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A look back at the other times Denver has seen dangerously cold temperatures

Colorado Weather
Posted at 1:49 PM, Dec 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-20 11:16:48-05

DENVER — Dangerously cold temperatures are expected to blanket Colorado Thursday as an arctic airmass moves in. Wind chills as low as -50 degrees across both the plains and mountains are expected Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Denver will see a high of only 2 degrees, with a low of -11 degrees.

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While these lows are nothing to disregard, Denver has seen its fair share of arctic weather with even lower temperatures. Denver's monthly mean temperature for December is 30.0 degrees and is Denver's coldest month of the year, according to the NWS.

The coldest December in Denver (since records have been kept starting in 1872) was in 1983 when the month ended with a mean temperature of only 17.4 degrees.

Here are Denver's coldest Decembers (mean temperatures):

  • 17.4° 1983
  • 21.2° 1909
  • 22.1° 1878
  • 22.7° 1873
  • 23.1° 1913
  • 23.7 1932
  • 24.1° 2009
  • 24.3° 1914
  • 24.6° 1978
  • 24.8° 1884

What was the coldest temperature ever recorded in the Mile High City? That was -29 degrees and it happened on January 9, 1875, according to the NWS.

Here are Denver's coldest low temperatures:

  • -29° January 9, 1875
  • -25° December 22, 1990
  • -25° January 12, 1963
  • -25° January 11, 1963
  • -25° February 1, 1951
  • -25° February 8, 1936
  • -25° December 24, 1876
  • -24° February 5, 1989
  • -24° January 10, 1962
  • -24° January 9, 1962
  • -24° January 31, 1951
  • -22° February 6, 1899
  • -22° February 4, 1883
  • -22° January 28, 1872
  • -21° December 21, 1990
  • -21° December 21, 1983
  • -21° January 6, 1913
  • -21° February 12, 1905
  • -20° January 17, 1930
  • -20° December 9, 1919
  • -20° January 26,1902
  • -20° February 12, 1899
  • -20° February 11, 1899
  • -20° December 9, 1898
  • -20° January 15, 1888
  • -20° January 19, 1883
  • -20° February 15, 1881
  • -20° January 13, 1875
  • -20° January 25, 1872

Stream live, current temperatures plus radars across Colorado anytime, free: Weather 24/7 streaming on the free Denver7+ app on your TV. Or watch on your computer or mobile phone anytime.

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