Significant U.S. Weather and Climate Events for 2014. Click for larger view. (NOAA / NCDC)
The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has released its summary of the nation’s climate and weather for 2014. Its analysis shows that overall, the United States experienced warmer than normal temperatures and above average precipitation.
From NOAA / NCDC:
2014 U.S. temperature exceeds 20th-century average for the 18th consecutive year
Second warmest December boosted 2014 to 34th warmest year for contiguous U.S; eight weather and climate disasters exceeded $1 billion in damages
The 2014 annual average contiguous U.S. temperature was 52.6°F, 0.5°F above the 20th century average. Very warm conditions dominated the West, with four states having their warmest year on record, while the Midwest and Mississippi Valley were cool. This ranked as the 34th warmest year since we began keeping track in the 1895, while the temperature exceeded the 20th Century average for the 18th consecutive year.
The average contiguous U.S. precipitation was 30.76 inches, 0.82 inch above average, and ranked as the 40th wettest year in the 120-year period of record. The Northern U.S. was wet, and the Southern Plains were dry; the national drought footprint shrank about 2 percent.
In 2014, there were eight weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States. These eight events resulted in the deaths of 53 people. The events include: the western U.S. drought, the Michigan & Northeast flooding event, five severe storm events, and one winter storm event.
U.S. climate highlights: 2014
The West was warmer than average for much of 2014. Nine states had a top 10 warm year.Alaska, Arizona, California, and Nevada each had their warmest year on record. Most locations from the Rockies to the East Coast were cooler than average, with the exception of New England and Florida. Seven states across the Midwest and Mississippi River Valley had a top 10 cool year. No state was record cold during 2014.
The Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, Midwest, and Northeast were all wetter than average. Michigan and Wisconsin each had their seventh wettest year on record. The Southern Plains and parts of the Ohio Valley were drier than average, but no state was top 10 dry. The rest of the contiguous U.S. had near-average annual precipitation totals.
The U.S. Climate Extremes Index (USCEI) for 2014 was 35 percent above average, ranking as the 19th highest annual USCEI in the 105-year record. The components of the USCEI that were much above average for the year included warm nighttime temperatures and 1-day precipitation totals. The USCEI is an index that tracks extremes (falling in the upper or lower 10 percent of the record) in temperature, precipitation, drought, and land-falling tropical cyclones across the contiguous U.S.
Statewide Average Temperature Ranks for 2014. (NOAA / NCDC)Statewide Average Precipitation Ranks for 2014. (NOAA / NCDC)
January 10 to January 17: This Week in Denver Weather History
January is not usually particularly snowy and as our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows, it is wind and extreme cold that are the most notable conditions during the period.
From the National Weather Service:
10-11 in 1948…strong winds were reported in Boulder and Lakewood. Winds of 50 to 60 mph were reported at Valmont…just east of Boulder. Only minor damage was reported.
In 1980…strong winds of 60 to 95 mph howled across metro Denver…causing some brief power outages and some broken windows. A wind gust to 111 mph was recorded at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 10th.
In 1999…high winds gusting to 100 mph blasted the foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 100 mph at central city…98 mph at Wondervu…82 mph at Aspen Springs and Golden Gate Canyon… 81 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab in Boulder and near Nederland… 78 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon…and 72 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. West winds gusted to 38 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees at Denver International Airport on the 11th.
10-12
In 1997…heavy snow fell over the Front Range foothills. A foot of new snow was measured at Blackhawk with 7 inches recorded in Coal Creek Canyon. Only 3.3 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East-northeast winds gusted to 18 mph at Denver International Airport on the 11th.
10-13
In 1963…a arctic cold wave plunged temperatures well below zero across metro Denver. Temperatures were below zero for a total of 64 consecutive hours. Low temperatures reached 25 degrees below zero on both the 11th and 12th. The high temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 11th was the coldest ever recorded at Stapleton Airport and equaled the record low maximum for the month first set on January 19…1883…in downtown Denver. The high temperature on the 12th reached only 1 degree below zero. On the 12th…an 18-year-old youth died of exposure from the extreme cold in Denver. There were many losses and damage to property from frozen water systems…stalled cars…and over-burdened heating systems. Light snow accompanied the arctic blast. At Stapleton Airport…2.3 inches of snow fell on the 10th and 11th.
