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December 9 to December 15: This week in Denver weather history

December 12, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Heavy snow and damaging wind are at the forefront of our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

2-17

In 1939…more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily temperature records were set…including the all-time record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the 60’s and 70’s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a trace of snow on the 12th.

3-15

In 1972…a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th. Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees below zero on the 5th…17 degrees below zero on the 6th… And 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and 6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air mass.

7-9

In 1919…an apparent arctic cold front brought extreme cold and light snow to the city. Snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches on the 7th and 8th. Temperatures dipped to lows of 14 degrees below zero on the 8th and to 20 degrees below zero on the 9th. Both readings were daily record minimums. High temperatures were only 4 degrees on the 8th and 7 degrees on the 9th.

In 1923…a major storm dumped 13.5 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. The apparent post-frontal snowfall started during the late afternoon of the 7th and continued through the evening of the 9th. Temperatures dipped from a high of 66 degrees on the 7th with west winds sustained to 35 mph to a low of only 14 degrees on the 9th…with north winds sustained to 25 mph.

8-9

In 1943…4.5 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 8th.

In 2003…snowfall totaled 3 to 6 inches across metro Denver. Snowfall was heavier in and near the foothills with 8.0 inches measured in Boulder and 10 miles southwest of Sedalia. Snowfall was 3.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Most of the snow fell on the 8th…as the snow ended shortly after midnight. North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2008…an upslope snowstorm produced heavy snow in and near the foothills of Boulder…Jefferson and Douglas counties… And along the palmer divide south of Denver. Storm totals in the foothills ranged from 8 to 15 inches. In Boulder and in areas west and south of Denver…storm totals ranged from 6 to 13 inches. The snowfall measurement at Denver International Airport was 3.9 inches.

8-10

In 1985 a slow moving storm dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow over the northeast plains…closing schools and businesses in many areas along the Front Range north of Denver. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 9.9 inches with a maximum snow depth of 7 inches on the ground. North winds gusted to 24 mph. The snow caused long air traffic delays at Stapleton International Airport on the 9th.

In 1997…persistent light to moderate snowfall combined with strong and gusty northerly winds to produce much blowing and drifting snow across metro Denver. The hardest hit areas were south of Denver where north winds at speeds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph caused near whiteout conditions. The strong winds produced drifts 2 to 4 feet deep and dropped wind chill temperatures well below zero. Sections of both I-25 and I-70 and other roads were closed as travel became impossible due to blowing snow. Numerous traffic accidents were reported and a handful of people were stranded during the snowstorm. Snowfall totals included: 22 inches at Conifer…13 inches at Castle Rock…12 inches at Parker…and 8 inches in southeast Aurora. Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.

8-12

In 1932…the second longest sub-zero period on record in Denver occurred. The temperature fell below zero shortly after 1:00 pm on the 8th and remained below zero for 92 hours until 9:00 am on the 12th. The lowest temperature recorded during this period was 13 degrees below zero on both the 9th and 11th. That temperature on the 11th was a record low for the date. High temperatures of 4 on the 8th…5 below zero on the 9th…1 below zero on the 10th… And 6 below zero on the 11th were record low maximum temperatures for those dates. Light north winds at 5 to 10 mph were accompanied by occasional light snow…which totaled only 2.2 inches.

In 1898…the very cold air mass that settled over the city behind an apparent cold front on the 7th plunged temperatures to a low of 20 degrees below zero. The high temperature climbed to only 5 degrees.

In 1910…Chinook west winds sustained to 46 mph warmed the temperature to 60 degrees…the warmest reading of the month that year.

In 1919…the minimum temperature dipped to 20 degrees below zero in downtown Denver…setting a record low for the date.

