Cooler & Drier Than Normal
The month started on a warm note with high temperatures in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Colder unsettled weather returned on the 2nd and continued through the 4th as an upper level trough of low pressure and cold front moved across the northern and central Rockies. Upper level high pressure brought dry weather and above normal temperatures from the 5th through the 11th. High temperatures during the period were around 70 degrees each day with the exception of the upper 50s on the 9th due to the passage of a weak cool front.
A large upper level trough of low pressure which dropped out of Canada into the central and
eastern United States brought much colder temperatures and snow to north central and northeastern Colorado from the 12th through the 16th. This pattern allowed a series of upper level disturbances and associated Arctic cold fronts to move across northeastern Colorado. Upslope flow behind the fronts combined with lift from a strong upper level jet stream resulted in heavy snow mainly across the foothills and adjacent plains. The first round of heavy snow occurred from the 12th through the 13th with another bout of snow from the 15th through the 16th. The heaviest snow was focused in and near the foothills with just over 3 feet of snow measured at the Cooperative Weather Station in Boulder and nearly 4 feet by a CoCoRaHS observer near Ward. The Front Range Urban Corridor received between 8 and 16” during this period. Further to the southeast, snowfall amounts were much less with only 3.9 inches measured at the official observation site at Denver International Airport. In addition to the heavy snow, the cold airmass resulted in a few new temperature records being set. Denver experienced much warmer and drier weather the final 2 weeks of the month as upper level ridging and a dry west to northwest flow aloft set up over the state.
Temperatures:
The Average Temperature at Denver International Airport for the month of April was 46.3 Degrees F which is 1.2 degrees below the normal of 47.5 Degrees. A record low maximum temperature of 25 degrees was set on April 13th breaking the old record of 27 degrees back in 1933. Record Low temperatures of 15 and 11 degrees were set on the 13th and 14th respectively, breaking the old records last set in 1933 as well.
Ten Warmest April Average Temperatures In Denver Weather History:
Since 1872: Degrees F
56.4 – 1981
56.3 – 1946
55.5 – 1930
55.3 – 1943
54.8 – 1992
53.8 – 1881
53.6 – 1954
53.3 – 2012, 1888
53.2 – 1948
Ten Coldest April Average Temperatures In Denver Weather History:
Since 1872: Degrees F
38.8 – 1920
40.5 – 1997
41.0 – 1983
41.1 – 1873
41.4 – 1957
41.7 – 2013
42.2 – 1945
42.3 – 1984
42.5 – 1899
42.6 – 1918
Precipitation:
Denver received 0,54 inches of precipitation for April 2020. This is 1.17 inches below the
monthly average of 1.71 inches. The highest daily precipitation amount of 0.25 inches was
Received on the 16th.
Ten Wettest April Totals in Denver Weather History Since 1872:
Inches:
8.42 – 1900
5.86 – 1999
4.95 – 1905
4.94 – 1885
4.13 – 1957
4.09 – 1933
4.07 – 1935
4.01 – 1942
3.95 – 1967
3.75 – 1914
Ten Driest April Totals in Denver Weather History Since 1872:
Inches:
0.03 – 1963
0.05 – 1878
0.23 – 2002
0.31 – 1880
0.32 – 2008
0.33 – 1996
0.34 – 1982
0.39 – 1908
0.40 – 1925
0.48 – 1955
SNOWFALL
April is Denver’s 5th snowiest month of the snow season with a monthly average of 6.8 inches (NCEI 1980-2010). Despite the heavy snow that fell across the foothills and adjacent plains, much lighter amounts occurred further east across eastern sections of Denver and Aurora. Snowfall for this April at the official observation site at Denver International Airport ended with 3.7 inches, which is 3.1 inches below normal.
Ten Highest Snow Totals for April’s in Denver Weather History:
INCHES
33.8 – 1933
32.0 – 1885
28.3 – 1920
28.2 – 1954
25.5 – 1957
25.4 – 1909
25.0 – 1907
24.8 – 1973
23.3 – 1935
20.4 – 2013
Thirteen Least Snowiest April’s in Denver Weather History:
INCHES
0.0 – 1995, 1982, 1943, 1930
TRACE – 2002, 1969, 1946, 1925, 1915, 1910, 1889, 1888, 1887
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