Denver Breaks All-Time February 1-Day and 3-Day Snowfall Records

The National Weather Service reports that the heavy snowfall through this morning at Denver has set new 1-day and 3-day records for February:

12.5 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON FEBRUARY
3RD 2012. THIS ESTABLISHES A NEW SNOWFALL RECORD FOR THE DATE. THE
OLD RECORD WAS 7.5 INCHES SET BACK IN 1932. THE 12.5 INCHES THAT
FELL ALSO ESTABLISHED A DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF
FEBRUARY. THE PREVIOUS DAILY SNOWFALL RECORD FOR FEBRUARY WAS 9.5
INCHES ON FEBRUARY 22ND 1909 AND FEBRUARY 19TH 1953.

IN ADDITION...FROM THE EVENING OF THE 2ND THROUGH THE MORNING OF THE
4TH...15.9 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS
ESTABLISHES A NEW THREE DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL FOR THE MONTH OF
FEBRUARY. THE OLD RECORD OF 14.1 INCHES OCCURRED BACK IN 1912. 

Denver climate history began in 1872. The average temperature for the first 3 days of February at Denver is 2.5° above normal. Since Denver generally has its heaviest late-season snows in March, this could be considered an early spring storm.

Preliminary reports from the National Climatic Data Center show 27 daily snowfall records set on February 3, nearly all in Colorado.

Image (click to enlarge): Snowfall totals in the Denver region, February 2-4, 2012, from National Weather Service