July 28 to August 3: This Week in Denver Weather History

This Week in Denver Weather History

Monsoonal moisture oftentimes streams into Colorado this time of year leading heavy rain and dangerous lightning. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history features many flooding events caused by the moisture and even some tornadoes.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 2008…a streak of 24 consecutive days of 90 degrees shattered the previous record of 18 consecutive days established in 1901 and 1874. Ironically…no new single day record high temperatures were set in the month of July. In August however…a record of 104 degrees was set on the 1st…and another record of 103 degrees was set on the 2nd. In addition…a record low min of 70 degrees was set on August 2nd.

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In 1987…a streak of 16 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 4th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

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In 1956…96 percent of the total precipitation for the month of July occurred over the last five days of the month. Heavy thunderstorms produced 4.00 inches of rainfall at Stapleton Airport. This amount of precipitation in 5 days or less had been exceeded only 3 times in previous record. The last time had been in December of 1913 as snow. Considerable property damage occurred across metro Denver from flooding.

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In 1882…intense thunderstorm lightning struck a number of places in the city…but no significant damage was reported.

In 1910…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.21 inches in downtown Denver. Rainfall was 1.11 inches in an hour during the early afternoon.

In 1922…heavy rainfall to the south of Denver caused Cherry Creek to rise to the top of the retaining walls in the city. The creek did not flood; however…the large volume of water discharged into the South Platte River did inundate a few blocks of Globeville. Flooding also occurred along bayou creek near Franktown to the south of the city.

In 1923…thunderstorm winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 52 mph.

In 1957…iridescent cirrocumulus clouds of unusual formation and brilliant color…oriented from southwest to northeast over metro Denver…were sighted by U.S. Weather Bureau observers at Stapleton Airport shortly after noon.

In 1966…heavy rains from a severe thunderstorm caused flash flooding on Deer Creek…southwest of Littleton. A child was injured when washed from a car caught in the flood waters. The flooding damaged property along the creek. Strong winds damaged several houses in suburban Littleton.

In 1970…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1974…a tornado was sighted just east of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.

In 1982…up to 2.50 inches of rain drenched an area just southwest of Denver in 30 minutes. This was the second day of heavy rain across portions of metro Denver.

In 1984…1.25 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes in Arvada. Minor flooding occurred on bear creek after a small dam broke.

In 1989…lightning killed two men in Arvada. They were taking wash from a clothesline when a bolt hit the older man…39… Killing him instantly. The bolt then traveled along the line…which was stretched between 2 tall trees…and hit his 26-year-old brother who died the next day.

In 1996…several weak tornadoes developed along a thunderstorm outflow boundary that moved into southern weld…northern Jefferson…and Adams counties. The tornadoes sighted near Bennett…Barr Lake…and in Arvada caused little damage. Strong thunderstorm winds downed several trees in the city of Denver and toppled several trees 7 miles west of Arvada where shingles were blown off several houses. Thunderstorm wind gusts reached 58 mph in Broomfield.

In 1997…a weak tornado touched down briefly in Parker… Damaging a greenhouse. Twenty pieces of the fiberglass roof were ripped away. Heavy rainfall in the foothills washed out some culverts in the Pine and Conifer areas. Heavy rainfall spread over the plains with 4 to 7 inches reportedly falling near Hudson. Several county roads were washed out between Fort Lupton and Hudson. Several basements in the area were flooded up to the ceiling. Standing water…up to 3 feet deep…was reported in some backyards. Later in the evening…a flash flood killed 5 people and injured 40 others in two mobile home parks in Fort Collins. The torrential rainfall also caused extensive damage on the Colorado state university campus. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch at Denver International Airport and 1.09 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 1999…heavy rainfall…up to 3 inches an hour…triggered a massive rock and mudslide along I-70 near Bakerville. The slide area was about 200 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Several other smaller slides were also reported along the highway. As a result…I-70 was closed for nearly 25 hours in both directions until the debris could be cleared from the roadway. The blockage of I-70 was one of the longest in the history of the highway in Colorado. A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 64 mph at Denver International Airport. The storm also produced 1.56 inches of rain and briefly reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile.

