April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather.
The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver. Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen!
For good measure throw in a chance for hail and even dust storms and April gives every type of weather condition you could like – or hate.
The month of March is the start of meteorological spring and while conditions do begin warming, winter weather is certainly out of the question. From hot to cold, snow to rain, the conditions can be very conducive to great pictures as we see in our slideshow.
March in Denver typically means frequent and rapid weather changes. The days grow longer and we start enjoying more sunshine and sometimes summer-like weather. However, on occasion arctic air masses can still force their way south into Colorado dropping temperatures quickly and markedly.
With the active wildlife, increased outdoor activities by us humans, and of course the weather, March imagery contains a wide variety of subjects and extremes.
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.
| [flickr_set id=”72157707169706485″] |
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!
From the National Weather Service:
RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
305 PM MDT THU MAR 14 2019
…RECORD NON-THUNDERSTORM WIND SPEED AND LOW PRESSURE SET AT DENVER…
THE COLORADO CLIMATE CENTER AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BOULDER HAVE DETERMINED THAT NEW RECORDS HAVE BEEN SET FOR NON-THUNDERSTORM WIND SPEED AND LOW SEA LEVEL PRESSURE AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DURING THE HISTORIC BLIZZARD OF MARCH 13 2019.
THE HIGHEST WIND SPEED MEASURED DURING THE BLIZZARD WAS 80 MPH AT 1112 AM MDT. THIS IS THE SECOND HIGHEST WIND SPEED EVER RECORDED AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE HIGHEST WIND EVER RECORDED AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 97 MPH ON JUNE 18 2013, WHEN A TORNADO STRUCK THE MEASURING EQUIPMENT.
THE LOWEST PRESSURE RECORDED ON MARCH 13 WAS 979.01 MILLIBARS AT 843 AM MDT, ADJUSTED TO SEA LEVEL. THE PREVIOUS LOW PRESSURE AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 979.9 ON FEBRUARY 25 1998. THE RECORD LOW SEA LEVEL PRESSURE AT THE FORMER STAPLETON AIRPORT WAS 976.3 MILLIBARS ON FEBRUARY 9, 1960.
RECORDS BEGAN AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KDEN) ON MARCH 1 1995.
Today, March 12, 2019, we saw our warmest temperatures in more than a month. Tomorrow, we are expecting a significant storm that may bring blizzard conditions. That is springtime in Colorado!
The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning which will be in effect from 10:00am Wednesday until midnight Wednesday. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate and school and business closings seem likely. Power outages are another concern with the wind and heavy snow that is expected.
Throughout the period we will of course be monitoring the system and posting regularly to our Facebook page and Twitter feed. You can follow along in real time below. We are also on Google+ here.
For comprehensive look at the storm, please monitor our Winter Weather Briefing page.
The biannual ritual of changing our clocks to adjust for Daylight Saving Time occurs this Saturday night providing yet another signal of the changing of seasons. The United States will ‘spring forward’ one hour at 2:00am Sunday morning as we begin Daylight Savings Time.
The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock. The start of Daylight Saving Time can be particularly problematic given the one hour less sleep people receive on the night of the change.
However, longer days as we head into the milder months are a very real benefit and for many worth the inconvenience of a lost hour of sleep. The time change definitely has big effects on how much daylight we enjoy during our normal waking hours.
On Saturday, prior to the change, sunset will occur at 6:00pm but on Sunday the sun won’t disappear over the horizon until 7:01pm. This affords folks more time in the evening to get started on those spring-time chores and allows us to get outside and enjoy the warming weather.
The March Equinox is also on the horizon. Spring officially begins at 3:58pm on Wednesday, March 20.
This year Daylight Savings Time will come to an end on November 3.
Some of the recent history of Daylight Savings Time (from Wikipedia):
Daylight saving time in the United States was first observed in 1918. Most areas of the United States currently observe daylight saving time, with the exceptions being the states of Arizona and Hawaii along with the territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
From 1987 to 2006, daylight saving time in the United States began on the first Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October. The time was adjusted at 2:00 AM (0200) local time (as it still is done now).
Since 2007, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November, with all time changes taking place at 2:00 AM (0200) local time.
