quiet month, it can be prone to extremes.
As expected, temperatures in the Mile High City today were unseasonably warm and climbed to record-setting levels. However, while Denver broke a high temperature record, Thornton fell quite a ways short.
With the first full month of fall here, October usually brings one of the quietest weather months in the Denver area with plenty of mild, sunny days and clear, cool nights.
