From record heat to record cold. You must live in Colorado. 😉 Today, Denver tied two cold weather records and saw its second earliest snow on record.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the low temperature in the Mile High City dropped to 31 degrees at 7:33pm. This ties the record low temperature for September 8 last set in 1962. Going hand-in-hand with that record, it tied the record for the earliest freeze in Denver history last set on the same date.
Here in Thornton, we managed to stay just a hair warmer with a low of 32 degrees.
Notable as well is that the Mile High City’s official 1.0 inch of snow is the second earliest snowfall on record. The snow was also the first September snowfall seen in 20 years. The number one spot for earliest snow on record, September 3, 1962, remains secure.
Our recent warm weather not only impacts daily high temperatures, it also impacts overnight lows as seen by the record set tonight.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw a low of 67 degrees. This set a record high minimum for the date, beating the old mark of 66 degrees set in 1933.
Here in Thornton, we were quite a bit cooler seeing a low of 56 degrees.
Additionally, Denver’s official high temperature came in at 97 degrees. This tied the record high for September 6, last set in 2013. Thornton was actually hotter with a high of 99 degrees.
While snow and cold are on the horizon, that will wait and until then, we continue to experience extraordinarily warm weather. Today, September 5, Denver actually broke three records.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the high temperature topped out at 101 degrees. This easily bested the record high temperature for the date of 98 degrees set just last year.
Additionally, the 101 degree reading is the warmest temperature ever recorded in Denver during the month of September. Only one other time has it been 100 degrees or warmer in the month, that coming on September 2, 2019 with a 100 degree reading.
Lastly, this is the latest in the year a 100 degree or higher reading has been recorded.
Here in Thornton, we managed to stay just a bit cooler with a high of 99 degrees.
Denver September Snow History. Click for larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)
There is lots of talk (and hype!) about next week’s storm and the potential for our first snowfall of the season. While it is somewhat unusual to get snow so early in the season, it is far from unprecedented and not near as rare as you might think.
Whipping out the weather history books, we see that snow has fallen in 28 Septembers in the 139 years since the National Weather Service began recording snow in the Mile High City. That equates to about 20% of the years.
It has, however, been quite a while since we have seen one, the most recent occurring in 2000. That was the last in a stretch in which six out of eight years saw September snow.
Our earliest snowfall on record came on September 3, 1961 when 4.2 inches of the white stuff fell. The average date of Denver’s first snow is October 18th.
Most concerning about these early season snows is the potential for tree damage and power outages. Like spring storms, early season snows are usually quite wet and heavy and have the potential to wreak havoc, even if there isn’t much to them.
Following an August that was unseasonably warm and dry, we find ourselves heading into September hoping for relief. Â The month can bring plenty of rain and even our first snow of the season but more often than not, it is one of the most pleasant along the Colorado Front Range.
As temperatures start to drop, September usually reminds us that summer is at an end and fall is now here. Sunshine is predominant though as the month actually has the highest percentage of sun out of any month. Sunny days and clear, cool nights are the standard weather pattern for the month.
The month can bring extremes however. Â We will of course forever remember 2013’s devastating floods brought on by record-setting rain. Â Longtime residents might remember September 1971 which brought over 17 inches of snowfall.
As the calendar turns to August, the summertime heat begins to fade and that makes it easier to get out and enjoy all of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.  From a walk in a park to afternoon thunderstorms to an abundance of wildlife, photo opportunities abound as is seen in our slideshow.
Our monsoon season typically arrives about now and that means better chances for moisture.  However with limited instability, the intensity of storms are more sedate.  That doesn’t mean however that the weather is any less photographic.
Slideshow updated August 27, 2020
By the end of the month some of our seasonal feathered friends will be looking to leave the state giving our last chance to see them till spring.  Larger mammals are gearing up for the rut (mating season) and that can make for some intense scenes.
Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather and nature related imagery. Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted.
To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.
[flickr_set id=”72157715425013148″]
What is missing in the slideshow above? Â Your photo!
Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured. The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.
Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids. Â Whimsical, newsy, artsy. Â Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard. Â You name it, we want to see and share it!
Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State. We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.
We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.
What do you win for having your image in our slideshow? We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes. However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.
To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets. Links are provided below.
Another hot day on the Colorado Front Range and Denver sees another record high temperature.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s official high temperature hit 98 degrees. That ties the record high temperature for the date set in 2011. This is the sixth time this month that Denver has tied or broken a daily high temperature record.
Here in Thornton, we were just a hair cooler with a high of 97 degrees.
Another hot one in the Mile High City and another record set or tied for the month.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the city’s official high temperature today topped out at 98 degrees. This ties the record high for the date last set in 2011.
Today’s mark is the fifth time this month Denver has tied or broken a record high temperature.
Here in Thornton, we matched that mark with a high reading of 98 degrees as well.
For the fourth time this month, the Mile High City set or tied a high temperature record and also recorded its first mercury reading of 100 degrees in almost a year.
As measured at Denver International Airport, Denver’s official high temperature today hit 100 degrees. This easily breaks the record high for August 18 of 98 degrees set in 2013. This was the first time Denver hit 100 degrees this year. The last time was on September 2, 2019. This also marks the 58th time Denver has seen a reading of 90 degrees or higher this year.
Here in Thornton, we matched Denver’s reading of 100 degrees and it was the second time this year we hit the mark. The first came exactly one month ago on July 18.
Looking into the history books, Denver has recorded 100 degree or higher temperatures 93 times since 1872. With the warming climate though, we have been averaging two 100 degree days per year over the past 30 years.
Many are comparing this year to the scorching hot summer of 2012. That year we saw 73 days of 90 degree or warmer temperatures and thirteen of those with 100 degree readings or higher. We also tied Denver’s all-time high of 105 degrees twice that year.
Continuing our seemingly unending string of hotter than normal temperatures, today’s readings hit record-setting territory.
As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s temperature topped out at 98 degrees today. That breaks the previous record high for August 17 of 97 degrees set in 2013.
Thornton was just a touch cooler with a high of 96.6 degrees.
Following an August that was unseasonably warm and dry, we find ourselves heading into September hoping for relief. Â The month can bring plenty of rain and even our first snow of the season but more often than not, it is one of the most pleasant along the Colorado Front Range.