DENVER (KDVR) — Rain in May this year keeps coming, and now it is close to breaking into the top 10 wettest months ever recorded in Denver.
As of May 27, 2023, Denver International Airport has picked up 5.49 inches of rainfall this month. This brings May 2023 to the 4th wettest in Denver’s history. While there is still a daily chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the forecast, it does not look like Denver is on track to pick up the 0.63 inches of rainfall needed to tie the No. 3 spot of 6.12 inches of rainfall collected in May 1969.
Denver would need to pick up another 3.51 inches of rainfall to tie the top spot for the wettest May on record. The 8.57 inches of rain in 1876 was not only Denver’s wettest May ever but remains the wettest month ever recorded in Denver.
Right now, May 2023 is the 11th wettest month on record.
Here is a list of some of the wettest months ever recorded in Denver:
- 8.57 inches – 1876 (May)
- 8.24 inches – 1900 (April)
- 7.31 inches – 1957 (May)
- 6.41 inches – 1965 (July)
- 6.12 inches – 1969 (May)
- 5.92 inches – 1998 (July)
- 5.86 inches – 1999 (April)
- 5.85 inches – 1979 (August)
- 5.61 inches – 2013 (September)
- 5.60 inches – 1997 (July)
- 5.39 inches – (May 2023)
- 5.24 inches – 1919 (July)
- 5.21 inches – 1913 (December)
- 5.06 inches – 1973 (May)
- 4.96 inches – 1882 (June)
- 4.95 inches – 1935 (May)
- 4.95 inches – 1905 (April)
- 4.94 inches -1885 (April)
All this rain has been good to elevate drought concerns across the state. Just a month ago, on April 27, Denver was in moderate drought while areas to the southeast were classified as extreme drought.
A record-setting 2.92 inches of rain fell on May 11 and contributed to the 4.82 inches of rain that fell from May 10-18. During that time frame, Denver was removed from drought concerns and as of May 25, 2023, only 28% of the state of Colorado is considered abnormally dry or worse on the drought monitor, with less than 8% in the severe to exceptional drought categories.