Mother Nature seems intent on starting out 2017 the way she ended 2016 – cold. A deep trough coupled with successive, reinforcing cold fronts sent Thornton’s mercury plunging and delivered a healthy shot of snow over the last couple of days.
Below is a time lapse video from our east webcam covering the majority of the event. It begins at 6:00am on Wednesday, January 4 when we were only seeing flurries. From there you see the varying intensities of snow over the next 24 hours or so and end with some hints of blue sky but the afternoon of the 5th. In all, the video covers 36 hours in about 83 second.
Thornton ended with 7.1 inches of snow over the two-day period, our biggest snowfall of the season thus far.
For the three previous months we had seen warmer and drier than normal conditions. December finally brought an end to that streak with temperatures well below normal and precipitation almost doubt the average for the month.
The month was largely an unsettled one as a series of storm systems moved across the region. Two significant blasts of Arctic air sent the mercury plummeting. The first, from the 6th to the 8th, brought little snowfall but the second from the 16th to the 18th was quite generous. The balance of the month saw things warm up with 10 of the last 13 days seeing above normal mercury readings.
Overall, Thornton saw an average monthly temperature of 28.1 degrees. This was well below Denver’s 30 year average (1981 – 2000) for the month of December of 30.0 degrees. Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, the month averaged 27.8 degrees.
Temperatures ranged from a high of 65.7 degrees on the 30th down to a bone-chilling low of 10.7 degrees below zero on the morning of the 17th. Denver saw its warmest temperature of 65 degrees and coldest of 15 degrees below zero on the same dates.
That low reading in Denver on the 17th was also a record low for the date. Additionally, the airport saw a high temperature of only 3 degrees that day setting a new record low maximum for the 17th.
In all, Thornton saw five days where the high temperatures failed to climb above freezing and four days with temperatures below zero. Denver recorded six and four respectively.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.35 inches of liquid precipitation during December. Thornton easily bested the average with 0.64 inches for the month while Denver fared better with 0.78 inches.
Both Thornton and Denver saw above average levels of snowfall. The Mile High City averages 8.5 inches in December. In 2016, Thornton saw 8.9 inches while DIA recorded 9.7 inches.
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2016 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)Thornton, Colorado’s December 2016 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
718 AM MST SUN JAN 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 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 79 12/05/1939
LOW -25 12/22/1990
12/24/1876
HIGHEST 65 12/30 43 22 69 12/09
LOWEST -15 12/17 17 -28 0 12/28
12/17
AVG. MAXIMUM 42.7 42.8 -0.1 40.9
AVG. MINIMUM 12.9 17.1 -4.2 17.9
MEAN 27.8 30.0 -2.2 29.4
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 6 5.8 0.2 10
DAYS MIN <= 32 30 29.4 0.6 28
DAYS MIN <= 0 4 2.0 2.0 2 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 5.21 1913 MINIMUM 0.00 1881 TOTALS 0.78 0.35 0.43 0.71 DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.02 DAYS >= .01 6 4.1 1.9 5
DAYS >= .10 2 1.1 0.9 3
DAYS >= .50 0 0.1 -0.1 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.63 12/16 TO 12/17
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS 9.7 2016 8.5 NORMAL
RECORDS 57.4 1913
T 1905 1906 2002
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1146 1086 60 1097
SINCE 7/1 2042 2468 -426 2187
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 878 769 109 877
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962 10/07
LATEST 06/08/2007 05/05
...............................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 9.2
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/167
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 37/260 DATE 12/05
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 46/260 DATE 12/05
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 7
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 18
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 6
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 57
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 0
LIGHT RAIN 1 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 2 SNOW 3
LIGHT SNOW 7 SLEET 0
FOG 11 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 3
HAZE 6
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
As we begin the new year the winter chill begins to set in. While January can see its share of extremes, the month historically sees stable temperatures and is usually relatively dry.
January ranks as the second coldest month in Denver next to December with average temperatures remaining virtually the same from the start to the end of the month.
In terms of snowfall, the month only ranks as the fourth snowiest and it is not uncommon for it to be quite dry.
What does January 2017 hold for us? Follow the link to find out.
