Denver Hits 75 Degrees, 2nd Warmest Ever In January

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver measured it's second warmest January temperature in recorded history on Tuesday.

At 2:46 p.m., Denver International Airport hit 75°F.

That's just one degree shy of the all-time January record high of 76°F recorded on Jan. 27, 1888.

Just a few miles east of where the official weather station was located in 1888, the temperature did hit 76 degrees on Tuesday in City Park.

The unseasonable warmth follows Monday's high of 71°F which was the first time since 2009 that Denver saw temperatures hit the 70's in January.

It's hard to believe that less than a month ago the temperature bottomed out at -19°F on Dec. 30 at DIA.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.