Is the latest first snow record for Denver in jeopardy?

Denverites haven’t experienced snowfall in the Mile High City for over 200 days currently and with each passing day a new record for latest first snow keeps falling.

Denver International Airport has not recorded any measurable snow since April 19, which is currently 213 days ago, and the city is teetering on having a new record for latest first snow.

Combing through 140-plus years of National Weather Service data records show Denver is currently experiencing one of the longest time frames without snow falling in the city’s recorded history, currently sixth.

Denver’s Top consecutive snowless days (< 0.1″) since 1882:

Rank# of DaysYearBeginEnd
1232202104-22 (2021)12-10 (2021)
 232188703-05 (1887)10-23 (1887)
3225188803-27 (1888)11-07 (1888)
4220188903-23 (1889)10-29 (1889)
5219188604-05 (1886)11-10 (1886)
6213202504-19 (2025)?

On average, Denver typically receives its first snowfall around Oct. 18. As of Tuesday’s date, that was 32 days ago.

The city’s latest first snow will surpass Nov. 19, 1931 for third place tomorrow and potentially into a tie for second place with Nov. 21, 1934, on Friday if no snowfall is recorded.

Denver’s latest first snowfall dates Top 5. (Credit, 9News).

The NWS in Boulder forecasts overnight low temperatures from Thursday night into Friday morning to be down to around 35 degrees at Denver International Airport.

Some weather models, like the ECMWF, show snowfall totals of between a trace-1 inch possible around DIA and within the downtown Denver area by Friday morning, but other models, like the GFS show no snow around metro Denver including at the airport.

ECMWF:

An ECMWF Total Snowfall 10:1 (in) forecast map of Colorado from 5 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 18 to 8 a.m., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Pivotalweather.com).

GFS:

A GFS Total Snowfall 10:1 (in) forecast map of Colorado from 5 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 18 to 8 a.m., Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Pivotalweather.com).

Because the ground has been and remains warm and dry from the current weeks-long warm period, any snow that could potentially fall will more than likely melt and not be recorded as snowfall.

Also, if the current forecast holds, then Nov. 21’s date will be surpassed and a new second place latest first snow will be recorded heading into the Thanksgiving week.

The GFS and ECWMF models both forecast snow for Denver on Wednesday, Nov. 26, which would solidify that date in the second spot for the city’s latest first snow.


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