Forecasts

Another mild day Wednesday for Thornton, colder temps and snow to come

Today Mother Nature delivers a day much like yesterday with sun and above normal mercury readings. Tomorrow we see a change arrive with colder temperatures and a light shot of snow.

Mostly sunny skies will be with us this morning then cloud cover will gradually increase in the afternoon. Overall conditions will be calm and dry. High temperatures will top out near the 60 degree mark.

Tonight, it will be calm under mostly cloudy skies. Lows will dip to around freezing.

Now for the coming storm… Models are far from in agreement so it is a bit tough to pinpoint details. Some light snow / flurries and drizzle may be seen tomorrow morning and through the day. Then, come Thursday evening through the night into Friday morning, coverage will increase. At this time, we would say Thornton is set for 1 to 2 inches when it is all over by mid-morning Friday.

As for temperatures, it will of course be turning colder. Look for highs Thursday around 40 degrees followed by the mid-30s Friday.

Weather History

January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week in Denver Weather History

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows the period has been a very eventful one. There have of course been some significant snow events as you would expect in January. However, perhaps most notable are the number of high wind events that have caused extensive damage and in one case, death. Extreme cold has been another hallmark of the period including Denver’s all-time coldest temperature reading.

From the National Weather Service:

31-6

In 1973…the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days. Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.

31-7

In 1941…a protracted cold spell through January 7…1942… Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero. The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero…the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero…and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.

1-5

In 1940…the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle…light snow…and fog. Fog occurred on each day. On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle. All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side. This resulted in very slippery streets…which caused several minor traffic accidents. The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.

2-4

In 1949…the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado. The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits. This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero. Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm… While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches. The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown. Numerous lives were lost…and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.

2-5

In 1959…very cold temperatures…to near zero and below…caused power and gas lines…water pipes…and automatic sprinkler systems to break. In Boulder… Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store…flooding three floors. The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd…3rd…and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.

3-4

In 1982…wind gusting to 85 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder caused a few power failures. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2000…high winds buffeted the foothills of Boulder County. Wind gusts were reported to 91 mph at Nederland and 81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa southwest of Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

3-5

In 2017…the first in a series of powerful winter storms brought a period of heavy snow to the mountains…foothills and urban corridor. In the mountains and foothills…the heaviest snowfall occurred along and north of the Interstate 70 corridor. Storm totals ranged from one to around three feet. Eastbound I-70 was closed at Vail and Silverthorne because of poor conditions and several spun-out vehicles. Across the Interstate 25 corridor…heavy snow fell over northern parts of metro Denver north to Loveland. At Denver International Airport… 145 flights were canceled. Storm totals in the mountains and foothills included: 19.7 inches…5 miles northeast of Ward; 17 inches near Brainard Lake and Copeland Lakes…16 inches…5 miles east-northeast of Nederland and Niwot Ridge SNOTEL; 15.7 inches at Eldora…14.5 inches at Berthoud Pass…14 inches at Allenspark… and 12 inches at Gross Reservoir. Along the I-25 corridor…storm totals included: 13.8 inches in Boulder…12 inches at Marston Reservoir…9.5 inches in Niwot…9 inches at Flatiron Reservoir… 8.3 inches in Northglenn…8 inches at Hygiene…7 inches in Arvada…5 miles west-northwest of Brighton…Frederick… Lafayette…Loveland and 5 miles northeast of Westminster; with 6.5 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Wheat Ridge. At Denver International Airport…there was a mix of rain and snow with only 0.10 inches of snowfall observed on the morning of the 4th.

4

In 1893…the low temperature dipped to only 52 degrees…the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in January. The high temperature was 64 degrees. The spring-like weather was the result of northwest Chinook winds sustained to 20 mph with gusts as high as 38 mph.

In 2022…high winds developed in the mountains and foothills in the morning. Peak wind gusts included: 81 mph…3 miles south- southwest of Rocky Flats…and 76 mph at the junction of highways 72 and 93…as well as White Ranch Open Space. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust to 46 mph was observed from the northwest.

