The holiday season is about to kick off with Thanksgiving and with many folks traveling in the coming weeks, the focus is oftentimes on the weather. Looking back at Denver’s historical Thanksgiving weather, we see that the day is usually dry with comfortable temperatures.
Details on every Thanksgiving in Denver since recordkeeping began in 1872 is below. While calm and dry may be the norm, that doesn’t mean that drama isn’t possible.
For this year, what can we expect? At this time it all depends on which forecast model you want to believe.
The GFS indicates a cold front with temperatures in the 30s. The ECMWF points to ridging which would lead to an unseasonably warm day. Which would we side with? For right now we prefer the ECMWF solution.
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From the National Weather Service – Thanksgiving climatology:
Average High: 49
Average Low: 24
Warmest: 73 (1909)
Coldest: -18 (1877)
Greatest Daily Snowfall: 8.5″ (1928)
Chance of Measurable Snow (>=0.1″): 12%
| Year | High | Low | Snowfall |
| 2013 | 51 | 24 | |
| 2012 | 58 | 23 | |
| 2011 | 69 | 38 | |
| 2010 | 40 | 4 | |
| 2009 | 66 | 24 | |
| 2008 | 44 | 25 | |
| 2007 | 29 | 8 | 0.1 |
| 2006 | 63 | 30 | |
| 2005 | 55 | 25 | |
| 2004 | 60 | 33 | |
| 2003 | 37 | 10 | |
| 2002 | 59 | 22 | |
| 2001 | 57 | 29 | |
| 2000 | 42 | 26 | |
| 1999 | 50 | 24 | |
| 1998 | 72 | 35 | |
| 1997 | 52 | 33 | 0.7 |
| 1996 | 58 | 27 | |
| 1995 | 56 | 31 | |
| 1994 | 58 | 29 | |
| 1993 | 18 | -5 | T |
| 1992 | 42 | 12 | |
| 1991 | 33 | 27 | T |
| 1990 | 53 | 27 | |
| 1989 | 58 | 21 | |
| 1988 | 63 | 33 | |
| 1987 | 30 | 24 | 5 |
| 1986 | 62 | 32 | |
| 1985 | 39 | 13 | T |
| 1984 | 54 | 29 | |
| 1983 | 48 | 18 | |
| 1982 | 50 | 18 | |
| 1981 | 38 | 11 | |
| 1980 | 47 | 14 | |
| 1979 | 36 | 11 | |
| 1978 | 57 | 25 | |
| 1977 | 54 | 30 | |
| 1976 | 61 | 34 | |
| 1975 | 39 | 15 | |
| 1974 | 29 | 10 | 0.9 |
| 1973 | 42 | 20 | T |
| 1972 | 50 | 20 | |
| 1971 | 60 | 24 | |
| 1970 | 49 | 29 | 0.2 |
| 1969 | 47 | 13 | |
| 1968 | 34 | 15 | 1.6 |
| 1967 | 48 | 27 | T |
| 1966 | 47 | 26 | |
| 1965 | 57 | 31 | T |
| 1964 | 45 | 28 | |
| 1963 | 48 | 19 | |
| 1962 | 52 | 22 | |
| 1961 | 51 | 26 | |
| 1960 | 68 | 34 | |
| 1959 | 28 | 12 | 0.5 |
| 1958 | 19 | -4 | 4.8 |
| 1957 | 52 | 20 | 0.2 |
| 1956 | 52 | 22 | |
| 1955 | 48 | 20 | |
| 1954 | 68 | 35 | |
| 1953 | 59 | 36 | |
| 1952 | 21 | -5 | |
| 1951 | 53 | 24 | T |
| 1950 | 49 | 13 | T |
| 1949 | 66 | 56 | |
| 1948 | 41 | 26 | |
| 1947 | 48 | 29 | 0.6 |
| 1946 | 61 | 40 | |
| 1945 | 39 | 15 | |
| 1944 | 64 | 33 | |
| 1943 | 38 | 19 | 4 |
| 1942 | 36 | 19 | |
| 1941 | 34 | 17 | |
| 1940 | 50 | 24 | |
| 1939 | 56 | 35 | |
| 1938 | 41 | 14 | |
| 1937 | 53 | 32 | |
| 1936 | 55 | 30 | |
| 1935 | 54 | 36 | |
| 1934 | 33 | 16 | T |
| 1933 | 45 | 33 | |
| 1932 | 68 | 33 | |
| 1931 | 28 | 12 | |
| 1930 | 49 | 22 | |
| 1929 | 59 | 24 | |
| 1928 | 31 | 21 | 8.5 |
| 1927 | 59 | 30 | |
| 1926 | 56 | 43 | |
| 1925 | 50 | 30 | |
| 1924 | 54 | 30 | |
| 1923 | 50 | 24 | |
| 1922 | 44 | 30 | T |
| 1921 | 56 | 30 | |
| 1920 | 48 | 28 | |
| 1919 | -1 | -5 | 0.6 |
| 1918 | 31 | 15 | |
| 1917 | 51 | 35 | |
| 1916 | 66 | 31 | |
| 1915 | 44 | 29 | |
| 1914 | 61 | 34 | |
| 1913 | 51 | 28 | |
| 1912 | 57 | 39 | |
| 1911 | 52 | 24 | |
| 1910 | 71 | 47 | |
| 1909 | 73 | 34 | |
| 1908 | 38 | 11 | |
| 1907 | 46 | 25 | |
| 1906 | 45 | 26 | |
| 1905 | 32 | 10 | |
| 1904 | 62 | 25 | |
| 1903 | 63 | 30 | |
| 1902 | 55 | 28 | |
| 1901 | 72 | 29 | |
| 1900 | 57 | 28 | |
| 1899 | 47 | 36 | |
| 1898 | 36 | 13 | |
| 1897 | 37 | 22 | 2 |
| 1896 | 23 | 2 | 0.9 |
| 1895 | 50 | 29 | |
| 1894 | 51 | 27 | |
| 1893 | 58 | 26 | |
| 1892 | 65 | 37 | |
| 1891 | 59 | 35 | |
| 1890 | 60 | 25 | |
| 1889 | 28 | 21 | |
| 1888 | 34 | 28 | 0.1 |
| 1887 | 43 | 21 | |
| 1886 | 42 | 20 | |
| 1885 | 52 | 32 | |
| 1884 | 56 | 33 | |
| 1883 | 68 | 34 | |
| 1882 | 64 | 34 | |
| 1881 | 47 | 17 | |
| 1880 | 27 | 2 | |
| 1879 | 30 | 17 | |
| 1878 | 50 | 22 | |
| 1877 | 16 | -18 | |
| 1876 | 27 | 3 | |
| 1875 | 51 | 29 | |
| 1874 | 62 | 25 | |
| 1873 | 28 | 10 | |
| 1872 | 56 | 22 |