October 2011 started out quite warm but then stabilized into a seasonal pattern.  As is often the case with Colorado weather though, at one point we went from record high temperatures to snow in a span of two days.

In terms of temperature, Denver finished the month with an overall overage temperature of 52.6 degrees.  This was 1.6 degrees above the normal for the month of 50.9 degrees.  Temperatures ranged from a high of 87 degrees on the first of the month down to 14 degrees on the 26th and 27th.

Here in Thornton we were slightly cooler with an average temperature of 50.4 degrees.  Our highs ranged from a top mark of 86.6 degrees on the first down to a very cold 12.8 degrees on the 27th.

Two record high temperatures were tied or broken during the month.  On the 15th, the mercury climbed to 82 degrees which tied the record for the date last set in 1938.  On the 24th the temperature hit 80 degrees, breaking the previous record high for the date of 79.

Quite a bit more precipitation was recorded than normal during October 2011.  1.79 inches fell into the rain bucket at DIA which is 0.82 inch above normal.  Much of that precipitation fell on October 8th when 1.04 inches was recorded, a record for the date.  DIA also recorded a trace of snowfall, the first of the season.

The Mile High City was hit with its first snowstorm on the 25th and 26th when 8.5 inches of the white stuff fell.  That also was the snowfall total for the month which far exceeded the normal of 4.2 inches.

Thornton nearly mirrored Denver’s precipitation as we recorded 1.75 inches during the month between rain and snowmelt.  Our snowfall fell short of DIAs however as we recorded 6.6 inches during the storm late in the month.

Click here to view Thornton’s climate summary for October 2011.

From the National Weather Service:

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2011... 

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2011

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              90   10/01/1892
 LOW               -2   10/29/1917
HIGHEST            87   10/01        90      -3       85  10/03
LOWEST             14   10/26        -2      16       20  10/28
                        10/27
AVG. MAXIMUM     67.3              65.3     2.0     69.7
AVG. MINIMUM     37.9              36.6     1.3     40.9
MEAN             52.6              50.9     1.7     55.3
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX = .01         4               5.3    -1.3        4
DAYS >= .10         3               2.4     0.6        2
DAYS >= .50         1               0.5     0.5        0
DAYS >= 1.00        1               0.1     0.9        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    1.04   10/08 TO 10/08

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           31.2   1969
TOTALS            8.5                4.2

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     400               438     -38      300
 SINCE 7/1        495               576     -81      335
COOLING TOTAL      23                 5      18        8
 SINCE 1/1        964               769     195      870

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST      10/17             10/07
LATEST                          05/05
................................................... 

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.8
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   4/205
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    49/210    DATE  10/06
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    63/200    DATE  10/06

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.40
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           13
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             15
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          3

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     44

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              1     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN                5     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       2
LIGHT SNOW                3     SLEET                      0
FOG                       5     FOG W/VIS