4-5

In 1996…snow began falling across the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver on the 4th. Most snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches. Icy roads and blowing snow caused a 22 car accident on I-25 north of Denver… Resulting in an 8-mile traffic back-up for several hours. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

In 2020…a brief period of strong bora winds occurred in and near the foothills during the late evening and early morning hours. Scattered but brief electrical outages were reported. Peak wind gusts included: 84 mph atop Berthoud Pass…83 mph at NCAR Mesa Laboratory; 79 mph at Longmont Municipal Airport; 78 mph…3.5 miles southwest of Superior; 76 mph at Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport and 75 mph east-northeast of Pleasant View. West-northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

5

In 1871…a heavy gale in Boulder caused 500 dollars damage.

In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph in the city.

In 1899…strong winds occurred in Boulder…but caused only minor damage.

In 1911…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph in downtown Denver.

In 1915…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph behind a cold front…which produced only 1.0 inch of snowfall.

In 1972…warm Chinook wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded in Boulder at the National Bureau of Standards and to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. The high winds caused severe blowing snow in and near the foothills… Completely blocking traffic in some areas…closing schools and industrial plants. Houses under construction were damaged…and falling trees damaged cars in Boulder. An apartment building under construction was blown down in the Denver area. Northwest wind gusts reached 58 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…during the early morning hours with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30’s…0.25 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport

In 1994…occasional high winds blew across the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 84 mph were recorded in southwest Boulder and 74 mph in north Boulder. There were also reports of 70 to 80 mph winds along Colorado highway 93 in Jefferson County from Golden to Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.

In 1999…strong downslope winds developed in the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu… Southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 37 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2007…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas along the Front Range. The most snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Storm totals included: 17 inches 8 miles northwest of Evergreen…16 inches near Conifer…15 inches southwest of Boulder and at Eldorado Springs…14.5 inches near Genesee…12 inches near aspen and Estes Parks…11.5 inches in Boulder…11 inches at Perry park… 9.5 inches near Blackhawk…9 inches in Louisville…7.5 inches in Arvada…7 inches near Erie…6.5 inches near Longmont…and 6 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Littleton. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

Thornton’s January 2026 preview: Cold temps, not much snow the norm

Thornton, Colorado's January Weather Preview.
Thornton, Colorado’s January Weather Preview.

As we begin the new year the winter chill begins to set in.  While January can see its share of extremes, the month historically sees stable temperatures and is usually relatively dry.

January ranks as the second coldest month in Denver next to December with average temperatures remaining virtually the same from the start to the end of the month.

In terms of snowfall, the month only ranks as the sixth snowiest and it is not uncommon for it to be quite dry.

What does January 2026 hold for us?  Follow the link to find out.

For the complete January preview including a look at historical averages and extremes, click here. 

Climatology, Thornton Weather

December 2025 weather recap: Last month of the year brings temps far above average

Thornton, Colorado's December 2025 Temperature Summary. (© ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2025 Temperature Summary. (© ThorntonWeather.com)

Another warm month in the books and this time with readings extraordinarily far above average. And, while we did finally see our first, decent snow, there was only one.

The first five days of the month saw more typical temperatures, and indeed four of them were below average. Along with that, on the third we received a respectable 5.3 inches of snowfall.

From there, however, we warmed up and dried out. All but two of the final 26 days of the month saw above average temperatures. Twelve of those days saw record highs for their dates in the past 19 years.

On the 28th we did see one more, light snowfall (1.3 inches) but otherwise we were bone dry.

Thornton saw an overall average temperature for December 2025 of 42.1 degrees. This was far above our 19 year running average for the month of 31.5 degrees. It was also Thornton’s warmest December of the past 19 years by far. We saw our warmest temperature of 75.6 degrees on the 22nd and our coldest of 11.0 degrees on the 1st.

As measured at Denver International Airport, Denver saw an average temperature of 42.3 degrees for the month. This made the month the second warmest December ever recorded and was 11.1 degrees above their long-term December average. The city saw six high temperature records set or tied including record highs on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

In terms of precipitation, we did end up wetter than average. Thornton recorded 0.59 inches of liquid precipitation in our bucket, largely due to the snow on the 3rd. This total was above our running average for December of 0.44 inches.

Out at the airport, the Mile High City saw 0.33 inches of liquid precipitation. This was slightly below their long-term average for the month of 0.35 inches.

Thornton ended up with 6.6 inches of snowfall for the month. This was much appreciated after seeing no snow in September and October and only a minimal snow in November. It was, however, short of our 19-year average for December of 8.0 inches.

Denver matched our total with 6.6 inches of snowfall as measured at DIA as well. This was equal to the Mile High City’s 30-year average for the month.

