Denver’s First Snowfall of the Season Delayed
Denver has officially surpassed the record for its fifth-latest first snowfall, and the chances for snow this week remain low, according to the National Weather Service.
With no snow in the forecast for Monday or Wednesday, which currently hold the titles for the fourth-latest and third-latest first snowfalls in Denver, the city is expected to climb even higher on the list of latest first snowfalls this year, as per weather service forecasters.
However, the dry streak is expected to come to an end this week, with up to half an inch of rain predicted to fall between noon on Thursday and 6 p.m. on Friday, according to the weather service.
If conditions are right, that rain may turn into or mix with snow on Thursday night and Friday morning, forecasters added.
The window with the highest likelihood of snow is between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Friday, according to hourly forecasts by the weather service. Despite this, temperatures are expected to remain above freezing, so any snowflakes that fall are unlikely to stick.
For snow to qualify as Denver’s first snowfall of the season, at least 0.1 inches must accumulate on the ground, according to weather service officials.
During the peak time for potential snow, the overall chance of precipitation (including rain and snow) in Denver stands at 35%, as per the weather service.
If Denver does not experience its first snowfall of the season on Friday, it will become the city’s second-latest on record.
Denver’s latest-ever first snowfall occurred on Dec. 10, 2021, according to the weather service. It remains uncertain whether Denver will surpass that record this year. On average, the city typically sees its first snow by Oct. 18.
The last measurable snowfall in Denver this year was recorded on April 18, as reported by the weather service. By Friday, it will mark 217 days without snow – the sixth-longest snowless period in the city’s history.
According to the weather service, the top five longest snowless periods in Denver include:
- 232 days in 2021, from April 22 to Dec. 10;
- 232 days in 1887, from March 5 to Oct. 23;
- 225 days in 1888, from March 27 to Nov. 7;
- 220 days in 1889, from March 23 to Oct. 29;
- And 219 days in 1886, from April 5 to Nov. 10.
