A cold day at Antero Reservoir: 51 below in Colorado

DENVER, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The temperature hit 51 degrees below zero at Denver's Antero Reservoir weather station last week, tying a record low, Denver Water, the reservoir owner, reported.

Records dating to the 1960s indicate the temperature at the reservoir -- 140 miles from the Denver metropolitan region and at 9,000 feet in altitude -- only sunk that low once, in 1989. The reading was authenticated by the National Weather Service, which with Denver Water, the city's water provider, operates the weather station.

The reservoir, currently drained to accommodate repairs, helps supply the Denver area with drinking water. It was created by a dam placed on the South Platte River.

A Twitter post by Denver Water Monday confirmed the landmark temperature.

"It's #WinterSolstice! It hit early last week at #AnteroReservoir. New record low: -51 degrees! #brisk," it read.

Colorado's coldest temperature, historically, was 61 degrees below zero in the town of Maybell, on Feb. 1, 1985.