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Weather History

November 8 to November 14: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
November 8 to November 14: This week in Denver weather history

Wind is always a factor on the plains and the fall usually brings a great deal of it, especially in November.  Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows that event and snow are quite common this time of year.

From the National Weather Service:

From the 7th to the 8th:

In 1969…wind gusts to 48 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage.

On the 8th:

In 1896…southwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 53 degrees.

In 1977 near-blizzard conditions in blowing snow caused the closure of I-70 to the west of Denver in clear creek canyon and east of Denver to Limon.  Northeast wind gusts to 46 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.1 inches.

In 1984…a rare November thunderstorm produced west winds gusting to 31 mph…but only 0.04 inch of rain at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…high winds gusting from 80 to 100 mph were recorded at Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder.  West northwest winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…the temperature in Denver climbed to a high of 80 degrees.  This was the first time the temperature had ever exceeded the 70’s in November since records began in 1872. This new all-time record maximum temperature for the month of November was also a new daily record and the highest temperature ever recorded so late in the season.

From the 8th to the 9th:

In 1897…west winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph in the city.

In 1919…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.4 inches over downtown Denver.  Most of the snow…6.6 inches…fell on the 9th.  North winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 8th.

In 1950…a major winter storm dumped 10.4 inches of snow at Stapleton Airport with the most snow…7.8 inches…falling on the 8th.  East winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th.  Snowfall totaled 8.2 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1958…strong winds caused some damage in Boulder.  West- northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th.

In 1975…heavy snowfall hit metro Denver.  Snowfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 8.0 inches and east winds gusted to 21 mph.  Power outages caused by the storm affected over 10 thousand people in metro Denver.  In the foothills west of Denver…10 to 15 inches of snow fell. The storm produced the greatest 24-hour precipitation…1.29 inches…ever recorded during the month of November in the city.

In 1983…metro Denver received 4 to 8 inches of snow with the heaviest amounts near the foothills.  It was the first measurable snow of the season in Denver.  Only 1.8 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 20 mph.

In 1989…strong winds hit the Front Range.  On the 9th…the wooden frame of a house under construction in Boulder was blown down.  The previous evening a power outage blackened Nederland.  Wind gusts to 95 mph were recorded 4 miles south of Rollinsville with 97 mph on fritz peak near that town.  At Stapleton International Airport…northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 8th and to 38 mph on the 9th.

In 1998…another upslope snow event developed in the Front Range foothills.  The heaviest snowfall occurred in west central Jefferson County where 14 inches were measured 8 miles west of conifer.  Other snowfall totals included: 10 inches at evergreen and 9 miles northwest of Bergen Park; 9 inches at Genesee…Nederland…and near the Chief Hosa exit on I-70; and 8 inches in Coal Creek Canyon.  On the 9th…snowfall was 2.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  North-northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.

From the 8th to the 10th:

In 1985…Indian summer came to an abrupt end when a winter storm dumped 10 to 18 inches of snow in the Front Range foothills and 6 to 10 inches across metro Denver…snarling traffic and causing flight delays of up to 3 hours at Stapleton International Airport.  The temperature plunged from a high of 66 degrees on the 8th to a low of only 13 degrees on the 9th…after the passage of a vigorous cold front with northeast winds gusting to 32 mph.  The temperature climbed to only 19 degrees on the 10th…setting a record low maximum for the date.  Snowfall totaled 7.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport with most of the snow…7.1 inches…falling on the 9th.

On the 9th:

In 1939…a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver.  This snow…along with a trace of snow on the 2nd…was the only snow of the month…ranking it…along with other months…the second least snowiest November on record.  Precipitation of 0.01 inch was the only precipitation of the month…making this the second driest November on record.

In 1944…the first killing frost of the season occurred in the city when the low temperature dipped to 35 degrees. This is the latest date for a killing frost ever recorded in Denver.

In 1946…heavy snowfall totaled 7.7 inches over downtown Denver.  This was the second heavy snowfall in less than a week.  Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph.

In 1995…strong downslope winds gusted between 50 and 57 mph at Erie and Boulder.  West wind gusts to 44 mph were recorded at Denver International Airport.

In 2014…a record high min of 45 degrees… Broke the previous record of 43 degrees set in 1934…and preceded several days of record cold temperatures from the 11th through the 13th.

Continue reading November 8 to November 14: This week in Denver weather history →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

November preview: Second snowiest month can bring a lot of variety

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Thornton's November weather previewThe weather during the month of November in Denver metro area can offer just about anything.  While it is normally a quiet month, it can be prone to extremes.

