Denver Beats Average Summer Temp From The Dust Bowl For Second Year In A Row
DENVER (CBS4) - Summer 2021 was neck-and-neck with the Dust Bowl year of 1936 in terms of heat across the United States, according to a new report from NOAA. The report released last week said the U.S. average temperature for June, July and August was 0.01 degrees warmer this year.
For the second year in a row, Denver recorded one of its warmest summers on record. The average temperature for June, July and August was 74.6 degrees, which ranks as the third warmest since 1872.
When looking at the three summer months individually, each one ranked in the top 20. July was by far the warmest with an average temperature of nearly 77 degrees. August was the hottest in terms of historical comparison. It came in as 4th warmest since 1872.
- June - 71.6 degrees, 13th warmest (normal is 68.2 degrees)
- July - 76.7 degrees, tied for 9th warmest (normal is 75.1 degrees)
- August - 75.4 degrees, 4th warmest (normal is 72.9 degrees)
Climate stories like this one often get a lot of questioning from the public, regarding the fact that Denver's climate station was moved to Denver International Airport in 1995. And while it is true that DIA has a different climate than Central Park, where the city's official station used to be, the results would be the same no matter which station you pick.
The weather station at the former Stapleton Airport in Central Park, which started in 1948 and became official in 1950, is still in operation. The data comes in handy when doing climate change research. The five warmest summers on record there are listed below.
- 2012 - 75.1 degrees
- 2020 - 74.3 degrees
- 2021 - 74.3 degrees
- 1994 - 74.1 degrees
- 2002 - 74.1 degrees
