174 Record Temperatures In 15 Days Taking Toll On Colorado's Snowpack
DENVER (CBS4) - If you think it's been unusually warm over the past two weeks, you're right!
According to the Colorado Climate Center in Fort Collins, 174 high temperature records were either tied or broken across Colorado during the period spanning Jan. 25 to Feb. 8.
Temperature data was acquired from the National Climatic Data Center.
"It's hot," said Assistant State Climatologist Wendy Ryan. "It's pretty profound how it's not just one region of the state."
Unseasonably warm and dry weather has been gripping much of the west since the end of January.
"This brings up the concern for early wildfire danger as low elevation snow melts and grasses continue to dry out," said Ryan.
RELATED: Multiple Brush Fires Bring Important Reminder
Statewide snowpack remains below the median for this time of year. It's currently sitting at 81 percent as of Feb. 10.
River basins in southwest Colorado are in the most need of snow.
While numbers like this can be unsettling for those who closely monitor water resources and drought, it's also important to remember that March and April can be quite snowy for parts of the state.
One doesn't have to look back too far to find a time when the situation looked grim and then a single large, slow-moving soggy storm changed the entire outlook.
That was in March 2003.
Here is a listing of the recent temperature records either broken or tied from climate stations around Colorado, courtesy of the Colorado Climate Center and the National Climatic Data Center.
January 25, 2015
Ruxton Park - 62, old record 52 (2012)
Taylor Park - 41, old record 40 (2007)
January 26, 2015
Cortez - 60, old record 58 (1951)
Fort Collins - 75, old record 71 (1982)
Grand Junction - 58, old record 58 (1972)
Greeley (UNC) - 74, old record 74 (1982)
Grizzly Peak - 46, old record 37 (2013)
Leadville - 51, old record 51 (1982)
Ridgway - 53, old record 53 (2003)
Ruxton Park - 60, old record 54 (1993)
Williams Fork Dam - 40, old record 40 (2013)
January 27, 2015
Akron - 72, old record 70 (1970)
Antero Reservoir - 51, old record 49 (2003)
Boulder - 72, old record 68 (2003)
Brighton 3 SE - 72, old record 69 (1986)
Buena Vista 2 S - 63, old record 59 (1935)
Cabin Creek - 54, old record 47 (1988)
Canon City - 70, old record 70 (1920)
Center 4 SSW - 54, old record 53 (1970)
Climax - 46, old record 46 (2014)
Colorado National Monument - 57, old record 52 (1971)
Colorado Springs - 67, old record 67 (1970)
Cortez - 61, old record 58 (1982)
Denver Stapleton - 71, old record 69 (1970)
Evergreen - 68, old record 68 (2002)
Fort Collins - 72, old record 65 (1987)
Georgetown - 58, old record 49 (2002)
Grand Junction 6 ESE - 59, old record 56 (1970)
Grant - 56, old record 53 (1982)
Greeley UNC - 72, old record 67 (2003)
Julesburg - 72, old record 71 (2003)
Karval - 72, old record 68 (2002)
Leadville - 51, old record 48 (1993)
Leroy 9 WSW - 63, old record 63 (2002)
Limon - 72, old record 68 (2003)
Mesa Verde National Park - 59, old record 58 (1935)
Palisade - 58, old record 58 (1972)
Pueblo - 73, old record 73 (2003)
Ruxton Park - 55, old record 54 (2011)
Salida - 65, old record 64 (1935)
Steamboat Springs - 46, old record 46 (1967)
Sugarloaf Reservoir - 56, old record 50 (1982)
Taylor Park - 48, old record 45 (2003)
Twin Lakes - 56, old record 53 (1982)
Vallecito Dam - 62, old record 52 (1986)
Walden - 50, old record 45 (2003)
Walsenburg 1 NW - 66, old record 66 (1986)
Waterdale - 72, old record 70 (1982)
Wheat Ridge - 73, old record 72 (2003)
January 28, 2015
Akron 4 E - 77, old record 67 (2003)
Altenbern - 51, old record 50 (1986)
Brighton 3 SE - 72, old record 69 (2003)
Buena Vista 2 S - 60, old record 58 (2003)
Burlington - 75, old record 70 (2003)
Byers 5 ENE - 74, old record 70 (2003)
Cabin Creek - 53, old record 47 (1988)
Canon City - 72, old record 69 (1942)
Climax - 50, old record 41 (2003)
Cortez - 59, old record 58 (2003)
Craig 4 SW - 47, old record 45 (2002)
Denver Stapleton - 74, old record 70 (2003)
Eads - 72, old record 67 (2003)
Evergreen - 70, old record 65 (1988)
Georgetown - 59, old record 50 (2003)
Grant - 55, old record 51 (2003)
Holly - 74, old record 71 (2003)
Holyoke - 76, old record 70 (2003)
John Martin Dam - 76, old record 76 (1970)
Julesburg - 74, old record 66 (2011)
Karval - 71, old record 67 (2003)
Kassler - 74, old record 71 (2003)