November is Denver’s second snowiest month and major snowstorms are not entirely uncommon.  However conditions can also be quite dry.

Temperatures during the month continue to cool as we get closer to winter and by the end of the month the low temperatures routinely dip to 20 degrees or below.  At times it can in fact bring conditions more like what we see in January.

Get all the details on November’s weather and what we can expect in our complete preview here.

Weather History

November 1 to November 7: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
November 1 to November 7: This week in Denver weather history

As we enter Denver’s second snowiest month, we of course see plenty of events involving that dominant weather condition.  Sadly we also see two occasions when the winter-like weather turned deadly.

From the National Weather Service:

From the 29th to the 1st:

In 1972…heavy snowfall totaled 15.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport.  However…the heaviest snow occurred on Halloween night when 7 inches fell on trick-or-treaters during a short 3-hour period.  I-25 was closed south of Denver.  North winds gusting to 29 mph caused some blowing snow on the 1st.  The snow started late on the 29th and ended during the mid afternoon on the 1st.  The greatest snow depth on the ground at Stapleton International Airport was 13 inches on the 1st.

From the 31st to the 1st:

In 1951…6.4 inches of snowfall were measured at Stapleton Airport.

In 1989…a Halloween storm dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow on metro Denver with the adjacent foothills receiving 5 to 10 inches.  Snowfall totaled 4.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport…where north winds gusted to 31 mph on the 31st.  Most of the snow fell on the evening of the 31st…but the storm left icy streets throughout metro Denver on the morning of the 1st…making it a “spooky” commute for many motorists.

In 2004…heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Jefferson and Douglas counties.  Storm total snowfall included:  14.5 inches in Aspen Park…10 inches at Roxborough State Park and near Sedalia…8 inches near Bergen Park…and 7 inches in Highlands Ranch.  Snowfall totaled only 3.2 inches in the Denver Stapleton area.  Post-frontal northeast winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.

On the 1st:

In 1896…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees in the city.

In 1973…wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded in Boulder. West winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.

In 1989…a 39-year-old Lakewood man in a motorized wheelchair was found dead of exposure early in the morning after an overnight snowfall dumped 3 to 6 inches of snow across metro Denver.

From the 1st to the 2nd:

In 1892…snowfall totaled 5.0 inches in downtown Denver. This was the only snow of the month.

In 1956…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton Airport.  The storm was accompanied by much blowing and drifting snow.  North winds gusted to 47 mph.

In 1991…the storm system which hit the Front Range at the end of October finished the job during the start of November.  Six inches of new snow were recorded at both Rollinsville and Morrison…while 2.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph.  The temperature climbed to a high of only 19 degrees on the 2nd…setting a record low maximum for the date.

In 1995…a winter storm dropped 5 to 8 inches of snow in the Front Range foothills.  The exception was at Golden gate canyon where a foot of new snow was measured.  Icy roads…fog…and blowing snow along I-70 in the foothills west of Denver caused dozens of accidents.  One man was killed when he lost control of his vehicle and was ejected when his truck hit a median and rolled over.  At least 20 other accidents involved minor injuries.  Only 1.0 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport where some freezing rain also fell.

On the 2nd:

In 1939…a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver.  This snow…along with a trace of snow on the 9th…was the only snow of the month…ranking it…along with other months…the second least snowiest November on record.

In 1967…post-cold frontal heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 29 mph…briefly reducing the visibility to 1/8 mile.

In 1992…the first major snowfall of the season dumped 4.6 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 26 mph.  Heavier amounts of snow fell in and near the foothills with 8 inches at Conifer… Empire…and bailey…6 inches at Rollinsville and Golden Gate Canyon…and 4 inches at Morrison and Wheat Ridge.

In 2011…a storm system brought another around of moderate to heavy snow to the region. Areas in and near the Front Range foothills and palmer divide were hit the hardest. Gusty winds also produced blizzard conditions at times along the Palmer Divide. In addition…the snow and blowing snow forced several school closures in Douglas and Weld counties. Snow drifts…from 1 to 3 feet deep were reported in the northern portion of Douglas and Elbert counties. Storm totals included: 14 inches…4 miles south of Boulder and 12.5 miles northwest of Golden…13 inches… 5 miles east-southeast of Aspen Springs; 12 inches near Allenspark and Parker; 11 inches…6 miles southwest of Castle Rock…Genesee… 9 miles north-northeast of Elizabeth…10 inches… 10 miles south-southeast of Buckley AFB. At the National Weather Service in Boulder… 7.9 inches of snow was recorded…with 4.5 inches observed at Denver International Airport.

