December 2022 was a rather fickle month. Things started off somewhat warm and dry, and there was even a sizable wildfire just west of Boulder in the week leading up to Christmas. The weather quickly turned much colder and snowier for the holidays, including the coldest temperature reading in more than 30 years for the city. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during December and how it relates to climatology.
December 2022 Recap Graphics:
How does December 2022 fit into the last 73 years?
How does December 2022 fit into the last 12 months?
2022-23 Seasonal Snowfall Timeline
Our top posts of December 2022
December 2022 retold via our Twitter timeline
There's A LOT going on in weather across northeast Colorado today. Travel safely and enjoy it 😀 #COWx pic.twitter.com/zMgM3Legds
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 2, 2022
💨 89.9 MPH wind gust at NCAR Mesa last night at 10PM. Not 100% sure, but this is probably the strongest gust observed at this typically windy location since 12/15/2021 #COWx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/s3SkoXVTBe
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 2, 2022
Blue sky, wave clouds and no wind today in Boulder 😍 pic.twitter.com/76Z3SAOmjJ
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 11, 2022
Here's some of insight into potential Front Range snow amounts for select locations. There will undoubtedly be an atypical reverse snowfall gradient across the Metro area (highest east, lowest west). How strong that gradient is & where it sets up remains a forecast concern! #COwx pic.twitter.com/K36YBKagsx
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 12, 2022
❓SNOW POLL❄️ How much snow will Boulder get from the powerful storm system late Monday night into Tuesday? #COwx #Boulder #Boulderwx #Denver
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 13, 2022
Too far away, but still beautiful! 👀 #COwx #NEwx #KSwx #Wywx pic.twitter.com/uGCTqK09py
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 13, 2022
The 1067mb Arctic high prediction by the GFS for Thursday morning. Would be a new record high pressure for the continental United States. Even 1050mb could reach the #Denver area… #ArcticBlast #COwx #MTwx pic.twitter.com/emlPpkKOVv
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 19, 2022
Video clip- Big new fire on #sunshinecanyon #911 reverse calls just went out to evacuate. #bouldercolorado #boulderfire #sunshinecanyonfire @NWSBoulder @NWSBoulder @9NEWS @CReppWx @BoulderOEM #fire @boulder_fire @FireNederland pic.twitter.com/AQqCDStdqN
— Brook Aitken Cinematographer (@Brookaitken) December 19, 2022
No changes to our going snowfall forecast. One of the strongest fronts you'll ever see here arrives from 4-6PM, with snow beginning shortly thereafter. It will be heavy at times before 10PM. Temperatures below zero possibly before 9PM. Light snow lingers into the overnight #COwx pic.twitter.com/C2LkVKYttP
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 21, 2022
Here's the possible daily cold records to be broken in Boulder from this event. Ousting 30-40+ year old cold is not easy in a warming climate. We have a chance at both of these records, but Friday morning's low is the more likely #COwx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/6514mlo9OW
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 21, 2022
Had a feeling we'd be seeing a lot of line graphs today in #Colorado📉😉
Here's another! 45° -> 2° in 1 hour. Definitely the most intense front in 10+ years #COwx pic.twitter.com/2xLtnXGDGU
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
Is 90 minutes into the Arctic outbreak too soon to dig into the hot cocoa stash? Nope! 😏 #cowx pic.twitter.com/N4PKFvdscM
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
Sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow! Not two things that you ever expect to see together! Currently falling at 1.5" per hour rate #COwx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/v91kn8meVi
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
Current wind chills across the area range from -15° to -35°F. Unfortunately looks like we forgot to turn on the "twice in a lifetime type of cold" color bar. Regardless, dangerous stuff out there folks! #COwx pic.twitter.com/KlcZ4qg7Pj
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
It's really gotten cold out there! Just kidding… This is from one of the coldest places on Earth, central Greenland. They placed this current wind chill sign by the exit door from the main gathering building so you know what you were getting into each time you ventured outside pic.twitter.com/DYXMRjoTNo
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
☃️ It's not just bitter cold today, it's also snowy! Snowfall totals range from 2 to 10" across the Front Range, highest in the Boulder County Foothills and lowest in the southeast suburbs. Officially Denver reported 3.9". Not official yet, but Boulder picked up around 7" #COwx pic.twitter.com/de0fsLT266
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
-18°F was the correct answer, successfully predicted by 30% of voters! https://t.co/QO7z9SaJLF
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
You look good in white, Colorado! #COwx pic.twitter.com/8wseKU3ZJn
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 22, 2022
*NEW POST* Putting last week’s epic Arctic blast into historical context for Boulder. We discuss a few different aspects of this particular Arctic outbreak which make it stand out against the city's 122-year-old historical record: https://t.co/MW0iAcozCG #COWx #Boulder #Denver pic.twitter.com/L5B4iUxRtG
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 27, 2022
Very few people out on the trails on this windy but mild Christmas Day in #Boulder! #cowx pic.twitter.com/zzbRMYrlTK
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 26, 2022
FYI: Sunday was the first "white" Christmas in Boulder since 2017. There was still about 2" of nasty old snow left over from the Arctic blast several days prior #COwx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/XhDN6riPaA
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 28, 2022
Today's high temperature so far has been 63°F in Boulder, our warmest day in EIGHT weeks (since Nov 2nd). Get outside and enjoy it! Who knows how long it will be until we get here again! 🏖️😉 #COwx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/cdBvFp1igW
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 27, 2022
*PREMIUM* WINTER STORM UPDATE: Recent model runs continue to advertise copious moisture dumping on the Front Range tonight. Here's the latest timing on the rain/snow change-over & a look at which spots could see double digit snow amounts: https://t.co/W26SVeAeqf #COwx #colorado pic.twitter.com/6IZAsP53mH
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 28, 2022
📡11:15PM Radar Update: An incredible shield of heavy snowfall exists over almost all of northeast Colorado right now. Though intenties are beginning to decline in the northwest. Another 2-5" of wet snow can be expected through the night. #COwx pic.twitter.com/fO24CQlert
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 29, 2022
10" 😍☃️ #cowx pic.twitter.com/LRnMfmZLDi
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 29, 2022
STORM RECAP: The spring-like storm in December that unexpectedly dumped up to foot of wet snow ☃️⛷️
Well, there’s no possible way of sugar-coating things here — our snowfall forecast for this one ended up being WAY off. Let's discuss why: https://t.co/GWZ3Pe4hx8 #COwx #Denver pic.twitter.com/w1xkZR987W
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 29, 2022
Officially 9.3" of snow fell in Boulder and 1.24" of liquid.
While the snowfall total is not extraordinary, the moisture dump was! This event ranks as the 4th "wettest" December storm on record dating back to the 1890s! #COwx #Boulderwx #Boulder pic.twitter.com/9oXtgw7MII
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 29, 2022
Time is running out to complete the crossword and submit it. You have until Sunday night! 🧩🏆
Hint: All of the crossword clues are related to Boulder, Denver, & Colorado weather. OK, well most of the clues… https://t.co/UXN0qC3me1 #COwx #Boulder #Denver #Boulderwx #Colorado
— BoulderCAST Weather (@BoulderCAST) December 30, 2022
Featured image credit to u/Nebben86 on Reddit.
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