Tag Archives: weather record

Thornton Weather

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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

Second record low temperature in as many days set in Denver

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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

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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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

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

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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.

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Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high minimum temperature for September 3

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Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.While there has been no shortage of heat, we have avoided any records for the past two weeks – until Tuesday.

Yesterday the coldest temperature registered at Denver International Airport during the 24 hour period was only 68 degrees.  This sets a new record high minimum for September 3, breaking the old record of 67 degrees set in 1947.

Here in Thornton we were a bit cooler with a low of 66 degrees at 6:44am.

We continue to be stuck under a powerful ridge of high pressure keeping things dry and hot.  Last month we set three high temperature records in a span of four days and one record high minimum.

The hot weather will continue through the weekend before we may see at least a bit of relief.  The ridge is expected to start to break down Tuesday ushering cooler temperatures, particularly on Wednesday.  Keep an eye on the forecast here for details.

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Thornton Weather

Denver sets daily precipitation record for August 22, Thornton catches nothing in the rain bucket

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Mother Nature can be fickle, especially in Colorado, dropping heavy rain in one location and nothing in a spot nearby.  Such was the case this afternoon and evening when Denver International Airport received nearly two inches of rain and Thornton recorded nothing.

As officially measured at DIA, Denver recorded an amazing 1.94 inches of precipitation on August 22.  This easily bests the record for the date of 0.75 inches set in 1953.  It also ranks as the 34th biggest single day precipitation total for the city on record.

Here in Thornton we weren’t so lucky as the storms stayed south and east of us.  We recorded absolutely nothing in the rain bucket on this date.

Denver's Top 50 Single Day Precipitation Totals (National Weather Service)
Denver’s Top 50 Single Day Precipitation Totals (National Weather Service)