John McGinley, Nederland. May 2021: Five major upper-level waves brought abundant precipitation to the Front Range throughout the month. The first, on May 3, actually brought 8 inches of snow. The second, from the 9th to the 12th, brought another 8 inches.  Three more waves brought rain totaling 1.5 inches. Total for the month was 3.24 inches, 0.4 inches above normal. The 16 inches of snow was also above normal. 

Total moisture from February to May was nearly a foot of liquid plus accumulated snow more than 10 feet. This amazing wet period ended the persistent drought conditions east of the Divide. Unfortunately, severe to extreme drought conditions continue in western Colorado.

Temperature: Average high was 59.3F and average low was 33.8F, compared with the normals of 58.7F and 32.5F. These combined to make the month close to normal. Warmest high was 73F on the 1st; coldest high was 35F on the 3rd. Coldest low was 24F on the 12th. The series of Pacific storms kept polar air out of the area all month.

Precipitation: 3.24 inches of precipitation with 16.5 inches of snow. Normals are 2.87 and 11.1 respectively. Big day was the 3rd with 0.86 inches of liquid and 7.6 inches of snow.

Winds:  About normal on winds, with 2 days at 40+ mph, about normal. No winds exceeded 60 mph. 

Other Features: Many communities on the plains reported near record precipitation for May. There were also several tornadoes reported in eastern Colorado through the month.

Outlook for June: It looks like the wet pattern will come to an end with occasional scattered mountain showers and temperatures warmer than normal. In a typical June, highs are 71F, lows are 41F, and we get 1.78 inches of rain.

(Originally published in the June 3, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)