Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Climatology

Thanksgiving climatology: Comfortable temps, dry conditions the norm

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Denver and Thornton's historical Thanksgiving weather.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
Colorado Weather, National Weather

Snow across western United States imaged by NASA satellite

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Widespread snow from the Sierra Nevada to the Colorado Rockies snarled travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.  As the holiday weekend wraps up, NASA has released satellite imagery showing just thousands of square miles coated in a blanket of white.

Read more below the image.

NASA's Terra satellite captured stunning imagery of the pre-Thanksgiving snow across the western United States.
NASA's Terra satellite captured stunning imagery of the pre-Thanksgiving snow across the western United States.

The winter weather conditions delayed flights and forced road closures starting last weekend and lasting up to Thanksgiving.  Some of the snow totals from Saturday the 20th through Saturday the 27th include:

  • Salt Lake City, Utah – 9.9 inches
  • Pocatello, Idaho – 9.0 inches
  • Boise, Idaho -5.0 inches
  • Elko, Nevada – 8.4 inches
  • Yakima, Washington – 6.2 inches
  • Missoula, Montana – 8.4 inches

Much higher amounts were recorded in the higher elevations making for very happy ski resorts and skiers.  Alpine Meadows near Lake Tahoe reported 8.5 feet of snow at mid-mountain.  In Wyoming, Jackson Hole opened all of its runs on its opening day, the first time it has been able to do so in 45 years.

In western Colorado ski areas were very happy to receive the snow leading up to the busy holiday season with Steamboat having its best opening in 10 years. Loveland Ski Area reported nearly 3 feet of snow depth at mid-mountain. 

The image released by NASA and taken by its Terra satellite show a wide swath of snow cover from Oregon across Nevada, Idaho and Utah to Colorado. Click on the image to the above left to view the full size, high resolution image.

From NASA:

In most of the western part of the United States, Thanksgiving Day came with a coating of snow. Ski resorts from California’s Lake Tahoe region to the Colorado Rockies reported several feet of snow from a storm system that passed through in the days before, bringing a welcome early opening to the ski season. Travelers throughout the West, however, did not share skiers’ enthusiasm for the weather. Winter weather advisories were causing flight delays and cancellations throughout the northwestern-most states. The same storm system that brought as six inches of snow to Utah and Idaho on November 23 also brought heavy snow to North Dakota and Minnesota the next day. Severe wind chill conditions were reported throughout the Great Plains on November 25 as well.

This image shows a portion of the western U.S. on November 25, 2010 (Thanksgiving Day). It was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. White snow decorates the ground from California’s Sierra range eastward throughout Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, ending at the front range of the Rockies in Colorado. Further north along the top edge of the image, the snow runs solidly from Oregon to Idaho and Wyoming off the northern and eastern edges of the image.

Thornton Weather

Colorado mountains set to be slammed by major snowstorm

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A major winter storm will bring heavy snow to much of western Colorado.
A major winter storm will bring heavy snow to much of western Colorado. (NWS)

As travelers prepare to hit the road to visit friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday, a major winter storm set to strike the Western Slope may cause problems.  Some areas will be measuring snow in terms of feet rather than the usual inches. 

A strong Pacific trough of low pressure will begin encroaching on western Colorado today followed by a cold front on Sunday.  These factors will combine to bring heavy snow to much of the western third of the state where Winter Storm Warnings have been posted.

The long-lasting storm will bring periods of heavy snow lasting from today through Wednesday.  The San Juans will bear the brunt through tomorrow followed by the Sawatch and Elk mountain ranges from Monday through Wednesday.  Areas farther north along the Rockies will also feel the effects. 

Here in Thornton and the Denver metro area things will be much calmer but also cooler, particularly on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day.  High temperatures for those two days may not even reach the freezing mark.  At the current time it does appear we will remain dry so flying into and out of Denver International Airport (DIA) should not be a problem. 

Get the rest of the story on Examiner.com.Get more details including a look at current weather warnings for Colorado on the Denver Weather Examiner.