Cold, snow and wind mark this week in our look back at Denver weather history. Numerous notable events including a period of 69 hours when the temperatures remained below zero – the fourth longest on record.
30-7
In 1985…a cold front on the 29th produced a protracted cold spell as arctic air remained entrenched across metro Denver. While the only daily temperature record set was a low maximum reading of 2 degrees on February 3rd…minimum temperatures plunged well below zero on 9 consecutive days. The coldest readings were 15 degrees below zero on January 31st and 14 degrees below zero on February 5th.
31-8
In 1963…warm weather that began with the strong Chinook winds on the 31st and 1st continued through the 8th. Maximum temperatures through the period ranged from 52 degrees on the 2nd to 76 degrees on the 5th…which was a new record high for that date.
31-12
In 1899…a protracted cold spell lasted almost two weeks. Low temperatures plunged below zero on all days but February 9th with a reading of 6 degrees. The coldest low temperature of 22 degrees below zero on February 6th was a record low for the date. Low temperatures of 20 degrees below zero occurred on both February 11th and 12th… But only the 11th remains as the record minimum for the date. High temperature of only 5 degrees below zero on February 11th was a record low maximum for the date. High temperatures climbed to only zero degrees on both February 2nd and 3rd…but were not records. Intermittent light snow or flurries fell during the period. The most snowfall…2.0 inches…occurred on February 2nd.
1-6
In 1989…one of the century’s worst doses of winter weather ravaged the entire state. Bitterly frigid weather moved into metro Denver on the 1st as snow buried many sections of the state. In metro Denver where 3 to 6 inches of snow fell…blowing snow and resultant poor visibilities caused a 46-car pile-up on I-25 in the middle of the city on the 4th. During the period…2 to 3 hour delays were common at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall from the storm totaled 4.3 inches and northeast winds gusted to 30 mph on the 1st. Intense cold accompanied the storm. Temperatures in Denver stayed below zero continuously for the best part of 3 days (3rd…4th…5th)…for a total of 69 hours. This is the fourth longest sub-zero period on record. Wind chill temperatures reached 50 degrees below zero. The mercury dipped to 24 degrees below zero on the 5th…setting a record for the date. This was the city’s coldest temperature in over 26 years. Low temperatures dipped below zero on 8 consecutive days (2nd-9th). High temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 4th was a record low maximum for the date…as was the high of 5 degrees on the 5th. Extensive damage occurred when pipes and water lines froze and broke. Thousands of cars failed to start. On the 3rd…a 57-year-old woman died of hypothermia in an Arvada park. Eighteen high school students were treated for hypothermia after a 2-hour ride through Jefferson County in an unheated bus. At least 2 cases of frostbite were reported; there were undoubtedly many more.
1-9
In 1883…a protracted cold period occurred when low temperatures dipped below zero for 9 consecutive days. Low temperatures ranged from 22 degrees below zero on the 4th to 2 degrees below zero on the 1st and 6th. High temperatures ranged from 10 below zero on the 3rd to 23 on the 9th. Several temperature records were set that still stand today. Record lows of 18 below and 22 below zero occurred on the 3rd and 4th. Record low maximum readings of 2 below and 10 below zero occurred on the 2nd and 3rd. The high of only 10 below zero on the 3rd is the coldest maximum temperature ever recorded in Denver.
4-6
In 1986…10 inches of snow fell in Boulder…in the foothill town of Wondervu southwest of Boulder…and at Evergreen west of Denver. Snowfall totaled 2.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport…where north winds gusted to 20 mph on the 6th.
5-6
In 2003…heavy snow fell in the foothills. Snowfall totals included: 17 inches at Genesee; 16 inches at Lookout Mountain; 11 inches at Chief Hosa near Indian Hills…and 7 miles southwest of Boulder; 10.5 inches atop Gold Hill; and 10 inches at Intercanyon and near Conifer. Only 2.2 inches of snowfall were measured in the city at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
5-11
In 1978…the 5th marked the start of a record 7 consecutive days of dense fog at Stapleton International Airport. The heavy fog reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile or less for a period of time on each of these days. Light snow and/or freezing drizzle occurred on most days. Fog reducing visibility to less than 7 miles was recorded at Stapleton International Airport on 11 consecutive days through the 15th. During the period 5-14…the cold thick fog deposited heavy rime ice up to 5 inches thick on power lines and poles over a wide area of eastern Colorado…causing a major electrical power outage disaster.
6
In 1899…the temperature dipped to a low of 22 degrees below zero.
