November brought Thornton cooler than normal temperatures and a bit more snow than usual.  What will December hold for us?

The month of December brings with it the official start of winter and oftentimes, colder and snowier weather conditions.

It however can also offer unseasonably warm temperatures and bone dry conditions.  Given our recent mild and dry weather, we are certainly hoping for a change in the coming month.

Overall December’s monthly mean temperature of 30.0 degrees (1981 – 2010 averages) makes it our coldest month.  Snow is always on everyone’s mind this time of year but December is only our 3rd snowiest month behind March and November with an average of 8.5 inches of the white stuff.

Get all the details on Thornton’s December weather including a look back at historical events and a look at the long range forecast in our December weather preview here.

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Another weak disturbance impacts northern Colorado again today. As a result we will have a good bit of cloud cover, temps will be well below normal and we may see some of the white stuff.

Partly cloudy skies start things off and there may be a few flakes that fall early although no accumulation is expected. After that, partly cloudy skies will continue to be the rule for the balance of the day.

Temperatures will only be reaching the mid-30s today, about 10 degrees below normal. Mid-afternoon into the evening may see some light snow but minimal accumulation is all that is expected, if anything at all.

Tonight, any showers will end early then skies will see some clearing. Overnight lows will be in the mid-teens.

A couple of disturbances will be moving through Colorado over the three day period and offering up changes to our weather. Friday will bring just a slight chance for a shower, Saturday will be breezy and Sunday sees a chill take hold.

For today, partly sunny skies will be above initially with increased cloud cover this afternoon. Highs will top out in the mid-40s. The afternoon and evening bring just a slight chance for a rain or snow shower but no accumulation is expected. Tonight, skies will be mostly cloudy with lows to the mid-20s.

Saturday will be dry with temperatures near normal. However, we do expect to see some breezy winds, particularly in the afternoon. Saturday night into Sunday morning lows drop to the mid-20s.

Sunday will be the coldest day of the period with highs only near freezing. Some light snow will be possible throughout the day and into Sunday evening but little accumulation is expected.

Have a great weekend!

A largely typical late fall day for us today although temps will be somewhat mild. You will want to enjoy it because colder weather is going to be the rule from here through at least the middle of next week.

Today starts out with partly sunny skies and that will be the general condition above throughout the day with a decent bit of cloud cover. Overall conditions will be calm, winds light. Temperatures will warm toward a high in the low 50s.

Tonight, mostly cloudy skies will be above with lows in the upper 20s.

Looking ahead, a series of systems will be impacting us for the next week. Temperatures will be trending cooler and we see a couple of chances for snow. For more details, see the extended weather forecast here.

Cool clouds over Thornton on an unsettled day. (LE Worley)

Typically November is a quiet weather month with plenty of nice, fall days but it can also turn wet with healthy doses of snow and moisture.  The wide variety of conditions can create picturesque scenes ranging from blue skies and snow-capped mountains to a wintry wonderland in the metro area.

November is the second snowiest month of the year so winter conditions are not unusual.  Typically though, these bouts of cold are short-lived and normal daytime conditions are pleasant.

Outdoor activities continue to be quite popular during the month.  The cooling temperatures do oftentimes lead to an increase in wildlife activity.

All of the above help lead to a month in which a wide variety of scenes, flora and fauna can be captured.

• Slideshow updated November 28, 2018
• To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

What is missing in the slideshow above?  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.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  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.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

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November 25 to December 1: This week in Denver weather history

From powerful, damaging wind to snowstorms that snarled Thanksgiving holiday traffic, this week in Denver weather history has been an eventful one.

From the National Weather Service:

21-25

In 1952…snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph on the 21st.

24-25

In 1908…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over downtown Denver overnight. North winds were sustained to 15 mph.

In 1930 strong winds raked the Front Range eastern foothills. Winds gusted to 40 mph at Valmont just east of Boulder where minor damage occurred.

In 1970…strong Chinook winds warmed Boulder. At the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder…wind gusts reached 97 mph…while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 69 mph. Some minor damage occurred. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport…and the high temperature warmed to 76 degrees on the 25th…setting a new record maximum for the date.

25

In 1877…northwest winds were sustained to 50 mph.

In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The strong apparent bora winds warmed the temperature to a high of only 45 degrees.

In 1943…snowfall of 4.0 inches was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 17 mph.

In 1958…strong pre-frontal Chinook winds struck Boulder and the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded northwest of Denver. A gust to 88 mph occurred at Rocky Flats south of Boulder. The windstorm caused considerable structural damage to residential sections of north metro Denver.

In 1959…strong winds raked the eastern foothills including Boulder and Eldorado Springs. Wind gusts to 100 mph were estimated at the Matterhorn Restaurant located atop Rocky Flats south of Boulder.

In 1993…a wind gust to 99 mph was recorded atop Squaw Mountain near Idaho Springs.

In 1998…strong winds developed over portions of the Front Range foothills for a brief time following the passage of a weak upper level disturbance. A wind gust to 71 mph was measured atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon.

In 1999…strong Chinook winds developed in and near the foothills. Peak wind reports included 100 mph at the Eldora Ski Resort and 77 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab above Boulder. West winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2010…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County. A gust to 75 mph occurred 5 miles northwest of Boulder with a gust to 72 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab above Boulder. West winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport.

