The past month was one that started out with some excitement in the form of snow (after rain) but then became far calmer and warmer.
On the third of the month, we saw a system move in that initially offered precipitation in the form of rain, and a good bit of it. That eventually transitioned to snow giving us 3.2 inches. Our biggest snowfall of the month of 4.2 inches followed on the 10th. We then saw a few other, smaller snowfalls, enough to put the month above average in terms of snowfall and precipitation.
Temperatures never really got all that cold. There was only one single digit reading for the month, less than you would expect and, particularly toward the latter part of the month, spring-like mercury readings were pretty common.
Thornton’s average temperature for the month came in at 38.5 degrees. That was far above our 18 year running average for February of 31.8 degrees. That put February 2024 into the books in a tie with February 2016 for the second warmest February. Number one is February 2017 at 40.1.
Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, the month saw an average temperature of 37.6 degrees. That too was well above their long term average for February of 32.7 degrees.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 68.6 degrees on the 20th down to a low of 8.9 degrees on the 17th. Denver twice saw its warmest reading of 65 degrees and its coldest reading was 7 degrees.
Precipitation was bountiful, not only due to some decent snow but mainly due to the rain on the third. Thornton saw 1.67 inches of liquid precipitation for the month, a full inch above the 18 year February average of 0.67 inches.
Denver was drier, but not by a lot. The airport recorded 1.46 inches of liquid precipitation. This versus the Mile High City’s long term February average of 0.41 inches.
In terms of snowfall, we lacked any big storms but the littler ones added up. Thornton recorded 11.8 inches of the white stuff, just above the 18 year running average of 11.6 inches.
Denver bested us on the snowfall front recording 13.7 inches, well above their long term February average of 5.7 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s complete February 2024 climate summary report.