From the 2nd to the 3rd:

In 1974…heavy snowfall totaled 6.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph on the 3rd.  Most of the snow fell on the 3rd.  Maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches.

In 1990…a winter storm dumped 3 to 8 inches of heavy wet snow across metro Denver.  In the foothills snow amounts ranged from 4 to 10 inches.  Slushy snow and ice-covered roads snarled traffic.  The snow…ice…and poor visibilities were blamed for numerous traffic accidents.  Low clouds… Fog…and snow delayed air traffic at Stapleton International Airport for at least 90 minutes on the afternoon of the 2nd. Snowfall totaled 5.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph.

Continue reading November 1 to November 7: This week in Denver weather history →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

November 2014 weather recap: Month saw cooler, drier than normal conditions

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The month of November this year was one that saw some widely varying temperatures from comfortable fall readings to bone chilling cold.  Precipitation ran light and while we saw our first measurable snows for the season, it was still dry.

With a high pressure ridge above, the month started out quite nice.  A cold front moved through on the third and not only cooled things down, but also brought the bulk of our precipitation for the month in the form of rain.

We then saw a week of unseasonably warm conditions that lasted through the 10th.  After that, the bottom fell out and the mercury plunged.  Five of the next six days failed to climb above freezing as bone-chilling cold more akin to January was seen.  We did manage to record more than two inches of snow over the same period.

A largely seasonal weather pattern then settled in with most of the next nine days having readings not too far from average.  Three of the last four days of the month then brought back very mild conditions.

Thornton’s overall average temperature for the month was 35.1 degrees.  This was well below the long term November average for Denver of 38.3 degrees.  Out at the airport, official Denver readings were a bit warmer with an average of 36.2 degrees.

Thornton’s warmest reading in November came on the 29th with maximum of 72.5 degrees.  The coldest was -8.8 degrees on the morning of the 13th.  Denver’s maximum was similar to ours at 72 degrees but its coldest was a bit further down there at -14 degrees.

Five temperature records were set for the month, only one was for a warm reading.  That came on the 9th with a record high minimum.

On the other hand, demonstrating just how significant the cold blast in the middle of the month was, Denver set four cold temperature related records for the month.  These included record low maximums on the 11th and 12th and record lows on the 12th and 13th.

In terms of precipitation, Thornton finished below average while Denver was slightly above.  The November average is 0.61 inches.  Here in Thornton we had a mere 0.39 inches while DIA recorded 0.76.

November is one of our snowiest months but that was certainly not the case this year.  While the long term average is 8.7 inches, Thornton recorded only 3.0 inches and Denver 4.0 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s November 2014 climate report.

November 2014 temperature summary for Thornton, Colorado. (ThorntonWeather.com)
November 2014 temperature summary for Thornton, Colorado. (ThorntonWeather.com)
November 2014 precipitation summary for Thornton, Colorado. (ThorntonWeather.com)
November 2014 precipitation summary for Thornton, Colorado. (ThorntonWeather.com)

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
144 AM MST MON DEC 1 2014

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 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              80   11/08/2006
 LOW              -18   11/29/1877
HIGHEST            72   11/29        73       7       71  11/13
                        11/01
LOWEST            -14   11/13         6      -8       12  11/21
AVG. MAXIMUM     50.6              52.1    -1.5     55.1
AVG. MINIMUM     21.8              24.5    -2.7     26.7
MEAN             36.2              38.3    -2.1     40.9
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      5               2.3     2.7        2
DAYS MIN <= 32     22              23.4    -1.4       25
DAYS MIN <= 0       4               0.6     3.4        0 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) 
RECORD 
 MAXIMUM         3.21   1946 
 MINIMUM            T   1899 
                        1901 
                        1949 
TOTALS           0.76              0.61    0.15     0.27 
DAILY AVG.       0.03              0.02    0.01     0.01 
DAYS >= .01         6               4.7     1.3        3
DAYS >= .10         3               1.6     1.4        1
DAYS >= .50         0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.30   11/03 TO 11/03           11/21 TO 11/21

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           42.6   1946
TOTALS            4.0               8.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     857               801      56      715
 SINCE 7/1       1254              1382    -128     1323
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              10.1
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   3/228
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    43/040    DATE  11/10
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    54/040    DATE  11/10

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            4
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             21
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          5

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     53

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              1     MIXED PRECIP               1
HEAVY RAIN                1     RAIN                       2
LIGHT RAIN                2     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       3
LIGHT SNOW                7     SLEET                      0
FOG                       8     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      1
HAZE                      5

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Thornton Weather

November 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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November 7, 2014 - Gorgeous clouds at sunrise. (David Canfield)
November 7, 2014 – Gorgeous clouds at sunrise. (David Canfield)

Typically November is a quiet weather month with plenty of nice, fall days but it can also turn wet with plenty of snow and moisture.  Between the widely varying weather conditions and our normally gorgeous scenery, photo opportunities abound.

