The month of November 2016 was certainly an unusual one for Thornton. Despite a turn toward colder weather at the end, the extraordinary warmth at the start was the dominating feature. We did finally receive our first snow of the season although we are far behind normal for the season.
Dominating high pressure was a recurring theme for the first half of the month. This kept storm systems and colder temperatures at bay bringing unseasonably warm mercury readings. Every one of the first 16 days of the month saw temperatures in excess of 60 degrees, five saw readings warmer than 70 degrees and one even hit over 80 degrees.
A series of troughs and cold fronts finally brought an end to the record-setting warmth. After recording 81.5 degrees of the 16th, we followed with a 40.9 degree high on the 17th. The 17th also brought our first, and thus far only, snowfall of the season. The balance of the month saw things return to a more typical November weather pattern.
Thornton’s average monthly temperature for November 2016 came in at 43.9 degrees. This was far above Denver’s historical average for the month of 38.3 degrees. Out at the airport where the Mile High City’s official measurements are kept, the average came in warmer still at 45.1 degrees. That put November 2016 into the books at the 10th warmest November in Denver weather history.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from the aforementioned high of 81.5 degrees on the 16th down to a low of 13 degrees on the morning of the 30th. DIA’s high was 80 degrees and its low 10 degrees, each on the same day as Thornton’s maximum and minimum. The 80 degree reading on the 16th was not only a record for the date but also the latest 80 degree temperature ever recorded in Denver.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.61 inches during the month of November. Thornton fell far short of that with a mere 0.24 inches of precip in the bucket. Out at the airport, Denver fared better with 0.52 inches.
Thornton recorded 2.2 inches of snow for the month while Denver ended with 1.7 inches. Both were far below the November average of 8.7 inches and comprise the only snowfall we have seen this season. The snow on the 17th was the third latest first seasonal snowfall on record in Denver.
Click here to view Thornton’s November 2016 climate report.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
638 AM MST THU DEC 1 2016
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2016...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2016
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 80 11/16/2016
11/08/2006
LOW -18 11/29/1877
HIGHEST 80R 11/16 73 7 75 11/03
LOWEST 10 11/30 6 4 3 11/27
AVG. MAXIMUM 59.9 52.1 7.8 51.2
AVG. MINIMUM 30.4 24.5 5.9 25.7
MEAN 45.1 38.3 6.8 38.5
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 1 2.3 -1.3 5
DAYS MIN <= 32 15 23.4 -8.4 24
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.6 -0.6 0 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 3.21 1946 MINIMUM T 1899 1901 1949 TOTALS 0.52 0.61 -0.09 2.13 DAILY AVG. 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.07 DAYS >= .01 2 4.7 -2.7 11
DAYS >= .10 2 1.6 0.4 6
DAYS >= .50 0 0.0 0.0 1
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.30 11/22 TO 11/22 11/04 TO 11/05
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 1.7 8.7
RECORD NOVEMBER 42.5 1946
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 586 801 -215 789
SINCE 7/1 896 1382 -486 1090
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 878 769 109 877
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
......................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 9.8
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/212
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 33/270 DATE 11/24
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 43/270 DATE 11/27
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.40
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 14
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 12
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 4
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 45
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 1
LIGHT RAIN 1 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 1 SNOW 1
LIGHT SNOW 2 SLEET 0
FOG 2 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 1
HAZE 1
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.