25-26

In 1887…snowfall totaled 2.9 inches in the city. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 26th when the temperature dipped to 12 degrees below zero.

In 1959…a sharp cold front produced a northwest wind gust to 51 mph…followed by snow and falling temperatures from a high of 60 degrees to a low of 23 degrees at midnight on the 25th. Snowfall totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton Airport before ending early on the 26th.

In 1972…winds gusted to 104 mph at the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder. Gusts to 70 mph were recorded at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder…while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 68 mph. Some damage was reported. Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 26th.

In 1984…blowing snow closed I-70 east of Denver…stranding over a thousand travelers in Limon. Denver received only 2.3 inches of snowfall. North winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1999…strong Chinook winds redeveloped overnight in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts included 72 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu and at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab above Boulder.

25-27

In 1978…heavy snowfall of 6.0 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 20 mph. Most of the snow…4.8 inches…fell on the 25th. The greatest amount of snow measured on the ground was 5 inches due to settling and melting.

25-28

In 1952…the average coldest 4-day period in November in the previous 81 years of record occurred. Maximum temperatures of 19…15…21…and 25 degrees were recorded. Minimum temperatures were below zero each day with readings of 7 below…6 below…5 below…and 6 below.

25-29

In 1985…dense fog with visibilities as low as 1/8 mile occurred on five consecutive days at Stapleton International Airport. The fog was at times accompanied by light snow… Light freezing drizzle…or ice crystals. Fog occurred all day on both the 26th and 29th.

26

In 1873…west winds increased to a violent gale at 3:00 am and reached a maximum sustained velocity of 56 mph at 3:15 am. The winds continued with a velocity of not less than 40 mph until 6:00 am. Winds continued brisk for the remainder of the day. The strong winds caused damage to houses and buildings in the city. Temperatures were in the 50’s through early afternoon with a recorded high of 59 degrees. Winds also blew strongly in Boulder and caused 300 dollars in damage.

In 1911…post-frontal northeast winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph. Snowfall was only 0.5 inch.

In 1965…post-frontal snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where strong west winds gusted to 39 mph during the afternoon.

In 1976…2 to 4 inches of snow with an arctic cold front produced near zero visibility at times in blowing snow… Causing multiple automobile accidents in metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph. Temperatures hovered in the teens and lower 20’s most of the day dipping to 7 degrees by midnight.

In 1977 a strong wind storm raked metro Denver. High winds blew windows from office towers in Denver and Boulder. Thirteen people were injured in Boulder due to flying debris. Wind gusts to 119 mph were clocked on Davidson Mesa southeast of Boulder…with 109 mph in downtown Boulder. Six airplanes were damaged at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. Winds to 90 mph were reported in Lakewood. Glass was blown out of several vehicles in Wheat Ridge…and roofs were blown off 4 houses in Arvada. Several houses under construction collapsed across metro Denver. Winds to 75 mph were reported at the Denver Federal Center with 90 mph at Rocky Flats. West winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Total insured damage from the wind storm was 2.2 million dollars.

In 1987…a Thanksgiving snowstorm brought 5 inches of snow to metro Denver and 6 inches to the foothills. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 5.0 inches…north winds gusted to 22 mph…and temperatures hovered in the upper 20’s most of the day.

In 1991…strong winds were recorded in and near the eastern foothills. Winds at Rollinsville were clocked to 70 mph with 45 mph recorded in Boulder and 51 mph at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Rocky Flats plant. West winds gusted to only 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

» Click here to read the rest of November 25 to December 1: This week in Denver weather history

Some good and not-so-good in today’s weather forecast. On the plus side, we will see temperatures a good ways above normal with mostly sunny skies. On the minus side, we also we have a healthy dose of wind for much of the day.

We start out with some cloud cover then that should ease and we will be left with mostly sunny skies for the balance of the day. Temperatures start out a bit warm due to downslope flow then will increase and head toward a high in the upper 50s.

• Keep an eye on the temp and wind here.

Look for the winds to start picking up the pace this morning, peaking by early to mid-afternoon. Gusts to 30mph or so will be possible. After dark, things will settle down.

Tonight, skies will be partly clear with lows near freezing.

A relatively nice, late fall day ahead for us. Temps will be a good bit above normal although with increasing moisture aloft there will be more cloud cover.

The day starts out with mostly clear skies but then we will see a steady increase in coverage leading to partly sunny skies for most of the day. Overall conditions will be calm and we will remain dry. Temperatures will climb toward a high near the 60 degree mark.

Tonight, mostly cloudy skies will be above with lows to the low to mid-30s.

We get back to work today after the long weekend with a nice Monday. Temperatures will be right near normal coupled with plenty of sun.

The day starts with clear skies and while there will be a cloud here and there, the day will generally be sunny. Just a few clouds may intrude late in the afternoon. Temperatures will be cool, topping out right near the average high for the date of 47 degrees.

Tonight, skies will clear and we will see overnight lows in the mid-20s.

Looking ahead, the next few days should see temperatures remove even further with highs 10 degrees or so above normal. Check out the extended weather forecast here.

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Be sure to head over to WeatherGeekStuff.com and get that holiday gift today for your favorite weather geek. 

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