Click here to view Thornton’s complete December 2025 climate summary report.

Thornton, Colorado's December 2025 Precipitation Summary. (© ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s December 2025 Precipitation Summary. (© ThorntonWeather.com)
Weather History

December 28 to January 3: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week in Denver Weather History

Powerful, damaging wind, bitter cold and major snowstorms mark our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

25-31

In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s. Four temperature records were set. Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees. A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.

26-28

In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph. Most of the snow… 4.8 inches…fell on the 27th.

27-28

In 1997…high winds combined with fresh snow from a previous storm caused highways to become slick from drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in localized ground blizzards. Strong winds blew snow across the runways at Centennial Airport…which glazed over and formed areas of ice. Two planes were damaged when they slid off the runway while landing. No injuries were reported. Numerous accidents also occurred on I-25 and I-70 as ice formed under the same conditions. A rollover accident which injured 4 people on State Highway 93 near the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility was also attributed to the high winds. The high winds caused an office building and showroom under construction in Golden to collapse. The largest wall was 180 feet long and 28 feet high. Some high wind reports included: 86 mph at Golden Gate Canyon…72 mph near Conifer…and 70 mph at Jefferson County Airport and the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa near Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport on the 27th.

In 1998…damaging downslope winds formed in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged from 71 to 114 mph. Numerous trees were blown down in Coal Creek Canyon and near Gross Reservoir. Power lines were blown down… Resulting in scattered outages. Peak wind reports included: 114 mph at Wondervu…92 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…88 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…and 79 mph 8 miles west of Conifer. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.

27-29

In 1983…a second surge of bitter cold air in less than a week was less intense. Record breaking low temperatures of 12 degrees below zero on the 28th and 15 degrees below zero on the 29th were accompanied by 3.7 inches of snowfall and northeast winds gusting to 23 mph.

28

In 2001…brief high winds developed in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 86 mph on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. West to northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature climbed to a high of 51 degrees.

28-29

In 1906…a trace of snow fell on both days…which along with a trace of snow on the 5th…was the only snow of the month…ranking the month the second least snowiest December on record.

In 1970…wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Winds gusted to only 46 mph in downtown Boulder. Damage was minor.

In 2006…while metro Denver residents were still digging out from the heavy snowfall and blizzard that occurred on December 20-21…the second major winter storm in a week buried the city and the eastern foothills again in more deep snow. Heavy snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet in the foothills and from 6 to 18 inches across the city. Another slow moving storm system centered over the Texas panhandle produced deep upslope flow over the high plains and against the Front Range mountains. The storm produced blizzard conditions over the plains mainly south of interstate 76. Interstate 70 as well as other roads and highways was closed from Denver to the Kansas line due to snow and blizzard conditions. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. The heaviest snow fell in and near the foothills and south of Denver over the Palmer Divide…where north winds sustained at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph piled the snow into drifts 4 to 14 feet deep. In the city…the heavy snowfall persisted for a total of 29 hours. Snowfall totals across metro Denver included: 17.5 inches at Ken Caryl; 15 inches 3 miles south-southeast of Morrison; 14 inches in Boulder and lone tree; 12 inches in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Wheat Ridge; 10.5 inches in Littleton; 10 inches in Arvada…Broomfield…and Louviers; and 8.5 inches in Lakewood and Thornton. Officially…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Denver Stapleton. North winds sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 32 mph produced some blowing snow at Denver International Airport. In the city…this second storm increased the total snowfall for the month to 29.4 inches…making the month the third snowiest on record. In the foothills the snow fell at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour at times. Total snowfall in the foothills included: 30 inches near Genesee; 29.5 inches 12 miles northwest of Golden; 25 inches in Evergreen and near Bergen Park; 24 inches near Conifer; 23.5 inches 3 miles southwest of Golden and near gold hill; 23 inches near Jamestown; 22.5 inches in Rollinsville; 19.5 inches in Aspen Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; 18.5 inches at Nederland; 16 inches in Indian Hills…at Intercanyon…and in Eldora; 15.5 inches at Echo Lake; and 12 inches near Ralston Reservoir. The total cost of snow removal just at Denver International Airport from this storm and the previous storm was in tens of millions of dollars. The airport estimated up to 6.7 million dollars in extra costs for contractors…overtime…equipment…de-icing chemicals…and other expenses. The two storms cost the airport 4.6 million dollars in loss concession revenues. United airlines reported lost revenue of over 25 million dollars from the two storms…while frontier airlines lost an estimated 12.1 million dollars.