11
In 1887…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph in the city.
In 1893…northwest winds to 48 mph were recorded in the city.
In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity of 47 mph.
In 1988…strong Chinook winds blew throughout the day along the eastern foothills. Winds peaked to 75 mph in Boulder… Breaking at least one window. West winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…2 to 3 inches of snow fell across metro Denver causing near gridlock conditions during the morning rush hour and two-hour delays at Stapleton International Airport. Two to 6 inches of snow whitened Boulder where many traffic accidents were reported. Snowfall measured 2.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 21 mph.
In 1995…high winds developed in the foothills. A gust to 67 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats in northern Jefferson County. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…very strong winds were reported in the Front Range foothills for a brief time. Wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded at Golden Gate Canyon…with 95 mph at Wondervu.
11-12
In 1972…high winds howled along the Front Range foothills. A wind gust to 144 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. A wind gust to 105 mph was recorded at the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder. Wind gusts to 90 mph were recorded in downtown Boulder. The greatest damage from the windstorm occurred in Boulder where 25 or more mobile homes were destroyed either by wind or the fires which resulted when they were overturned. Car windows were blown out; many buildings damaged; utility poles…power lines…trees…and traffic lights blown down. As many as 75 families were evacuated from a recently completed apartment building because of severe structural damage. Government and private office buildings and industrial plants were evacuated because of danger from flying glass and debris. Twelve people were treated at the hospital…mostly for cuts from flying glass. At least 15 small planes were seriously damaged and hangar doors were blown off at the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Wind damage in Boulder alone totaled 2 million dollars. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 53 mph on the 11th and to 47 mph on the 12th. The strong Chinook winds warmed temperatures into the mid 50’s on both days.
11-14
In 1997…cold arctic air plunged temperatures below zero across metro Denver. The temperature was below zero for 60 consecutive hours from the afternoon on the 11th to around daybreak on the 14th. The high temperature of only 1 degree below zero on the 12th equaled the record low maximum for the date last set in 1963. The low temperature dipped to 14 degrees below zero on the 12th.
2014 has come to a close and as we look back on the year, we can see that it was a relatively average year lacking too much drama.
In terms of temperatures, Thornton saw an average overall annual temperature of 49.4 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official records are kept, the average was warmer at 50.5 degrees. By comparison, Denver’s 1981 to 2010 annual average temperature is 50.4 degrees.
Thornton recorded 29 days of high temperature readings at or above 90 degrees. On average Denver sees 40 of them. Denver matched our number with 29 as well.
The hottest reading of the year was 98.2 degrees which came on July 7. Denver’s highest reading of 100 degrees came on the same date.
At the other end of the spectrum, our coldest temperature was -12.6 degrees on February 5th. Denver bested us with two -19 degree readings, one on February 5th and another on December 30th.
In all, Thornton saw 155 days with readings below freezing. Denver recorded 150. Both were near the average of 156.9 days.
Precipitation for 2014 came in a good ways above average, largely due to a wet May and July. Thornton took 19.54 inches into the rain bucket while Denver received slightly less with 18.77 inches. Both were well above the annual average of 14.30 inches.
