Minus 21 degree temps in Steamboat on Tuesday were bitter but not close to record
Rabbit Ears Pass breaks previous record for Jan. 31 from 2002 at -20 degrees
Temperatures dropped to a bitter minus 21 degrees at the Steamboat Springs Airport early Tuesday morning, Jan. 31, but that isn’t close to the record for that day in the Yampa Valley.
The same date in 1979 saw minus 34 degrees in Steamboat, according to historical data from the National Weather Service. The record low temperature recorded in Steamboat is minus 54 in January 1913.
While Rabbit Ears Pass was slightly warmer Tuesday, at minus 20 degrees, this mark breaks a previous low-temperature of minus 16 degrees recorded in 2002, though data for the pass only goes back to 1986.
Yampa also hit minus 21 degrees early Tuesday, but the same day in 1985 holds the record with minus 31 degrees. Hayden saw minus 22 degrees Tuesday, but the record there is also from 1985, with minus 29 degrees.
Local meteorologist Mike Weissbluth wrote at SnowAlarm.com Sunday, Jan. 29, that a ridge of high pressure is expected to form as the week progresses, likely leading to a warm up with daily highs returning closer to the average of 28 degrees by the end of the week.
To reach Dylan Anderson, call 970-871-4247 or email danderson@SteamboatPilot.com.
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