PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MST SAT NOV 22 2008

…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…

21-23

IN 1918…POST-FRONTAL SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.9 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN
DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…5.3 INCHES…FELL ON THE 22ND.
NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 20 MPH ON THE 21ST.
IN 1931…A MAJOR STORM DUMPED A TOTAL OF 13.2 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…11.4
INCHES…FELL ON THE 21ST. A VERY COLD AIR MASS SETTLED
OVER THE CITY AFTER THE HEAVY SNOW ON THE 21ST. AFTER A
LOW TEMPERATURE OF ZERO…THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO A HIGH
OF ONLY 5 DEGREES ON THE 22ND…A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE
DATE.

21-25

IN 1952…SNOWFALL OF 6.2 INCHES WAS MEASURED AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 17 MPH ON THE
21ST.

22-23

IN 1953…STRONG WINDS RAKED BOULDER CAUSING 18 THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH WERE RECORDED AT
VALMONT AND ESTIMATED TO 80 MPH AT THE BOULDER AIRPORT.
23 IN 1899…A TRACE OF SNOW FELL IN THE CITY. THIS…TOGETHER
WITH A TRACE OF PRECIPITATION ON THE 16TH AND 21ST…WAS THE
ONLY PRECIPITATION OF THE MONTH…MAKING THE MONTH THE DRIEST
ON RECORD. THE RECORD WAS EQUALED IN NOVEMBER OF 1901 AND
1949. THIS TRACE OF SNOW ALONG WITH A TRACE OF SNOW ON THE
21ST WAS THE ONLY SNOW OF THE MONTH…RANKING THE MONTH THE
2ND LEAST SNOWIEST ON RECORD. THIS RECORD WAS EQUALED IN
NOVEMBER OF 1884…1901…1905…1917…AND 1939.
IN 1901…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 53 MPH. THE CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A
HIGH OF 70 DEGREES.
IN 1910…WEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH. THE CHINOOK
WINDS WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 67 DEGREES.
IN 1959…WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 56 MPH…BRIEFLY
REDUCING THE VISIBILITY TO 3 MILES IN BLOWING DUST AT
STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1998…WINDS…ESTIMATED AS HIGH AS 58 MPH…CAUSED
SEVERAL WOOD TRUSSES INSTALLED IN A POLICE STATION
UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN CASTLE ROCK TO COLLAPSE. A
CONSTRUCTION WORKER ON THE ROOF RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES
WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY ONE OF THE TRUSSES. SOUTHEAST
WINDS GUSTED TO 38 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

23-24

IN 1992…A PRE-THANKSGIVING BLIZZARD BELTED METRO DENVER.
GUSTY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AT 30 TO 40 MPH CAUSED
NEAR-WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AS VISIBILITIES WERE OFTEN BELOW
1/4 MILE. THE STRONG WINDS DROVE SNOW INTO DRIFTS OF MORE
THAN 4 FEET. HUNDREDS OF HOLIDAY TRAVELERS WERE STRANDED
WHEN AIRLINES CANCELED FLIGHTS AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT WHERE SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.6 INCHES AND NORTH WINDS
GUSTED TO 37 MPH. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS BEGAN AROUND MID-
MORNING ON THE 23RD AND ENDED BY MID-AFTERNOON…BUT HEAVY
SNOW FELL THROUGH THE NIGHT. SNOWFALL TOTALED: 12 INCHES
AT CONIFER…MORRISON…AND WHEAT RIDGE; 19 INCHES AT
LITTLETON; 16 INCHES AT CASTLE ROCK; 9 INCHES IN BRIGHTON;
8 INCHES IN AURORA; AND 6 INCHES IN PARKER.
IN 1993…A MOIST UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE DUMPED HEAVY SNOW
OVER MOST OF COLORADO. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AVERAGED 5 TO 8
INCHES ACROSS METRO DENVER. SNOWFALL TOTALED 4.6 INCHES
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS
GUSTED TO ONLY 20 MPH ON THE 23RD. THE VERY COLD AIR
MASS CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE TO DIP TO A RECORD LOW OF 8
DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE 24TH. THE TEMPERATURE THAT DAY
CLIMBED TO ONLY 9 DEGREES…ALSO SETTING A RECORD LOW
MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.

24

IN 1915…CHINOOK WINDS FROM THE SOUTHWEST SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 46 MPH WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF
61 DEGREES. IT WAS WINDY MOST OF THE DAY.
IN 1949…THE LOW TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO 56 DEGREES…THE
ALL-TIME RECORD HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED
DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
IN 1960…VIOLENT WIND GUSTS CAUSED SOME DAMAGE IN BOULDER.
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY 22 MPH AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1980…A SNOW STORM BROUGHT 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS
METRO DENVER. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…ONLY
2.1 INCHES OF SNOW FELL.
IN 1989…HIGH WINDS WERE RECORDED IN BOULDER WITH A GUST TO
64 MPH. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY 24 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

24-25

IN 1908…HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.0 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN
DENVER OVERNIGHT. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 15 MPH.
IN 1930 STRONG WINDS RAKED THE FRONT RANGE EASTERN FOOTHILLS.
WINDS GUSTED TO 40 MPH AT VALMONT JUST EAST OF BOULDER
WHERE MINOR DAMAGE OCCURRED.
IN 1970…STRONG CHINOOK WINDS WARMED BOULDER. AT THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH IN BOULDER…WIND
GUSTS REACHED 97 MPH…WHILE IN DOWNTOWN BOULDER WINDS PEAKED
TO 69 MPH. SOME MINOR DAMAGE OCCURRED. NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 39 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…AND THE
HIGH TEMPERATURE WARMED TO 76 DEGREES ON THE 25TH…SETTING A
NEW RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.

25

IN 1877…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 50 MPH.
IN 1902…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 48 MPH. THE STRONG APPARENT BORA WINDS WARMED THE
TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF ONLY 45 DEGREES.
IN 1943…SNOWFALL OF 4.0 INCHES WAS THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW
OF THE MONTH. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 17 MPH.
IN 1958…STRONG PRE-FRONTAL CHINOOK WINDS STRUCK BOULDER AND
THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. A WIND GUST TO 100 MPH WAS RECORDED
NORTHWEST OF DENVER. A GUST TO 88 MPH OCCURRED AT ROCKY
FLATS SOUTH OF BOULDER. THE WINDSTORM CAUSED CONSIDERABLE
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO RESIDENTIAL SECTIONS OF NORTH METRO
DENVER.
IN 1959…STRONG WINDS RAKED THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS INCLUDING
BOULDER AND ELDORADO SPRINGS. WIND GUSTS TO 100 MPH WERE
ESTIMATED AT THE MATTERHORN RESTAURANT LOCATED ATOP ROCKY
FLATS SOUTH OF BOULDER.
IN 1993…A WIND GUST TO 99 MPH WAS RECORDED ATOP SQUAW
MOUNTAIN NEAR IDAHO SPRINGS.
IN 1998…STRONG WINDS DEVELOPED OVER PORTIONS OF THE FRONT
RANGE FOOTHILLS FOR A BRIEF TIME FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE
OF A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. A WIND GUST TO 71 MPH
WAS MEASURED ATOP BLUE MOUNTAIN NEAR COAL CREEK CANYON.
IN 1999…STRONG CHINOOK WINDS DEVELOPED IN AND NEAR THE
FOOTHILLS. PEAK WIND REPORTS INCLUDED 100 MPH AT THE
ELDORA SKI RESORT AND 77 MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH MESA LAB ABOVE BOULDER. WEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 38 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

25-26

IN 1887…SNOWFALL TOTALED 2.9 INCHES IN THE CITY. THIS WAS
THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE MONTH. NORTHEAST WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 18 MPH ON THE 26TH WHEN THE TEMPERATURE
DIPPED TO 12 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
IN 1959…A SHARP COLD FRONT PRODUCED A NORTHWEST WIND GUST
TO 51 MPH…FOLLOWED BY SNOW AND FALLING TEMPERATURES FROM
A HIGH OF 60 DEGREES TO A LOW OF 23 DEGREES AT MIDNIGHT
ON THE 25TH. SNOWFALL TOTALED 4.4 INCHES AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT BEFORE ENDING EARLY ON THE 26TH.
IN 1972…WINDS GUSTED TO 104 MPH AT THE ROCKY FLATS PLANT
SOUTH OF BOULDER. GUSTS TO 70 MPH WERE RECORDED AT THE
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS IN BOULDER…WHILE IN DOWNTOWN
BOULDER WINDS PEAKED TO 68 MPH. SOME DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.
NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 47 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT ON THE 26TH.
IN 1984…BLOWING SNOW CLOSED I-70 EAST OF DENVER…STRANDING
OVER A THOUSAND TRAVELERS IN LIMON. DENVER RECEIVED ONLY
2.3 INCHES OF SNOWFALL. NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 31 MPH AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1999…STRONG CHINOOK WINDS REDEVELOPED OVERNIGHT IN AND
NEAR THE FOOTHILLS. PEAK WIND GUSTS INCLUDED 72 MPH ATOP
BLUE MOUNTAIN NEAR WONDERVU AND AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH MESA LAB ABOVE BOULDER.

25-27

IN 1978…HEAVY SNOWFALL OF 6.0 INCHES WAS MEASURED AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED
TO 20 MPH. MOST OF THE SNOW…4.8 INCHES…FELL ON THE 25TH.
THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF SNOW MEASURED ON THE GROUND WAS
5 INCHES DUE TO SETTLING AND MELTING.

25-28

IN 1952…THE AVERAGE COLDEST 4-DAY PERIOD IN NOVEMBER IN THE
PREVIOUS 81 YEARS OF RECORD OCCURRED. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES
OF 19…15…21…AND 25 DEGREES WERE RECORDED. MINIMUM
TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW ZERO EACH DAY WITH READINGS OF
7 BELOW…6 BELOW…5 BELOW…AND 6 BELOW.

25-29

IN 1985…DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS 1/8 MILE
OCCURRED ON FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT. THE FOG WAS AT TIMES ACCOMPANIED BY LIGHT SNOW…
LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE…OR ICE CRYSTALS. FOG OCCURRED ALL
DAY ON BOTH THE 26TH AND 29TH.

26

IN 1873…WEST WINDS INCREASED TO A VIOLENT GALE AT 3:00 AM
AND REACHED A MAXIMUM SUSTAINED VELOCITY OF 56 MPH AT
3:15 AM. THE WINDS CONTINUED WITH A VELOCITY OF NOT
LESS THAN 40 MPH UNTIL 6:00 AM. WINDS CONTINUED BRISK FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. THE STRONG WINDS CAUSED DAMAGE
TO HOUSES AND BUILDINGS IN THE CITY. TEMPERATURES WERE IN
THE 50`S THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON WITH A RECORDED HIGH OF
59 DEGREES. WINDS ALSO BLEW STRONGLY IN BOULDER AND CAUSED
300 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
IN 1911…POST-FRONTAL NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO
43 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 52 MPH. SNOWFALL WAS
ONLY 0.5 INCH.
IN 1965…POST-FRONTAL SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.5 INCHES AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE STRONG WEST
WINDS GUSTED TO 39 MPH DURING THE AFTERNOON.
IN 1976…2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW WITH AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT
PRODUCED NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING SNOW…
CAUSING MULTIPLE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS IN METRO DENVER.
SNOWFALL TOTALED 3.5 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 39 MPH. TEMPERATURES
HOVERED IN THE TEENS AND LOWER 20`S MOST OF THE DAY
DIPPING TO 7 DEGREES BY MIDNIGHT.
IN 1977 A STRONG WIND STORM RAKED METRO DENVER. HIGH WINDS
BLEW WINDOWS FROM OFFICE TOWERS IN DENVER AND BOULDER.
THIRTEEN PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN BOULDER DUE TO FLYING
DEBRIS. WIND GUSTS TO 119 MPH WERE CLOCKED ON DAVIDSON
MESA SOUTHEAST OF BOULDER…WITH 109 MPH IN DOWNTOWN
BOULDER. SIX AIRPLANES WERE DAMAGED AT JEFFERSON COUNTY
AIRPORT NEAR BROOMFIELD. WINDS TO 90 MPH WERE REPORTED
IN LAKEWOOD. GLASS WAS BLOWN OUT OF SEVERAL VEHICLES IN
WHEAT RIDGE…AND ROOFS WERE BLOWN OFF 4 HOUSES IN ARVADA.
SEVERAL HOUSES UNDER CONSTRUCTION COLLAPSED ACROSS METRO
DENVER. WINDS TO 75 MPH WERE REPORTED AT THE DENVER
FEDERAL CENTER WITH 90 MPH AT ROCKY FLATS. WEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 51 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
TOTAL INSURED DAMAGE FROM THE WIND STORM WAS 2.2 MILLION
DOLLARS.
IN 1987…A THANKSGIVING SNOWSTORM BROUGHT 5 INCHES OF SNOW
TO METRO DENVER AND 6 INCHES TO THE FOOTHILLS. AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.0
INCHES…NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 22 MPH…AND TEMPERATURES
HOVERED IN THE UPPER 20`S MOST OF THE DAY.
IN 1991…STRONG WINDS WERE RECORDED IN AND NEAR THE EASTERN
FOOTHILLS. WINDS AT ROLLINSVILLE WERE CLOCKED TO 70 MPH
WITH 45 MPH RECORDED IN BOULDER AND 51 MPH AT THE U.S.
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION ROCKY FLATS PLANT. WEST WINDS
GUSTED TO ONLY 28 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