6-7
In 1929…5.0 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver behind a Canadian cold front. Temperatures plunged…but no records were set. Low readings dipped to 3 degrees below zero on the 6th and 9 degrees below zero on the 7th. Highs climbed to 5 degrees on the 6th and to only 1 degree below zero on the 7th.
In 1933…post-frontal light snowfall totaled 3.0 inches over downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 32 mph on the 6th. The very cold air mass plunged temperatures from a high of 60 degrees on the 5th to lows of 10 degrees below zero on the 6th and 16 degrees below on the 7th. High temperature of only 4 degrees below zero on the 7th was a record low maximum for the date.
6-10
In 1933…3:00 pm on the 6th marked the start of a protracted cold period through 8:00 am on the 10th when the temperature was below zero for 86 out of 88 hours. The cold period was interrupted on the 8th at 9:00 am when the temperature was 1 degree above zero and at 10:00 am when the temperature was 8 degrees above zero. Four temperature records were set. High temperatures of 4 degrees below zero on the 7th…8 degrees on the 8th…and 5 degrees below zero on the 9th were record low maximums for those dates. The only record low temperature record was 14 degrees below zero on the 10th. The lowest temperature reached during the period was 16 degrees below zero on both the 7th and 8th…which were not records.
7
In 1940…a distant thunderstorm was recorded. This was only the second ever recorded in the city during February since 1900.
In 1976…strong Chinook winds were reported along the foothills with sustained winds at 46 mph and gusts to 69 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Wind gusts of 70 to 90 mph were recorded at other locations in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1979…strong west winds gusted as high as 99 mph near Boulder. The winds caused ground blizzards that closed several highways around Boulder. Some cars were forced off the road…and a truck was overturned. Wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph were common in and near the foothills. Northwest winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…a wind gust to 82 mph was clocked at Rollinsville in the foothills southwest of Boulder.
In 1999…strong Chinook winds developed in the foothills. Peak wind reports included: 90 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab near Boulder and 88 mph at Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder. West to southwest winds gusted to only 48 mph at Denver International Airport.
7-8
In 1936…a sharp blast of frigid arctic air was of short duration. At 11:00 am on the 7th the temperature was 39 degrees…but dropped to only 1 degree within an hour. A more gradual decrease occurred through the night to a low temperature of 25 degrees below zero shortly after 6:00 am on the 8th. This was the lowest temperature ever recorded in February. (the record was equaled on February 1…1951.) Snowfall of 1.0 inch occurred in the cold air. During the day on the 8th…northwest Chinook winds from 12 to 16 mph…and as high as 21 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 35 degrees at 7:00 pm. This was a rise in temperature of 60 degrees in 13 hours. Unofficially…the temperature dipped to a low of 30 degrees below zero at Denver municipal airport on the morning of the 8th.
In 1956…5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton Airport where east-northeast winds gusted to 23 mph on the 7th.
In 1980…an upslope storm dumped 4 to 10 inches of snow over the plains and as much as 22 inches in the foothills. Traffic was snarled and some schools were closed. Two runways were closed for 3 hours at Stapleton International Airport…where snowfall totaled 6.5 inches and north winds gusted to 25 mph. Most of the snow fell on the 7th.
8
In 1886…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph in the city. The strong winds were accompanied by a cold wave.
In 1905…west winds were sustained to 40 mph behind a cold front. The Bora winds warmed the temperature to a high of only 38 degrees and produced a trace of snow.
In 1939…the very light snowfall…which began during the morning…contained unusually symmetrical…flat and dry snow crystals. These snow crystals continued to fall all afternoon. Snowfall was only a trace. Temperatures ranged from a low of 7 degrees to a high of 18 degrees.
In 1942…a major storm dumped 8.0 inches of heavy snow on downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 17 mph.
In 1981…high winds occurred over the eastern foothills with 72 mph reported atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver and 60 to 70 mph winds at other locations in the foothills west of Denver. Wind gusts to 50 mph were reported in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
8-9
In 1898…rain changed rapidly to snow during the late evening of the 8th and continued through the early afternoon of the 9th. Snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in the city. Northeast winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 8th.
In 2001…heavy snow fell across metro Denver mainly in and near the eastern foothills. Snow totals included: 12 inches atop Crow Hill and near Evergreen; 10 inches in Evergreen and near Morrison; 9 inches at Genesee; 8 inches atop Lookout Mountain and near Littleton and Bailey; 6 inches at Arvada and Ken Caryl Ranch; and 5 inches in Broomfield…Chief Hosa… And Thornton. Snowfall totaled 5.1 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Temperatures dipped to 15 degrees below zero at Denver International Airport on the morning of the 9th…setting a new record minimum for the date.