In 2004…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter in Thornton.

In 2010…a wet microburst produced very heavy rain and torrential hail in Boulder County…in the vicinities of caribou…Nederland and Eldora. Flash flooding washed out sections of County roads 126 and 128 near caribou. Several large Boulders had fallen across the roadways. Considerable flooding was reported in Nederland. Water was also observed running across County Road 130…between Eldora and Nederland. The hail had accumulated up to 8 inches deep near Eldora. Several vehicles were stuck in the ice…forcing the temporary closure of CR130 and the Lake Eldora Ski Road until snowplows could clear away the hail. Lightning strikes caused minor damage to two local businesses in Nederland. At Denver International Airport…a thunderstorm produced 0.30 inches of rain along with a peak wind gust to 38 mph.

In 2012…a tornado touched down briefly at the southeast corner of Mt. Evans near Lincoln Lake. The estimated elevation where this tornado touched down was near 12500 feet. This would make this tornado one of the highest ever observed in the U.S.

In 2014…two weak landspouts touched down; one near Ft. Lupton and the other on the southwest side of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. No damage was reported. A strong thunderstorm wind capsized a boat in Barr Lake. All three occupants made it to shore with no injuries.

In 2016…severe thunderstorms in western Adams and east central Jefferson Counties produced large hail near Lakewood…Golden and South Glenn. The hail ranged from 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

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In 1889…dense smoke from forest fires in the mountains obscured the sun over the city for three days.

In 1971…a vigorous cold front late on the 28th produced northeast wind gusts to 39 mph and record breaking cold temperatures on the 29th and 30th. The temperature dipped to 47 degrees on the 29th and 43 degrees on the 30th… Setting record minimums for the dates. Upslope cloudiness along with rain and fog early on the 29th helped set a record low maximum temperature of 58 degrees for the date.

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In 1878…a total eclipse of the sun was observed at 2:20 pm. From before to during the eclipse…the temperature in the sun fell from 114 degrees to 82 degrees…while the shade temperature fell from 89 degrees to 83 degrees.

In 1880…heavy thunderstorm rain and hail flooded streets and ditches.

In 25 minutes…0.76 inch of rain fell on the city along with large hail to 3/4 inch in diameter. There were no strong winds with the storm.

In 1890…a thunderstorm produced sustained west winds to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph…but only 0.01 inch of rain.

In 1956…heavy rain and hail fell over west and north Denver.

In 1964…hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell at Lowry Airfield.

In 1978…a small tornado was sighted just east of Parker. No damage was reported.

In 1989…heavy rain drenched all areas of the Front Range… Both in the foothills and adjacent plains. Amounts of 1 to 3 inches were general over the area. Damage was confined to a few minor road washouts and some street…basement…and crop flooding. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.44 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 43 mph. Lightning struck a 250 thousand dollar home near Nederland and started a fire which destroyed all of it except two garages. Lightning started a fire in a home in Evergreen. It reached the house by hitting a tree…then traveling through a metal clothesline strung between the tree and the building.

In 1995…thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph in Brighton. Thunderstorm winds from the south-southeast gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport. High temperature of 99 degrees was a new record maximum for the date in Denver.

In 1997…heavy rain caused flooding in an apartment building in Westminster. Several residents had to be evacuated from their apartments. A woman in Aspen Park received minor injuries…when lightning passed through an office window and struck her. She suffered temporary blindness for about 15 minutes.

In 2003…hail as large as 1 inch in diameter pelted Conifer… Highlands Ranch…and Franktown.

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In 1997…heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding in central portions of Adams and Arapahoe counties. Two homes were extensively damaged when water flooded the basements and adjacent pasture area in Strasburg. Water 4 to 5 feet deep had pooled in the lower lying areas of the town. A portion of quincy road was closed in Arapahoe County when 4 feet of water covered the roadway. Rainfall totaled 3.06 inches at Denver International Airport…establishing a new record for 24-hour rainfall in July. The previous record was 2.42 inches set in 1965 on the 24th and 25th.