Daylight Savings Time Schedule
| Year | DST Begins 2 a.m. (Second Sunday in March) |
DST Ends 2 a.m. (First Sunday in November) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 March 2019 | 3 November 2019 |
| 2020 | 8 March 2020 | 1 November 2020 |
| 2021 | 14 March 2021 | 7 November 2021 |
| 2022 | 13 March 2022 | 6 November 2022 |
| 2023 | 12 March 2023 | 5 November 2023 |
| 2024 | 10 March 2024 | 3 November 2024 |
| 2025 | 9 March 2025 | 2 November 2025 |
We may have changed the calendar to March but it seems like we are receiving weather more common for January. The bone-chilling cold of recent weeks has continued and the Mile High City set two temperature records in as many days.
Yesterday, as measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw a high temperature of only 6 degrees. This easily broke the record for the coldest maximum (high) temperature for March 3rd. The previous record was 14 degrees set in 1978.
Thornton was slightly warmer yesterday with a high of 8 degrees.
Also of note, yesterday’s low temperature reading in Denver of -6 degrees, while not a record low for the date, was the coldest temperature reading in March since -7 degrees was recorded on March 2, 1960.
This morning, the mercury at DIA dropped to -5 degrees. That bested the record low temperature for March 4th of -3 degrees last set in 1978. Similarly, Thornton saw a low of -5 degrees.
Warmer weather is on its way but the warm up will be slow as the Arctic air and snow cover lingers. For what lies ahead, see the extended weather forecast here.
The month of March in Denver is usually one that is welcomed heartily by residents. We begin to shake off the cold of winter with warmer temperatures and calmer conditions. That does not mean we are done with snow and cold by any means.
March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to our seasonal totals. While there is good snow potential in March, the month also typically brings much warmer temperatures.
March is historically Denver’s snowiest month and brings about 20% of our annual snowfall. Heavy, wet spring snow storms can oftentimes bring the entire month’s snowfall total in one monstrous snow.
We also start the transition to spring and severe weather season and the month typically brings our first thunderstorms of the year. Temperatures climb throughout the month and by the end our average daytime highs are near 60 degrees.
For a complete look at what lies ahead in March 2018, click here.
Cold and snow. Those were certainly the operative words for the month of February 19. Thornton recorded its coldest February in the past 12 years and its snowiest month overall since March 2016.
Mild temperatures started things off for the first four days of the month and fooled us into thinking of an early spring. Those dreams were soon crushed though as the first extended period of below normal temperatures arrived on the 6th. Six straight days of below normal temperatures then arrived as did our first shot of snow for the month.
We rebounded briefly for a four day period from the 12th to the 15th with mild temperatures. Once again though, the mercury plunged delivering 13 straight days of below normal temperatures and five days of measurable snowfall.
Thornton recorded an average temperature for the month of 26.3 degrees. This was our coldest February since ThorntonWeather.com came online in 2007 – by more than two degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official readings are taken it was slightly warmer with an average of 28.0 degrees. Both were well below Denver’s long term February average of 32.5 degrees for February.
While certainly cold, neither average reading for the month could crack Denver’s list of top 10 coldest Februarys.
Thornton saw its warmest mercury reading for the month of 62.3 degrees on the second. Its coldest reading of -7.7 degrees came on the 7th of the month. Denver saw a maximum of 65 degrees on the 3rd and its low of -11 degrees on the 7th.
February is usually a dry month with Denver averaging 0.37 inches of liquid precipitation. Thornton recorded 0.60 inches this year while Denver saw 0.72 inches.
Similarly, snow was a good bit above normal for February as well. Thornton saw 11.2 inches of the white stuff while out at the airport 13.4 inches was recorded.
