Colorado’s famously highly variable weather seems to showcase itself during the month of May when a variety of weather conditions can be seen.
Winter-like temperatures and snow are possible as are mid-summer like temperatures or the more typical spring severe weather.
As the month starts out in 2017 we see pretty typical conditions with a few cool, possibly damp days, before warming up to above normal levels. Long range forecasts lean toward possibly wetter than normal conditions for the month overall but no overriding factors determining where temperatures will end.
The month can bring extremes. Snow is not entirely uncommon during the month, oftentimes causing damage to newly bloomed trees. More common however is severe weather, particularly in the latter half of the month. Thunderstorms become more frequent and their associated hazards – lightning, wind, hail and tornadoes – are usual visitors.
An American Kestrel enjoys a warm, early April day at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. (Shawn Jones)
April can be a tricky month weather-wise with everything from mild temperatures to snow to severe weather being possible. The good thing about that is that it provides plenty of chances for great photos!
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!
Throw in our usual wildlife plus the wide variety of birds that return to the Centennial State for the spring and summer and there is a lot going on.
Slideshow updated April 29, 2017.
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.
[flickr_set id=”72157682120146046″]
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.
March 2017 was anything but typical for the Colorado Front Range. Temperatures were well above normal and perhaps most notably, no measurable snow was recorded – a rarity for March.
Warm and windy weather dominated our weather for the first three weeks of the month. While only one record temperature was recorded, the overall warmth led to Denver seeing its third warmest March on record. The last week of the month finally brought about change resulting in cooler temperatures and some much-needed precipitation.
Thornton’s overall average temperature for March was 48.3 degrees. Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official temperature measurements are taken, it was slightly cooler with an average of 47.9 degrees. Both were far above the long-term March average of 40.4 degrees.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 81.7 degrees on both the 18th and 19th. Our coldest reading of the month came on the first of the month with a low of 16.8 degrees. Denver saw its warmest temperature of 81 degrees on the 18th and its low of 14 on the first.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.92 inches during the month of March. Both Thornton and Denver were right near that average with 0.93 and 0.90 inches recorded in their respective rain buckets.
Snow was one thing that was severely lacking. Denver only recorded a trace and Thornton had no measurable snowfall during the month of March. As one of our snowiest months, Denver averages 10.7 inches of snow during March so we were far off the mark this year. This is only the third time in record Denver weather history that so little snow has been recorded.
Thornton, Colorado’s March 2017 Temperature Summary.Thornton, Colorlado’s March 2017 Precipitation Summary.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
244 AM MDT SAT APR 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2017...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2017
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 84 03/26/1971
LOW -11 03/28/1886
HIGHEST 81 03/18 84 -3 74 03/11
LOWEST 14 03/01 -11 25 10 03/24
AVG. MAXIMUM 64.0 54.4 9.6 54.9
AVG. MINIMUM 31.9 26.4 5.5 28.3
MEAN 47.9 40.4 7.5 41.6
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 1.9 -1.9 1
DAYS MIN <= 32 16 23.6 -7.6 21
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.1 -0.1 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 4.56 1983
MINIMUM 0.03 2012
TOTALS 0.90 0.92 -0.02 0.90
DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.03
DAYS >= .01 6 5.9 0.1 9
DAYS >= .10 3 2.4 0.6 2
DAYS >= .50 0 0.3 -0.3 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.1 -0.1 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.45 03/24 TO 03/24 03/23 TO 03/23
03/23 TO 03/23
03/23 TO 03/23
STORM TOTAL MM MM
(MM/DD(HH)) MM 03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)
03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)3
03/23(00) TO 03/23(00)3
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM 5
TOTALS T 10.7
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 523 763 -240 716
SINCE 7/1 4325 5202 -877 4704
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 12.0
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/241
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 46/290 DATE 03/07
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 60/290 DATE 03/07
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 3
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 22
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 6
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 43
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 4
LIGHT RAIN 8 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 5
LIGHT SNOW 5 SLEET 0
FOG 6 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 2
HAZE 2
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.
Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all. Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real. Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.
Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family. Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.
The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters. These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes. Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.
Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.
By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter. When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.
These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not. All training is free. Topics include:
Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far. The embedded calendar should automatically update with new dates and changes but be sure to check the National Weather Service site for the latest.
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.
Iridescent clouds make for a stunning scene at the end of the day on March 10, 2017. (Allan Jeffers)
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.
Slideshow updated March 30, 2017. 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.
[flickr_set id=”72157681296838125″]
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.
With wintry weather just hours away, Denver’s recent warm spell let out one last gasp with a record high temperature.
At 3:03pm the high temperature at Denver International Airport, where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, reached 77 degrees. This broke the record high for the date set in 2012 and previous years.
Here in Thornton we were just a touch cooler topping out at 76.1 degrees at 1:51pm.
While the month of March has continued the unseasonably warm weather that began in February, this is the first record high set this month. The weather picture changes considerably, at least in the short term, with a blast of cold and snow set to arrive tonight.
The United States returns to Daylight Saving Time at 2:00am Sunday, March 12, 2017.
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 6:03pm but on Sunday the sun won’t disappear over the horizon until 7:04pm. 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 4:29am on Monday, March 20.
This year Daylight Savings Time will come to an end on November 5.
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. In 2011, daylight saving time began on March 13 and will end on November 6.
The month of February was extraordinarily dry and warm for Thornton. Will March bring any relief, particularly on the precipitation front? History would say yes but long range forecasts do not look good.
March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to those numbers. 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.
Five days after the last one and for the fourth time this month, Denver set a daily high temperature record today.
Per the National Weather Service, the high temperature at Denver International Airport topped out at 73 degrees today. This tops the previous record high temperature for today’s day of 71 degrees last set in 1995.
Here in Thornton, we were actually a bit warmer with a high of 74 degrees.
This follows on three previous daily record high temperatures this month:
February 10: 80 degrees (old 71 degrees in 1951)
February 15: 67 degrees (old 66 degrees in 1986)
February 16: 75 degrees (old 70 degrees in 1970)
The 80 degree reading on February 10 was also the warmest mercury reading on history in Denver. The old warmest February reading of 77 degrees was recorded on February 4, 1890 and February 28, 2006.
We look to be done with the record-setting temperatures for the foreseeable future however. Following another mild day tomorrow, we will turn colder for the balance of the week as a trough digs in pulling colder air in from the north. Check out our extended forecast for details.
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