Summer of 2023 Weather Review

The summer of 2023 started out cool and  wet, especially across southeast Colorado, where several storm systems brought record precipitation in the month of June. Colorado Springs recorded 9.62 inches of precipitation through the month of June, which not only set a record for the most precipitation in the month of June, but also becomes the wettest month ever in Colorado Springs, surpassing the 8.13 inches recorded in May of 2015. 

July was "A Tale of of Two Cities" across southern Colorado, with dry and warm conditions prevailing across south central Colorado, while cooler and unsettled weather prevailed across southeastern Colorado. Alamosa received 0.01 inches of precipitation through out the month July, making July of 2023 the driest July on record in Alamosa, while Campo and Walsh Colorado received 6.33 inches and 6.39 inches respectively, in July, becoming the 5th and 4th wettest July's respectively. Unfortunately, the unsettled weather across the southeast plains also brought bouts of severe weather, with large hail of 2 to 4 inches in diameter, flash flooding, strong damaging wind gusts and tornadoes all observed across southeast Colorado through out the month of July. 

August was a generally warm and dry month across the region, with upper level ridging parked across the southern High Plains through the Desert Southwest and Great Basin through the first half of the month, keeping monsoonal moisture south and west of the Rockies. This anomalous weather pattern kept eastern Colorado in northwest flow and continued bouts of severe weather, including August 5th, when several funnel clouds where reported across El Paso county. The upper ridge broke down through the end of the month, bringing a few bouts of monsoonal moisture and locally heavy rainfall to portions of south central and southeast Colorado.  

The following graphics depict seasonal temperature and precipitation departures from normal across the state for the Summer of 2023.

The preliminary average temperature for the Summer of 2023 in Alamosa was 64.1 degrees. This is 1.1 degrees above normal and makes the Summer of 2023 the 8th warmest on record, well behind the Summer of 2011, when the average temperature was 65.3F.  Alamosa only recorded 0.56 inches of precipitation through the summer of 2023. This is 2.20 inches below normal and makes the Summer of 2023 the driest summer on record in Alamosa, surpassing the 0.75 inches of precipitation recorded through out the Summer of 1980.     

(click here for a more detailed Summer of 2023 Climate Summary in Alamosa)

The preliminary average temperature for the Summer of 2023 in Colorado Springs was 69.3F, which is 0.6 degrees below normal. However, if you take away the cool and very wet month of June, the average temperature for the months of July and August was 72.0F, making it the 15th warmest combined July and August on record. Colorado Springs recorded 14.82 inches of precipitation through the summer of 2023, with 9.62 inches or 65 percent of the total summer precipitation in the month of June. This is 6.47 inches above normal and makes the Summer of 2023 the 3rd wettest summer on record, behind the 16.85 inches and 14.98 inches recorded in the Summer's of 1965 and 2004, respectively.  

(click here for a more detailed Summer of 2023 Climate Summary in Colorado Springs)

The preliminary average temperature for the Summer of 2023 in Pueblo was 74.1F, which is 0.1 degrees above normal. However, if you take away the cool and wet month of June, the average temperature for the months of July and August was 77.7F, making it the 11th warmest combined July and August on record. Pueblo recorded 6.16 inches of precipitation the summer of 2023, with 3.85 inches or 63 percent of the total summer precipitation in the month of June. This is 0.88 inches above normal and makes the Summer of 2023 the 41st wettest summer on record, well behind the 14.64 inches recorded through the Summer of 1921. 

(click here for a more detailed Summer of 2023 Climate Summary in Pueblo)

Below is the Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) temperature and precipitation outlook for the Fall of 2023 (September, October and November) which leans to above normal temperatures and equal chances of above, below and near normal precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado.