November Weather Review across Southern Colorado

November of 2020 started out very warm and dry across south central and southeast Colorado. The rest of the month saw ebbs and flows of temperatures, as a few passing weather systems brought some beneficial moisture to mainly the central and southwest mountains, along with some briefly cooler temperatures to the region, before warmer and drier conditions returned. For the month of November as a whole, above to well above normal temperatures with generally below normal precipitation was experienced across across the region, save for pockets of at and above normal precipitation across the central and southwest mountains.   

The following graphics depict monthly temperature and precipitation departures from normal across the state for the past month of November.

The preliminary average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of November was 33.9 degrees. This is 4.4 degrees above normal and makes November of 2020, tied with November of 1954, as the 10th warmest November on record in Alamosa. This remains well behind the warmest November, 2014, when the average temperature was 39.9 degrees.  Alamosa recorded 0.33 inches of precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow through the month of November, which is 0.09 inches below normal and 1.7 inches below normal, respectively.   

The preliminary average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of November was 43.0 degrees. This is 4.9 degrees above normal and makes November of 2020 the 13th warmest November on record in Colorado Springs. This remains well behind the warmest November, 1949, when the average temperature was 47.4 degrees. Colorado Springs recorded only 0.01 inches of precipitation through the month of November. This is 0.39 inches below normal and makes November of 2020, tied with November of 1901 and 1899, as the 7th driest November on record in Colorado Springs. This is just behind November of 1924, when no precipitation was recorded in Colorado Springs, as well November of 1995, 1965, 1949, 1942 and 1904, when only a trace of precipitation was recorded. Colorado Springs recorded 0.2 inches of snow through the month of November, which is 4.5 inches below normal. The 0.2 inches of snowfall only makes November of 2020, tied with November of 2010, 2005, 1989 and 1912, as the 21st least snowiest November on record in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs set a new daily record high temperature on November 3rd, when the temperature topped out at 78 degrees. The 78 degrees on November 3rd also tied the November monthly record high temperature of 78 degrees set on November 4th, 1924, November 8th, 2006, November 16th, 2016 and November 17th, 1981. 

The preliminary average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of November was 44.1 degrees. This is 5.0 degrees above normal and makes November of 2020, tied with November of 1990, as the 14th warmest November on record in Pueblo. This remains well behind the warmest November, 1949, when the average temperature was 47.4 degrees.  Pueblo recorded only 0.03 inches of precipitation through the month of November. This is 0.44 inches below normal and makes November of 2020 the 16th driest November on record in Pueblo. Pueblo recorded only a trace of snow through the month of November, which is 4.4 inches below normal. The trace of snowfall makes November of 2020, tied with 19 other years, as the 6th least snowiest Novembers on record in Pueblo. This remains just behind November of 2005, 1949, 1912, 1899 and 1988, when no snow was recorded in Pueblo. 

Looking ahead into December in Alamosa, the average high temperature and low temperature of 39 degrees and 5 degrees on December 1st, cool to 34 degrees and -2 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of December in Alamosa is 17.9 degrees.  Alamosa averages 0.35 inches of precipitation and 4.5 inches of snow through the month of December.  

In Colorado Springs, the average high temperature of 44 degrees on December 1st, cools to 41 degrees by December 15th before warming again to 43 degrees by the end of the month. The average low temperature of  20 degrees on December 1st cools to 17 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of December in Colorado Springs is 29.8 degrees.  Colorado Springs averages 0.34 inches of precipitation and 5.7 inches of snow through the month of December.  On average, December is the coldest month of the year in Colorado Springs.       

In Pueblo, the average high temperature  of 49 degrees on December 1st, cools to 45 degrees by December 14th before warming again to 46 degrees by the end of the month. The average low temperature of  17 degrees on December 1st cools to 13 degrees by December 21st, before warming again to 14 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of December in Pueblo is 30.1 degrees.  Pueblo averages 0.38 inches of precipitation and 5.5 inches of snow through the month of December.  On average, December is the coldest month of the year in Pueblo.       

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the month of December, which gives better chances of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across all of south central and southeast Colorado.