Ames Weather Records (USC00050228)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Ames (USC00050228), Colorado, United States, with 73 years of record.

Key Facts for Ames

Ames (USC00050228) is a weather station in Colorado, United States at 37.87 latitude and -107.88 longitude, 2,652 m (8,700 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1914 to 1986, 73 years of record.
1,464 records set at Ames still stand.
Records are tracked for prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Ames set a daily record precipitation of 15.5 mm (0.6 in) on 20 February 1986.

About the Station

Location: Colorado, United States, 37.87 latitude, -107.88 longitude.
Elevation: 2,652 m (8,700 ft).
Period of record: 1914 to 1986, 73 years.
Eligible elements: prcp, snow, snwd.

Daily Record Envelope and 2026

0 days at or beyond a record

The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Ames. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.

Daily record high and record low at Ames, with 2026 drawn through them
Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	11.7 C (53.1 F)	-36.1 C (-33.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Feb	13.9 C (57.0 F)	-32.2 C (-26.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Mar	18.3 C (64.9 F)	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Apr	22.2 C (72.0 F)	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	n/a	n/a
May	25.0 C (77.0 F)	-12.8 C (9.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Jun	29.4 C (84.9 F)	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Jul	33.3 C (91.9 F)	0.0 C (32.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Aug	28.3 C (82.9 F)	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Sep	26.7 C (80.1 F)	-9.4 C (15.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Oct	22.8 C (73.0 F)	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Nov	18.3 C (64.9 F)	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Dec	11.1 C (52.0 F)	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	n/a	n/a

Which Years Hold Standing Records

1,464 standing records

1,464 records at Ames still stand. 1971 holds the most, with 151.

Standing records at Ames by the year they were set
Year set	Standing records
1914	8
1925	1
1927	18
1928	7
1945	5
1948	90
1964	7
1970	143
1971	151
1972	81
1975	60
1977	63
1978	138
1979	115
1980	128
1981	117
1982	100
1983	88
1984	69
1985	58
1986	17

All-Time Record Progression

4 new records

4 all-time records were set at Ames between 11 February 1978 and 6 March 1978. Each dot is a new record.

When Ames set new all-time records
Date	Kind	Detail
1978-02-11	Record snow depth	Record snow depth 172.7 cm (68.0 in)
1978-02-12	Record snow depth	Record snow depth 180.3 cm (71.0 in)
1978-03-05	Record snow depth	Record snow depth 182.9 cm (72.0 in)
1978-03-06	Record snow depth	Record snow depth 198.1 cm (78.0 in)

Wettest Day of Each Month

May: 72.6 mm (2.9 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Ames. The most was 72.6 mm (2.9 in) on 31 May 1930.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Ames
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	9 January 1985
Feb	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	28 February 1947
Mar	37.3 mm (1.5 in)	18 March 1943
Apr	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	28 April 1944
May	72.6 mm (2.9 in)	31 May 1930
Jun	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	28 June 1927
Jul	37.8 mm (1.5 in)	20 July 1923
Aug	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	1 August 1918
Sep	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	22 September 1941
Oct	64.3 mm (2.5 in)	3 October 1969
Nov	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	12 November 1978
Dec	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	6 December 1966

Period of Record Coverage

1914 to 1986

21 years of record at Ames, 1914 to 1986. 14 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1914, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1945, 1948, 1964, 1970 and others.

Days with data per year at Ames
Year	Days with data	Share of year	Complete
1914	29	8%	No
1925	5	1%	No
1927	31	8%	No
1928	30	8%	No
1945	28	8%	No
1948	200	55%	No
1964	30	8%	No
1970	304	83%	No
1971	333	91%	Yes
1972	267	73%	No
1975	182	50%	No
1977	182	50%	No
1978	358	98%	Yes
1979	365	100%	Yes
1980	353	96%	Yes
1981	334	92%	Yes
1982	348	95%	Yes
1983	361	99%	Yes
1984	230	63%	No
1985	199	55%	No
1986	44	12%	No