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In 1879…lightning struck a brick kiln in north Denver. Three men were knocked senseless…but all recovered. Rainfall in the city was only 0.09 inch.

In 1881…a thunderstorm dumped heavy rain and hail on the city…causing street flooding and much damage. A heavy torrent of rain fell with 1.10 inches measured in just 20 minutes. Storm total rainfall was 1.60 inches. The rain turned streets into running streams. Wood street crossings were torn up and washed away. The storm caused great damage by flooding many cellars where goods were stored. The brick yards suffered severe damage when the heavy rainfall destroyed many unfired bricks.

In 1913…northeast winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1939…a thunderstorm produced 0.08 inch of rainfall. This was the only measurable precipitation of the month…making the month the second driest July on record.

In 1961…heavy rain and lightning disrupted power lines and caused flooding in Denver. Thunderstorm rains totaled 1.60 inches at 11th and Lincoln in central Denver.

In 1972…the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1983…hail 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter fell in central and southeast Denver and in Littleton. Rainfall of 1.50 inches occurred in just 30 minutes in Littleton. There was some street flooding in both cities with wind gusts up to 55 mph.

In 1984…central Aurora was hit by a downpour that produced 1.80 inches of rain and sent water 2 to 3 feet deep into some streets. Before the rain stopped later in the evening… The storm had dropped as much as 2.80 inches of moisture on the city. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.82 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1985…a tornado was spotted in open country 10 miles southwest of Bennett. No damage was reported. One inch hail was reported in south Lakewood.

In 1997…one man was killed and his girlfriend critically injured when they were struck by lightning on the Kennedy Golf Course in southeast Denver. Both were struck in the head when they took refuge under a tree during a downpour. Lightning struck a home in unincorporated Arapahoe County east of Buckley Field. The fire started in the electrical panel boxes…causing extensive damage to the home. Heavy rain and hail triggered a flash flood in Boulder…which sent water through a window of the financial aid office on the University of Colorado campus. In addition…ceiling tiles…carpets…and dressing rooms were damaged at the Coors Events Center when a pipe draining rainwater broke during the downpour. In all…10 buildings on the campus received water damage estimated at 100 thousand dollars. Hail as large as 1.25 inches in diameter accompanied the heavy rain in Boulder. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.71 inches at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 41 mph. This was the greatest calendar day official precipitation ever recorded in July.

In 1998…heavy rain…up to 3 inches in an hour…caused flash flooding problems from Castle Rock to Parker. I-25 north of Castle Rock was closed as high waters covered sections of the highway. Some cars were left floating in the flood waters.

In 2001…a severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 70 mph at a wind sensor on the northeast corner of Denver International Airport.

In 2004…a severe thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 71 mph in Evergreen.

In 2005…the temperature climbed to a high of 101 degrees at Denver International Airport. This was a new record maximum temperature for the date. In addition…this was the 7th day of the month with a high temperature of 100 degrees or more…which set a new Denver record for the most 100 degree days in a month…for a season…and in a year.

In 2019…a severe thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 58 mph from the north at Denver International Airport.

In 2021…a thunderstorm produced heavy rainfall…anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 inches…produced flash flooding in Erie. Standing water stranded vehicles at the Intersection of Highway 7 and Mountain View Blvd. The fire department had to rescue a few motorists from their vehicles. A couple of basements also flooded.

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In 1873…the all-time lowest recorded temperature in July… 42 degrees…occurred. The same temperature also occurred on July 4…1903.

In 1874…during the late afternoon rain and hail fell for 5 minutes followed by brief heavy rain. Pieces of solid ice of irregular shape fell upon the roof of the station. The hail stones measured 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Precipitation (rain and melted hail) was only 0.16 inch.

In 1889…the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1919…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.59 inches in downtown Denver during the evening. Rainfall was 1.90 inches in an hour…a new record at that time.

In 1961…over an inch of rain in a short period of time caused flooding of streets and basements in Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.30 inches at 11th and Lincoln in central Denver.

In 1964…the temperature reached 91 degrees in Denver…making this the 27th day of the month that the temperature reached 90 degrees or more. This is the all-time record for 90 degree days in a month in Denver.