Winter’s light on McKay Lake in Broomfield. (David Canfield)
The month of December can offer everything from bone dry conditions to bone chilling cold and monstrous snowstorms. The weather and wildlife all afford an abundance of photo opportunities as our December photo slideshow shows.
Leaves have fallen from trees now and the landscape can sometimes look quite stark. However it only takes a quick shot of snow to change that picture greatly. Throw in gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, plenty of wildlife big and small, kids playing and much more and the month can be quite colorful and eventful.
Slideshow updated December 31, 2016
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=”72157673879579814″]
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.
For many, the holiday season isn’t complete without a chill in the air and snow on the ground. Here in Denver we historically enjoy a better chance of experiencing the proverbial white Christmas than many places in the nation.
However, how the Mile High City fares in experiencing a white Christmas does depend on your definition of one.
If it means having actual snowfall on Christmas Day the chances aren’t that good. But, if simply having snow on the ground suffices, the chances improve considerably.
We knew it was going to be cold today in the wake of our overnight snow and sure enough, the numbers bear that out.
Denver recorded a low temperature of 15 degrees below zero at 7:14pm. This easily bests the record low for December 17 of 13 degrees below zero set in 1909.
Here in Thornton, we managed to stay warmer, although with these extremes, that isn’t saying much. Thornton hit a low of 10.7 degrees below zero at 5:57pm.
The storm system brought 5.8 inches of snow to Thornton, our biggest snowfall of the season. Out at DIA where Denver’s official measurements are kept, 8.0 inches fell.
Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.
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.
Thornton, Colorado’s November 2016 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)Thornton, Colorado’s November 2016 precipitation summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
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.
The month of December brings with it the official start of winter and oftentimes, colder and snowier weather conditions. It however can also offer unseasonably warm temperatures and bone dry conditions. Given our recent mild and dry weather, we are certainly hoping for a change in the coming month.
Overall December’s monthly mean temperature of 30.0 degrees (1981 – 2010 averages) makes it our coldest month. Snow is always on everyone’s mind this time of year but December is only our 3rd snowiest month behind March and November with an average of 8.5 inches of the white stuff.
We closed out November quite wet and chilly and that is expected to continue into the first part of December. Long term models then point to a continuation of above normal precipitation but near normal temperatures.
An aerial view of sunset in Thornton on November 14, 2016. (Shannon Dizmang)
Typically November is a quiet weather month with plenty of nice, fall days but it can also turn wet with healthy doses of snow and moisture. The wide variety of conditions can create picturesque scenes ranging from blue skies and snow-capped mountains to a wintry wonderland in the metro area.
November is the second snowiest month of the year so winter conditions are not unusual. Typically though, these bouts of cold are short-lived and normal daytime conditions are pleasant.
Outdoor activities continue to be quite popular during the month. The cooling temperatures do oftentimes lead to an increase in wildlife activity.
All of the above help lead to a month in which a wide variety of scenes, flora and fauna can be captured.
Slideshow updated November 28, 2016
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=”72157676627507985″]
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.
We thought the daily high temperature record for November 16 would fall today and indeed it did. However the Mile High City also managed to tie the record for the warmest temperature ever recorded during the month of November.
At 1:24pm the station at Denver International Airport reported a mercury reading of 80 degrees.
This easily bested the previous record high temperature for November 16 of 77 degrees set in 1941.
Perhaps more notably, the reading also ties the all-time record high temperature for the month of November. The old mark was 80 degrees set on November 8, 2006. This is in turn the latest in the year an 80 degree reading has been tallied.
Here in Thornton, we were a bit warmer than DIA. Our temperature topped out at 81.5 degrees at 1:02pm.
Showcasing the wide swings of weather we experience here in Colorado is the fact that after these records today, high temperatures tomorrow won’t go very far into the 40s. Check out forecast for the latest.
Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: ‘Like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles
Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.
As we begin the new year the winter chill begins to set in. While January can see its share of extremes, the month historically sees stable temperatures and is usually relatively dry.
The month of December brings with it the official start of winter and oftentimes, colder and snowier weather conditions. It however can also offer unseasonably warm temperatures and bone dry conditions. Given our recent mild and dry weather, we are certainly hoping for a change in the coming month.
