DENVER — It’s that time of year. The 90-degree days are becoming few and far between. Frequent swings in temperature are the norm. We’re trading in shorts and T-shirts for jeans and hooded sweatshirts. Broncos football has arrived.
There are so many great things about fall, and we’ll get to our next season in a moment, but first let’s take a look back at the summer of 2016.
When asked to reflect on this summer’s weather, it is likely most of us would say it was hot and overall pretty dry, and the hard data agrees.
Since the beginning of June, Denver International Airport racked up 54 days at or above 90 degrees. That beats the average (since 1995) by roughly a week and a half worth of days.
Days above 95 degrees were above average as well, and it hit 100 degrees once this summer by reaching 102 degrees on June 10.
OK, It was hot, but nowhere close to record hot. The summer of 2012 has this year beat by a long shot. That summer included 73 days above 90, 42 days above 95 and an astounding 13 days above 100 degrees. Twice that summer temperatures hit 105 degrees.
It sure has been dry as well. The rain gauge at DIA stayed average in June, July and August. In fact, during August, the airport only collected a measly 0.22 inches of rain.
Hopefully, we’ll make up for the streak of dry weather over time this fall and winter.
Now that we are transitioning seasons, it’s that time of year to take the family out to the nearest corn maze and hayrides. Fall festivals are knocking on the door and the leaves are starting to turn. Let’s embrace the fall season.
From a weather perspective, it’s starting to look like at least one of the trends we set during the summer will carry through the end of the year.
The Climate Prediction Center is calling for a good chance Colorado experiences above average temperatures over the three-month span of October, November and December.
Meanwhile, wet weather might start coming around more often. Unfortunately, above-average numbers don’t look likely, but we’re expected to at least hang around average precipitation amounts between now and December.
Before we know it, the lifts will start turning. We’ll be staring at snow-capped mountains on our way to work. Kicking back under a blanket, sipping hot chocolate while looking out the window at the latest snowstorm will be how we spend our evenings.
However, before we get there let’s embrace these days of sipping apple cider and heading out to the pumpkin patch in our long sleeves.