As summer vacations wind down and families prepare to send their kids back to school in August, Colorado weather also starts to settle down. The chances for severe weather decrease markedly during August and by the end of the month daytime temperatures are dropping quite a bit as well.
Find out more about what lies ahead with Thornton’s August weather here.
While Thornton only received a bit of rain, DIA got dumped on setting a record for the date.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City recorded 1.85 inches of rain for the date. This tops the old daily rainfall record for June 21 of 0.85 inches set in 1947.
Here in Thornton, we recorded a mere 0.14 inches.
One heck of a good dousing! Thornton and Denver received a big shot of rain for the day and in the process, the Mile High City set a record.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the city received 2.92 inches of rain. This easily bests the previous record rainfall for May 11 of 1.55 inches set in 2011.
Here in Thornton we received less but still a very generous amount. We measured 2.38 inches in our bucket, our wettest day of the year so far.
Normally, March sees a considerable warmup as we start the transition to spring. If you felt like that was not the case this March, you would be correct.
Thornton’s average temperature for March 2023 came in at 37.1 degrees. This was 5.1 degrees below our running 16-year average. In fact, the month goes in the books as the second coldest March over that same period with only March 2019 being colder (35.1 degrees).
Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, it was actually colder with an overage of 35.9 degrees. That was well below the long term March average for Denver of 41.6 degrees.
Thornton’s temperatures ranged from a high of 73.9 degrees on the 15th down to a low of 15.9 degrees on the 18th. Denver saw a max of 71 degrees on the 15th and its lowest reading of 13 degrees on the 28th.
In terms of precipitation, Thornton ended up pretty much near average. 1.14 inches was recorded between rain and snow melt. That was just shy of the 1.24 inches 16-year average for March.
Denver came in drier with 0.49 inches in the bucket, well short of the long term Denver average for March of 0.86 inches.
Snow was not a big factor during the month, despite the cold. Thornton saw 7.5 inches of the white stuff, well below the running March average of 10.7 inches.
Out at the airport, Denver recorded 5.1 inches, less than half ther March average of 11.5 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s complete March 2023 climate summary 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.
Two very cold days and a third cold weather record has been set with this latest Arctic blast.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s high temperature today topped out at only 7 degrees. This easily breaks the previous record low maximum for the date of 10 degrees set in 1874.
Here in Thornton, we were able to see the mercury climb a bit higher topping out at 13 degrees.
The record low maximum follows on the heels of record low temperatures set today and yesterday.
Our latest Arctic plunge is coming to an end and with it, a record is broken.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City bottomed out at -11 degrees this morning. That breaks the old record low for the date of -7 degrees set just last year in 2022.
Here in Thornton we were similar cold with a low of -10 degrees.
As another Arctic blast settles in, a weather record falls.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City bottomed out at -7 degrees today. That breaks the old record low for the date of -6 degrees set in 1913.
Here in Thornton we were a bit “warmer” with a low of -5 degrees.
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 bit of a disappointment although January did help and the start of February offers some relief. February is only our sixth snowiest month so we can’t count on much else.
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.
You likely could have guessed the overall summary for the month, one that is summed up with two words: cold and snowy. January 2023, in fact, goes into the books as the second coldest and one of the snowiest Januarys of the past 17 years.
Overall, Thornton’s January saw an average temperature of 27.4 degrees. This is more than 3 degrees below the 17-year running average for the month of 30.7 degrees. It is also the second coldest January over that time span.
Temperatures ranged from a high of 62.4 degrees on the 14th down to a bone-chilling -3.7 degrees on the morning of the 30th.
Most notable was the big chill that descended at the end of the month resulting in four days of below freezing high temperatures. Additionally, the first five days of the month and 13 of the last 14 days of the month recorded below normal high temperatures.
For Denver, as measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City was actually colder with an average temperature for the month of 25.0 degrees. This was well below Denver’s January average of 31.7 degrees and the 17th coldest January on record for Denver.
Denver saw its warmest temperature of 59 degrees on the 14th and its coldest, -10 degrees, on the 30th.
In terms of precipitation, Thornton saw nearly double its January average. We recorded 0.85 inches in the bucket between rain and snowmelt. That is far above our 17-year running average for the month of 0.43 inches.
Out at the airport, Denver reported a healthy 1.25 inches of precipitation, besting our mark. That is well above their long-term January average of 0.38 inches. It also puts January 2023 into the record books as the 8th wettest January on record in Denver.
As you might infer from the precipitation totals, snowfall as well came in above normal.
Thornton recorded 11.2 inches of the white stuff. This was well above the 17-year average of 6.9 inches. It makes the month the 4th snowiest January of the past 17 years.
Denver bested us here as well with 13.0 inches. That is exactly double the 6.5 inches January average for the Mile High City since 1882. January 2023 goes into the books as tied with January 1989 as the 15th snowiest January in Denver.
Click here to view Thornton’s complete January 2023 climate summary report.