Latest Records

Latest records at Ames
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 February 1986	Ames, US	daily rain	15.5 mm (0.6 in)	2.8 mm (0.11 in)	15 years	17 of 100 (Routine)
29 November 1985	Ames, US	daily snowfall	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	5.0 cm (2.0 in)	18 years	19 of 100 (Routine)
1 November 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	1.8 mm (0.07 in)	34 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
23 July 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	20.8 mm (0.8 in)	1.7 mm (0.07 in)	28 years	18 of 100 (Routine)
25 June 1985	Ames, US	monthly rain (Tie)	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	tie	57 years	8 of 100 (Routine)
13 May 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	3 years	7 of 100 (Routine)
29 March 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	5.4 mm (0.21 in)	47 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
28 March 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	17.5 mm (0.7 in)	2.3 mm (0.09 in)	60 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
10 February 1985	Ames, US	daily rain	16.0 mm (0.6 in)	2.5 mm (0.10 in)	10 years	15 of 100 (Routine)
9 January 1985	Ames, US	monthly rain	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	12.9 mm (0.5 in)	49 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
12 December 1984	Ames, US	daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	68 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
9 November 1984	Ames, US	daily snowfall (Tie)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	tie	32 years	4 of 100 (Routine)
28 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	66 years	28 of 100 (Routine)
27 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	64 years	28 of 100 (Routine)
26 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth (Tie)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	tie	8 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
25 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	64 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
24 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	64 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
19 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	35 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
18 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	19 years	27 of 100 (Routine)
17 October 1984	Ames, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	2.6 cm (1.0 in)	4 years	10 of 100 (Routine)

Extremes by Year

1914 to 1986

Yearly extremes at Ames: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)	33.3 C (91.9 F)	1927	27.8 C (82.0 F)	21
Coldest night (TNn)	-36.1 C (-33.0 F)	1971	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)	21
Wettest day (Rx1day)	72.6 mm (2.9 in)	1930	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	73
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	150.9 mm (5.9 in)	1966	53.8 mm (2.1 in)	73
Longest dry spell (CDD)	45 days	1916	25 days	73

Hottest day (TXx)

The hottest day of the year at Ames, 1914 to 1986. The record is 33.3 C (91.9 F) in 1927, marked on the chart; the median year is 27.8 C (82.0 F).

Hottest day (TXx) at Ames by year
Year	Hottest day (TXx)
1914	4.4 C (39.9 F)
1915	n/a
1916	n/a
1917	n/a
1918	n/a
1919	n/a
1920	n/a
1921	n/a
1922	n/a
1923	n/a
1924	n/a
1925	15.6 C (60.1 F)
1926	n/a
1927	33.3 C (91.9 F)
1928	12.8 C (55.0 F)
1929	n/a
1930	n/a
1931	n/a
1932	n/a
1933	n/a
1934	n/a
1935	n/a
1936	n/a
1937	n/a
1938	n/a
1939	n/a
1940	n/a
1941	n/a
1942	n/a
1943	n/a
1944	n/a
1945	11.7 C (53.1 F)
1946	n/a
1947	n/a
1948	27.8 C (82.0 F)
1949	n/a
1950	n/a
1951	n/a
1952	n/a
1953	n/a
1954	n/a
1955	n/a
1956	n/a
1957	n/a
1958	n/a
1959	n/a
1960	n/a
1961	n/a
1962	n/a
1963	n/a
1964	24.4 C (75.9 F)
1965	n/a
1966	n/a
1967	n/a
1968	n/a
1969	n/a
1970	32.2 C (90.0 F)
1971	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1972	28.9 C (84.0 F)
1973	n/a
1974	n/a
1975	28.3 C (82.9 F)
1976	n/a
1977	27.2 C (81.0 F)
1978	28.3 C (82.9 F)
1979	28.3 C (82.9 F)
1980	28.3 C (82.9 F)
1981	27.8 C (82.0 F)
1982	26.7 C (80.1 F)
1983	27.2 C (81.0 F)
1984	31.1 C (88.0 F)
1985	28.9 C (84.0 F)
1986	13.9 C (57.0 F)

Coldest night (TNn)

The coldest night of the year at Ames, 1914 to 1986. The record is -36.1 C (-33.0 F) in 1971, marked on the chart; the median year is -23.3 C (-9.9 F).