In 2002…high winds in the foothills on the 8th spread over the plains on the 9th and caused much blowing dust and snow and blizzard conditions east and northeast of metro Denver. I-70 was closed from just east of Denver to the Kansas state line. Zero visibilities coupled with snowpacked and slick roads caused multiple car accidents in southern Weld County. High winds developed in the foothills on the 8th with gusts to 71 mph on Rocky Flats and to 75 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab in Boulder. The high winds continued on the 9th with gusts to 83 mph near Fritz Peak…70 mph at Evergreen…and 67 mph at Parker. Northwest winds gusted to 55 mph on the 8th and to 58 mph on the 9th at Denver International Airport where the surface visibility was reduced to as low as 1 mile in blowing dust on the 9th.
In 2008…strong downslope winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills. Peak gusts included: 88 mph at Georgetown…85 mph at Berthoud Pass…81 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab…78 mph at the National Wind Technology Center… At 76 mph at Floyd Hill. At Denver International Airport… Gusty west winds to 48 mph were observed on the 8th.
9
In 1886…north winds were sustained to 42 mph…the highest winds of the month that year.
In 1893…northwest Bora downslope winds were sustained to to 40 mph with gusts as high as 70 mph in the city.
In 1960…the lowest pressure reduced to sea level ever recorded in Denver…28.83 inches (976.4 mb.)…occurred. The actual station pressure of 23.770 inches was also the lowest ever recorded.
In 1967…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Winds were strong and gusty all day.
In 1988…high winds occurred in and near the foothills. Winds gusted to 96 mph in east Boulder. As many as 1600 homes lost power when wires were downed by the wind. Some windows were blown out of cars near Rocky Flats south of Boulder where winds were clocked at 85 mph. In Broomfield…winds were recorded to 68 mph at Jefferson County Airport.
In 2009…high winds occurred in and near the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties. Peak wind gusts included 81 mph at the national wind technology center and 6 miles northwest of Boulder.
9-10
In 1934…rain changed to heavy snow on the afternoon of the 9th and continued through the day on the 10th. Snowfall totaled 7.4 inches in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 10th.
In 1972…heavy post-frontal snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 46 mph on the 9th. Temperatures plunged from a high of 51 degrees on the 9th to a low of 16 on the morning of the 10th.
In 1981…the season’s coldest arctic air mass rolled into metro Denver plunging temperatures from 10 below to 20 degrees below zero. Bitter north winds gusting as high as 36 mph sent wind chill temperatures to 50 below zero. Two to four inches of snow fell over metro Denver with 6 to 12 inches in the foothills. A Boulder man died of hypothermia while cross country skiing in the mountains west of the city. Snowfall totaled only 1.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the minimum temperature on the morning of the 10th was 5 degrees below zero. The temperature that day warmed to a high of only 9 degrees.
In 2003…high winds occurred in and near the eastern foothills. The highest wind gusts recorded: included 80 mph atop Fritz Peak and 73 mph atop Blue Mountain and at the national wind technology center on Rocky Flats south of Boulder. At least 4 multi-car accidents occurred along State Highway 93…between Golden and Boulder when blowing snow caused whiteout conditions. Northwest winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.
9-11
In 1965…heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 25 mph.
In 1993…the same storm that dumped heavy snow in the mountains combined with an arctic cold front to produce heavy snow across metro Denver. Upslope snows of 4 to 8 inches were common with some areas receiving nearly a foot. Ten inches of new snow were measured in Parker and 7 inches in southeast Denver. At Stapleton International Airport… Snowfall totaled 8.1 inches. Strong winds combined with the snowfall to produce near-blizzard conditions over the plains closing many roads east of Denver. North winds gusted to only 18 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 9th.
10
In 1890…north winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph behind an apparent cold front. Light snow also fell.
In 1932…a large cumulonimbus thunderhead was observed in the eastern sky at 4:00 pm. Thunderstorms are relatively rare in February.
In 1990…northwest winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 56 degrees.
