Looking back at last month we certainly do recall the unseasonably warm temperatures that seemed to dominate August 2013. While the high temperatures were indeed high, somehow Thornton managed to end up with a relatively average temperature and precipitation short of normal.
The month started with temperatures into the 90s and much-needed precipitation on two of the first three days. Thunderstorms on the third provided a bit of excitement including strong winds and some hail.
From there the month turned a good bit cooler with seasonal temperatures on many days and even two days (the 7th and 8th) when highs were in the 70s. The latter half of the month however saw a return of the heat with 13 of the final 16 days of the month registering high temperatures at or above 90 degrees.
Looking at the statistics one can easily see how different weather conditions can be across a relatively small area. While Thornton saw a monthly average temperature near normal, Denver was considerably warm. Similarly, our precipitation was below the Denver long term average but out at the airport it was well above average.
In terms of temperatures, the August average temperature in Thornton was 72.0 degrees. This was right near the 1981 to 2010 Denver average for the month of 72.5 degrees. Out at DIA however, the average temperature was a considerably higher 74.6 degrees.
Thornton’s highest temperature of the month was 97.6 degrees on the 20th. Our lowest was 50.2 degrees on the 15th. Officially, Denver’s highest temperature recorded was 99 degrees on the 20th and its lowest 52 degrees on that same day.
Three temperature records were broken in Denver during August 2013.
A new record high of 97 degrees was recorded on August 17 (96 degrees, 1994). On August 20 a record high of 99 degrees was recorded as well (98 degrees, 1987). Also on the 20th, a record high minimum of 70 degrees was set (67 degrees, 2007).
Denver’s long term precipitation for the month of August is 1.69 inches. Thornton fell short of that mark as we registered 1.37 inches in our rain bucket. More than an inch of that was the result of thunderstorms on two days (the 3rd and the 21st).
Denver was able to best us by a large margin recording 2.78 inches of precipitation in August 2013. The bulk of the Mile High City’s precipitation fell on the 22nd when they registered 1.94 inches from a slow moving thunderstorm, one which missed Thornton entirely.
One precipitation record was set in Denver during August 2013. The 1.94 inches of rainfall on the 22nd was a record for the date, easily besting the old record of 0.75 inches set in 1953.
Click here to view Thornton’s August 2013 climate summary.
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2013...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2013
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 105 08/08/1878
LOW 40 08/26/1910
08/25/1910
08/24/1910
HIGHEST 99 08/20 105 -6 98 08/27
08/03
08/06
LOWEST 52 08/09 40 12 47 08/17
AVG. MAXIMUM 89.4 87.2 2.2 91.0
AVG. MINIMUM 59.8 57.9 1.9 58.9
MEAN 74.6 72.5 2.1 75.0
DAYS MAX >= 90 16 11.5 4.5 20
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 5.85 1979
MINIMUM 0.02 1924
TOTALS 2.78 1.69 1.09 0.11
DAILY AVG. 0.09 0.05 0.04 0.00
DAYS >= .01 7 8.6 -1.6 1
DAYS >= .10 2 4.3 -2.3 1
DAYS >= .50 2 1.2 0.8 0
DAYS >= 1.00 1 0.3 0.7 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 1.95 08/21 TO 08/22 08/11 TO 08/11
08/10 TO 08/11
08/11 TO 08/11
STORM TOTAL MM MM
(MM/DD(HH)) MM 08/11(00) TO 08/11(00)
08/11(00) TO 08/11(00)1
08/11(00) TO 08/11(00)1
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM MM
TOTALS 0.0 0.0
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 0 10 -10 0
SINCE 7/1 0 16 -16 0
COOLING TOTAL 308 244 64 319
SINCE 1/1 866 688 178 1122
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
..................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.8
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/204
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 43/110 DATE 08/03
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 55/060 DATE 08/03
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 4
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 23
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 4
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 48
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 2 RAIN 3
LIGHT RAIN 11 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0
LIGHT SNOW 0 SLEET 0
FOG 4 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 2
HAZE 10
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.