Click here to view Thornton’s January 2019 climate report.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
555 AM MST FRI MAR 1 2019
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2019...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2019
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 80 02/10/2017
LOW -25 02/01/1951
02/08/1936
HIGHEST 65 02/03
LOWEST -11 02/07
AVG. MAXIMUM 40.8 46.2 -5.4 44.4
AVG. MINIMUM 15.3 18.9 -3.6 15.4
MEAN 28.0 32.5 -4.5 29.9
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 8 3.9 4.1 6
DAYS MIN <= 32 26 26.9 -0.9 26
DAYS MIN <= 0 3 1.3 1.7 3
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 2.01 1934
MINIMUM 0.01 1970
TOTALS 0.72 0.37 0.35 0.31
DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.01
DAYS >= .01 6 5.3 0.7 5
DAYS >= .10 3 0.7 2.3 2
DAYS >= .50 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.41 02/22
OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTAL 13.4 5.7 7.7 6.2
RECORD FEB 22.4 2015
SEASON TOTAL 27.8 35.2
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1029 908 121 975
SINCE 7/1 4417 4439 -22 4057
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 0 0 0 0
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.................................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 9.5
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 1/176
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 35/060 DATE 02/14
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 42/070 DATE 02/14
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 3
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 20
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 5
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 66
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDER 0 FREEZING RAIN 0 LIGHT SNOW 14
MIXED PRECIP 0 LGT FR RAIN 0 ICE PELLETS 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 HAIL 0 FOG 17
RAIN 0 HEAVY SNOW 2 HEAVY FOG 11
LIGHT RAIN 0 MODERATE SNOW 3 HAZE 8
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
February signifies the start of the climb toward warmer temperatures for the year. Cold and snow though do intrude but, coupled with milder conditions, there are lots of photo opportunities as can be seen in our monthly slideshow.
The month is one of our least snowiest of the year but it isn’t unusual to see the landscape blanketed in white. Warming temperatures through the month can bring the onset of spring fever and gives residents the opportunity to enjoy some prolonged time outdoors on the mild days.
Cold or mild, snowy or dry, our scenery is almost always gorgeous – and photo worthy.
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.
| [flickr_set id=”72157676280611747″] |
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!
As February comes to a close, one of our snowiest months, March, is ahead. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows there have indeed been some significant snowfalls as well as high wind events.
From the National Weather Service:
22-29
In 1960…heavy snowfall of 6.1 inches at Stapleton Airport on the 22nd and 23rd marked the beginning of a protracted cold spell which lasted until the end of the month. The cloudy… Cold weather was accompanied by occasional light snow or flurries and fog. New record low temperatures for the dates were set on the 24th thru the 29th with the lowest temperature of 11 degrees below zero on the 28th. The seven consecutive days of low temperatures of zero or below had been exceeded in duration only 4 times previously. New low maximum temperatures for the dates were set on the 23rd… 24th…and the 26th thru the 29th with the lowest maximum temperature of 8 degrees recorded on the 26th.
23-24
In 1935…northwest winds sustained to 37 mph with gusts as high as 47 mph produced considerable blowing dust behind a cold front on the 23rd. The dust was dampened by 7.0 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver from the late evening of the 23rd through the evening of the 24th.
In 1997…heavy snow fell in the foothills. Snowfall totals included 8 inches at sunshine canyon northwest of Boulder… And 6 inches at Morrison. Snowfall totaled only 2.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East winds gusted to only 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 23rd.
23-25
In 1912…a severe winter storm dumped 14.2 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver. Snow fell continuously from 9:40 am on the 23rd until 9:15 pm on the 25th with most of the snow… 9.2 inches…on the 24th. Temperatures were mostly in the 20’s. Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 24th.
24
In 1908…a duststorm occured in the city from mid-morning through mid-day. North winds were sustained from 30 to 35 mph.
In 1927…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with an extreme velocity to 46 mph.
In 1924…fog deposited a light coating of glaze…which was very thin and only accumulated on the windward side of cold objects. Streets and sidewalks became slippery.
In 1956…a strong cold front produced north wind gusts to 54 mph…but left only 2.0 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport.
In 1959…heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches at Stapleton Airport…where north-northeast winds gusted to only 18 mph.
In 1968…west-northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The strong Chinook winds warmed the maximum temperature to 61 degrees…the highest temperature of the month that year.
In 1986…wind gusts to 65 mph were reported at Table Mesa in Boulder. West winds gusted to only 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the high temperature of 70 degrees equaled the record for the date.
In 1991…the only measurable snowfall for the month totaled only 0.8 inch at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 28 mph. The light snow fell for most of the day.
