Historical White Thanksgiving in Grand Junction

In a location that averages only 19.1 inches of snow annually, it’s not surprising that a White Thanksgiving is rare in Grand Junction. Only 10 Thanksgivings have seen measurable (greater than a trace) new snowfall since 1893 (or, about 8% of the time). Only five of these days recorded more than an inch. Another definition of a White Thanksgiving can mean the presence of snow cover on the ground (with or without snowfall that day). Only 4% of Thanksgivings in Grand Junction’s recorded history have seen measurable snow on the ground.

Only 5 days had an inch or more of snow on the ground on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving 1919 had the most snowfall in recorded history in Grand Junction, measuring 14.0 inches with 0.63 inches precipitable water. At the time of the observation, the snow depth was 18 inches. An intense snowstorm dropped into eastern Utah and western Colorado from the northwest and produced record snowfall for numerous climate sites that day.

The first reported White Thanksgiving since weather records began 125 years ago occurred in 1905, when 0.1 inches of snow fell in Grand Junction. Grand Junction has not recorded a true White Thanksgiving since 1987, or in the last 30 years. However, we did have a trace of snowfall on Thanksgiving Day in 2015.

The following is a list of the top greatest snowfall and snow depths

recorded in Grand Junction on Thanksgiving Day:

Highest Snowfall			Greatest Snow Depth
Rank	Amount (inches)	Year	Rank	Amount (inches)	Year
1.	14	1919	1.	18	1919
2.	2.2	1965	2.	2	1916/1917/1918
3.	2	1941/1958	5.	1	1919
5.	1.1	1928
6.	0.5	1975
7.	0.3	1987
8.	0.2	1955
9.	0.1	1905/1948

That coldest Thanksgiving on record for the Grand Junction Airport (since 1893) occurred in 1952, when residents awoke to a morning low of 4 degrees. The warmest Thanksgiving Day in Grand Junction weather records saw a high temperature of 62 degrees F in 1939.