Tag Archives: weather record

Examiner.com

Arctic chill breaks cold temperature record in Denver

Leave a comment

Denver set a record cold maximum temperature for February 5.With a large, cold air mass settled in across much of the nation’s midsection, weather records are bound to fall. In the Mile High City the record for coldest high temperature for the date was not just broken but smashed.

The so-called high temperature for the day was 1 degree below zero in Denver. This shattered the previous coldest high temperature for February 5 of 5 degrees set in 1989 and years prior.

Overnight temperatures Tuesday night into Wednesday morning dropped to a bone-chilling 19 degrees below zero as measured at Denver’s official weather station at Denver International Airport. Daytime provided little relief as the mercury remained stubbornly below zero.

Here in Thornton we fared slightly better with a daytime high temperature of 2 degrees above zero.  Our low temperature this morning was a nasty cold 12.6 degrees below.

With temperatures Wednesday night expected to plunge to 10 below or lower, a Wind Chill Advisory has been issued for much of northeastern Colorado including Denver. Wind chill temperatures of 25 below will be possible.

This type of cold comes with it the very real danger of hypothermia and frostbite. Area residents need to exercise extreme caution and avoid prolonged exposure. Pets as well need to be remembered and their time outside should be limited.

Thornton Weather

January 2014 becomes 11th snowiest January on record

Leave a comment

Record snowfall.Thanks to a snowy start and a similarly snowy finish, the month of January 2014 climbed onto the list of top 10 January snow measurements in the Mile High City.

Officially the month ended with 14.3 inches of snowfall as measured at Denver International Airport.  It was just enough to bump January 1991 from the number 10 spot (14.1 inches).

Here in Thornton we received just a bit less as we saw 13.4 inches of the white stuff.

January is only our fourth snowiest month with an average of 7.0 inches (based on 1981 to 2010 normals).  The snowiest January on record occurred in 1992 when 24.3 inches of snow fell.

Looking at the 2013 / 2014 snow season, January helped make up some lost ground from the previous dry months.

The seasonal total now stands at 22.4 inches, 5.4 inches below the long term average of 27.8 inches we normally receive by the end of January.  Thornton’s seasonal total is a bit better but still below normal at 24.2 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s seasonal snow summary.

TOP TEN SNOWIEST JANUARYS:

24.3 INCHES 1992
22.2 INCHES 1949
20.5 INCHES 1883
19.2 INCHES 1948
17.4 INCHES 1959
17.2 INCHES 1962
17.0 INCHES 1891 AND 1987
15.9 INCHES 2007
15.7 INCHES 1951
14.3 INCHES 2014

Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high and record high minimum temperature for December 18

Leave a comment

Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.Colorado’s famously inconsistent weather appears to be on full display this month.  Just two weeks ago we were setting records for cold.  Today we broke a record high temperature and tied the record high minimum.

At 12:59 p.m. the temperature at Denver International Airport reached 68 degrees.  This broke the old record high temperature for December 18 of 66 degrees last set in 1979.

Additionally, Denver’s low temperature was 40 degrees.  This tied the record low maximum for the date set in 1917.

The average high for December 18 is 42 degrees and the average low is 17 degrees.

Here in Thornton we were just slightly cooler as the mercury here topped out at 67 degrees at 12:44 p.m.  Our low dropped to 39 degrees.

It was on December 4th and 5th that the Mile High City was in the midst of an Arctic blast that brought six days straight of sub-freezing temperatures.  On those two days Denver set record low temperatures.

Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Thornton Weather

Second record low temperature in as many days set in Denver

Leave a comment

Record Cold TemperaturesClear skies and snow cover helped push the mercury down early this morning.  The result was a second record low temperature set in the past 24 hours.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City’s official low temperature this morning was -15 degrees.  This ties the record low for December 5 last set in 1972.

Thornton managed to be slightly warmer as our temperature bottomed out at -9.2 degrees right before sunrise.

Yesterday, just before midnight, Denver set a record low temperature for December 4 as well.

The bitter cold looks to remain with us for quite some time.  Some warming in the coming days is expected however it may be the middle of next week before temperatures climb above freezing.

Thornton Weather

Denver sets new record low temperature for December 4

Leave a comment

Record Cold TemperaturesWith snow on the ground, clear skies above and a very cold air mass in place, Denver set a new record low temperature for December 4.

Late in the evening the mercury at Denver International Airport dropped to -13 degrees.  These shattered the old record low temperature for the date of -5 degrees last set in 2008.

Here in Thornton we weren’t quite as cold as our low temperature dropped to  -4.4 degrees right before midnight.

The storm system that pushed through deposited a light, fluffy 2.2 inches of snowfall on Thornton which equated to 0.13 inch of liquid precipitation.

Seasonal snowfall totals continue to run well below  normal.  On average, by the end of November we have received 13.0 inches and by the end of December 21.2 inches.