In 1994…high winds raked the eastern foothills. Wind speeds of 70 to 80 mph were common. Wind gusts to 110 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in south Boulder…while in north Boulder winds gusted to 95 mph. The strong winds blew the roof off a building at red rocks community college in Lakewood…causing the evacuation of about 1500 people. A semi-trailer and a delivery truck were overturned. In Lakewood…a home under construction was destroyed by the winds. There were numerous reports of vehicles damaged by flying debris…and many automobile windshields were shattered. West wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2013…A storm system near the Four Corners region produced heavy upslope snowfall in and near the Front Range with blizzard conditions further east as it made its way across southern Colorado. In the Front Range Mountains and Foothills storm totals included: 27 inches near Pinecliffe; 24 inches…13 miles northwest of Golden; 20 inches near Genesee; 17 inches near Conifer; 15 inches near Jamestown; 14 inches…just southwest of Eldorado Springs; 12.5 inches near Aspen Springs; 12 inches near Evergreen and Ward; 10 inches at Eldora Ski Area; with 8 inches near Gross Reservoir…Idaho Springs and Nederland. Across the Urban Corridor storm totals included: 12 inches in Aurora; 11.5 inches near Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Lakewood; 10.5 inches just north of Longmont and Westminster; 10 inches in Lone Tree and Thornton; 8.5 inches in Aurora…6 miles southwest of Denver and near Loveland; 8 inches at Boulder… Broomfield…and Ralston Reservoir; 7.5 inches near Frederick…with 7 inches at Commerce City. The storm prompted the cancellation of 200 flights in and out of Denver International Airport. Officially…the storm system produced 9.1 inches of snow at DIA which established a new daily snowfall record in Denver for the date. Along and south of the I-70 corridor and east of Denver…the combination of heavy snow and strong wind produced blizzard conditions. Storm totals included: 14 inches…10 miles south-southeast of Buckley AFB…10.5 inches…8 miles southeast of Watkins; with 6 inches near Byers. Northerly winds of 25 to 30 mph were common with gusts to 40 mph. At DIA…a peak wind gust of 32 mph was observed.
25
In 1887…northwest winds were sustained to 47 mph.
In 1904…the low temperature cooled to only 49 degrees…the all-time record high minimum temperature for February.
In 1957…north winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1998…a bora wind storm developed in the Front Range foothills and adjacent plains as winds gusted between 60 and 75 mph. Peak wind gusts during the storm included: 75 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu…60 mph in south Boulder and at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. West winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2000…high winds occurred in and near the foothills. Winds gusted to 84 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility south of Boulder and to 71 mph atop Niwot Ridge in the mountains west of Boulder. West winds gusted to only 36 mph at Denver International Airport.
25-26
In 1971…a wind gust to 100 mph was recorded in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The cold west winds gusted to 53 mph in downtown Boulder. No damage was reported. Northwest winds gusted to 31 mph on the 25th and to 38 mph on the 26th at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1984…a heavy snow storm left 1 to 2 feet of new snow in the foothills west of Denver. I-70 was closed…stranding skiers returning from the mountains. Most had to spend several hours in Idaho Springs. The snow spread over metro Denver with 9 inches at Littleton…Castle Rock…and Boulder and up to 5 inches in Aurora and Denver. Snowfall totaled only 3.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 31 mph.
26
In 1884…heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in downtown Denver.
In 1908…a duststorm occurred in the city during the afternoon. Northwest winds were sustained from 14 to 24 mph.
In 1918…pre-frontal Chinook winds from the southwest… Sustained to 43 mph with a maximum velocity to 52 mph… Warmed temperatures to a high of 62 degrees.
In 1954…strong Chinook winds gusting to 52 mph during the morning warmed the temperature in Denver to a balmy 65 degrees by early afternoon. A vigorous Canadian cold front during the late afternoon produced north winds at sustained speeds of 52 mph with gusts as high as 65 mph and billows of blowing dust…which reduced the visibility to as low as 1 mile at Stapleton Airport. Showers left half an inch of snow on the ground as the temperature dipped to a low of 27 degrees before midnight.
In 1989…a brief rain shower produced a microburst wind gust to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1997…snowfall totaled 4 to 6 inches in and near the foothills. Only 0.8 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2013…a storm system produced heavy snow in the Front Range Foothills. Storm totals included: 12 inches near Black Mountain and Pine Junction…10 inches near Conifer and Nederland; 9 inches…12 miles northwest of Golden; 8 inches near Evergreen…with 6 inches near Eldorado Springs. Snow and blowing snow produced blizzard conditions along and south of the Interstate 70 corridor…just east of Denver. Storm totals generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches. North winds of 25 to 30 mph were reported with gusts around 40 mph. Roads became impassable as snow and blowing snow produced 3 to 4 ft snow drifts. Interstate 70 was closed from Aurora to the Kansas state line. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust to 31 mph was reported along with 1.0 inch of snow.
Continue reading February 24 to March 2: This Week in Denver Weather History