October is here and it may bring Denver's first taste of snow and freezing temperatures for the season. (iStockphoto / johnnyscriv)
With the first full month of fall here, October usually brings one of the quietest weather months in the Denver area with plenty of mild, sunny days and clear, cool nights. Certainly given our recent trend of well-above normal temperatures many are hoping for some relief.
The month actually has our second highest amount of sunshine with 72 percent with September having the most with 74 percent. Interestingly enough, the month following, November, is one of the lowest sunshine months with only 64 percent.
Typically October brings our first real taste of winter with the first freeze on average coming on the 7th of the month and the first snow on the 15th of the month.
You can get all the details including a look back at historical October weather and a look ahead at what October 2010 is expected to bring in our complete preview here.
October 2009 in Denver was the second coldest and fifth snowiest October on record.
Most of the month of October was cooler than normal in the Mile High City and now that the month is over we see just how cold it was. Denver finished October 2009 with an average temperature more than 8 degrees below normal and had 9 inches more snow than what is normal for the month.
October 2009’s 42.9 degree average makes it the second coldest since record keeping began in 1873 – 136 years ago! re in Thornton we were actually slightly cooler with an average temperature of 42.0 degrees. Only October 1969 was colder as that year Denver had an average temperature of a chilly 39 degrees. He
Across the board temperatures for the month were well below normal. The average daily high temperature of 54.7 degrees was 11.3 degrees below the normal of 66.0 degrees. Low temperatures were similarly well below normal with an average of 31.1 degrees – 4.8 degrees below the normal of 35.9.
Thornton was warmer for daytime highs than the Denver official temperatures as we averaged 55.6 degrees. In terms of low temperatures, we were cooler having averaged 30.7 degrees.
Two days in a row Denver has set or tied record low temperatures.
On Friday at 5:55am the temperature at Denver International Airport dropped to 26 degrees easily setting a new low temperature record for October 2nd. The previous record of 30 degrees was set in 1999 and also in 1959. This was the first freeze of the season. Thornton however remained above the freezing mark with a low of 33.1 degrees.
Following on yesterday’s record setting cold, the Mile High City tied a 109 year old low temperature record this morning. The temperature at Denver International Airport dipped to 31 degrees tying the record low for this date last set in 1900. Unlike yesterday, Thornton was actually cooler than the official Denver temperature having recorded a low of 28.2.
The average date of Denver’s first freeze is October 7th so we are a bit ahead on timing. The earliest date Denver has received freezing temperatures is September 8th which occurred in 1962. The latest date was in 1944 when the mercury didn’t dip to freezing until November 15th.
With the first full month of fall here, October usually brings one of the quietest weather months in the Denver area with plenty of mild, sunny days and clear, cool nights. The month actually has our second highest amount of sunshine with 72 percent with September having the most with 74 percent. Interestingly enough, the month following, November, is one of the lowest sunshine months with only 64 percent. Typically October brings our first real taste of winter with the first freeze on average coming on the 7th of the month and the first snow on the 15th of the month.
Average temperatures in October steadily drop throughout the month. On the first we average 72 degree highs but by the 31st that drops to 59 degrees. October also sees our average low temperatures start to reach below freezing as well. At the start of the month we will average 42 degrees as the low temperature but by the end of the month the mercury dips to 30 degrees. This truly begins the sign that winter is approaching.
This week in Denver weather history - October 26 to November 1.
Lots of interesting stuff in this look back at Denver weather history for the week of October 26th to November 1st. Lots of snow including some major storms and the seemingly ever present wind are on this look into history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 25 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
25-26 IN 1996…4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF
DENVER. ONLY 1.5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WERE MEASURED AT THE
SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
26TH. THIS WAS THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE MONTH AT
THE SITE. THE SNOWFALL PRODUCED ICY AND SNOWPACKED
HIGHWAYS…WHICH RESULTED IN A 50-TO 60-CAR PILEUP ON I-25
SOUTH OF METRO DENVER. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 33 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2006…A WINTER STORM BROUGHT HEAVY SNOWFALL TO METRO
DENVER AND THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. TOTAL SNOWFALL RANGED
FROM 12 TO 22 INCHES OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND 6 TO 12
INCHES ACROSS METRO DENVER. NORTHERLY WINDS AT SUSTAINED
SPEEDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 47 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHIPPED THE SNOW INTO DRIFTS
3 TO 4 FEET DEEP. MANY TREE LIMBS SNAPPED UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF THE HEAVY…WET SNOW WHICH ALSO DOWNED POWER LINES…
LEAVING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WITHOUT POWER. STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL INCLUDED: 25 INCHES NEAR ASPEN SPRINGS…CONIFER…
AND EVERGREEN; 23.5 INCHES NEAR ROLLINSVILLE; 23 INCHES IN
IDAHO SPRINGS; 22.5 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK; 21.5 INCHES NEAR
BAILEY; 19 INCHES NEAR BERGEN PARK; 18 INCHES NEAR ASPEN
SPRINGS…GENESEE…AND JAMESTOWN; 17 INCHES SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER; 16 INCHES IN EVERGREEN; AND 15 INCHES NEAR
GEORGETOWN AND PERRY PARK. SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.3 INCHES
IN THE DENVER STAPLETON AREA. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIPORT…RAIN…INCLUDING A THUNDERSTORM…CHANGED TO SNOW
ON THE EVENING OF THE 25TH AFTER A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF
70 DEGREES. Continue reading This week in Denver weather history – October 26 to November 1→
A Preview of Thornton's October Weather - Fall is Here
With the first full month of fall here, October usually brings one of the quietest weather months in the Denver area with plenty of mild, sunny days and clear, cool nights. The month actually has our second highest amount of sunshine with 72 percent with September having the most with 74 percent. Interestingly enough, the month following, November, is one of the lowest sunshine months with only 64 percent. Typically October brings our first real taste of winter with the first freeze on average coming on the 7th of the month and the first snow on the 15th of the month.
Two days in a row Denver has set or tied record low temperatures. 