To date Thornton’s seasonal snowfall total is at 7.3 inches and Denver’s 4.2 inches.

Thornton Weather

Denver ties record low temperature for October 4

Leave a comment

Record Cold TemperaturesWith a Freeze Warning in place following yesterday’s cold front, we knew it was going to be cold and it certainly has been.  In fact, it was record-setting.

Just before midnight, the mercury at Denver International Airport dropped to 28 degrees.  This tied the record low temperature for the date, October 4, last set 136 years ago in 1877.

Thornton nearly matched the official Denver numbers with a low of 28.5° recorded at 11:57 p.m.  This was our coldest reading since May 3.

The storm system that moved through brought snow to a good part of the Denver metro area.  Here in Thornton we measured 0.8”, our first snowfall of the season.  A total 0.39″ of liquid precipitation (rain and snow melt) was recorded in our bucket.

Inexplicably, the National Weather Service is showing no snow was measured at DIA yesterday morning.  This despite the fact that numerous firsthand accounts and pictures posted to social media showed the airport did indeed have measureable snowfall.

We are reaching out to the NWS to get an explanation for the discrepancy and will update this post if / when we receive a response.

  • Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.
Thornton Weather

A record-setting day of rain makes September 2013 the wettest September on record

Leave a comment
Record Rain
Our wet September notched two more records into the books.

Overnight showers that lasted into the morning set a daily rainfall record in Denver.  Even more notable, the rain added to the monthly total making this the wettest September ever recorded in the Mile High City.

As measured at Denver International Airport, Denver recorded 0.64 inches of rain today.  This is a new daily record for September 23, beating the old record of 0.52 inches set in 2000.

Today’s rain, coupled with rainfall before midnight, brought Denver’s September monthly total to 5.47 inches.  With that, September 2013 will go into the record books as the wettest September on record.  The old monthly record was 4.67 inches set in 1961.

Denver’s rainfall total, while impressive, hardly compares to what has been seen in other locations.  It also once again highlights how the station at DIA hardly represents the weather conditions seen in the metro area and makes historical comparisons somewhat invalid.

At the CO-OP station at Stapleton where Denver’s official weather measurements were taken from 1950 to 1995, the monthly total is at 9.08 inches.  The difference in rainfall totals between the old location and DIA showcases how the station move to a different microclimate has skewed the Mile High City’s climate records.

Here in Thornton, our monthly total stands at 9.98 inches after receiving 1.15 inches over the past 24 hours.

Boulder, where some of the heaviest rains fell this month, was at 17.24 inches for the month before last night’s rain.  Monthly rainfall totals in many locations across the Denver metro area are pushing the 10 inch mark.

There are of course still seven days left in the month and with showers in the forecast later this week, that record-setting total may increase.

  • Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.
Thornton Weather

Denver sees third day in a row of record-setting heat

Leave a comment

Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.Thursday and Friday brought the hottest temperatures ever recorded during the month of September.  Saturday we were spared making that mark again but we did tie a record.

The mercury at Denver International Airport topped out at 95 degrees at 3:07 p.m.  This tied the record high temperature for the date of September 7th established in 1933.

Thornton saw very similar conditions to the airport.  Our thermometer hit a high of 95.6 degrees.

This was the third record-setting day in a row for the Mile High City and every day so far this month except one (the 1st) has been punctuated by temperature exceeding 90 degrees.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Thornton Weather

Sounding like a broken record: Denver breaks another high temperature record

Leave a comment

Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.For the second day in a row Denver’s temperature officially topped out at 97 degrees as measured at Denver International Airport smashing records once again.

The hot temperature tied the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded during the month of September, just as it did yesterday.  It also sets a new record high for the date of September 6, easily besting the previous record of 95 degrees set in 1959.

Here in Thornton we were hotter than the airport as our temperature topped out at a sweltering 99.0 degrees.  This was actually the second hottest temperature Thornton has recorded this year.  Only June 11th was hotter at 99.2 degrees.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Thornton Weather

High temperature record for September 5th tied, also ties hottest temp ever in month

Leave a comment

Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.A good bit of cloud cover couldn’t keep the mercury from rising to mid-summer-like levels today.  The hot temperatures in fact tied two records.

Denver’s temperature topped out a 97 degrees as measured at Denver International Airport.  This tied the record high temperature for the date of September 5 set in 1899.

This also tied the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded during the month of September.  The 97 degree mark has been recorded multiple times during the month, always within the first five days.

Here in Thornton the temperature we were actually a bit warmer than DIA, a rarity.  We topped out at 98 degrees (97.6 degrees).

Unfortunately we will see no break in the 90+ degree weather until Monday at the earliest.

The forecast for tomorrow and Saturday current calls for high temperatures of 95 degrees.  Should we hit or exceed those marks, we will tie the record high temperatures for those dates.

Don’t miss a thing when it comes to our ever-changing weather! Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.