You only need to have stepped outside in recent weeks to know that it’s been a hot, dry spring, but according to the National Weather Service it was a record-setting one as well.

This spring (March, April, and May) was the warmest on record in Colorado Springs, with an average temperature of 53.4 degrees. That’s 6.2 degrees higher than normal, breaking the 1934 record of an average temperature of 51.1 degrees.

It was also the seventh driest spring, with the city receiving only 1.69 inches of rain — 2.76 inches less than normal — and had the third lowest snowfall at .7 inches, 13 inches fewer than normal.

Individual months were bucking trends as well: May was the fourth warmest on record, with an average monthly temperature 3.9 degrees higher than usual at 59.8 F, and the 20th driest with 0.78 inches of precipitation, 1.25 inches below normal. There was no snowfall in May, .7 inches lower than the normal amount.

It wasn’t just the Springs, though — records were being set throughout south and southeast Colorado, according to the Weather Service report. Alamosa had the second warmest spring in its history, while Pueblo tied for its second warmest.

The trend is causing concern about fire hazards.

“The main concerns have been that it’s been quite a bit drier — for the fire weather season, we could definitely be having issues later this year. The fire weather season could be very busy,” said Steve Hodanish, a meteorologist at the Weather Service Pueblo office.

Hodanish also warned about other concerns if the pattern continues past the summer.

“If we continue dry next season, we could have problems with water storage — the low (snow) pack could potentially be problematic for reservoir stores later on, assuming that we have another dry winter.”

Graphics with additional details about this pattern can be found at www.crh.noaa.gov/pub.

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Contact Lauren Fellers: 636-0198.

Warm temperatures this spring has drawn people outdoors in the Pikes Peak region. Photo by Gazette file