Category: Climatology (Page 10 of 75)

These posts contain information about the long-term weather patterns of Boulder County. Potential topics may include 30-day weather outlooks, El Nino/La Nina, and seasonal forecasts. You will find less about the day-to-day weather, with more focus on longer trends and patterns.

Why Boulder’s official weather station has moved so much over the last 130 years—and why it still isn’t the airport

Boulder’s “official” climate record has never lived in one place for long. Over the past 130 years, the instruments that track our temperature, precipitation, and snowfall have been relocated again and again—sometimes only a few blocks, other times miles away into landscapes with completely different quirks and microclimates. Each move left its own imprint on the long‑term dataset we use today, subtly shaping how we compare modern conditions with the Boulder of decades past.

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This Week in Colorado Weather: January 5, 2025

Warm, gusty weather is kicking off the first full week of 2026, but the atmosphere has a few twists lined up as we move toward the weekend. A stubborn ridge will keep us mild early on as downslope winds ramp up fire concerns. However, a developing trough later in the week will turn us much colder — with even the possibility of snow for Boulder and Denver if the storm track cooperates. The details are still evolving, but there’s plenty to watch in the days ahead.

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This Week in Colorado Weather: December 29, 2025

After a quick burst of weekend snow and our coldest temperatures since early December, the week ahead turns much quieter across Colorado. Temperatures will climb steadily as Boulder and Denver stay dry into the New Year, while the Mountains prepare for a well‑timed round of snow for the holiday weekend. We’ll walk you through the day‑to‑day weather this week, where the snow will fall, and check in on long‑range guidance which still isn’t advertising much in the way of winter for eastern Colorado.

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Winter Weather Update: Snow chances have fizzled, but a sharp cold front will still pack a wintry punch Saturday night

After a stretch of December warmth so extreme it rewrote some record books across the Front Range, we’re finally staring down a pattern shift—though not quite the snowy one we initially hoped for. A pair of cold fronts will bring a sharp temperature drop, a few chances for rain and snow, and at least the feeling of winter back to Boulder and Denver. The details have changed quite a bit in the last 24 to 48 hours, but we’ll walk you through what’s still on the table, what’s no longer likely, and where a few surprises could still sneak in Saturday night.

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Why is Christmas Day one of the whitest days of the year in Boulder?

This Christmas will be a scorcher across the Front Range with temperatures soaring towards record highs near 70 degrees, but snow is often part of the equation here on Christmas, whether falling or on the ground. We take a broader look at White Christmas occurrences in Boulder’s historical record and discuss why Christmas Day, out of all days, has one of the highest probabilities of snow on the ground here.

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The Front Range heads into a record‑warm, snow‑starved Christmas after an unusually dry fall

December has been anything but typical along the Front Range, with Boulder shattering warmth records and enduring weeks of bone‑dry weather that have fueled fire danger and stressed our local trees. As we head into Christmas, the holiday will feel more like patio season than sledding weather, with record highs likely and no snow available outside of the Mountains. But don’t pack away the winter gear just yet—a sharp cooldown and even a chance for light snow are on the horizon this weekend. We take a closer look this historically warm and dry December, the scorching Christmas forecast, and peek ahead to what’s next.

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This Week in Colorado Weather: December 22, 2025

As we head into what’s normally the coldest stretch of the year along the Front Range, the atmosphere has other plans. Instead of Arctic air and snow globe conditions, we’re staring down a week of springlike warmth, fire weather concerns, and multiple shots at breaking long‑standing temperature records—including on Christmas Day. We’ll walk you through why this pattern is so unusual, what it means for Boulder and the Foothills, and where you can still find real winter this week if you’re craving it.

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Colorado Forecast Update: Another powerful downslope windstorm will unfold on Friday, this time accompanied by EXTREME fire danger (Updated)

Updated (7AM Friday 12/19): Updated based on latest guidance adjusting timings and intensity of wind/fire impacts, and also made a stronger case for the extreme winds (and fire danger) to potentially stay mostly in the Foothills or very close to there. Lowered wind/fire risk in Boulder proper. This is still a very dangerous situation.

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Boulder, the far western suburbs of Denver, and the Foothills are bracing for yet another powerful mountain wave windstorm Friday, with gusts likely topping 75–100 MPH and, this time, extreme fire danger will be layered on top. Forecast models show the strongest winds during the morning into the afternoon, coinciding with critically dry air and record‑challenging warmth. Power shutoffs, downed trees, and blowing dust are all on the table, but the bigger story is the fire risk—conditions are primed for rapid spread if any ignition occurs. Fortunately it now appears that most of the intense winds will stay largely in the Foothills, but there is some uncertainty how far downhill and east they will reach. Read on for the full breakdown of timing, impacts, and what you need to know to stay safe. We also briefly review the damaging wind event that just occurred on Wednesday.

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