29

In 1997…high winds persisted mainly in and near the foothills. Strong cross winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph blew a rental truck off the roadway in northern Jefferson County near the Coal Creek Canyon road. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2005…high winds were recorded across metro Denver. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph near Chatfield Reservoir and 64 mph at Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.

In 2017…high winds developed in the Front Range foothills west and northwest of Denver. Peak wind gusts included: 98 mph…2 miles south-southeast of Gold Hill…91 mph…3 miles south of Gold Hill; 89 mph near Aspen Springs; 86 mph…4 miles east-northeast of Nederland; 83 mph…3 miles southwest of Jefferson; 77 mph near Rocky Flats; with 75 mph near Aspen Springs.

29-30

In 1898…heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 40 mph on the 29th.

In 1912…strong winds buffeted Boulder…causing hundreds of dollars damage. The winds were described as one of the most terrific in the history of the city.

In 1923…a cold wave caused temperatures to plunge 58 degrees in 24 hours. The temperature was 54 degrees at 2:00 pm on the 29th and only 4 degrees below zero at the same time on the 30th. The low temperature of 14 degrees on the 29th was the high temperature on the 30th. The low temperature on the 30th dipped to 10 degrees below zero. Light snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch. Northeast winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 29th.

In 2008…very strong Chinook winds blasted areas in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. The wind blew down trees and power poles…downed electrical lines and fences…and damaged homes and vehicles. Scattered power outages were reported along the Front Range. In metropolitan Denver alone…24000 Xcel customers were affected by the outages. Four planed were damaged at the Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont…one was heavily damaged. Insurance companies estimated up to 7 million dollars in damage. Peak wind gusts included 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center…86 mph…2 miles north of Longmont; 77 mph at Erie…and 75 mph at Lafayette. On the 30th…a peak wind gust to 47 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport.

In 2021…the combination of very high winds and extremely dry conditions produced the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history (approximately 2 billion dollars). It was also one of the costliest in U.S. history. The Marshall Fire was driven by wind gusts from 75 mph to 100 mph as it raced across southeast Boulder County and quickly consumed 6200 acres. Governor Polis issued a State of Emergency. U.S. President Joe Biden responded to the fires by expediting a Major Disaster Declaration…which unlocked federal aid for individuals and public infrastructure. The Marshall Fire destroyed or damaged over one thousand homes and businesses…along with hundreds of trees. The fire perimeter included the cities of Marshall… Superior…Louisville as well as unincorporated sections of Boulder County. A total of 45000 people were evacuated from Superior…Louisville…and portions of Broomfield; 26000 residents were without power. In all…1084 homes within the fire perimeter were destroyed and 149 were damaged. Seven commercial properties were destroyed and 30 other businesses damaged. There was one confirmed fatality in Marshall. An elderly resident in Superior was missing and presumed dead. Six people suffered minor burns. In Arvada…a Discount Tire store collapsed. One employee was treated for minor injuries. Semi-trucks were blown over along CO93 and C470 which forced road closures. The high wind smashed car windows. Just prior to the Marshall Fire…the Middle Fork Fire was reported in northern Boulder County. It was contained that day and no structures were burned. Peak wind gusts included: 115 mph in northwest Arvada near CO93…110 mph at the junction of CO93/CO72…108 mph…3 miles southwest of Boulder; 103 mph near White Ranch Open Space…102 mph near Crisman…98 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 90 mph near Marshall…81 mph at C470 and south Wadsworth…and 75 mph in Boulder. At Denver International Airport…a peak gust of 40 mph was observed from the west.

30

In 1875…snow fell from the early morning into the early evening. While the amount of snowfall was not recorded… Precipitation from melted snow totaled 0.53 inch. Good sleighing was reported…so snowfall must have been 5 inches or more.

In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 60 mph in the city.

In 1897…west winds sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.

In 1912…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 52 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 50 degrees.

In 1928…snowfall was 0.1 inch in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month…ranking the month the third least snowiest on record in the city.

In 1990…strong downslope winds buffeted the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 91 mph were recorded atop Table Mesa in southwest Boulder…while a gust to 94 mph was clocked at Rollinsville. The high winds caused whiteout conditions due to blowing snow along some highways south and north of Boulder. The high winds downed power lines near the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder.

