Lots of sunshine in the forecast for the early part of the week, then possible snow and colder temperatures by week’s end. A new record high of 58 degrees was established on Sunday, Jan. 4, shattering an 80-year old record of 52 degrees set in 1946. More for the first full week of January 2026 below:
1. By the numbers
Maybe the most shocking number that December registered in Alamosa was the average daily low temperature of 11 degrees.
The normal low for the month is 0.8 degrees, but December 2025 saw only one day where the low temperature was sub-zero and 15 days where the overnight low stayed in double digits, including a low of 26 degrees on Christmas morning. Christmas Day itself was the warmest on record with a daytime high of 61. A December average low in the double digits has only occurred once before, in 2020 when the monthly low averaged 11.4 degrees.
2. The feats of Greyson Romero
Keep an eye on young Greyson Romero, who continues to demonstrate why he is considered one of the top youth distance runners in America. Romero won the Boys 9-10 Division 3K race at the USATF Junior Olympics held in December, crossing the finish line in 10 minutes, 54 seconds — or nearly 22 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. USA Track & Field named Romero its Colorado Athlete of the Year in 2022 when he was running in the 8-under division. He’s only gotten stronger since then, evidenced by his convincing win at the 2025 USATF junior cross country championships.
3. Monte Vista’s interim police chief
Former Commerce City Police Department Commander Charlie Schoepflin will serve as interim police chief for the city of Monte Vista, beginning this week. He is the third person to sit in the chief’s office in the past 18 months. Former chief of police Tyler Harford resigned in November after being charged with third degree assault and disorderly conduct. Before Harford, Sean McDonagh served as Monte Vista’s chief for less than a year, but due to internal strife with city administration he resigned after months of closed-door negotiations. McDonagh was hired in July 2024. A meet-and-greet with Schoepflin will be held Monday, Jan. 12, at 5 p.m. at the Ski Hi Events Center in Monte Vista.
4. 4-H Jr Livestock ribbons
Members of San Luis Valley 4-H brought home ribbons from the 78th annual Arizona National Livestock Show held Dec. 27-29. SLV 4-H members were third overall as a team and scored a team high in the swine competition, second in team beef and second in team reasons judging.
5. Change to postmarks
If a postmark is critical to the mail you send along, know that the U.S. Postal Service is making changes to its postmark process in 2026. Americans assume that mail will be postmarked the day it is mailed. Voting laws in Colorado assume as much, as well. Now the postal service is saying the postmark will reflect the date a piece of mail is first processed by an automated USPS sorting machine, which is potentially days after it was dropped off. Why does it matter? For one, in Colorado voters who mail an election ballot with an election day postmark can expect their vote to be counted. With the change, that may no longer be the case. The postal service is making the change under its Delivering for America initiative.
6. Thanks to our generous partners
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