December Weather Review across Southern Colorado

December of 2021 started very warm with new record high temperatures being set across south central and southeast Colorado in the first few days of the month. A few strong weather systems moved across the Rockies through the middle and end of the month, bringing abundant snowfall to the higher terrain along and west of the Continental Divide, especially across the southwest mountains where several feet of much needed snowfall was recorded through out the month of December. Unfortunately, these weather systems did not bring much, if any precipitation, to the drought stricken southeast plains, where strong winds and very warm temperatures through out the month only exacerbated the current drought situation. This is especially true for the weather system moving across the state on December 15th, which brought widespread damaging winds of 80 to 100 mph to southeast Colorado (strongest recorded gust in KLAA of 107 mph) causing widespread tree and powerline damage across the I-25 Corridor through the far southeast plains. For the month of  December as a whole, above to well above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation were experienced across the region, save for above to well above normal precipitation for areas along and west of the Continental Divide.        

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

The preliminary average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of December was 26.1 degrees. This is 8.0 degrees above normal and makes December of 2021 the 4th warmest December on record in Alamosa. This remains well behind the warmest December of 1980, when the average monthly temperature was 28.1 degrees. Alamosa recorded only 0.03 inches of precipitation through the month of December. This is 0.32 inches below normal and makes December of 2021 tied as the 11th driest December on record. This remains behind 5 Decembers, mostly recently December of 1996, when only a trace of precipitation was recorded in Alamosa.  Alamosa recorded 0.5 inches of snow through the month of December. 

The preliminary average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of December was 40.3 degrees. This is 8.6 degrees above normal and makes December 2021 the 2nd warmest December on record in Colorado Springs, just behind December of 1933, when the average December temperature was 41.0 degrees. Colorado Springs recorded only 0.07 inches of precipitation through the month of December. This is 0.16 inches below normal and makes December of 2021 tied as the 21st driest December on record. This remains behind five Decembers, most recently December of 1995, when only a trace of precipitation was recorded in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs reported 0.4 inches of snow through the month of December, which is 3.7 inches below normal. Of note, Colorado Springs finally tallied measurable snowfall (greater than or equal to 0.1 inches) on New Year's Eve (0.4 inches), which makes December 31st, 2021 the latest 1st measurable snowfall of the season in Colorado Springs.  

The preliminary average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of December was 39.3 degrees. This is 7.6 degrees above normal and makes December 2021 the 4th warmest December on record in Pueblo. This remains well behind the warmest December of 1889, when the average monthly temperature was 42.2 degrees. Pueblo recorded 0.15 inches of precipitation and 1.1 inches of snow through the month of December, which is 0.14 inches below normal and 3.5 inches below normal respectively.  

Looking ahead into January in Alamosa, the average high and low temperature of 33 degrees and -2 degrees on January 1^{st, warm} to 37 degrees and 2 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of January in Alamosa is 16.8 degrees.  Alamosa averages 0.32 inches of precipitation through the month of January.  On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Alamosa.   

In Colorado Springs, the average high and low temperature of 44 degrees and 18 degrees on January 1^{st, warm to 45} degrees and 19 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of January in Colorado Springs is 31.7 degrees.  Colorado Springs averages 0.29 inches of precipitation and 4.9 inches of snow through the month of January. On average, January is tied with December as the coldest month of the year, in Colorado Springs.        

In Pueblo, the average high and low temperature of 47 degrees and 15 degrees on January 1^{st, warm to 49} degrees 17 degrees by the end of the month. The average temperature for the month of December in Pueblo is 31.9 degrees.  Pueblo averages 0.29 inches of precipitation and 4.9 inches of snow through the month of January. On average, January is tied with December as the driest month of the year, in Pueblo.                       

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the month of January, which equal chances of above, below and near normal temperatures and precipitation to much of the state, save for better chances of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across the southern tier of Colorado.