In 1972…one inch diameter hail fell in Hudson northeast of Denver.

In 1976…during the evening hours extremely heavy thunderstorm rains produced flash flooding in Big Thompson Canyon which killed 144 people between Estes Park and Loveland. No significant weather occurred in metro Denver at the time.

In 1987…1 inch diameter hail fell in Lakewood and 3/4 inch hail fell near Louisville. Southeast Boulder County was drenched with 1.25 inches of rain in just 20 minutes.

In 1993…thunderstorm winds damaged a chimney of a home near Parker.

In 1996…a weak tornado (f0) was sighted 12 miles east of Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.

In 1998…heavy monsoonal thunderstorm rain triggered a mud slide in Blackhawk. The mudslide blocked Main St. and caused an estimated half million dollars in damage to a casino. Heavy thunderstorm rain…up to 3 inches in an hour…caused a flash flood along Buffalo Creek. Portions of County road 126 just south of the town of Buffalo Creek were washed out. The flood waters nearly washed away the bridge as mud and debris slammed into the structure. Hail to 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell near Idaho Springs.

In 2004…severe thunderstorm winds toppled a 65-foot blue spruce tree in Parker. The tree landed on a home damaging the roof and gutters. The downed tree poked dozens of holes into the shingles.

In 2013…severe thunderstorm winds…with gusts estimated to 80 mph…downed power poles which caused scattered outages in and around Byers…Bennett and Strasburg. Some property damage was also observed. Near Byers…aluminum siding and roofing was peeled off sheds. Large hail…up to one inch in diameter…was reported north of Bennett. At Denver International Airport… a peak wind gust to 40 mph was observed from the northeast.

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In 1888…heavy rain in the mountains and foothills caused flooding on Clear Creek in Golden. The high waters also washed away portions of the railroad tracks in the canyon between Idaho Springs and Golden.

In 1901…the temperature reached a high of 100 degrees in the city.

In 1902…the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1914…a thunderstorm produced 1.00 inch of rainfall in just 21 minutes and north winds sustained at 43 mph with gusts to 50 mph. Rainfall totaled 1.17 inches.

In 1938…the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees in downtown Denver…which is the record maximum for the date. The temperature was also recorded on this date in previous years.

In 1976…flight operations at Stapleton International Airport were suspended for 90 minutes when the airport tower radar was knocked out and water reached a foot deep on some taxi ramps after 1.50 inches of rain fell in one hour. Heavy rain also caused minor flooding in east Denver and Aurora where lightning damaged the roof of a home and injured the owner. One young man was swept down a flooded ditch…but was rescued by firemen. A number of rafts were floated in flooded streets. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.71 inches at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1978…a tornado damaged a house and broke a power pole 5 miles northwest of Parker. A microburst wind gust to 52 mph briefly reduced visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1985…heavy thunderstorms roared through the southern and western sections of metro Denver…producing large hail and heavy rain. Lightning hit a recreational vehicle trailer causing it to burn. There was a lot of street flooding over western suburbs where rainfall totaled over 2 inches in some areas. One inch diameter hail was reported in Littleton and near Evergreen. Hail piled 4 to 6 inches deep at tinytown in the foothills southwest of Denver.

In 1990…a small rope-like tornado was spotted in open country 15 miles southeast of Centennial Airport. No damage was reported from the twister.

In 1992…pilots reported a funnel cloud near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. A few minutes later…a tornado was reported near Bennett. The tornado remained on the ground for about 18 minutes and was visible from the National Weather Service office at Stapleton International Airport. Thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph were reported near Bennett and Watkins with a wind gust to 60 mph at Brighton. Two men were injured when struck by lightning. A young man sustained serious injuries when struck by lightning while jet skiing on Cherry Creek Reservoir. A man received only minor injuries when struck by lightning while golfing in Westminster.

In 1994…heavy thunderstorm rains in the foothills west of Denver caused the closure of the Virginia Canyon road north of Idaho Springs by rocks and debris.