26-27

IN 1876…HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 9.0 INCHES OVER THE CITY
FROM 5:00 PM ON THE 26TH THROUGH 5:00 P.M. ON THE 27TH.
PRECIPITATION WAS 0.30 INCH ON THE 25TH AND 0.60 INCH
ON THE 27TH.
IN 1919…AN INCURSION OF COLD ARCTIC AIR PRODUCED SNOWFALL
OF 4.6 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. TEMPERATURES DIPPED
TO 5 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE EVENING OF THE 26TH AND
RECOVERED TO A HIGH OF ONLY 1 DEGREE BELOW ZERO ON THE
27TH…THE ALL-TIME RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE MONTH OF
NOVEMBER AND THE RECORD FOR THE DATE. NORTHWEST WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 26 MPH ON THE 26TH.
IN 1923…SNOWFALL OF 2.0 INCHES WAS THE ONLY SNOW OF THE
MONTH. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 22 MPH ON THE 26TH.
IN 1972…HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.5 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY
18 MPH ON THE 27TH.
IN 1983…A THANKSGIVING BLIZZARD DUMPED 21.5 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL IN 37 HOURS WITH A MAXIMUM OF 18 INCHES ON THE
GROUND AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE STORM
PRODUCED HOWLING WINDS…WHICH PARALYZED THANKSGIVING
WEEKEND TRANSPORTATION ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN COLORADO.
ON THE 27TH…STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CLOSED…
OPENING 24 HOURS LATER. INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS WERE CLOSED
IN ALL DIRECTIONS…BUT WEST…FROM DENVER. AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 36 MPH ON THE
26TH AND TO 29 MPH ON THE 27TH. HOWEVER…MOST WIND SPEEDS
ACROSS METRO DENVER WERE 15 TO 30 MPH. TEMPERATURES
HOVERED IN THE TEENS AND LOWER 20`S. MANY STORES AND
BUSINESSES CLOSED. SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES
WERE POSTPONED. ACROSS METRO DENVER…SNOW DEPTH VARIED
FROM 15 INCHES IN COMMERCE CITY TO 28 INCHES NEAR
CHATFIELD RESERVOIR. SNOW REMOVAL IN DENVER WAS
ESTIMATED AT 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS. FOLLOWING THE STORM…
AN INCH OR MORE OF SNOW REMAINED ON THE GROUND FOR 63
CONSECUTIVE DAYS THROUGH JANUARY 27…1984. THIS IS THE
LONGEST PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS SNOW COVER EVER RECORDED IN
DENVER.
IN 1990…AN EARLY WINTER STORM DEPOSITED 2 TO 8 INCHES OF
WET SNOW ACROSS METRO DENVER. SNOWFALL TOTALED 3.4 INCHES
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS
GUSTED TO 30 MPH ON THE 26TH.
IN 1993…STRONG WINDS SWEPT OFF THE FOOTHILLS ACROSS METRO
DENVER. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 50 MPH WERE COMMON ACROSS
THE AREA. WIND GUSTS TO 67 MPH WERE RECORDED ATOP SQUAW
MOUNTAIN NEAR IDAHO SPRINGS. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 36 MPH
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 26TH. THE STRONG
WINDS PRODUCED SOME BLOWING SNOW…REDUCING THE VISIBILITY
TO LESS THAN ONE MILE AT TIMES.
IN 1995…SNOWFALL TOTALED 3.7 INCHES AT THE FORMER STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SITE. THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER
RECEIVED 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW. NORTH-NORTHEAST WINDS
GUSTED TO 34 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
26TH.

