The two key weather related words to describe the Denver area’s November 2012 of ‘dry’ and ‘warm’ hardly come as a surprise. The month saw unseasonably mild temperatures and little in the way of precipitation despite it historically being our second snowiest month.
Above normal temperatures dominated the month from the start with eight out of the first nine days recording readings warmer than average. Colder weather then arrived and brought Thornton and the Mile High City its first snowfall of the season. The cooler temperatures did not last long and warmer weather returned for the majority of the balance of November.
Thornton saw an overall average temperature of 41.1 degrees. Highs averaged 57.3 degrees down to an average low of 26.9 degrees.
Denver’s official average temperature of 43.5 degrees was slightly warmer than Thornton’s. While mild, it was not warm enough to make it into the list of ‘top 10’ warmest Novembers on record.
Here in Thornton our warmest temperature of the month occurred on the 7th when the mercury climbed to 74.6 degrees. The coldest morning occurred on Veterans Day (November 11) when temperatures dropped to a chilly 15.0 degrees.
Precipitation was lacking throughout the month as Thornton recorded a scant 0.37 inch in the bucket. Denver officially recorded less at 0.27 inches. Both measurements were below the average of 0.61 inch for November.
The season’s first snowfall occurred on the 10th of the month with 1.5 inches being recorded in Thornton. Out at DIA they recorded slightly more at 1.7 inches. On average Denver sees 8.7 inches of snow during November so we were well below average.
Click here to view Thornton’s November 2012 climatological report.
Denver’s Official November 2012 Climate Summary
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2012...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2012
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 80 11/08/2006
LOW -18 11/29/1877
HIGHEST 77 11/07 67 10 69 11/24
LOWEST 13 11/11 -3 16 10 11/02
11/03
AVG. MAXIMUM 58.4 52.1 6.3 54.1
AVG. MINIMUM 28.5 24.5 4.0 24.8
MEAN 43.5 38.3 5.2 39.5
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX = .01 1 4.7 -3.7 2
DAYS >= .10 1 1.6 -0.6 2
DAYS >= .50 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.27 11/10 TO 11/10 11/01 TO 11/02
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 42.6 1946
TOTALS 1.7 8.7
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 638 801 -163 757
SINCE 7/1 1195 1382 -187 1252
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 1236 769 467 964
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
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WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.4
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 4/205
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 29/220 DATE 11/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 37/220 DATE 11/09
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 24
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 1
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 44
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 0
LIGHT RAIN 0 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 1 SNOW 1
LIGHT SNOW 2 SLEET 0
FOG 2 FOG W/VIS