Spring 2021 Weather Review

Meteorological Spring (March, April and May) may have started and ended like a lamb across Colorado, however much of the month of March roared like a lion, with several weather systems moving across the Rockies through this period. This systems brought ample and very beneficial moisture to the region, especially across portions of eastern Colorado, which recorded widespread 1 to 2 inches of precipitation, with local amounts above 3 inches.  Most notably was a storm system that moved across the regional March 13th through March 15th, which brought snowfall of 1 to 3 feet across the Front Range of Colorado and into the southeastern mountains, along with blizzard conditions along and north of the Palmer Divide. April started out and finished warm and dry across south central and southeast Colorado, with several passing weather systems through the rest of the month. These systems provided cooler and more unsettled weather across the region, with the most abundant precipitation recorded across the northeast plains of Colorado. May brought abundant precipitation to much of south central and southeast Colorado, with some areas across southeastern Colorado recording over 6 inches of precipitation through out the month of May. This abundant precipitation has helped to ease drought conditions across eastern Colorado, with much of the southeast plains deemed drought free on the May 25th, 2021 issuance of the US Drought Monitor.  This abundant precipitation, however, generally missed areas along and west of the Continental Divide, where above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation was the rule through the month of May. 

For the Spring of 2021 as a whole, generally below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation was experienced across most of south central and southeast Colorado, save for at to slightly above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for areas along and west of the Continental Divide. The following graphics depict seasonal temperature and precipitation departures from normal across the state for the spring season. 

The preliminary average temperature for the Spring of  2021 in Alamosa was 42.9 degrees, which is 0.2 degrees below normal. Alamosa recorded 2.26 inches of precipitation through the Spring of 2021. This is 0.58 inches above normal and makes the Spring of 2021 the 23rd wettest on record in Alamosa. This remains well behind the wettest Spring, 1942, when 3.74 inches of precipitation fell in Alamosa. Alamosa recorded 8.7 inches of snow through the Spring, which brings the 2020-21 seasonal snowfall total in Alamosa up to 48.5 inches, and makes the 2020-21 snowfall season the 11th snowiest on record in Alamosa. This is well behind the snowiest season (1972-73) when 97.5 inches of snow fell in Alamosa.   

(click here for a more detailed Spring of 2021 Climate Summary in Alamosa)

The preliminary average temperature for the Spring of 2021 in Colorado Springs was 47.5 degrees, which is 1.1 degrees below normal. Colorado Springs recorded 6.13 inches of precipitation through the Spring. This is 1.90 inches above normal and makes the Spring of 2021, tied with the Spring of 1994, as the 24th wettest Spring on record in Colorado Springs. This remains well behind the wettest Spring, 1957, when 12.13 inches of precipitation was recorded. Colorado Springs recorded 21.7 inches of snow through the Spring. This is 9.9 inches above normal and makes the Spring of 2021 the 26th snowiest on record. This remains well behind the snowiest Spring, 1957, when 63.1 inches of snow was recorded in Colorado Springs. This brings the 2020-21 seasonal snowfall total in Colorado Springs up to 54.3 inches. This is 21.8 inches above normal and makes the 2020-21 snowfall season the 17th snowiest on record in Colorado Springs. This is well behind the snowiest season, 1956-57, when 89.4 inches of snow fell in Colorado Springs. 

(click here for a more detailed Spring of 2021 Climate Summary in Colorado Springs)

The preliminary average temperature for the Spring of 2021 in Pueblo was 51.4 degrees, which is 0.8 degrees below normal. Pueblo recorded 6.20 inches of precipitation through the Spring.  This is 2.24 inches above normal and makes the Spring of 2021 the 13th wettest on record in Pueblo. This remains well behind the wettest Spring, 1900, when 9.78 inches of precipitation fell in Pueblo. Pueblo recorded 7.9 inches of snow through the Spring of 2021, which is normal. This brings the 2020-21 seasonal snowfall tally up to 37.4 inches. This is 9.1 inches above normal, and makes the 2020-21 snowfall season the 30th snowiest on record in Pueblo. This is well behind the snowiest season, 1989-1990, when 69.6 inches of snow fell in Pueblo.  

(click here for a more detailed Spring of 2021 Climate Summary in Pueblo)

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the Summer of  2021 (June, July and August), which indicates better chances of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado.