2024 began very soggy across the Front Range, but the month of May did a complete one-eighty concluding as Boulder’s driest in 50 years and 2nd driest since record-keeping began in the late 1800s. Other notable weather events during the month include the once-in-a-lifetime northern lights display visible across almost the entire United States and also what is likely to be yet another “billion-dollar hailstorm” which slammed parts of the Denver Metro area on May 30th. Here’s a quick and colorful graphical recap of our weather during May and how it relates to climatology.
May 2024 Recap Graphics:
Season-to-date snowfall timeline (updated May 31st)
How does May 2024 fit into the last 74 years?
How does May 2024 fit into the last 12 months?
Latest Drought Tracker (as of May 28th)
Our top posts of May 2024
May 2024 retold via our Twitter X timeline
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📈 One of the strongest El Niños on record has delivered above normal snowfall to Boulder! #COWX #Boulderwx pic.twitter.com/gW7JBSJA2b
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 1, 2024
Happy 70 degree Friday! #cowx #boulderwx pic.twitter.com/txIU2jsYi3
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 3, 2024
How about that 87 MPH wind gust reported in #Boulder this morning? Better than setting a Monday morning alarm!💨⏰ #COwx pic.twitter.com/eNkm1Y3rvv
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 6, 2024
This Week in Colorado Weather: Staying active this week, but with more wind than rain! 💨☃️📉
Impacts across Colorado will range from Mountain snow, to cool temperatures, to elevated fire danger to strong downslope winds. Here's the latest –> https://t.co/Bd4Ee7Gto8 #COwx pic.twitter.com/4c1ICIU4va
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 6, 2024
Today's bora wind storm has been accompanied by a downward surge of ozone-rich air from the stratosphere (ozone layer). The measured ozone concentration in Boulder briefly spiked to 95 ppb this morning. As a result, an Air Quality Alert has been issued. #COWX #Boulderwx pic.twitter.com/iABWFVTbYa
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 6, 2024
Wind gusts over 60 MPH did some work on this tent at CU Boulder this morning! 💨🎪 #COWx #Boulder #Boulderwx pic.twitter.com/IsiJzIKWjl
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 6, 2024
*Premium* BoulderCAST Daily – Tue 05/07/24 | More wind today & a risk of sub-freezing temperatures tonight! https://t.co/47fKX6h3Yx #COwx #Boulderwx pic.twitter.com/UcUHdHZg5k
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 7, 2024
April 2024 Graphical Weather Review: A warm, windy & wet month that continued the historically soggy start to 2024🌎📊
We also endured an intense downslope windstorm in early April, but who could forget that? Xcel Energy customers sure wouldn’t –> https://t.co/tmo9MwBdsl #COwx pic.twitter.com/Z1FUGHvxka
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 9, 2024
If there is one thing the month of May does well here, it’s rain!💦☔️
A stalled trough will remain over Colorado through the weekend ahead with wet weather continuing. This & more in today's *Premium* weekend outlook –> https://t.co/aeLJx6BtXO #COwx #Boulderwx #Denver #Boulder pic.twitter.com/g6UMV8iGVp
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 9, 2024
🍥Heads up! There's a good chance to see the aurora along the northern horizon tonight in the Denver area. Looks like skies will at least partially clear out tonight. Best viewing potential is north of Denver with possibly some clouds lingering on the south/southwest Metro #COwx
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 10, 2024
Ok def getting a little better in Denver! #cowx #Auroraborealis pic.twitter.com/I49z0254MU
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 11, 2024
⚠️ Colorado Aurora Forecast Update: Cloudy skies in the Front Range Saturday night will require eager viewers to head north to see round two
How far north? Let's discuss –> https://t.co/W33JpgwOpm #COwx #Wywx #Denver #Boulder #Boulderwx #aurora
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 11, 2024
The Kp index fell off a cliff after midnight Saturday night. However, another surge of solar particles is expected Sunday night. Latest forecast calls for Kp of 6, not intense enough for auroras to be visible in Denver. But skies will be mostly clear so take a look north! #cowx pic.twitter.com/xPYLV12Otf
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 12, 2024
Just saying 😉 #COWx #Auroraborealis #Aurora pic.twitter.com/k6hhHynO1i
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 14, 2024
It's that time of year… ❇️🌷💨 pic.twitter.com/t2PZxKhHRC
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 17, 2024
⚠️TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR NORTHEAST COLORADO UNTIL 11PM MONDAY!🌪️
This watch box includes portions of #Boulder County & #Denver. Only the next hour or two could anything form in our area (before 7PM). The main risk still looks to be ENE of DIA through the evening! #COWx pic.twitter.com/vVuEbmfU3s
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 20, 2024
These tornado warned severe storms in northeast Colorado are about to become nocturnal… 🦉 #cowx pic.twitter.com/P8SZkBhZYM
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 21, 2024
⚾️🌪️ Softball hail fell across far NE Colorado last night, & at least 1 tornado. There will another round of storms today in the Front Range, but nothing like the severe outbreak that unfolded last night! This & more in today's *Premium* discussion: https://t.co/4XH3TYXj6b #COWx pic.twitter.com/HeK4Mlofr3
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 21, 2024
❄️ DID YOU KNOW ❓
Two years ago today 8.3" of snow fell in #Boulder, one of the largest *super* late-season snows ever to occur in the cit! The trees didn't like it. Not one bit!