Snowfall for the calendar year lagged behind average in both Thornton and Denver. Thornton saw 46.2 inches of the white stuff, Denver a nearly identical 46.3 inches. On average we expect to see 53.8 inches.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
200 AM MST THU JAN 1 2015
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2014...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 105 06/26/2012
06/25/2012
07/20/2005
08/08/1878
LOW -29 01/09/1875
HIGHEST 100 07/07 64 36 100 07/11
06/11
LOWEST -19 12/30 36 -55 -15 12/05
02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM 64.6 64.7 -0.1 63.9
AVG. MINIMUM 36.5 36.3 0.2 36.3
MEAN 50.5 50.5 0.0 50.1
DAYS MAX >= 90 29 39.6 -10.6 54
DAYS MAX <= 32 24 20.0 4.0 29
DAYS MIN <= 32 150 156.9 -6.9 169
DAYS MIN <= 0 14 5.8 8.2 11
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 23.31 1967
MINIMUM 7.29 2008
TOTALS 18.77 14.30 4.47 17.60
DAILY AVG. 0.05 0.03 0.02 0.05
DAYS >= .01 98 79.7 18.3 82
DAYS >= .10 44 34.9 9.1 42
DAYS >= .50 10 7.6 2.4 8
DAYS >= 1.00 4 2.3 1.7 3
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 2.85 07/29 TO 07/30 09/13 TO 09/14
STORM TOTAL 2.93 4.65
(MM/DD(HH)) 07/29(00) TO 07/30(00) 09/09(00) TO 09/15(00)
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 115.9 1913
0
0
24 HR TOTAL 23.6 12/24/1982 TO 12/24/1982
SNOW DEPTH MM MM
TOTALS 46.3 53.8 -7.5 72.1
LIQUID EQUIV MM MM MM MM
SINCE 7/1 16.0 22.5 -6.5 8.1
LIQUID 7/1 MM MM MM MM
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 0
DAYS >= TRACE 55 33.3 21.7 60
DAYS >= 1.0 17 16.3 0.7 20
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 6 12/31 9 02/25
12/30
24 HR TOTAL 5.4 12/29 02/24 TO 02/24
STORM TOTAL 5.9 11.7
(MM/DD(HH)) 12/29(00) 12/30(00) 03/22(00) TO 03/24(00)
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 5844 6059 -215 6302
SINCE 7/1 2291 2468 -207 2451
COOLING TOTAL 701 769 -68 999
SINCE 1/1 701 769 -68 999
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.....................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.2
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/214
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 51/310 DATE 07/11
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 66/340 DATE 04/29
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 72
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 226
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 67
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 54
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 15 RAIN 35
LIGHT RAIN 91 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 2 HAIL 6
HEAVY SNOW 6 SNOW 24
LIGHT SNOW 56 SLEET 1
FOG 115 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 32
HAZE 57
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History
Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows the period has been a very eventful one. There have of course been some significant snow events as you would expect in January. However, perhaps most notable are the number of high wind events that have caused extensive damage and in one case, death. Extreme cold has been another hallmark of the period including Denver’s all-time coldest temperature reading.
From the National Weather Service:
31-6
In 1973…the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days. Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.
31-7
In 1941…a protracted cold spell through January 7…1942… Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero. The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero…the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero…and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.
1-5
In 1940…the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle…light snow…and fog. Fog occurred on each day. On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle. All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side. This resulted in very slippery streets…which caused several minor traffic accidents. The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.
2-4
In 1949…the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado. The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits. This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero. Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm… While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches. The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown. Numerous lives were lost…and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.
2-5
In 1959…very cold temperatures…to near zero and below…caused power and gas lines…water pipes…and automatic sprinkler systems to break. In Boulder… Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store…flooding three floors. The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd…3rd…and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.
3-4
In 1982…wind gusting to 85 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder caused a few power failures. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2000…high winds buffeted the foothills of Boulder County. Wind gusts were reported to 91 mph at Nederland and 81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa southwest of Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.
4
In 1893…the low temperature dipped to only 52 degrees…the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in January. The high temperature was 64 degrees. The spring-like weather was the result of northwest Chinook winds sustained to 20 mph with gusts as high as 38 mph.
4-5
In 1996…snow began falling across the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver on the 4th. Most snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches. Icy roads and blowing snow caused a 22 car accident on I-25 north of Denver… Resulting in an 8-mile traffic back-up for several hours. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.
5
In 1871…a heavy gale in Boulder caused 500 dollars damage.
In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph in the city.
In 1899…strong winds occurred in Boulder…but caused only minor damage.
In 1911…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph in downtown Denver.
In 1915…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph behind a cold front…which produced only 1.0 inch of snowfall.
