Denver finally hit 70 degrees. This is the longest it has taken in over 40 years
DENVER (KDVR) — The National Weather Service recorded 71 degrees at the Denver International Airport on Wednesday, marking the first day of the year with a high temperature in the 70s.
Denver usually reaches at least 70 degrees by March 9, even though March is the snowiest month of the year for the Mile High City. But this year, it has taken a record-long time to get there.
Wednesday marks the longest it has taken to hit 70 in Denver since weather observation records began at Denver International Airport in 1995.
Before Wednesday, the warmest temperature recorded in Denver so far this year was 69 degrees on March 2. There have been multiple days in the upper 60s since then, but it didn’t reach the 70s until 2:40 p.m. Wednesday when the NWS recorded 71 degrees at DIA.
This is why record-breaking weather in downtown Denver doesn’t always make the history books
It hasn’t taken this long for Denver to hit the 70-degree mark since 1983, according to historical NWS records, when the first day in the 70s finally came around on April 18.
Here are the first and last days in the 70s since recordkeeping began at DIA:
Year | First 70-degree day | Last 70-degree day |
1995 | Feb. 21 | Nov. 26 |
1996 | March 10 | Nov. 19 |
1997 | Jan. 2 | Oct. 18 |
1998 | March 24 | Dec. 2 |
1999 | March 15 | Nov. 17 |
2000 | March 05 | Oct. 21 |
2001 | April 1 | Nov. 5 |
2002 | Feb. 23 | Nov. 22 |
2003 | March 13 | Oct. 29 |
2004 | March 09 | Nov. 07 |
2005 | Jan. 20 | Nov. 11 |
2006 | Feb. 27 | Nov. 22 |
2007 | March 12 | Dec. 04 |
2008 | March 1 | Nov-18 |
2009 | Jan. 21 | Nov. 12 |
2010 | March 30 | Dec. 14 |
2011 | March 11 | Oct. 31 |
2012 | March 6 | Nov. 21 |
2013 | March 15 | Nov. 13 |
2014 | March 9 | Nov. 29 |
2015 | Jan. 26 | Nov. 3 |
2016 | Feb. 18 | Nov. 16 |
2017 | Feb. 10 | Nov. 27 |
2018 | March 2 | Oct. 29 |
2019 | March 26 | Nov. 9 |
2020 | Feb. 2 | March 15 |
2021 | March 7 | Dec. 2 |
2022 | March 2 | Nov. 8 |
2023 | Mach 15 | Dec. 6 |
The latest Denver has ever had its first 70-degree day was April 24 (1884), and the earliest day in the 70s was on Jan. 2 (1997).
Denver usually reaches at least 70 degrees by March 9, even though March is the snowiest month of the year for the Mile High City. (KDVR)
The 70-degree mark doesn’t necessarily mark an end to winter weather for the year. According to the NWS, Denver normally gets 8.6 inches of snow in April.
Denver needs to receive over 18 inches of snow in April and May combined to meet the annual average. The last time Denver got that much snow in those two months was in 2013.
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