Above normal Below normal
Temperatures recorded in degrees Fahrenheit. Wind Speed recorded in MPH. Precipitation recorded in inches. Heating/Cooling degree base: 65.0°.

Crestone Weather Notes For 2018

The Crestone/Baca weather station saw temperatures above normal in January along with little snowfall. Two record high temperatures were met, first on January 20, when the high for the day tied the record high for the date at 52° which was first reached in 1986. Then another record high temperature was tied on January 9, when the high climbed to 55°. This reading tied for the third highest temperature ever seen in January and broke the record for the earliest date to see such warmth in the month (or year).

This was only the third January ever where the temperature didn't go below zero in the month. It was also the first time in 14 years that the temp didn't go below zero in January.

Nothing to exciting to report for February other than it was much warmer than normal and it was the eight driest February on record, with very little snow seen.

At 245pm on March 15, it started to snow with the temp at 47 degrees, which for Crestone isn't that unusual, as it has happen several times in the past before with similar temperatures.

The first trace of rain for 2018 happened on April 6, and then the first measurable rain of the year followed on April 8.

Blowing dust on April 12, then a sand/dust storm hit on April 17.

A record high temperature of 81 degrees was set on May 10. The old record was 78 degrees, which was set back in 1984. 

May was on the dry side, with 12 days seeing the humidity values below 10%, including a reading of only 3% on May 27.

For the 2017-18 snow season, Crestone/Baca has set the all time lowest yearly snowfall total ever seen (by several inches) in any snow season. Only 16.7 inches of snow fell in this season, breaking the old record low of 22.5 inches, set in the 1999-2000 snow season. The 2017-18 snow season is also believed to be the first snow season on record not to have any true snowpack on the ground during the snow season since records have been kept. Snow seasons run from July 1 to June 30.

Several weather records for the Crestone/Baca area were broken in June, including one record high for the date on June 28, when the temperature reached 92 degrees, breaking the old mark of 91 degrees, set in 1998. Two record high daily precipitation records were also set in June. On June 3, .70 of an inch fell in 24 hours, totally breaking the old record for that date of just .13 of an inch. set in 1994. Then this event took place a second time on June 17, when .71 of an inch fell, breaking the old mark for that day of .30 of an inch, set in 1999.

The record for the latest first thunderstorm of the year to occur was recorded this year, when this finally happened on June 17. The old latest first date was May 12, 2007.

One last event to note for June was that a new record was set for it being the driest month ever. 25 days out of the 30 in June saw the humidity values for each day fall below 10%. The lowest readings tied the all time record for the lowest reading ever recorded in this area, of just 3%, and this happen on 2 days in a row, on June 2, and then again on June 3. The all time low reading for humidity values in Colorado is 2%, set several times at several locations in the past.

The Crestone/Baca weather station saw the temperature rise to 94 degrees (F) on July 20, the warmest reading of 2018, and while not a record high for the date, this was the hottest temp that this area had seen in 5 years. Back on June 27, 2013 was the last time it was 94 degrees. The last time the temperature was warmer, occurred during the hottest summer on record, in 2005, when on July 23 of that year it was 95 degrees.

The .47 of an inch of precipation recorded in August was the second least amount of precipation ever to fall in that month.

As has been the case for the entire year up until September, temperatures were once again well above normal for September, too. Two record high readings occurred in the month with a reading of 82 degrees on the 10th, and 84 degrees on the 18th. Precipitation was also well below normal in September, making it 8 out of the 9 months that has taken place this year so far.

Three new weather records were set in October for the Crestone/Baca area.  While the month saw slightly above normal temperatures overall, two record lows for the date were reached on October 15 and 16, with readings of 14 degrees (old mark was 20°) and 19 degrees (old record was 20°). Then on October 24, record rainfall fell with .47 of an inch. This broke the old record for precipitation for that day, which was .38 of an inch, set in 2000.

This November was the first on record since records have been kept, where the daily high temperature never reached 50 degrees or warmer (highest reading was 49° on both Nov 2 and also on Nov 16).The old record low high for November was 50 degrees in 2000.

While precipitation in December was slightly above normal for the month, for the entire year, the total of only 7.60 inches was the second lowest amount that the Crestone/Baca has ever seen since records have been kept. The all time lowest amount of precip in a year, still stands at 4.96 inches, set back in 2002.