In 1972…warm Chinook wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded in Boulder at the National Bureau of Standards and to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. The high winds caused severe blowing snow in and near the foothills… Completely blocking traffic in some areas…closing schools and industrial plants. Houses under construction were damaged…and falling trees damaged cars in Boulder. An apartment building under construction was blown down in the Denver area. Northwest wind gusts reached 58 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…during the early morning hours with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30’s…0.25 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport
In 1994…occasional high winds blew across the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 84 mph were recorded in southwest Boulder and 74 mph in north Boulder. There were also reports of 70 to 80 mph winds along Colorado highway 93 in Jefferson County from Golden to Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.
In 1999…strong downslope winds developed in the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu… Southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 37 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2007…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas along the Front Range. The most snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Storm totals included: 17 inches 8 miles northwest of Evergreen…16 inches near Conifer…15 inches southwest of Boulder and at Eldorado Springs…14.5 inches near Genesee…12 inches near aspen and Estes Parks…11.5 inches in Boulder…11 inches at Perry park… 9.5 inches near Blackhawk…9 inches in Louisville…7.5 inches in Arvada…7 inches near Erie…6.5 inches near Longmont…and 6 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Littleton. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
The month of December started out quiet and quite dry. Those mild days however gave way to much colder temperatures during the latter half as well as some nice shots of snow.
For the first 13 days of December 2014, Thornton and the Denver area saw temperatures above normal for the most part. Conditions were dry and calm. On the 14th, our first storm system came in and delivered a quick, light snowfall.
We then entered a calm period that lasted up until Christmas. Temperatures got much colder and some cold temperatures records fell. We also recorded snow on five out of the last seven days of the month.
It was a white Christmas although it wasn’t until late in the day that the white stuff began falling. Denver’s 3.4 inches on the 25th made it the third snowiest Christmas Day on record. Thornton recorded 3.1 inches on the day.
The average temperature for the month in Thornton was 29.2 degrees. Out at the airport, Denver’s official average was a good bit higher at 31.2 degrees. The long term December average is 30.0 degrees.
Thornton’s temperatures ranged from a high of 64.0 degrees on the 12th down to a bone chilling low of -12.1 degrees on the 30th. Denver saw a high mark of 66 degrees and a low of -19 degrees on those days.
Two temperature records were set during the month, both on December 30. A new record low maximum for the date of 1 degree was recorded (old record was 8 degrees set in 1915). Additionally, Denver’s -19 degrees that day was a new record low (old record was -11 degrees set in 1898).
In terms of precipitation, Thornton recorded 0.48 inches of liquid precipitation. Denver was a bit wetter with 0.59 inches. Both readings were above Denver’s December average of 0.35 inches.
On average the Mile High City records 8.5 inches of snowfall during December. In 2014 the month brought 8.8 inches to Thornton while at the airport Denver recorded 12.0 inches.
Thornton, Colorado December 2014 Temperature Summary.Thornton, Colorado December 2014 Precipitation Summary.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
1041 PM MST THU JAN 1 2015
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2014...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014
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 66 12/12 62 4 68 12/18
LOWEST -19 12/30 -4 -13 -15 12/05
AVG. MAXIMUM 44.1 42.8 1.3 42.9
AVG. MINIMUM 18.5 17.1 1.4 14.0
MEAN 31.3 30.0 1.3 28.4
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 5 5.8 -0.8 8
DAYS MIN <= 32 31 29.4 1.6 29
DAYS MIN <= 0 2 2.0 0.0 6
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 5.21 1913
MINIMUM 0.00 1881
TOTALS 0.59 0.35 0.24 0.25
DAILY AVG. 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
DAYS >= .01 7 4.1 2.9 7
DAYS >= .10 2 1.1 0.9 1
DAYS >= .50 0 0.1 -0.1 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.18 12/29 TO 12/30 12/03 TO 12/04
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 57.4 1913
TOTALS 12.0 8.5
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1037 1086 -49 1128
SINCE 7/1 2291 2468 -177 2451
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 701 769 -68 999
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
.....................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.7
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/218
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 41/340 DATE 12/23
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 52/330 DATE 12/23
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 4
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 19
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 8
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 59
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 4
LIGHT SNOW 8 SLEET 0
FOG 12 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 3
HAZE 4
- 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 2013 hold for us? Indications are that we may very well continue the recent pattern of below normal temperatures and relatively dry conditions.
