Denver experienced exceptionally low temperatures in recent days as an arctic air mass made its way down from Canada into much of the Continental United States. The temperatures dropped so low that headlines across the nation were centered around the Arctic blast and its impacts. Many people have been asking the same question for the past few days: did Denver break any records with how cold it got? Natives to Colorado are well aware that these types of arctic air masses move into Colorado frequently in the winter months. While we did not break any records, we did tie an over-90-year-old record from 1930 on Tuesday the 16th.
At precisely 12:34 AM on January 16th, Denver reached a bone-chilling -19°F! While that is very cold, that is nowhere near how cold it has been in the past.
The National Weather Service has provided a list of the coldest temperatures recorded in Denver’s history. Among these, January 9, 1875, stands out as the coldest day, with temperatures plummeting to -29°F! Some other days follow close behind, with frigid temperatures at -25°F and -24°F:
-29°F – January 9, 1875
-25°F – December 22, 1990
-25°F – January 12, 1963
-25°F – January 11, 1963
-25°F – February 1, 1951
-25°F – February 8, 1936
-25°F – December 24, 1876
-24°F – December 22, 2022
-24°F – February 5, 1989
-24°F – January 10, 1962
Extreme cold temperatures not only break records but can also cause a lot of damage to those who experience it. Frozen pipes leading to broken water mains as well as dangerous driving conditions are some of the many problems that can occur with temperatures such as these. Keeping the indoor temperatures above 65°F, is essential during these cold blasts. Similarly, it is always important to keep cabinets and closets housing any water pipes, open, to allow warm air to flow through.
While Denver is warming up over the next few days, we may see more arctic cold fronts make their way south before the end of winter. With just 43 days until Meteorological Spring on March 1st, a lot can happen between now and then. For more information on how you can get personalized forecasts, email us at [email protected].