Normally one of the quietest weather months for Denver, October is known for an abundance of mild, sunny days and clear, cool nights.
October has the second-highest percentage of sunshine for a month, at 72 percent. In most years, October will bring the first taste of winter to the region, with the average date of the first freeze on Oct. 7 and average first snow Oct. 15.
There is a large difference in the temperature extremes for October. The record-high temperature for the month is 90 degrees, set Oct. 1, 1892. The coldest temperature in Denver for October was 2 degrees below zero, set Oct. 29, 1917. In 1969, Denver had a high of 85 degrees Oct. 3, followed by 15 inches of snow the next day. In 1991, a record high of 89 degrees was set Oct. 16, with record lows of 7 degrees set Oct. 30 and 10 degrees on Oct. 31.
In October 1984, one of Denver’s most famous snowstorms, the “Bronco Blizzard,” struck Oct. 15 and was witnessed nationwide on the “Monday Night Football” broadcast. By the game’s end, the field was covered with 3 to 4 inches of snow, and more than a foot of snow covered the metro region by the end of the storm.
