Crestone Weather Notes For 2021

The 6.5" of snow that fell on February 14 was a record for the day, breaking the old mark of 6.2" reached in 1983. Also, on the same day, the high temperature of 26 degrees, set at midnight, was a record low high for that date, yet the afternoon high was only 15 degrees.

A record low high for the date was set on Wed March 24, at 31 degrees. The old record was 32 degrees, set in 2013.

While rain was reported on March 21 out in the Grants, the Crestone Baca didn't see it's first rain of 2021 until April 13. On March 31, the first dry day of year was seen, when the humidity value dipped down to 7% in the mid afternoon. 

Although not too unusual at all for the springtime around this area, but since it is elsewhere, I'll noted that Crestone saw 2 days in April with snow falling with the temperature well above freezing, including April 23, when snow grains started to fall (around 230pm) with the temp at 46 degrees. The temperature then fell 8 degrees in the next 10 minutes. Then rain mixed with snow pellets fell briefly at 2pm with the temperature at 46 degrees. On April 27.

The 3.1 inches of snow that fell on May 14 was a new record for snow for the date, breaking the old record of 0.2 inches, set in 2017. Even more impressive is the total precipitation recorded a few days later on May 18, which was 1.02 inches, smashing the old record high for the date of 0.40 inches, set in 1993.

he Crestone/Baca saw a record breaking high temperature set for the date on June 14, when the thermometer rose to 91 degrees, breaking the old record high of 90 degrees, set in 2006. This 90 degree reading became the eighth earliest date for the area to see a 90 degree or warmer reading in any season (with six of those 8 other days being set in the year 2006 alone).

Then for the second day in a row, another record high was broken, on June 15, when the temp reached 92.4 degrees, breaking the old high mark of 88 degrees, set in 2004. The average temperature for June 15 was also broken on this day with a reading of 73.5 degrees, smashing the old record of 68.5 degrees, set in 2002.

On June 16,the Crestone/Baca set yet another record high temperature for the third day in a row, when the thermometer hit 92.1 degrees. The old record high for the date was 87 degrees, set in 2017. Finally for the fourth day in a row, on Thursday, June 17, the Crestone/Baca saw yet another 90 degree plus day along with record breaking temperatures, when 93 degrees was the high for the day (and the third warmest temperature ever seen in June), breaking the old record high for the date of 89 degrees, set in 2002. This streak of 4 days in a row of temperatures above 90 degrees in June is the earliest that such an occurrence has ever happened this early in the season for this area.

1.37 inches of rain and hail reported in Chalet 2 near the Chalet 2 and 3 border between 415 and 530 on July 9, and south of there near Valjra Vidya, which is south of the Zen Center, a whopping 2.75 inches were reported at around the same time, causing flood damage to driveways and local gardens.

On July 10, the Crestone/Baca tied the record high for the date, when the temperature reached 91 degrees at 3:15 pm. This record was first set 2020.

Heavy rains hit Chalet 2 and 3 on August 2.  A few Storm Reports from our local spotters were: 1.33 inches in 2 hours time (4 to 6 pm) at Cottonwood, by Chalet 2 and 3... A second report noted, 1.40" of rain near where Camino del Rey meets Baca Grande (at Fallen Tree OL). Plus several reports of a few roads up by Chalet 2 and 3 damaged from the high water.

First dusting of snow for the new 2021-22 snow season falls above 13,000 feet late in in the afternoon on Monday. August 3.

Record Precip seen on September 1 at the weather station when record rainfall was recorded, as 0.50 of an inch fell from mid afternoon into the early evening, breaking the daily record for precipitation for the date, which was 0.35 of an inch, set in 1998.

A record high temperature for September 7 was tied when a reading of 85 degrees was reached, tying the old record high set in 2013. Then on the next day, Wednesday, Sept 8, a brand new record high was recorded when once again the temperature reached 85 degrees, breaking the old mark of 83 degrees, set in 2005.
 
On September 9 the Crestone/Baca for the third day in a row saw a record high temperature broken - and this time by several degrees, when the thermometer rose all the way up to 87 degrees, smashing the old record reading of 82 degrees, set in 2004. This reading of 87 degrees is also the highest temperature ever seen this late in the year, with the old record high for this being set just last year, when a reading of 88 degrees was reached on September 6.
 
Then on September 10, and for the fourth day in a row, record high temperatures were set in the Crestone/Baca for the date, when a afternoon high of 87 degrees was observed, breaking the old record of 82 degrees, set in 2018. This also marks the latest in the year that it has ever gotten this hot, breaking the old record set just the day before on September 9.
 
For September 11: It happened yet again, as for the fifth day in a row, the Crestone/Baca area reached another record high temperature, when the thermometer rose to 85 degrees, breaking the old record high for the date of 82 degrees, set in 2004. Want more.... On Sept 12, once again the Crestone/Baca broke the record high temperature for the date, this time for the sixth consecutive day, when the early afternoon high reached 85.2 degrees, breaking the old record of 84 degrees, set back in 2004.
 
The Crestone Baca saw a record high temperature broken on October 25, when the high for the day reached 70 degrees, breaking the old record of 68 degrees, set back in 2012. This is the second latest 70 degree day seen this late in the year (latest date was set on October 29, 2003, when it hit 72 degrees), in the greater Crestone area.

Yet another record high temperature was seen - this time a tied record high, set on November 7, when the thermometer rose up to 65 degrees, tying the old record for the date, first set back in 1999. This reading of 65 degrees also ties for the second highest temperature ever seen in November.

The all time warmest temperature ever seen in the month of December in the greater Crestone area was set on December 2 (thanks mainly to man made global warming and climate change), when the high for the day reached 59 degrees, surpassing the pervious all time record reading for December (which had been reached on four different dates). This reading was also a new record high for the date, December 2 (and which was one of those 4 dates noted above) breaking the old record of 58 degrees, set back in 1998.