Many of the leaves have fallen by now and those that haven’t will be gone by the end of the month as colder temperatures and snow take their toll.  The change in seasons does bring an increase in wildlife activity including the return of bald eagles to our area.

  • Slideshow updated November 30, 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.

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.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

Climatology

November weather preview: A month that can bring just about anything

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Thornton's November weather previewThe weather during the month of November in Denver metro area can offer just about anything.  While it is normally a quiet month, it can be prone to extremes.

November is Denver’s second snowiest month and major snowstorms are not entirely uncommon.  However conditions can also be quite dry.

Temperatures during the month continue to cool as we get closer to winter and by the end of the month the low temperatures routinely dip to 20 degrees or below.  At times it can in fact bring conditions more like what we see in January.

Get all the details on November’s weather and what we can expect in our complete preview here.

Thornton Weather

November 2013 weather recap: Month featured warmer, drier than normal conditions

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The month of November 2013 goes into the books as a quiet one without much notable in terms of the weather in the Denver area.  We enjoyed unusually warm and dry conditions but neither were record-setting.

The month started with average temperatures followed by a couple of days of above normal readings.  Colder temperatures and light snow followed on the 4th of the month and lasted until the 6th.

A week of warmer than normal conditions then settled in and lasted through the 20th.  On the 21st, a period of five days with colder than normal temperatures arrived as did some light snow on two days during the span.

Temperatures then warmed up from there and above normal temperatures and dry conditions continued through November 30th.

Overall temperatures for the month averaged 39.6 degrees in Thornton.  Officially, Denver’s average temperature was 40.9 degrees.  Both were a good bit above the historical November average temperature of 43.5 degrees.

Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 71.8 degrees on the 3rd down to a low of 13.7 degrees on the 21st.  Denver’s maximum and minimum were 71 degrees on the 13th and 12 degrees on the 21st.

In terms of precipitation, Thornton recorded a scant 0.11 inch of liquid.  Denver fared better with 0.27 inches.  Both however were below the average November monthly precipitation mark of 0.61 inches.

Thornton saw total of only 1.8 inches snow during the month, most of which (1.6 inches) fell on the 21st.  Officially the Mile High City recorded 2.0 inches of snow, all on the 21st.  The average November snowfall is 8.7 inches so the 2013 – 2014 snow season is off to a poor start.

No temperature, precipitation or snowfall records were set during the month.

Click here to view the November 2013 climate summary for Thornton.

Thornton's November 2013 Temperature Summary.
Thornton’s November 2013 Temperature Summary.
Thornton's November 2013 Precipitation Summary.
Thornton’s November 2013 Precipitation Summary.

From the National Weather Service:

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2013...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2013

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              80   11/08/2006
 LOW              -18   11/29/1877
HIGHEST            71   11/13        79      -8       77  11/07
LOWEST             12   11/21       -18      30       13  11/11
AVG. MAXIMUM     55.1              52.1     3.0     58.4
AVG. MINIMUM     26.7              24.5     2.2     28.5
MEAN             40.9              38.3     2.6     43.5
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      2               2.3    -0.3        0
DAYS MIN <= 32     25              23.4     1.6       19
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.6    -0.6        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         3.21   1946
 MINIMUM            T   1899
                        1901
                        1949
TOTALS           0.27              0.61   -0.34     0.27
DAILY AVG.       0.01              0.02   -0.01     0.01
DAYS >= .01         3               4.7    -1.7        1
DAYS >= .10         1               1.6    -0.6        1
DAYS >= .50         0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.23   11/21 TO 11/21           11/10 TO 11/10
                        11/20 TO 11/21                    11/09 TO 11/10
                        11/21 TO 11/21                    11/10 TO 11/10
 STORM TOTAL       MM                                 MM
 (MM/DD(HH))            MM                    11/10(00) TO 11/10(00)
                                                 11/10(00) TO 11/10(00)0
                                                 11/10(00) TO 11/10(00)0

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL             MM   MM
TOTALS            2.0               8.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     715               801     -86      638
 SINCE 7/1       1323              1382     -59     1195
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1        999               769     230     1236

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

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.0
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   3/203
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    31/040    DATE  11/20
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    45/150    DATE  11/02

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            8
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             18
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          4

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     50

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          1     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       1
LIGHT SNOW                7     SLEET                      0
FOG                       8     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      1
HAZE                      4

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Thornton Weather

Thornton’s November preview: Expect just about anything

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Thornton's November weather previewThe weather during the month of November in Denver metro area can offer just about anything.  While it is normally a quiet month, it can be prone to extremes.