Our recent blast of Arctic air sent the mercury tumbling and in the process broke two daily records for December 30th.
The official “high” temperature in Denver, as measured at DIA, reached only 1 degree at 1:23pm. This easily bested the record low high for the date of 8 degrees set in 1915. Thornton was slightly warmer than the airport with a high temperature of 2.4 degrees.
Additionally, at 9:23pm, the mercury plummeted to -19 degrees at DIA. This crushes the old record low temperature for December 30 of -11 degrees set in 1898. Here in Thornton we did not get quite as cold with a low temperature reading of -12.1 degrees occurring at 10:50pm.
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December 14, 2014 – Ducks and geese seek high ground in Thornton. (Tony’s Takes)
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 29, 2014
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=”72157649883515106″]
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.
December 28 to January 3: This Week in Denver Weather History
Powerful, damaging wind, bitter cold and major snowstorms mark our look back at this week in Denver weather history.
From the National Weather Service:
25-31
In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s. Four temperature records were set. Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees. A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.
26-28
In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph. Most of the snow… 4.8 inches…fell on the 27th.
27-28
In 1997…high winds combined with fresh snow from a previous storm caused highways to become slick from drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in localized ground blizzards. Strong winds blew snow across the runways at Centennial Airport…which glazed over and formed areas of ice. Two planes were damaged when they slid off the runway while landing. No injuries were reported. Numerous accidents also occurred on I-25 and I-70 as ice formed under the same conditions. A rollover accident which injured 4 people on State Highway 93 near the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility was also attributed to the high winds. The high winds caused an office building and showroom under construction in Golden to collapse. The largest wall was 180 feet long and 28 feet high. Some high wind reports included: 86 mph at Golden Gate Canyon…72 mph near Conifer…and 70 mph at Jefferson County Airport and the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa near Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport on the 27th.
In 1998…damaging downslope winds formed in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged from 71 to 114 mph. Numerous trees were blown down in Coal Creek Canyon and near Gross Reservoir. Power lines were blown down… Resulting in scattered outages. Peak wind reports included: 114 mph at Wondervu…92 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…88 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…and 79 mph 8 miles west of Conifer. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
27-29
In 1983…a second surge of bitter cold air in less than a week was less intense. Record breaking low temperatures of 12 degrees below zero on the 28th and 15 degrees below zero on the 29th were accompanied by 3.7 inches of snowfall and northeast winds gusting to 23 mph.
28
In 2001…brief high winds developed in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 86 mph on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. West to northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature climbed to a high of 51 degrees.
28-29
In 1906…a trace of snow fell on both days…which along with a trace of snow on the 5th…was the only snow of the month…ranking the month the second least snowiest December on record.
In 1970…wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Winds gusted to only 46 mph in downtown Boulder. Damage was minor.
