Denver Climate: It's Official, 2019 Was Colder And Wetter Than Normal

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado experienced many extreme weather events in 2019 including the infamous bomb cyclone in March, the largest hail stone ever measured in the state in August, and intense temperature changes throughout the year. An examination of temperatures and precipitation numbers specifically for Denver show it was also slightly colder and wetter than normal in the Mile High City.

RELATED: Top 2019 Colorado Weather Stories Include Huge Hail, Bomb Cyclone, Wild Temp Swings

The average temperature for the year was 49.6 degrees. That's almost 1 degree below the long-term average which dates back to 1872. It was also much colder than 2018 which tied for the 20th warmest year on record with an average temperatures of of 52 degrees. Instead 2019 ties for the 38th coldest year on record.

In terms of liquid precipitation (including melted snow), the year ended with 15.51 inches measured at DIA. Many metro area neighborhoods including downtown Denver measured even more. But even the total at DIA was more than 1" above normal and tied with 1975 for the 56th wettest year on record.

Denver's average annual precipitation over the last 148 years is 14.48 inches. The average temperature (day and night) over that same period is 50.5 degrees.