In 1999…a vigorous cold front moved a wall of blowing dust across the plains of northeastern Colorado during the afternoon and early evening hours. While the strongest winds and wind damage were north and east of metro Denver… North to northeast winds did gust to 48 mph at Denver International Airport…reducing the visibility to as low as 3/4 mile in blowing dust. The temperature dropped as much as 15 degrees in 5 minutes and 21 degrees in 30 minutes following the passage of the cold front. Dangerous wind shear conditions at DIA delayed several flights…while others were redirected to Colorado Springs. In the Montbello area of northeast Denver…the strong winds blew the roof off a building. Downed power lines sparked a small brush fire…which burned about 10 acres near the former Fitzsimmons Army Medical center.
10-11
In 1971…a wind gust to 80 mph was recorded in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. A wind gust to 69 mph was measured at the National Bureau of Standards. In downtown Boulder wind gusts to 43 mph were clocked. No damage was reported. North to northwest winds gusted to 39 mph on the 10th and to 41 mph on the 11th at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1999…heavy snow developed over sections of metro Denver during the evening hours. Snowfall totals included: 6 inches at Eaglecrest…6.5 inches at Highlands Ranch…and 8.5 inches about 5 miles south of Sedalia. Only 1.0 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Strong winds and snow caused near blizzard conditions north of metro Denver.
10-12
In 1958…heavy snow fell across metro Denver. At Stapleton Airport…where northeast winds gusted to 22 mph…6.7 inches of snowfall were measured.
In 1995…cold arctic air brought heavy snow to the foothills and western Denver suburbs. Golden measured 15 inches of snow with 14 inches in south Boulder. Locations in the foothills recorded between 10 and 15 inches of snow. Only 6.1 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph on the 10th.
10-13
In 1905…an extremely cold arctic air mass moved over the city behind a cold front on the 10th and persisted through the morning of the 13th. North winds were sustained to 25 mph behind the front on the 10th dropping the temperature to a low of 2 degrees below zero…which was also the high reading on the 11th. Light snowfall totaled 3.0 inches overnight of the 10th into the 11th. The low temperature plunged to 19 degrees below zero on the 11th. Records were set on the 12th and 13th. The high temperature of only zero degrees on the 12th was a record low maximum for the date. The low readings of 21 degrees below zero on the 12th and 14 degrees below zero on the 13th were record minimum temperatures for those dates.
11
In 1875…northwest winds were brisk all day. The velocities increased to 30 to 50 mph during the early evening.
In 1957…Chinook winds gusting to 49 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 64 degrees at Stapleton Airport.
In 1971…a rare February thunderstorm produced 1/4 inch diameter hail in southwest Denver.
In 1981…the cold spell of the 10th came to a quick end with strong Chinook winds. Gusts to 84 mph were recorded at mines peak and to 80 mph at Wondervu. Gusts in the foothills ranged from 50 to 65 mph. Southwest winds gusted to only 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1984…a near-blizzard across eastern Colorado closed I-70 east of Denver and stranded 1200 motorists at Limon. Only 0.9 inch of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 43 mph.
In 1988…wind gusts to 77 mph were measured at Echo Lake. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
11-12
In 1899…the temperature plunged to lows of 20 degrees below zero on both days.
In 1900…northwest winds sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees on the 11th. An apparent cold front overnight produced 3.7 inches of snow and northeast winds gusting to 30 mph. The high temperature on the 12th was only 26 degrees.
In 1994…moist upslope winds and an upper level storm system produced heavy snow over western portions of metro Denver. Snowfall amounts totaled 10 inches in Golden and 8 inches at Strontia Springs Reservoir 15 miles southwest of Denver in the South Platte canyon. Snowfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled only 3.6 inches…but north winds gusting to 35 mph on the 11th produced occasional visibilities as low as 1/4 mile in heavy snowfall and blowing snow.
11-13
In 1903…west to northwest Chinook winds gusting to 34 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 50 degrees on the 11th… Before temperatures rapidly plunged to a low of 14 degrees behind a cold front. Light snow fell through the 13th and totaled 4.2 inches in the city…while temperatures ranged from a high of 14 degrees on the 12th to a low of 5 degrees below zero on the 13th.
12
In 1874…5 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. Melted snow resulted in 0.31 inch of precipitation.
In 1875…forest fires burned very brightly in the foothills to the west of Denver.
12-13
In 1915…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 13th.
In 1951…heavy snowfall totaled 8.1 inches at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to 28 mph on the 12th.
In 1968…snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 26 mph. Snow fell all day on the 12th and into the morning hours of the 13th.
In 1997…heavy snow fell in the foothills southwest of Denver. Conifer…Evergreen…Morrison…and north turkey creek received 6 to 8 inches of new snow overnight. Only 0.2 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 23 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.