The month of February was quite an interesting one in terms of its weather. Overall temperatures for the first half of the month were well above normal but the latter half saw the bottom fall out and as it did, significant snowfall accumulated.
The first day of February brought a healthy shot of snowfall and cold temperatures. From there, things dried out and warmed up considerably. Thirteen consecutive days were then seen with above normal mercury readings. Only one of those thirteen saw precipitation in the form of a light snow on the 4th of the month.
From the 15th through the end of the month, the mercury plunged and only two temperature readings were at or above normal – all the rest were below, some significantly so. Additionally, Thornton saw 8 days in the last two weeks of the month with measureable snowfall. Out at the airport, Denver saw similarly snowy conditions and set a record for snowfall during the month of February.
Despite the cold close to the month, overall the month of February saw warmer than average temperatures. Thornton’s month averaged 34.3 degrees, just a bit above the long term Denver average for the month of 32.5. The Mile High City was warmer than normal as well with an average reading of 33.8 degrees for the month.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a spring-like high of 75.9 degrees on the 7th of the month down to a low of 0 degrees on the morning of the 27th. Denver’s warmest and coldest readings came on those same dates with 74 degrees and -6 degrees.
Denver set or tied four temperature records for the month. On February 6th a maximum reading of 70 degrees was a record for the date. That same day a low temperature of 46 degrees set a record high minimum for the date. The next day, the 7th, a record high of 74 degrees was set as was a record high minimum of 41 degrees.
In terms of precipitation, the month was quite generous. On average Denver receives 0.37 inch of liquid precipitation during February. Thornton saw 1.81 inches while Denver tallied 1.25 inches.
Snowfall was a big part of the month’s story. We did not receive any large storms but rather prolonged ones that delivered steady, healthy doses. Thornton totaled 26.7 inches during the month. Out at Denver International Airport, they lagged the totals in the rest of the metro area with a reading of 22.4 inches.
Denver’s reading of 22.4 inches, while lower than ours, allowed February 2015 to go into the weather history books as the snowiest February on record in the Mile High City. This just eased out the now number two, February 1912, which recorded 22.1 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s February 2015 climate report.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
1124 AM MST MON MAR 2 2015
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2015...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2015
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 77 02/28/2006
02/04/1890
LOW -25 02/01/1951
02/08/1936
HIGHEST 74 02/07 66 8 68 02/16
LOWEST -6 02/27 -2 -4 -19 02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM 46.6 46.2 0.4 42.3
AVG. MINIMUM 21.0 18.9 2.1 14.1
MEAN 33.8 32.5 1.3 28.2
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 7 3.9 3.1 8
DAYS MIN <= 32 24 26.9 -2.9 26
DAYS MIN <= 0 2 1.3 0.7 5
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 2.01 1934
MINIMUM 0.01 1970
TOTALS 1.25 0.37 0.88 0.19
DAILY AVG. 0.04 0.01 0.03 0.01
DAYS >= .01 10 5.3 4.7 4
DAYS >= .10 5 0.7 4.3 1
DAYS >= .50 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.40 02/15 TO 02/16 02/04 TO 02/04
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 22.4 2015
TOTALS 22.4 5.7
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 864 908 -44 1022
SINCE 7/1 4113 4439 -326 4519
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 9.4
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/205
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 44/010 DATE 02/21
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 43/040 DATE 02/04
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 15
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 8
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 60
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 4 SNOW 8
LIGHT SNOW 13 SLEET 0
FOG 12 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 8
HAZE 9
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
If forecasts hold true, Thornton is set to receive its most significant snowfall of the season and possibly the biggest winter storm of the past few years.
One high temperature record fell yesterday, another fell today. Despite the month starting with snow, we have quickly moved to temperatures more like we would expect to see in March.
February in Colorado typically brings to an end an extended period when average temperatures are at their lowest. Winter begins to loosen its grip and temperatures get warmer but precipitation is not a particularly common event during the month.