In 1998…high winds continued to buffet areas in and near the foothills. Near Evergreen…a 100-foot-high blue spruce crashed down on the roof of a home…splitting the corrugated metal roof in half. Fortunately…the tree… Which measured 10 feet in circumference…only penetrated the home’s interior in a few places. Peak wind reports included: 90 mph at Wondervu…88 mph at the Rocky Flats test facility…83 mph near Conifer…and 82 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon. West winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading December 28 to January 3: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high temperature for December 25

Record High Temperature

It doesn’t feel much like Christmas with temperatures like this! Once again Denver saw unusually high temperatures and the result was the warmest December 25 on record.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw a high temperature of 71 degrees. This bested the previously record high for the date of 69 degrees set in 2005.

Here in Thornton, we were warmer with a high of 74 degrees.

Thornton Weather

December 2025 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

December 8, 2025 - A beautiful end to the day. (Al Feuerborn)
December 8, 2025 – A beautiful end to the day. (Al Feuerborn)

The month of December can offer everything from bone dry conditions to bone chilling cold and monstrous snowstorms.  The weather and wildlife all afford an abundance of photo opportunities as our December photo slideshow shows.

Leaves have fallen from trees now and the landscape can sometimes look quite stark.  However it only takes a quick shot of snow to change that picture greatly.  Throw in gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, plenty of wildlife big and small, kids playing and much more and the month can be quite colorful and eventful.

  • Slideshow updated December 22, 2025
  • 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!

Thornton Weather

Looking back at an unforgettable holiday – Denver’s Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982

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Cars are buried under the heavy snow in Denver. Scroll down for a photo slideshow with more images. (Denver Public Library Digital Collection)
Cars are buried under the heavy snow in Denver. Scroll down for a photo slideshow with more images. (Denver Public Library Digital Collection)

As Christmas approaches everyone reflects on the past and for longtime Denver residents that oftentimes means remembering one of the most significant winter storms in the Mile High City’s history – the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982.  This major winter storm has become the one by which all others are compared not only due to its record-setting impact but also due to its timing being near Christmas.

As Christmas 1982 approached, forecasters were predicting a white Christmas several days beforehand but most were expecting a moderate snowfall of 6 inches.  Two days before Christmas Eve though, the picture began to change.  On the 22nd a Pacific cold front came ashore in California bringing severe rain, high surf and even hurricane force winds.  As it moved east over higher terrain, it dumped 2 feet of snow in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City.

At about that same time, jet stream winds were forming a trough of low pressure over the southeastern plains of Colorado.  The counterclockwise motion of the trough began to pull moist air into the state.  Further east Kansas and Oklahoma experienced severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes.  The winds set the stage for strong upslope conditions along the Front Range.

  • Scroll down to the view photo slideshow from this famous snowstorm
  • Do you remember the Christmas Eve Blizzard of ’82?  Leave a comment below with your memories
  • If you have photos of the event email them to info@thorntonweather.com or share them with us on our Facebook page and we will add them to the slideshow

Rain changed to snow on the plains and shortly before midnight on the 23rd, a full blown blizzard had developed.  Denver woke to snow on the ground the morning of Christmas Eve but the storm was just getting started.  Snowfall rates of 2 – 3 inches per hour were the norm during the day and winds screamed at 50mph causing wind chill temperatures to plummet to as low as -35 degrees.  As conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the day, the gravity of the situation began to be realized. Continue reading Looking back at an unforgettable holiday – Denver’s Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high temperature for December 24

Record High Temperature

Fall-like temperatures continue right into the holidays with Denver setting another high temperature record.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw a high temperature today of 71 degrees. This bests the previous record high for the date of 70 degrees set in 1955.

Here in Thornton, we were warmer with a high of 73 degrees.

While it will cool some on Christmas Day, there is the potential for us to set a record high for it as well. On December 25, 2005 we saw a high of 69 degrees.

Climatology, Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high temperature for December 22

Record High Temperature

The ridiculously warm temperatures this month have set another high temperature record.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw a high temperature today of 76 degrees. This breaks the previous record high for December 22 of 70 degrees set in 1955.

The reading is also the second warmest December temperature ever recorded for Denver. December 5, 1939 holds the record with a reading of 79 degrees.

Here in Thornton, we were similarly warm with a high of 76 degrees.

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