In 2001…a 34 year old man on the South Platte River bike path in Denver received minor injuries when lightning struck a nearby tree. Lightning…coupled with strong thunderstorm winds…knocked out electrical power to about 10 thousand homes and businesses in Golden.

In 2006…strong thunderstorms hit southern metro Denver. A severe thunderstorm wind gust estimated to 71 mph knocked down a tree in Aurora near Cherry Creek. Lightning sparked a fire in a home near Lone Tree and struck a transformer at an RTD light rail station at Interstate 25 and Yosemite Street. Heavy thunderstorm rainfall forced the closure of Arapahoe Road between Holly and Quebec streets due to high water. Flooding was also reported near Park Meadows Mall and Greenwood Village. Heavy rainfall also caused flooding in Highlands Ranch…Lone Tree…and Parker. Water up to 6 inches deep was reportedly running over the roads.

In 2020…a worsening drought that started in the spring of 2020…continued through August. The month of August tied with 2011 for the warmest August on record. It also occurred in the middle of the second warmest summer on record. The combination of hot and dry conditions…in addition to critically dry fuels from years of beetle kill…resulted massive wildfires. The Cameron Peak fire…which became the largest wildfire in the state`s history started on August 13th and continued to burn into October. Smoke from this wildfire in addition to several other large wildfires in Colorado and the West resulted in multiple days of extremely poor air quality. In addition…the air quality in Denver and the entire Front Range had deteriorated severely due to the very warm temperatures and high ozone content… which had spiked significantly. In August…26 days in the month equaled or exceeded 90 degrees.

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In 1878…the high temperature reached 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1911…an apparent dry microburst produced sustained west winds to 42 mph.

In 1972…one workman was killed and another injured when a strong gust of wind destroyed a partially completed apartment building in south Denver. Hail to 1 3/4 inch diameter fell in Golden.

In 1973…hail to 3/4 inch diameter was reported in Boulder.

In 1986…a major outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred along the Front Range. Thunderstorms developed explosively. Some places were hit by large hail twice. Two inch diameter hail broke car windows on I-25 west of Brighton…and up to 1 1/4 inch hail broke windows in Thornton. Baseball size hail damaged several planes near Watkins. Funnel clouds were sighted around Aurora. Hail over 1/2 inch in diameter covered the ground 3 to 4 inches deep at Hudson northeast of Denver. Most of the hail fell north of metro Denver…but 3/4 inch diameter hail was measured at Stapleton International Airport. Total damage from the hail storms this day was estimated at over 10 million dollars.

In 1991…late afternoon thunderstorms produced heavy rain across metro Denver. Two feet of water covered parts of I-25 in southeast Denver…while one foot of water covered parts of U.S. Highway 285 in Englewood. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.50 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2001…severe thunderstorms producing heavy rain and hail… Either washed out or damaged several County roads in the Watkins and Bennett areas. A small tornado (f0) touched down near Bennett…but did no damage. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell near Watkins. One inch diameter hail was measured near Hudson and Keenesburg.

In 2008…strong winds blew several trees down in Denver… Damaging homes and downing power lines. A peak wind gust of 67 mph occurred at Centennial Airport…with gusts to 60 mph estimated in Denver. A peak wind gust of 37 mph was measured at Denver International Airport. An elderly man was killed when a wind damaged tree broke free and crushed him while he attempted to remove it. The downed power lines caused outages to about 500 Xcel Energy customers.

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In 1876…grasshoppers were in great abundance in the city and caused considerable damage to gardens and to crops in the surrounding farms and ranches.

In 1951…heavy thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver through the night. Heavy rain totaled 3.45 inches at Stapleton Airport. This was the greatest 24 hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of August in Denver.

In 2007…heavy rain caused localized flash flooding near Ft. Lupton. Up to 8 inches of water was reported across County road 18.

In addition…several other County roads in the immediate area were washed out.

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In 1878…the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1900…a thunderstorm produced west winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 55 mph…but only a trace of rain.

In 1903…a thunderstorm produced a trace of rainfall and northwest winds sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph. The high temperature was 99 degrees.