Lakewood - 73, old record 68 (2008)
Leroy 9 WSW - 71, old record 65 (2003)
Mesa Verde National Park - 59, old record 56 (1934)
Ordway 21 N - 70, old record 68 (1987)
Paonia 1 SW - 59, old record 56 (2003)
Pueblo Reservoir - 75, old record 70 (2008)
Ridgway - 58, old record 57 (2002)
Sedgwick 5 S - 71, old record 62 (1967)
Steamboat Springs - 49, old record 45 (1981)
Twin Lakes Reservoir - 52, old record 49 (1988)
Walden - 52, old record 43 (1992)
Walsh 1 W - 75, old record 71 (2003)
Waterdale - 70, old record 68 (1986)
Wheat Ridge - 75, old record 72 (1988)
Yuma - 73, old record 64 (1967)
January 30, 2015
Colorado National Monument - 54, old record 54 (1954)
February 2, 2015
Lake George - 60, old record 56 (2003)
February 3, 2015
Greeley UNC - 67, old record 64 (2009)
Tacony 13 SE - 65, old record 65 (1963)
February 4, 2015
Brighton 3 SE - 63, old record 58 (1974)
Gateway - 61, old record 61 (1965)
Karval - 66, old record 65 (1991)
La Junta 20 S - 66, old record 63 (1991)
Ordway 21 N - 66, old record 64 (1991)
February 5, 2015
Altenbern - 58, old record 55 (1963)
Gateway - 63, old record 62 (1995)
Grand Junction 6 ESE - 56, old record 56 (1995)
February 6, 2015
Altenbern - 63, old record 58 (1963)
Boulder - 70, old record 67 (2007)
Colorado National Monument - 57, old record 57 (1995)
Colorado Springs - 72, old record 64 (1963)
Craig 4 SW - 54, old record 47 (2005)
Crested Butte - 46, old record 46 (1963)
Denver - 70, old record 67 (1944)
Eagle Co. Airport - 54, old record 54 (1963)
Fort Collins - 63, old record 62 (2009)
Gateway - 67, old record 62 (1995)
Grand Junction 6 ESE - 60, old record 56 (2007)
Grand Lake 6 SSW - 47, old record 47 (1963)
Kremmling - 49, old record 46 (1950)
La Junta - 82, old record 69 (2009)
Limon - 72, old record 65 (1963)
Montrose - 63, old record 59 (1965)
Paonia 1 SW - 62, old record 59 (1963)
Pueblo - 78, old record 67 (2007)
Ridgway - 57, old record 57 (2007)
Ruxton Park - 57, old record 54 (1963)
Tacony 13 SE - 76, old record 70 (1963)
Trinidad - 75, old record 68 (1950)
Williams Fork Dam - 49, old record 46 (2001)
February 7, 2015
Altenbern - 59, old record 58 (1963)
Burlington - 80, old record 72 (2009)
Canon City - 75, old record 74 (1963)
Climax - 46, old record 46 (2007)
Colorado National Monument - 59, old record 59 (1995)
Cortez - 64, old record 61 (1963)
Crested Butte - 45, old record 45 (1991)
Crestone 2 SE - 53, old record 51 (1996)
Denver - 74, old record 71 (1987)
Dillon 1 E - 52, old record 51 (1944)
Eagle Co. Airport - 59, old record 52 (1963)
Evergreen - 68, old record 66 (1963)
Fort Collins - 71, old record 68 (1987)
Gateway - 68, old record 62 (1963)
Grand Lake 1 NW - 50, old record 50 (1987)
Grand Lake 6 SSW - 47, old record 45 (1999)
Grant - 55, old record 53 (2007)
Greeley UNC - 73, old record 70 (1987)
Holly - 76, old record 75 (1943)
Holyoke - 72, old record 70 (1943)
Karval - 78, old record 64 (2013)
Kassler - 74, old record 71 (1963)
Lakewood - 72, old record 71 (1963)
Lamar - 79, old record 78 (1943)
Leroy 9 WSW - 66, old record 64 (2009)
Ordway 21 N - 77, old record 66 (2009)
Palisade - 62, old record 62 (1963)
Paonia 1 SW - 66, old record 61 (1963)
Rangely 1 E - 63, old record 57 (1963)
Ridgway - 60, old record 57 (2007)
Tacony 13 SE - 77, old record 72 (1963)
Waterdale - 69, old record 69 (1987)
Williams Fork Dam - 54, old record 45 (1998)
February 8, 2015
Antero Reservoir - 55, old record 50 (1999)
Burlington - 80, old record 74 (1907)
Climax - 45, old record 43 (1987)
Colorado National Monument - 57, old record 56 (1995)
Evergreen - 69, old record 62 (1999)
Grant - 54, old record 51 (1987)
Karval - 80, old record 72 (1987)
Kassler - 76, old record 75 (1954)
Lake George 8 SW - 55, old record 53 (1999)
Lakewood - 71, old record 68 (1987)
Lamar - 80, old record 77 (1907)
Leroy 9 WSW - 73, old record 70 (1987)
Monte Vista 2 W - 57, old record 54 (2006)
Ordway 21 N - 78, old record 69 (1987)
Paonia 1 SW - 65, old record 63 (1995)
Rangely 1 E - 63, old record 58 (1963)
Sedgwick 5 S - 73, old record 67 (2000)
Wheat Ridge - 73, old record 71 (1999)
Williams Fork Dam - 52, old record 48 (1999)
Yuma - 77, old record 75 (1951)
Wildfire Resources
- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.
Wildfire Photo Galleries
- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.
Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.
