May 26, 2025 — DENVER, CO
If you’re looking out your window in Denver today and wondering if someone accidentally swapped Memorial Day for a moody April afternoon, you’re not alone. After a soggy and cool weekend, this Memorial Day is following suit with persistent clouds, chilly air, and on-again, off-again drizzle—a far cry from backyard barbecues under blazing sun.
But as it turns out, this kind of weather isn’t all that unusual for the holiday. Memorial Day in the Mile High City has a long and varied meteorological history—ranging from blazing heat to downright wintry chill.
Today’s Mood: Gloomy, Chilly, and Wet
Today’s highs are struggling to get out of the 50s in parts of the metro area, and the clouds have made themselves at home. It’s the kind of Memorial Day that has people trading sun hats for hoodies and grills for crockpots. After all, when your long weekend is three days of rain and cool air, it’s time to pivot the plans indoors.
But how does this soggy 2025 holiday stack up historically?
Denver’s Memorial Day Climate: Expect the Unexpected
Since 1890, Memorial Day in Denver has proven to be a meteorological wildcard.
- Warmest Memorial Day: A sweltering 93°F scorched the city in 1989, the same day it also recorded one of the warmest overnight lows (59°F).
- Coldest Memorial Day Morning: The mercury dipped to a bone-chilling 35°F in 1983—not exactly picnic weather.
- Coolest Daytime High: That title belongs to 1895, when temperatures topped out at a mere 43°F.
- Wettest Memorial Day: May 30, 1938, dumped 1.63 inches of rain on Denver, making today’s gloom look mild by comparison.
- Historical Chance of Rain: About 29%, meaning about 3 out of 10 Memorial Days bring at least some precipitation.
In short, while sunshine and shorts are often associated with the holiday, they’re far from guaranteed in Colorado.
Recent Years: A Mixed Bag of Spring’s Last Gasp and Summer’s First Roar
A quick glance at the last few Memorial Days paints a picture of the state’s climate roulette:
- 2023: A warm, dry day with a high of 82°F.
- 2022: Cooler and breezy, topping out at 67°F.
- 2020: Chilly with a high of 65°F and a morning low of 40°F.
- 2018: Classic Colorado spring, hitting 70°F with a little rain for good measure.
Perspective for Today: Not the Coldest, Not the Wettest… But Definitely a Vibe
While today’s rain and cool temps may have dampened outdoor plans, it’s still far from record-setting in either temperature or precipitation. That said, it’s another reminder of Colorado’s unpredictable spring—which can flip between summer-like warmth and jacket-worthy gloom in a heartbeat.
So if you’re curled up inside today, sipping coffee instead of lemonade, you’re in good historical company. Memorial Day in Denver has never been a surefire ticket to summer. It’s more of a meteorological coin toss.
Looking Ahead
As we step into the final days of May, warmer and sunnier weather is expected to gradually return by midweek. If you’re feeling robbed of your summer kickoff, hang tight—Colorado’s signature sunshine isn’t far off.
In the meantime, enjoy the cozy pause. After all, Memorial Day is ultimately about remembrance and reflection—and maybe today’s weather is helping us all slow down just enough to do that.
☁️ Happy Memorial Day, Colorado. Here’s to those we honor—and to sunnier days ahead.