Coldest night (TNn) at Ames by year
Year	Coldest night (TNn)
1914	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)
1915	n/a
1916	n/a
1917	n/a
1918	n/a
1919	n/a
1920	n/a
1921	n/a
1922	n/a
1923	n/a
1924	n/a
1925	-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1926	n/a
1927	3.3 C (37.9 F)
1928	-20.6 C (-5.1 F)
1929	n/a
1930	n/a
1931	n/a
1932	n/a
1933	n/a
1934	n/a
1935	n/a
1936	n/a
1937	n/a
1938	n/a
1939	n/a
1940	n/a
1941	n/a
1942	n/a
1943	n/a
1944	n/a
1945	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)
1946	n/a
1947	n/a
1948	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
1949	n/a
1950	n/a
1951	n/a
1952	n/a
1953	n/a
1954	n/a
1955	n/a
1956	n/a
1957	n/a
1958	n/a
1959	n/a
1960	n/a
1961	n/a
1962	n/a
1963	n/a
1964	-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1965	n/a
1966	n/a
1967	n/a
1968	n/a
1969	n/a
1970	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)
1971	-36.1 C (-33.0 F)
1972	-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1973	n/a
1974	n/a
1975	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1976	n/a
1977	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)
1978	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1979	-28.9 C (-20.0 F)
1980	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1981	-23.9 C (-11.0 F)
1982	-28.9 C (-20.0 F)
1983	-22.8 C (-9.0 F)
1984	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1985	-32.2 C (-26.0 F)
1986	-24.4 C (-11.9 F)

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Ames, 1914 to 1986. The record is 72.6 mm (2.9 in) in 1930, marked on the chart; the median year is 30.5 mm (1.2 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Ames by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1914	13.7 mm (0.5 in)
1915	45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1916	45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1917	25.4 mm (1.0 in)
1918	51.3 mm (2.0 in)
1919	22.9 mm (0.9 in)
1920	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1921	27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1922	31.0 mm (1.2 in)
1923	38.9 mm (1.5 in)
1924	25.4 mm (1.0 in)
1925	21.6 mm (0.9 in)
1926	31.5 mm (1.2 in)
1927	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1928	29.2 mm (1.1 in)
1929	26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1930	72.6 mm (2.9 in)
1931	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1932	31.2 mm (1.2 in)
1933	31.0 mm (1.2 in)
1934	25.4 mm (1.0 in)
1935	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1936	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1937	36.8 mm (1.4 in)
1938	35.6 mm (1.4 in)
1939	16.3 mm (0.6 in)
1940	23.6 mm (0.9 in)
1941	56.4 mm (2.2 in)
1942	25.9 mm (1.0 in)
1943	37.3 mm (1.5 in)
1944	48.8 mm (1.9 in)
1945	18.0 mm (0.7 in)
1946	29.0 mm (1.1 in)
1947	51.8 mm (2.0 in)
1948	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1949	29.2 mm (1.1 in)
1950	25.4 mm (1.0 in)
1951	35.3 mm (1.4 in)
1952	26.4 mm (1.0 in)
1953	53.8 mm (2.1 in)
1954	27.4 mm (1.1 in)
1955	32.0 mm (1.3 in)
1956	27.2 mm (1.1 in)
1957	26.4 mm (1.0 in)
1958	26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1959	21.6 mm (0.9 in)
1960	26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1961	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1962	33.3 mm (1.3 in)
1963	33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1964	29.7 mm (1.2 in)
1965	35.3 mm (1.4 in)
1966	69.3 mm (2.7 in)
1967	22.4 mm (0.9 in)
1968	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1969	64.3 mm (2.5 in)
1970	41.1 mm (1.6 in)
1971	49.0 mm (1.9 in)
1972	27.2 mm (1.1 in)
1973	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1974	19.1 mm (0.8 in)
1975	32.3 mm (1.3 in)
1976	23.9 mm (0.9 in)
1977	31.0 mm (1.2 in)
1978	39.4 mm (1.6 in)
1979	34.0 mm (1.3 in)
1980	25.7 mm (1.0 in)
1981	31.2 mm (1.2 in)
1982	43.7 mm (1.7 in)
1983	18.8 mm (0.7 in)
1984	21.3 mm (0.8 in)
1985	43.4 mm (1.7 in)
1986	21.3 mm (0.8 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Ames, 1914 to 1986. The record is 150.9 mm (5.9 in) in 1966, marked on the chart; the median year is 53.8 mm (2.1 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Ames by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1914	16.2 mm (0.6 in)
1915	58.4 mm (2.3 in)
1916	86.6 mm (3.4 in)
1917	43.1 mm (1.7 in)
1918	57.6 mm (2.3 in)
1919	63.4 mm (2.5 in)
1920	47.4 mm (1.9 in)
1921	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1922	55.5 mm (2.2 in)
1923	56.6 mm (2.2 in)
1924	49.9 mm (2.0 in)
1925	59.1 mm (2.3 in)
1926	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1927	86.3 mm (3.4 in)
1928	36.9 mm (1.5 in)
1929	65.8 mm (2.6 in)
1930	73.9 mm (2.9 in)
1931	40.7 mm (1.6 in)
1932	48.5 mm (1.9 in)
1933	37.4 mm (1.5 in)
1934	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1935	53.8 mm (2.1 in)
1936	47.8 mm (1.9 in)
1937	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1938	54.9 mm (2.2 in)
1939	41.8 mm (1.6 in)
1940	47.0 mm (1.9 in)
1941	85.4 mm (3.4 in)
1942	48.7 mm (1.9 in)
1943	55.8 mm (2.2 in)
1944	82.4 mm (3.2 in)
1945	36.5 mm (1.4 in)
1946	51.6 mm (2.0 in)
1947	112.1 mm (4.4 in)
1948	53.6 mm (2.1 in)
1949	50.5 mm (2.0 in)
1950	41.6 mm (1.6 in)
1951	63.7 mm (2.5 in)
1952	67.0 mm (2.6 in)
1953	103.6 mm (4.1 in)
1954	39.1 mm (1.5 in)
1955	56.4 mm (2.2 in)
1956	78.0 mm (3.1 in)
1957	59.2 mm (2.3 in)
1958	53.6 mm (2.1 in)
1959	59.2 mm (2.3 in)
1960	47.0 mm (1.9 in)
1961	64.5 mm (2.5 in)
1962	53.4 mm (2.1 in)
1963	44.6 mm (1.8 in)
1964	52.1 mm (2.1 in)
1965	74.4 mm (2.9 in)
1966	150.9 mm (5.9 in)
1967	49.6 mm (2.0 in)
1968	57.7 mm (2.3 in)
1969	75.7 mm (3.0 in)
1970	63.2 mm (2.5 in)
1971	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1972	77.6 mm (3.1 in)
1973	56.9 mm (2.2 in)
1974	35.4 mm (1.4 in)
1975	51.9 mm (2.0 in)
1976	43.5 mm (1.7 in)
1977	49.7 mm (2.0 in)
1978	59.5 mm (2.3 in)
1979	58.6 mm (2.3 in)
1980	49.2 mm (1.9 in)
1981	63.9 mm (2.5 in)
1982	92.9 mm (3.7 in)
1983	39.6 mm (1.6 in)
1984	45.1 mm (1.8 in)
1985	69.6 mm (2.7 in)
1986	36.1 mm (1.4 in)