In 2006…while metro Denver residents were still digging out from the heavy snowfall and blizzard that occurred on December 20-21…the second major winter storm in a week buried the city and the eastern foothills again in more deep snow. Heavy snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet in the foothills and from 6 to 18 inches across the city. Another slow moving storm system centered over the Texas panhandle produced deep upslope flow over the high plains and against the Front Range mountains. The storm produced blizzard conditions over the plains mainly south of interstate 76. Interstate 70 as well as other roads and highways was closed from Denver to the Kansas line due to snow and blizzard conditions. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. The heaviest snow fell in and near the foothills and south of Denver over the Palmer Divide…where north winds sustained at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph piled the snow into drifts 4 to 14 feet deep. In the city…the heavy snowfall persisted for a total of 29 hours. Snowfall totals across metro Denver included: 17.5 inches at Ken Caryl; 15 inches 3 miles south-southeast of Morrison; 14 inches in Boulder and lone tree; 12 inches in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Wheat Ridge; 10.5 inches in Littleton; 10 inches in Arvada…Broomfield…and Louviers; and 8.5 inches in Lakewood and Thornton. Officially…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Denver Stapleton. North winds sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 32 mph produced some blowing snow at Denver International Airport. In the city…this second storm increased the total snowfall for the month to 29.4 inches…making the month the third snowiest on record. In the foothills the snow fell at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour at times. Total snowfall in the foothills included: 30 inches near Genesee; 29.5 inches 12 miles northwest of Golden; 25 inches in Evergreen and near Bergen Park; 24 inches near Conifer; 23.5 inches 3 miles southwest of Golden and near gold hill; 23 inches near Jamestown; 22.5 inches in Rollinsville; 19.5 inches in Aspen Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; 18.5 inches at Nederland; 16 inches in Indian Hills…at Intercanyon…and in Eldora; 15.5 inches at Echo Lake; and 12 inches near Ralston Reservoir. The total cost of snow removal just at Denver International Airport from this storm and the previous storm was in tens of millions of dollars. The airport estimated up to 6.7 million dollars in extra costs for contractors…overtime…equipment…de-icing chemicals…and other expenses. The two storms cost the airport 4.6 million dollars in loss concession revenues. United airlines reported lost revenue of over 25 million dollars from the two storms…while frontier airlines lost an estimated 12.1 million dollars.
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In 1997…high winds persisted mainly in and near the foothills. Strong cross winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph blew a rental truck off the roadway in northern Jefferson County near the Coal Creek Canyon road. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2005…high winds were recorded across metro Denver. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph near Chatfield Reservoir and 64 mph at Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.
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In 1898…heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 40 mph on the 29th.
In 1912…strong winds buffeted Boulder…causing hundreds of dollars damage. The winds were described as one of the most terrific in the history of the city.
In 1923…a cold wave caused temperatures to plunge 58 degrees in 24 hours. The temperature was 54 degrees at 2:00 pm on the 29th and only 4 degrees below zero at the same time on the 30th. The low temperature of 14 degrees on the 29th was the high temperature on the 30th. The low temperature on the 30th dipped to 10 degrees below zero. Light snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch. Northeast winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 29th.
In 2008…very strong Chinook winds blasted areas in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. The wind blew down trees and power poles…downed electrical lines and fences…and damaged homes and vehicles. Scattered power outages were reported along the Front Range. In metropolitan Denver alone…24000 Xcel customers were affected by the outages. Four planed were damaged at the Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont…one was heavily damaged. Insurance companies estimated up to 7 million dollars in damage. Peak wind gusts included 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center…86 mph…2 miles north of Longmont; 77 mph at Erie…and 75 mph at Lafayette. On the 30th…a peak wind gust to 47 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport. .
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In 1875…snow fell from the early morning into the early evening. While the amount of snowfall was not recorded… Precipitation from melted snow totaled 0.53 inch. Good sleighing was reported…so snowfall must have been 5 inches or more.
In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 60 mph in the city.
In 1897…west winds sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.
In 1912…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 52 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 50 degrees.
In 1928…snowfall was 0.1 inch in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month…ranking the month the third least snowiest on record in the city.
In 1990…strong downslope winds buffeted the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 91 mph were recorded atop Table Mesa in southwest Boulder…while a gust to 94 mph was clocked at Rollinsville. The high winds caused whiteout conditions due to blowing snow along some highways south and north of Boulder. The high winds downed power lines near the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder.
In 1998…high winds continued to buffet areas in and near the foothills. Near Evergreen…a 100-foot-high blue spruce crashed down on the roof of a home…splitting the corrugated metal roof in half. Fortunately…the tree… Which measured 10 feet in circumference…only penetrated the home’s interior in a few places. Peak wind reports included: 90 mph at Wondervu…88 mph at the Rocky Flats test facility…83 mph near Conifer…and 82 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon. West winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport.
Santa Claus begins his whirlwind trip around the globe tonight to deliver toys to all the good little boys and girls! For more than 50 years the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve and helped to ensure he completes his journey safely.
ThorntonWeather.com is pleased to be able to provide live Santa tracking from NORAD right here on our site!
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.
Our recent blast of Arctic air sent the mercury tumbling and in the process broke two daily records for December 30th.
