The running theme so far for 2018 seems to be warmer than normal temperatures and drier that average conditions. That trend continued in June for Thornton.
Like May, June was somewhat a tale of two halves. The first half of the month was marked by very dry conditions with no precipitation until the 16th of the month. Similarly, overall temperatures trended well above normal during the first half of June.
While the warm and dry conditions were notable, the most memorable weather event came on the evening of the 18th when large hail pounded the northern half of Thornton. Extensive damage to homes and vehicles was seen as hailstones pushing 2 inches in diameter struck.
The month also featured Thornton’s hottest mercury reading in six years. We saw a high of 102.4 degrees on the 28th. You have to go back to June 25, 2012 to find a warmer reading (102.9). Additionally, the reading ties for the second warmest high temperature ThorntonWeather.com has recorded since coming online in 2007.
Thornton saw an overall average temperature for the month of 71.3 degrees. This was well above the 30 year average June temperature for Denver of 67.4 degrees. Out at DIA where Denver’s official measurements are taken, it was even warmer with an average for the month of 72.4 degrees.
Temperatures ranged from a high of 102.4 degrees on the 28th down to a low of 46.8 degrees on the morning of the 25th. The Mile High City saw it warmest reading of 105 on the 28th as well and its coldest reading of 44 degrees on the 2nd.
The National Weather Service reports that June 2018 will go into the books as the seventh warmest June on record for Denver. Additionally, three days saw record tying or setting highs. The 5th brought a record high of 95 degrees, the 6th saw a record-tying high of 95 degrees and the 105 degree reading on the 28th was a record for that date.
Denver averages 1.98 inches of precipitation during the month of June. Both Thornton and Denver fell short of that mark. Thornton saw 1.28 inches fall in its rain bucket while at the airport, it was even drier with only 0.43 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s June 2018 climate report.
CLIMATE REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO 320 PM MDT SUN JUL 1 2018 ................................... ...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2018... CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010 CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2018 WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S) NORMAL ................................................................ TEMPERATURE (F) RECORD HIGH 105 06/28/2018 06/26/2012 06/25/2012 LOW 30 06/02/1951 HIGHEST 105R 06/28 104 1 99 06/20 LOWEST 44 06/02 30 14 42 06/13 AVG. MAXIMUM 88.8 82.4 6.4 85.5 AVG. MINIMUM 56.0 52.3 3.7 53.6 MEAN 72.4 67.4 5.0 69.5 DAYS MAX >= 90 16 7.9 8.1 9 DAYS MAX <= 32 0 0.0 0.0 0 DAYS MIN <= 32 0 0.0 0.0 0 DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 4.96 1882 MINIMUM T 1890 TOTALS 0.43 1.98 -1.55 0.33 DAILY AVG. 0.01 0.07 -0.06 0.01 DAYS >= .01 5 8.4 -3.4 5 DAYS >= .10 2 4.6 -2.6 2 DAYS >= .50 0 1.4 -1.4 0 DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.3 -0.3 0 GREATEST 24 HR. TOTAL 0.25 06/17 TO 06/17 SNOWFALL (INCHES) TOTAL 0.0 0.0 RECORD 0.4 1919 DEGREE_DAYS HEATING TOTAL 9 62 -53 25 SINCE 7/1 5410 6058 -648 5109 COOLING TOTAL 241 133 108 167 SINCE 1/1 289 155 134 173 FREEZE DATES RECORD EARLIEST 09/08/1962 LATEST 06/08/2007 EARLIEST 10/07 LATEST 05/05 ................................................................. WIND (MPH) AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.5 RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 1/129 HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 40/240 DATE 06/05 HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 57/160 DATE 06/27 SKY COVER AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.40 NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 11 NUMBER OF DAYS PC 16 NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 3 AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 42 WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH THUNDERSTORMS 12 MIXED PRECIP 0 HEAVY RAIN 2 RAIN 5 LIGHT RAIN 5 FREEZING RAIN 0 LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0 HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0 LIGHT SNOW 0 FOG W/VIS <=1/4 MILE 1 FOG 5 HAZE 2 - INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS. R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED. MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING. T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.