In 1927…a thunderstorm produced hail and sustained north winds to 22 mph.

In 1933…heavy cloudburst rains caused the failure of the Castlewood Dam…which resulted in flash flooding on Cherry Creek…the deaths of 7 people in Denver…and flood damage estimated at 1 million dollars. Lower Denver was flooded during the morning by waters pouring down Cherry Creek and its valley from Castlewood Dam…which had broken between midnight and 2:00 am. Heavy rain of 3 to 9 inches in 9 hours in the watershed above the dam resulted in the failure. At 7:30 am…the flow in Cherry Creek was reported at 16 thousand second-feet as compared with a peak flow of 3 thousand second-feet in other years. The flood waters ruined hundreds of acres of crops and drowned scores of farm animals. Six bridges in Denver were swept away. Great deposits of mud were left in the lower sections of the city…including hundreds of basements and lower floors of buildings. At the end of the month…a deadly stench still rose from swampy areas near the lower city limits.

In 1963…heavy thunderstorm rains in the Parker area caused Cherry Creek to overflow…which damaged roads.

In 1985…a tornado touched down briefly about 10 miles northeast of Parker. No damage was reported.

In 1991…upslope northeast winds produced chilly temperature readings and heavy rain across metro Denver. Rainfall… With no thunder…totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the heavy rain briefly reduced the surface visibility to 7/8 mile. The mercury climbed to a high of only 63 degrees.

In 1992…a thunderstorm wind gust to 64 mph was recorded in Brighton. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. Lightning started a fire in an Evergreen church…causing over 75 thousand dollars in damage.

In 1998…3/4 inch hail fell in Jefferson County 15 miles northwest of Arvada.

In 2006…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding along Leyden Creek in unincorporated Jefferson County. An automated rain gauge on Upper Leyden Creek…6 miles northwest of Arvada…measured 2.68 inches of rainfall in less than 2 hours. Two to three feet of water covered the roadway at the intersection of 82nd and Quaker Street.

In 2009…a woman riding her bike…in training for an ironman triathlon…was struck by lightning in Boulder. She was in the 78th mile of a 100-mile training ride when she was hit. The woman lost her vision initially and couldn’t move her arms. After a short stay in the hospital…she made of complete recovery.

In 2013…severe wet microburst thunderstorms produced damaging winds and very heavy rain in and around Buckley Air Force Base…Erie and Lafayette. Peak gusts included: 68 mph in Erie…61 mph at Buckley AFB…and 60 mph in Broomfield…4 miles east-southeast of Erie and Lafayette. In Erie…a velodrome under construction was heavily damaged by heavy rain and high winds. The wind toppled the eastern third of the 250-meter cycling track. Bolts measuring one-half-inch thick by 7 1/2 inches in length were ripped out of concrete footers while 16-inch-wide trusses…collapsed under the force of the wind. In town…heavy rain…around 2.5 inches in less than one hour…caused extensive street flooding. The intense wind also downed trees which resulted in localized power outages. In addition…an empty semi-trailer was blown on its side. A weak non supercell tornado touched down briefly in an open field…7 miles northwest of Hudson. The storm forced seven incoming flights at Denver International Airport to be diverted and contributed to 45-minute delays for others. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust of 55 mph was observed from the northeast…with 0.66 inches of rainfall recorded. The very heavy rain produced flash flooding in part of Aurora. Road closures were set up in both directions on both Piccadilly Road and Gun Club Road…just north of Buckley AFB. A man had to be rescued when his car was trapped in flood waters at the intersection of 6th Ave. and Piccadilly Road. Flash Flooding was also observed at the junction of E-470 and I-70 with water running over the road.

In 2018…a gust front associated with a dissipating thunderstorm moved out of the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties continued to push eastward into Denver. The storm knocked down trees and branches. Power lines were also damaged which produced scattered outages. Peak wind gusts included: 67 mph near Gold Hill…64 mph in south Boulder…62 mph at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport…and 60 mph at Denver International Airport.

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In 1988…two inches of rain fell in 3 hours at both Morrison and Wheat Ridge. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch overnight at Stapleton International Airport.

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