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Ames, 1914 to 1986. The record is 45 days in 1916, marked on the chart; the median year is 25 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Ames by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1914	17 days
1915	38 days
1916	45 days
1917	44 days
1918	45 days
1919	22 days
1920	34 days
1921	18 days
1922	27 days
1923	21 days
1924	32 days
1925	19 days
1926	20 days
1927	32 days
1928	27 days
1929	25 days
1930	34 days
1931	21 days
1932	22 days
1933	23 days
1934	33 days
1935	40 days
1936	28 days
1937	24 days
1938	14 days
1939	32 days
1940	28 days
1941	15 days
1942	34 days
1943	23 days
1944	20 days
1945	28 days
1946	18 days
1947	13 days
1948	24 days
1949	27 days
1950	43 days
1951	29 days
1952	41 days
1953	26 days
1954	18 days
1955	21 days
1956	30 days
1957	31 days
1958	29 days
1959	23 days
1960	20 days
1961	27 days
1962	24 days
1963	22 days
1964	34 days
1965	26 days
1966	24 days
1967	22 days
1968	25 days
1969	17 days
1970	28 days
1971	32 days
1972	23 days
1973	34 days
1974	36 days
1975	23 days
1976	21 days
1977	21 days
1978	30 days
1979	24 days
1980	39 days
1981	21 days
1982	34 days
1983	17 days
1984	14 days
1985	27 days
1986	16 days

Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.

Rainfall Return Levels

60 years, 1915 to 1983

A day with at least 30.7 mm (1.2 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 81.9 mm (3.2 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Ames: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	30.7 mm (1.2 in)
5 years	41.3 mm (1.6 in)
10 years	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
25 years	61.2 mm (2.4 in)
50 years	71.0 mm (2.8 in)
100 years	81.9 mm (3.2 in)	Longer than the 60 years of record

The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 60 years of values from 1915 to 1983.

A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.

The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 72.6 mm (2.9 in) in 1930; 69.3 mm (2.7 in) in 1966; 64.3 mm (2.5 in) in 1969.

Download the Data

Data for Ames standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Ames threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2025-12-31. Last revised 31 December 2025 (2025-12-31).