National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Adding to the extreme heat that Denver is currently experiencing, dry conditions are also jumping on the band wagon.  If you compare January 1st  through July 31 2008 to the same period of the driest year in Denver weather history (2002), the comparison is quite dismal:

                         Jan 1  -  Jul 31   2002                           Jan 1  -  Jul 31   2008

                                5.34  inches                                           3.28  inches

                                                Difference:       2.06   inches

                           Normal (Jan 1 - Jul 31)      10.25  inches 

Note:  it is much too early to say that 2008 will be Denver's driest year on record.  There are still 5 more months to go and as everyone knows, weather can change very quickly in Denver and/or Colorado. 

For example:  between October 13 and 14,  2.65 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Denver International Airport.  We also have had some powerful winter storms late in the year.  If these precipitation amounts were to occur this year,  2008 could move way down on the driest Denver list.  But for now, 2008 is definitely in the running for number 1 driest. 

Benton