November is Denver’s second snowiest month and major snowstorms are not entirely uncommon.  However conditions can also be quite dry.

Temperatures during the month continue to cool as we get closer to winter and by the end of the month the low temperatures routinely dip to 20 degrees or below.  At times it can in fact bring conditions more like what we see in January.

Get all the details on November’s weather and what we can expect in our complete preview here.

Thornton Weather

November 2012 Thornton weather recap: Warmer, drier than normal

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Thornton's November 2012 weather recapThe two key weather related words to describe the Denver area’s November 2012 of ‘dry’ and ‘warm’ hardly come as a surprise.  The month saw unseasonably mild temperatures and little in the way of precipitation despite it historically being our second snowiest month.

Above normal temperatures dominated the month from the start with eight out of the first nine days recording readings warmer than average.  Colder weather then arrived and brought Thornton and the Mile High City its first snowfall of the season.  The cooler temperatures did not last long and warmer weather returned for the majority of the balance of November.

Thornton saw an overall average temperature of 41.1 degrees.  Highs averaged 57.3 degrees down to an average low of 26.9 degrees.

Denver’s official average temperature of 43.5 degrees was slightly warmer than Thornton’s.  While mild, it was not warm enough to make it into the list of ‘top 10’ warmest Novembers on record.

Here in Thornton our warmest temperature of the month occurred on the 7th when the mercury climbed to 74.6 degrees.  The coldest morning occurred on Veterans Day (November 11) when temperatures dropped to a chilly 15.0 degrees.

Precipitation was lacking throughout the month as Thornton recorded a scant 0.37 inch in the bucket.  Denver officially recorded less at 0.27 inches.  Both measurements were below the average of 0.61 inch for November.

The season’s first snowfall occurred on the 10th of the month with 1.5 inches being recorded in Thornton.  Out at DIA they recorded slightly more at 1.7 inches.  On average Denver sees 8.7 inches of snow during November so we were well below average.

Click here to view Thornton’s November 2012 climatological report.

Thornton, Colorado November 2012 Temperature Summary

Thornton, Colorado November 2012 Precipitation Summary

Denver’s Official November 2012 Climate Summary

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2012...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2012

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              80   11/08/2006
 LOW              -18   11/29/1877
HIGHEST            77   11/07        67      10       69  11/24
LOWEST             13   11/11        -3      16       10  11/02
                                                          11/03
AVG. MAXIMUM     58.4              52.1     6.3     54.1
AVG. MINIMUM     28.5              24.5     4.0     24.8
MEAN             43.5              38.3     5.2     39.5
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX = .01         1               4.7    -3.7        2
DAYS >= .10         1               1.6    -0.6        2
DAYS >= .50         0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.27   11/10 TO 11/10           11/01 TO 11/02

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           42.6  1946
TOTALS            1.7               8.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     638               801    -163      757
 SINCE 7/1       1195              1382    -187     1252
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1       1236               769     467      964

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

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.4
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   4/205
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    29/220    DATE  11/09
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    37/220    DATE  11/09

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             24
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          1

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     44

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

Time lapse video captures stunning sunset on the Colorado Front Range

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Saturday's sunset was stunning as seen in this photo from Thornton. (Steve Hill)
Saturday's sunset was stunning as seen in this photo from Thornton. (Steve Hill)

Colorado is home to some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises as more often than not, Mother Nature begins and ends the day with a light show of her own.  Yesterday a mountain wave cloud sat over the Front Range and when the day came to close, it was lit fiery red.

We posted a photo from one of our readers, Steve Hill, yesterday.  Today we came across a video posted to Facebook taken by Centennial resident Sean Crowley of the evening’s event that is simply too good not to share – check it out below.  The colors coupled with the rolling movement of the clouds are captivating.

Also, just a friendly reminder that we are raising money to upgrade our webcams to HD, something that would allow us to capture such stunning events and share them with the community.

To learn more about how you can help, please click here.