By Bill Kappel
May was cool and relatively dry, an unusual combination where we would normally expect cooler than normal temperatures to be accompanied by a couple good snowfalls. But not this year.
The first week of the month was dry with temperatures right about normal. Overnight lows were just below freezing most mornings, with afternoon highs in the 50s and 60s. An unsettled pattern then affected the region for the next week from the 9th through the 15th. During this period, daily rain showers mixed with snow at times were seen from the 9th through the 12th. High temperatures were well below normal on the 9th and 10th, only reaching the 40s. This was a good example of how important elevation is for determining whether precipitation falls as rain or snow, which is especially relevant during the fall and spring. In this case, heavy, wet snow accumulated above 8,000 feet, with 1-2 feet in Teller County, while we just received cold rain mixed with snow.
Temperatures warmed slightly over the next few days, and we received only rainfall. The unsettled period ended with area of thunderstorms, some producing decent hail especially for areas farther east of Black Forest.
Temperatures continued to warm over the next couple of days, moving into the mid-60s on the 16th, then mid-70s from the 17th through 19th. On the 18th, a series of thunderstorms developed, producing rounds of rain showers that afternoon and early evening, with hail covering the ground in some areas of Black Forest.
For the remaining two weeks of the month, conditions were generally quiet and dry. We did have a quick cool down on the 21st and 22nd and a few showers and thunderstorms. But outside of this period, most days started off quietly with partly to mostly cloudy skies developing during the afternoon. Temperatures dipped below freezing on the mornings, of the 22nd and 24th. And highs jumped into the low to mid-70s on the 23rd, 25th, and the 27th-30th giving the region our first real feel of summer-like conditions as we head into June.
A look ahead
By June we can usually say goodbye to our chance of snowfall but hello to frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Most of the time we can expect warm, sunny days with those afternoon and evening thunderstorms.
May 2024 Weather Statistics
Average High 64.2° (-1.5°)
100-year return frequency value max 75.7° min 57.9°
Average Low 36.1° (-2.7°)
100-year return frequency value max 43.2° min 32.5°
Highest Temperature 78° on the 30th
Lowest Temperature 26° on the 9th
Monthly Precipitation 0.60”
(-2.04” 80% below normal)
100-year return frequency value max 6.94” min 0.15”
Monthly Snowfall Trace
(-5.7” 100% below normal)
Season to Date Snow 137.1”
(+13.9”, 10% above normal)
(the snow season is from July 1 to June 30)
Season to Date Precip 7.78”
(-1.06” 12% below normal)
Heating Degree Days 461 (+143)
Cooling Degree Days 0
Bill Kappel is a meteorologist and Tri-Lakes resident. He can be reached at billkappel@ocn.me.
Other weather columns
- November Weather Wrap (12/5/2024)
- October Weather Wrap (11/2/2024)
- September Weather Wrap (10/5/2024)
- August Weather Wrap (9/7/2024)
- July Weather Wrap (8/3/2024)
- June Weather Wrap (7/6/2024)
- April Weather Wrap (5/4/2024)
- March Weather Wrap (4/6/2024)
- February Weather Wrap (3/2/2024)
- January Weather Wrap (2/3/2024)