27

IN 1965…STRONG WINDS BUFFETED BOULDER…CAUSING 11 THOUSAND
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS TO 75 MPH WERE RECORDED
DOWNTOWN. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 38 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1994…WINDS GUSTED TO 87 MPH ATOP SQUAW MOUNTAIN…5 MILES
SOUTH OF IDAHO SPRINGS…AND TO 84 MPH ON FRITZ PEAK NEAR
ROLLINSVILLE IN THE FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER.
NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 40 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.

28

IN 1884…A WINDSTORM DURING THE AFTERNOON PRODUCED NORTHWEST
SUSTAINED WINDS TO 46 MPH. TWO WOODEN SLATS WERE BLOWN
OUT OF THE WEATHER INSTRUMENT SHELTER…AND NEARLY ALL OF
THE SLATS ON THE NORTH AND WEST SIDES WERE LOOSENED.
IN 1898…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 50 MPH WITH
GUSTS AS HIGH AS 80 MPH.
IN 1902…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 48 MPH. THE STRONG APPARENT BORA WINDS WARMED THE
TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF ONLY 40 DEGREES.
IN 1904…NORTHWEST WINDS SUSTAINED TO 44 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
58 MPH WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 58 DEGREES.
IN 1927…STRONG WEST WINDS OCCURRED IN BOULDER…CAUSING
WIDESPREAD MINOR DAMAGE. A WIND GUST TO 65 MPH WAS
RECORDED AT VALMONT EAST OF BOULDER. THE WEST WINDS
POSSIBLY PRODUCED A CYCLONIC TWIST.
IN 1928…HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.0 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN
DENVER.
IN 1957…A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT PRODUCED NORTH-NORTHEAST WIND
GUSTS TO 54 MPH AT STAPLETON AIRPORT. LIGHT SNOW FOLLOWING
THE FRONT TOTALED ONLY 0.2 INCH.
IN 1970…STRONG CHINOOK WINDS REACHED 77 MPH IN DOWNTOWN
BOULDER.
IN 1978…WIND GUSTS 60 TO 90 MPH WERE REPORTED IN AND NEAR
THE FOOTHILLS.
IN 1984…HIGH WINDS OF 60 TO 80 MPH OCCURRED ALONG THE FRONT
RANGE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. IN BOULDER…THE HIGH WINDS BLEW
THE ROOF OFF A SERVICE STATION. SEVERAL TREES WERE FELLED…
DAMAGING SOME CARS. AN ELDERLY WOMAN WAS INJURED WHEN SHE
WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY A WIND GUST AND BLOWN 20 FEET INTO SOME
BUSHES. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 36 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1994…WINDS GUSTED TO 72 MPH IN BOULDER. NO DAMAGE WAS
REPORTED. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 35 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