Read our storm recap here –> https://t.co/jxSnWtORux #COwx #Boulderwx #Denver pic.twitter.com/DB40gDu3dg
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 21, 2024
A bit of frost this morning, but we'll warm up quickly into the 70s today with sunshine. Gusty winds arrive Thursday alongside a cold front. This will be our 2nd snowless May in a row (1st time since 2000)! This & more in today's Premium discussion: https://t.co/wPXYSpQS9D #COwx pic.twitter.com/hWksJyuTnc
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 22, 2024
❄️DID YOU KNOW ⁉️
The chance of seeing accumulating snowfall after May 22nd in Boulder is ~4% climatologically with 5 occurrences in the last 126 years. BUT, we're not fully in the clear until June 13th! Anyone know any stories about the 6/12/1947 snow? #COwx #Boulder #Boulderwx pic.twitter.com/qT104HKUCb
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 22, 2024
🥶 The morning low temperature was 33°F in Boulder on Wednesday, one degree off the record low for the date (which is 32°F, last reached in 2019, a day which it also snowed 5 inches) #COWX #Boulderwx
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 23, 2024
*Premium* This Weekend in Colorado Weather: Rain chances have tanked with a mild, largely dry Memorial Day Weekend ahead
The forecast for the holiday weekend has trended drier, which as we’ll describe, isn’t necessarily good news –> https://t.co/fYL36825Hr #COwx pic.twitter.com/AHi5yFTyX7
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 23, 2024
After a definitively soggy April, we've seen very little rainfall over the last four weeks in much the Front Range! #Boulder has just 0.33" of rain month-to-date, ~10% of normal & this May is currently on pace to be the driest in 50 years! #COWx
🚫🌧️🟰🔥🌲 pic.twitter.com/TlgZzSchCA
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 23, 2024
⚠️⛈️ Severe thunderstorms return to the forecast today with hail up to 1.5" and 60 MPH wind gusts possible this afternoon to early evening. Who doesn't love this time of year? This & more in today's *Premium* forecast disco –> https://t.co/aasa2vkZhB #COwx #Denver #Boulder #Hail pic.twitter.com/CPzwfbptAI
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 29, 2024
Another round of very poorly forecasted hail-producing severe thunderstorms occurred last night between 830-1030PM producing hail up to baseball size (2.75") in the Denver Metro area. Hail was largest just SW of DIA, Commerce City, Aurora and NE Denver. #COWx #Hail #Denver pic.twitter.com/7bKkSv7yO0
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 31, 2024
Looks like we found the largest hailstone north of I-76. This 2.125" beauty fell near Broomfield (hail 2+" get triangle symbols on map). Winning? #COwx #Hail pic.twitter.com/KFhNEom4Fx
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 31, 2024
⚾️⛈️ Denver Hailstorm Recap: Unexpected, nocturnal supercells pummeled parts of the Denver area with baseball-sized hail Thursday night!
Let's look at where the largest hail fell and why the forecast was so poor –> https://t.co/ywxglhjvYy #Cowx #Hail #denver #Denverweather pic.twitter.com/Ht8196EPsR
— BoulderCAST Weather 🏔️❄️ (@BoulderCAST) May 31, 2024
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