Midsummer Climate Update:

It has been a very dry summer so far. According to the national weather service, Denver has officially received only 3.26” inches of total precipitation since January 1^st while the average for this time of year should be 9.76”. That’s only 1/3 of normal rainfall! At our weather station, we have gone for 37 days with no measurable rain and 50 days since we had more than 1/100^th of an inch. Our total precipitation since Jan 1^st is only 4.16”, which is a bit ahead of the airport, but still way behind! Everything is very dry and the garden and lawn have been suffering.

It has also been hot, but thankfully not as hot as Denver. The official highs for Denver, (recorded at DIA) have logged twelve consecutive days over 90º F, which is not yet close to the record of eighteen days. At our weather station, we have had fifteen days over 90º in July, but no consecutive stretch longer than five days. Hoping to match the trend from last year, so far we have not had any days that reached 100º, our highest recorded temperature so far this summer was 99.0º on July 20^th. Our growing season began about normal, with our last freeze recorded on May 11^th this year, three days later than last year.

What does this mean for the garden? Well we have been spending a lot on water to keep everything irrigated, but no matter how much water you put, it never seems to do as much good as natural rain. The tomatoes and peppers seem to be enjoying the heat as we’d expect as well as the squash. For some reason the bees are having a great year so far. The trees however, seem to be suffering the most.

News story on Denver’s heat wave.

Check-out our our Garden Weather Page.