Earliest Denver Snowfalls on Record

Snow in September used to be kind of common. But over the last twenty years? Not so much.

September 9, 2024

Image: 2024 Mile High 420 Festival in Denver

A little snow won't stop us in Denver, even in September. Brandon Johnson

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The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center's seasonal outlook for fall 2024 promised scorching temperatures for Denver, but with Colorado's ski areas seeing their first dustings of snow this week, Mile High City dwellers have wintry flakes on their minds.

And they're right to suspect snow could be on the horizon — even in Denver, where plenty of snowfalls have been recorded in September. Plus, a new winter forecast just predicted Colorado will see above-average snow this winter.

How soon might Denver residents get to pretend they live in a snow globe? Historic trends show we might not have to wait very long, depending on how far you look back.

According to the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, since 1882 Denver's earliest recorded snowfall of 0.1 inches of snow or more came on September 3, 1961, when it snowed 4.2 inches. That's a real storm.

Most of these early snowfalls happened decades ago, however, with just one cracking the 2000s. That storm came in 2020, when it snowed one inch on September 8.

In the last ten years, the first Denver snowfall has come in September once, October four times, November four times and December once. That December snowfall occurred in 2021, and is the latest first snowfall on record for the city.

Earliest Denver Snowfalls:

September 3, 1961, 4.2 inches
September 8, 2020, 1 inch
September 8, 1962, 0.7 inches
September 12, 1989, 2.3 inches
September 12, 1974, 1.8 inches
September 13, 1993, 5.4 inches
September 16, 1971, 2.7 inches
September 19, 1955, 0.2 inches
September 20, 1995, 4.7 inches
September 20, 1965, 3.5 inches

Catie Cheshire is a staff writer at Westword, where she has primarily reported on news since September 2021. Her prior work experience includes contributing to Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, the Regis University Highlander and AZ Big Media. Catie holds a master's degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and an undergraduate degree from Regis University in Denver.

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