28-29

IN 1908…HEAVY SNOWFALL OVERNIGHT AND FOR MOST OF THE DAY
ON THE 29TH TOTALED 12.5 INCHES. PRECIPITATION WAS
1.09 INCHES. NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 26 MPH
ON THE 29TH.
IN 1928…A MAJOR STORM DUMPED 15.5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL ON
DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 18 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 19 MPH ON THE 28TH.
IN 1992…AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVED ACROSS METRO
DENVER…BUT LEFT ONLY A DUSTING OF SNOW. SNOWFALL TOTALED
ONLY 1.6 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE
NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 25 MPH. OTHER SNOW AMOUNTS INCLUDED:
8 INCHES AT CONIFER…6 INCHES AT LAKE ELDORA…3 INCHES AT
ROLLINSVILLE AND IN SOUTHEAST DENVER.
IN 1997…A STORM SYSTEM TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
PRODUCED STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST UPSLOPE FLOW AGAINST
THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE FRONT RANGE AND PALMER RIDGE.
SNOWFALL TOTALS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY INCLUDED: 14 INCHES
NEAR DECKERS; 12 INCHES AT CASTLE ROCK AND SEDALIA; 10
INCHES NEAR CONIFER…11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MORRISON…AND
AT BUFFALO CREEK. ELSEWHERE…SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WERE LESS.
SNOWFALL TOTALED ONLY 0.7 INCH AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 27TH AND 28TH.
IN 2004…HEAVY SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS AND ACROSS METRO
DENVER. IN THE FOOTHILLS…SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: 13
INCHES AT ROXBOROUGH STATE PARK AND ELDORADO SPRINGS…
11.5 INCHES NEAR CONIFER…11.0 INCHES NEAR NEDERLAND…AND
10 INCHES NEAR INDIAN HILLS. ACROSS METRO DENVER SNOWFALL
TOTALED 14 INCHES NEAR SEDALIA…9 INCHES NEAR LOUISVILLE…
8 INCHES AT RALSTON RESERVOIR…AND 5.1 INCHES IN THE
STAPLETON AREA OF DENVER. NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 28
MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 28TH.
IN 2006…A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM BROUGH HEAVY SNOW TO
THE MOUNTAINS AND TO THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS WHERE SNOWFALL
RANGED FROM 8 TO 18 INCHES. SOME OF THE MORE IMPRESSIVE
SNOW TOTALS INCLUDED: 18 INCHES AT GENESEE…17.5 INCHES
NEAR BOULDER…17 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS…16.5 INCHES 10
MILES NORTHWEST OF GOLDEN…15 INCHES AT ELDORADO SPRINGS…
14.5 INCHES IN IDAHO SPRINGS AND NEAR JAMESTOWN…12 INCHES
IN GRANT AND NEAR INDIAN HILLS…11.5 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK…
11 INCHES AT GROSS RESERVOIR AND ELDORA…AND 10.5 INCHES
IN CONIFER. ACROSS METRO DENVER…STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
GENERALLY RANGED FROM 5 TO 9 INCHES WITH THE HEAVIEST
AMOUNTS NEAR THE FOOTHILLS IN BOULDER AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES. THE MOST IMPRESSIVE TOTALS INCLUDED: 15.5
INCHES AT KEN CARYL…12 INCHES IN BOULDER…7.5 INCHES NEAR
MORRISON…AND 7 INCHES NEAR BOTH CHATFIELD AND RALSTON
RESERVOIRS. SNOWFALL TOTALED ONLY 4.2 INCHES IN THE DENVER
STAPLETON AREA. NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 31 MPH AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 28TH.

28-30

IN 1991…A WINTER STORM DUMPED HEAVY SNOW IN THE FOOTHILLS
AND NEAR THE PALMER DIVIDE WITH 10 INCHES RECORDED AT
CONIFER AND GOLDEN GATE CANYON…12 INCHES IN MORRISON…
6 INCHES AT CASTLE ROCK AND PARKER. ONLY 3.4 INCHES OF
SNOW FELL AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH
WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH ON THE 29TH…PRODUCED SOME BLOWING
SNOW. SOME LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE ALSO FELL ON THE 28TH
AND 29TH.

29

IN 1877…THE ALL-TIME LOWEST RECORDED MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER…18 DEGREES BELOW ZERO…OCCURRED.
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DAY WAS 16 DEGREES.
IN 1899…NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 51 MPH WITH GUSTS
AS HIGH AS 60 MPH. THE CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE TEMPERATURE
TO A MAXIMUM OF 74 DEGREES…A RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE AND
THE WARMEST OF THE MONTH THAT YEAR. THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE
WAS ONLY 39 DEGREES.
IN 1927…POST-FRONTAL RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW AND TOTALED
5.8 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 22 MPH.
IN 1977…85 MPH WINDS WERE REPORTED AT WONDERVU IN THE
FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED
TO 39 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1980 STRONG CHINOOK WINDS REACHED 85 MPH IN BOULDER…
BLOWING TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND STREET LIGHTS DOWN. SOME
WINDOWS WERE SHATTERED BY THE WIND. WEST WINDS GUSTED
TO 37 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1994…HIGH WINDS BLEW ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE EASTERN
FOOTHILLS. WIND GUSTS TO 92 MPH OCCURRED ATOP SQUAW
MOUNTAIN…5 MILES SOUTH OF IDAHO SPRINGS…AND TO 82 MPH ON
FRITZ PEAK NEAR ROLLINSVILLE IN THE FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST
OF BOULDER. A WIND GUST TO 75 MPH WAS RECORDED AT
JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT NEAR BROOMFIELD. NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO ONLY 35 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.