Even for Denver’s notoriously wacky springtime weather, this May will stand out for a number of reasons.
Denver will likely finish with its coldest May in several decades, and perhaps one of its coldest Mays on record. It’s also going to finish with about double its typical May snowfall, thanks to last week’s 3.7-inch Monday and Tuesday snow event.
But Denver will also close out the month of May with its wettest month in at least two years — a key contributor in wiping out Colorado’s pesky drought. Through Monday, Denver International Airport had recorded 3.15 inches of precipitation, making it Denver’s soggiest month since May 2017, when 3.66 inches of total precipitation fell. These totals are based on the .
On average, May is Denver’s second-wettest month of the year, with an average of 2.14 inches of precipitation.
Twelve of the first 26 days of this month have featured measurable rain or snow. In addition to that, 18 of May’s first 26 days featured more cloud cover than sunshine.
A final snapshot of how gray and dreary this May has been so far this month: those 13 rainy and snowy days so far this month already make it the most for any month in two years. In other words, this is the month with the most rainy and/or snowy days in two years.
A wetter-than-average May also means Denver will record above-average precipitation in four of the first five months so far this year. It’s also contributed to an official elimination of Colorado’s nearly two-year drought, and it’ll likely significantly reduce wildfire chances this summer along the Front Range and in the mountains.
Denver only saw above-average precipitation in two of 2018’s 12 months, and Denver recorded one of its driest years on record in 2018.
The forecast features, you guessed it, more wet weather. Showers will be around for Wednesday, before a potentially slightly drier end to the month on Thursday and Friday.
