Looking back at the month of March we see a period of relatively uneventful weather in the Denver area. Temperatures were near normal as was the amount of liquid precipitation, this despite the fact we saw well below normal snowfall.
The month started very cold with the first two days failing to record readings above freezing and some light snowfall. That did not last long however and four mild days followed. A weak system then moved in with a couple more shots of snow over a three day period.
Entering the second week of the month temperatures moderated and we saw some of our warmest readings of the month. Light snow on the 12th fell but did not cool things down too much.
Two more very light snowfalls occurred in the last 10 days of the month while temperatures overall remained at or above normal.
Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 41.1 degrees, 0.7 degrees above the Denver average for March of 40.4 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw an average monthly temperature of 40.9 degrees.
Our warmest temperature for the month occurred on the 9th when the mercury climbed to 75.0 degrees. The coldest reading of 3.8 degrees happened on March 2. Denver’s warmest and coldest temperatures were on the same days with readings of 73 degrees and 4 degrees.
Two days, the first and the second, saw high temperatures below freezing. Low temperatures below freezing occurred on 22 of the 31 days. Denver saw similar readings.
In terms of liquid precipitation, Thornton recorded 1.06 inches. This was a bit above Denver’s March average of 0.92 inches. Denver was drier than normal recording 0.83 inches.
The near normal precipitation came despite the fact we saw much less snow than normal. March is typically our snowiest with an average of 10.7 inches of the white stuff. Thornton saw a mere 6.5 inches and Denver 6.0 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s March 2014 climate report.
CLIMATE REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
725 PM MDT TUE APR 1 2014
..............CORRECTED FOR TYPOS FOR THE FOLLOWING.................
.....TEMPERATURES...SNOWFALL DEPARTURES AND PEAK WIND DIRECTION.....
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 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 84 03/26/1971
LOW -11 03/28/1886
HIGHEST 73 03/09 84 -11 76 03/15
LOWEST 4 03/02 -11 15 2 03/25
AVG. MAXIMUM 55.8 54.4 1.4 50.7
AVG. MINIMUM 25.9 26.4 -0.5 24.6
MEAN 40.9 40.4 0.5 37.7
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 2 1.9 0.1 3
DAYS MIN <= 32 23 23.6 -0.6 24
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.1 -0.1 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 4.56 1983
MINIMUM 0.03 2012
TOTALS 0.83 0.92 -0.09 1.47
DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.05
DAYS >= .01 9 5.9 3.1 6
DAYS >= .10 2 2.4 -0.4 4
DAYS >= .50 0 0.3 -0.3 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.1 -0.1 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.32 03/07 TO 03/07 03/22 TO 03/22
03/22 TO 03/22
03/22 TO 03/22
STORM TOTAL MM MM
(MM/DD(HH)) MM 03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)
03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)2
03/22(00) TO 03/22(00)2
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM 5
TOTALS 6.0 10.7
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 739 763 -24 840
SINCE 7/1 5258 5202 56 5112
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 11.5
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/247
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 45/350 DATE 03/18
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 55/350 DATE 03/18
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 6
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 18
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 7
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 50
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 2
LIGHT RAIN 3 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 1 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 6
LIGHT SNOW 10 SLEET 0
FOG 12 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 5
HAZE 5
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
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.
Another year is in the books and as we look back at 2013’s weather, we see Thornton – and indeed much of the state – saw cooler and wetter than normal conditions.
As we begin the new year the winter chill begins to set in. While January can see its share of extremes, the month historically sees stable temperatures and is usually relatively dry.