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.
Thornton, Colorado January 2023 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
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.
Yeah, it definitely did not get very warm today and the record books now reflect that. After tying a record low this morning, now we have a new record low maximum.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City only saw a high temperature today of 4 degrees. This breaks the previous record low maximum of 4 degrees set more than 100 years ago in 1918.
Here in Thornton, we managed to stay a bit warmer, topping out at 11 degrees.
With our latest big chill having settled in, the mercury is dropping into record-setting territory.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the official low temperature this morning dropped to -10 degrees. This tied the record low for the date last set in 1985.
Here in Thornton, we didn’t plummet quite that low as we bottomed out at -4 degrees.
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2022 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
For Thornton, December 2022’s weather was pretty much on par with what we would expect. Average mercury readings came in a bit above normal as did snowfall.
Our overall average temperature for the month came in at 31.2 degrees. This is above the 16-year running average for December of 30.0 degrees. While we did experience some extreme cold for a few days, that was balanced out by a good number of days with above normal readings.
Denver International Airport, where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, averaged 29.3 degrees, a rare occasion where the airport was colder than us. This was a good bit below the 30-year Denver average for December of 31.2 degrees.
In Thornton, our readings ranged from a high of 65.0 degrees on the 27th to a bone chilling low of -14.6 degrees on the 22nd. Denver saw a high of 64 degrees on the 11th and a low of -24 on the 22nd.
In terms of precipitation, Thornton’s reading came in far above the 16-year average with 1.21 inches of liquid precipitation. Much of that can be attributed to the storm on the 28th and 29th that saw us receive nearly one inch combined between rain and snow melt. The monthly total made December 2022 Thornton’s wettest December of the past 16 and was far above the average of 0.46 inches.
Denver nearly matched our number with 1.18 inches at the airport. This was well above the Mile High City’s December average of 0.35 inches.
For the first three weeks of the month, Thornton saw no snow at all. Then, two storms saved the month. Thornton ended up with 11.1 inches, about an inch more than the 16-year running average of 10.2 inches for December.
Denver actually bested us for the month with 13.0 inches. That is well above the average of 8.0 inches for December since 1882.
That’s a wrap! The Arctic blast is slowly on its way out and in its wake, we can see that we set a number of records.
ThorntonWeather.com has been in operation for 16 years and this cold was one for the books.
The 67.3 degree 24 hour temperature drop from Wed PM (52.7 degrees) to Thu AM (-14.6 degrees) was the biggest of the past 16 years
The -14.6 degrees low temp on 12/22/22 ties lowest temp recorded in the past 16 years (2/2/2011)
The 0 degree high temp 12/22/22 is the record low maximum temperature recorded in the past 16 years (old record was 1.9 degrees on 2/5/14)
A 31.1 degrees wind chill on 12/22 at 8:35am is the coldest wind chill temperature recorded in the past 16 years
For Denver, officially, some marks were set / tied as well.
The high temperature of -6 degrees on 12/22/22 ties for the 10th coldest high temperature on record. It also is a new record low maximum for the date, breaking the old record of -5 degrees set in 1983.
The low temperature of -24 degrees on the morning of 12/22/22 ties for the 8th coldest reading ever recorded in Denver.
The average temperature for 12/22/22 of -14 degrees ties for the 5th coldest daily average temperature recorded in Denver.
Recent months have, overall, been warmer and drier than normal. Last month saw a notable turn toward colder than normal temperatures and more snow than usual. What will December hold for us?
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. Given our recent mild and dry weather, we are certainly hoping for a change in the coming month.
Overall December’s monthly mean temperature of 30.0 degrees (1981 – 2010 averages) makes it our coldest month. Snow is always on everyone’s mind this time of year but December is only our 3rd snowiest month behind March and November with an average of 8.5 inches of the white stuff.
November 2022 Temperature Summary for Thornton, Colorado. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Brrr! That would be the operative “word” for the month of November 2022. Despite forecasts of above normal temperatures for the month, we saw very little of that and in fact, saw Thornton’s coldest November of the past 16 years.
The month started out warm enough with back to back days of 70+ degrees. However, after that, we went downhill for much of the month. Only eight days of the month saw above average temperatures. The balance was below. Sometimes well below.
Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 34.3 degrees. That was far below Thornton’s 16-year running November average of 39.5 degrees and Denver’s long term average for the month of 39.4 degrees. Officially, as measured at the airport, the Mile High City was a bit warmer with an average of 35.6 degrees.
Thornton’s reading ranked the month as the coldest November of the past 16. The next closest was November 2014 with an average of 35.0 degrees. Denver’s average actually put November 2022 into the record books with a tie for the 19th coldest November on record.
Our warmest reading of the month was 74.1 degrees, coming on the first of the month. Our coldest reading came on the last morning of November at 8.3 degrees. Denver’s highest and lowest were 75 degrees and 4 degrees, coming on the same dates.
In terms of precipitation, it wasn’t an overly wet month with the snows being relatively dry. Thornton recorded 0.54 inches of precipitation for the month. Denver saw less with 0.47 inches. Thornton’s 16-year running November average is 0.49 inches. Denver’s long term November average is 0.64 inches.
As for the white stuff, Thornton recorded a healthy 12.8 inches, well above the 5.7 inches that November has averaged over the last 16 years. Denver lagged us with 10.9 inches. The Mile High City’s November average since 1882 is 7.4 inches.
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.
November has historically been one of Denver’s snowiest months and major snowstorms are not entirely uncommon. However conditions can also be quite dry.
Temperatures during the month continue to cool as we get closer to winter and by the end of the month the low temperatures routinely dip to 20 degrees or below. At times it can in fact bring conditions more like what we see in January.
Thornton, Colorado October 2022 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
October 2022 goes into the books as one that saw Thornton experience above normal mercury readings and below normal precipitation. However, those were also a formula for a great number of pleasant, fall days.
Overall, Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at an even 52.0 degrees. As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s average temperature for the month was a good bit warmer coming in at 53.8 degrees.
Both readings were above Denver’s long term October average of 51.1 degrees and Thornton’s running 16-year average of 49.5 degrees.
Thornton saw a maximum temperature of 81.2 degrees occurring on the 20th and our coldest reading of 27.2 degrees occurred on the 29th. Denver maxed out at 79 degrees on the 20th as well and bottomed out 30 degrees on the 28th.
Precipitation was fleeting during the month and we were quite dry until the final week. Thornton totaled 0.43 inches in the bucket. Denver had a little bit more at 0.46 inches.
Both location’s totals were far below average. Denver’s long-term average for October is 0.99 inches while Thornton’s 16 year running average is at 1.04 inches.
While we did see some snowflakes mixed in with rain on the 27th of the month, it did not accumulate so we are still waiting for that first official snowfall.
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.
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.
