The wait continues for Denver to see its first snow of the season. After yesterday’s storm brushed Colorado, snow fell in the mountains and some Foothills but no snow fell in Denver. Again.
It’s November 21 and Denver has still not reported more than a trace of snow, meaning that we have officially topped the list for the latest first snow on record. With no snow expected for at least the next couple of days, we’re on track to secure the number one spot by a healthy margin.
The last time Denver had to wait this long for the first snow was back in the 1930s, so this record is notable for its duration of reign. The new list for the top 5 latest snows in Denver is as follows:
Latest first snow dates in Denver
1) 2021 – TBD
2) 1934 – November 21
3) 1931 – November 19
4) 2016 – November 17
5) 1894 – November 16
The forecast predicts that Denver will remain dry throughout Monday and Tuesday. Then, a new system will begin to move through the state bringing colder temperatures and moisture with it by Wednesday morning. If everything pans out right, we could be looking at a mixture of rain and snow showers starting Wednesday afternoon which will transition into snow for the evening hours. At this time, the upcoming system is not supposed to be a blockbuster storm but could bring a couple of inches of snow to lower elevations.
As is normal for these types of systems, the western and southern suburbs will be the areas that have the best chance of seeing snow accumulation, while there’s a chance Denver will have none. But this will be our next best chance to see snow in Denver.
Regardless when Denver officially gets its first snow of the season, it will be the latest first snow on record. This also extends our stretch of snowless days and puts us in record territory for the longest time between accumulating snows.
Top 5 longest stretches without snow in Denver
1) 1887 – 235 days
2) 1888 – 227 days
3) 1898 – 224 days
4) 1886 – 219 days
5) 2021 – 214 days (so far)
With the possibility of snow coming in three days, we may not climb the ranks much more, but landing in the top 5 list is notable.
This snowless streak is intermingled with an overall lack of any precipitation. Denver has only received 1.03-inches of rain since July 1 and hasn’t seen a day with over a quarter inch of rain since the end of June. It has been extremely dry and warm which has led to much of the Front Range returning to extreme drought conditions.
Regardless of when our first snow happens, we need the moisture badly whether it comes as rain or snow.
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