As the holiday season settles in, Denverites prepare for the usual mix of festive lights, cozy gatherings, and—of course—weather that can be as unpredictable as our beloved Broncos. Whether you’re dreaming of a white Christmas or hoping for mild temps to enjoy the outdoors, Denver’s Christmas Eve and Christmas Day weather have offered us a little bit of everything over the years. Let’s dive into the fascinating climatology of Denver’s winter holidays and take a look at some memorable Christmas weather stats from past decades.
Christmas Eve: A Rollercoaster of Temperatures
When it comes to Christmas Eve in Denver, you never really know what you’re going to get. From t-shirt-worthy warmth to bone-chilling cold, our city has seen it all.
Warm and Toasty Christmas Eves
If you’re hoping for sunshine and mild temps, the warmest Christmas Eve on record reached a balmy 70°F in 1955. That’s right, in the middle of December, it felt like springtime! Other memorable warm Christmas Eves include 65°F in both 1950 and 1961. In fact, December 24, 1961, still ranks as one of the top 10 warmest Christmas Eves, with a low of 33°F—practically sweater weather by our standards.
Frigid Christmas Eves
But as we all know, Denver can turn on a dime. The coldest Christmas Eve ever recorded was back in 1876, when the mercury plummeted to a jaw-dropping -25°F. To give you an idea of how rare that is, we’ve only had a handful of Christmas Eves that have even dipped below zero in recent years. But colder-than-usual isn’t always all that extreme—like in 1983, when the temperature hit -16°F, one of the chilliest in our city’s history.
Snow and Precipitation on Christmas Eve
As far as snow goes, Denver tends to get a bit of everything on Christmas Eve. We’ve had some pretty snowy days, like in 1982, when 23.6 inches of snow blanketed the city, making it our snowiest Christmas Eve on record. But that’s far from typical. In fact, there’s only a 19% chance of measurable precipitation on any given Christmas Eve. And the most recent time we had measurable snow on Christmas Eve? That was back in 2012, when we saw 1.9 inches of snow.
Christmas Day: Mild to Wild, and Sometimes Snowy
While Christmas Day isn’t usually as dramatic as Christmas Eve, it still holds its fair share of surprises. From record heat to snowstorms, the Mile High City keeps things interesting.
A Few Warm Christmas Days
For those of us who would rather avoid snow and cold, the warmest Christmas Day on record hit 69°F in 2005, just four degrees shy of what we hit on Christmas Eve in 1955. That year, the low was a mild 35°F. Other warm days include 66°F in both 1955 and 1971.
Chilly but Manageable Christmas Days
Not every Christmas is sunny and warm. Some of Denver’s most memorable chilly Christmas Days have been pretty cold, like December 25, 1876, when it was -15°F. Thankfully, we’ve seen fewer days like that in recent years, but snow has occasionally made an appearance, like in 2015 when we had 1.2 inches of snow—a reminder that Christmas Day in Denver isn’t always about sunshine and good weather for a hike.
Snowfall and Precipitation on Christmas Day
For those hoping for a true “White Christmas,” Denver has had its fair share of snowstorms on Christmas Day. 2007 holds the record for the snowiest Christmas with 7.8 inches, and 1922 saw a hefty 0.61 inches of precipitation. But overall, the chance of snow on Christmas Day is much lower than on Christmas Eve, with a 14% chance of measurable precipitation.
What Can We Expect This Year?
Looking ahead to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Colorado, it’s shaping up to be a fairly typical winter pattern. A series of weak weather systems will pass through the state over the next few days, with mild temperatures in the lower elevations and light snow in the mountains.
For Christmas Eve, the forecast calls for seasonably mild weather across the plains, with highs in the 30s to low 50s. It will be dry in most areas, though some mountain regions may see light snow—particularly in the higher elevations. Travel impacts should be minimal, but the mountains could see some snow accumulations on passes.
As of now, Christmas Day is likely to bring a weak storm system to Colorado, with snow expected mainly in the mountains. The plains might experience cloudy skies, and there’s a slight chance of rain or snow, but significant travel disruptions are unlikely. Overall, temperatures will remain on the milder side, with highs in the 30s to 50s for many areas.
After Christmas, Colorado will likely see dry and mild conditions in the lower elevations with above-normal temperatures, but a cooler pattern is possible by New Year’s Eve, bringing a chillier end to the year.
In Conclusion
If you’re in Denver, you know that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are as full of surprises as the city itself. From snowstorms that blanket the city to t-shirt weather, anything is possible. But that’s part of the charm of spending the holidays at the foot of the Rockies. Whether you’re enjoying a rare warm December day or digging out from a big snowstorm, the Mile High City has a little something for everyone when it comes to Christmas weather.
Merry Christmas, Denver!