In 1984…high winds occurred in the foothills with a gust to 69 mph recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver. West winds gusted to 36 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1992…high winds were recorded over most of the day in the Front Range foothills. Wind gusts to 95 mph were measured in the Table Mesa area of Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1993…a weather observer in Boulder recorded a wind gust to 73 mph. North winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1998…metro Denver and areas in the foothills received the first significant snowfall in more than a month. The upslope snow event deposited up to 17 inches in the foothills with generally 4 to 8 inches across metro Denver west of I-25. Snowfall totals included 17 inches at crescent park and 16 inches in nearby Coal Creek Canyon. Other snow amounts included: 16 inches at Tiny Town; 14 inches at Chief Hosa…Evergreen…and Genesee; 13 inches in Conifer; 12 inches at Nederland; 11 inches in Eldorado Canyon; 9 inches just west of Boulder; 8 inches in Boulder; and 7 inches in Broomfield and Golden. Only 3.6 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport.

9-13

In 1961…cold arctic air produced a protracted cold period. The temperature plunged to 16 degrees below zero on the 10th…establishing a new record for the date and the coldest reading since 25 degrees below zero on February 1… 1951. Low temperatures dipped below zero on 5 consecutive days with 9 degrees below zero on the 9th…16 below on the 10th…10 below on the 11th…and 12 below on both the 12th and 13th. High temperatures reached only 3 degrees on the 10th and 6 degrees on the 11th.

In 1953…snowfall totaled 3.8 inches at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds were sustained at speeds to 47 mph and gusted to 60 mph behind a cold front.

In 1969…sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1980…winds to 60 mph whistled through Boulder.

In 1987…strong winds in the foothills spread over northern portions of metro Denver. Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph were common in Boulder and southwestern weld counties. However… The highest reported wind gust…94 mph…occurred near Rollinsville. A northwest wind gust to 36 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading December 9 to December 15: This week in Denver weather history →

December 2 to December 8: This week in Denver weather history

December 4, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

This week has historically been an extremely eventful one in Denver with many notable weather events, most of which are snow or wind related. The most significant event occurred 99 years ago when the city received its biggest snowstorm on record – an astonishing 45.7 inches. Details on that event and many others are below.

From the National Weather Service:

30-2

In 1975…very strong Chinook winds up to 100 mph caused damage to homes…aircraft…aircraft hangars…mobile homes… Cars…and power lines along the eastern foothills. Strong northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport on both the 30th and the 1st.

1-2

In 1933…apparent post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.0 inches across downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 17 mph with an extreme velocity to 18 mph on the 1st.

In 1981 strong winds gusted to over 70 mph along the foothills. A peak gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu. A gust to 94 mph was recorded just west of Boulder. Roofs on houses were damaged in the Evergreen area…and some mobile homes also were damaged. At Stapleton International Airport…northwest winds gusted 44 mph on the 1st and 37 mph on the 2nd.

1-5

In 1913…the 1st marked the start of the heaviest 5-day total snowfall in the city’s history. During this period snowfall totaled 45.7 inches. Starting on the 1st…snow fell intermittently for 3 days and accumulated a little over 8 inches. On the 4th and 5th…an additional 37.4 inches of snow fell. At Georgetown in the foothills west of Denver even more snow fell…86 inches over the 5 days with the most…63 inches…on the 4th. In Colorado…snowfall was heavy along the eastern slopes of the mountains from the palmer divide north. High winds during the storm caused heavy drifting…which blocked all transportation. Snow cover of an inch or more from the storm persisted for 60 consecutive days from the 1st through January 29…1914. Additional snowfall in December and January prolonged the number of days. This is the third longest period of snow cover on record in the city.

In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 46 mph. Snowfall was only 1.4 inches in the city.

In 1895…0.01 inch of melted snow from 0.7 inch of snowfall was the only measurable precipitation of the month in downtown Denver…ranking the month the 3rd driest December on record.

In 1899…post-frontal northeast winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 59 mph caused the temperature to plunge from a high of 55 degrees to a low of 15 degrees. Snowfall was only 1.0 inch.

In 1902…apparent post-frontal northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph. A trace of snow fell.

In 1905…only a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the only snow and precipitation for the month… Ranking the month the second driest and the second least snowiest December on record.

In 1921…snowfall was 5.5 inches in downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph with an extreme velocity of 25 mph.

In 1951…a vigorous pacific cold front produced a northwest wind gust to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport where brief blowing dust was observed.

In 1957…a strong pacific cold front produced northwest wind gusts to 54 mph at Stapleton Airport where the surface visibility was briefly reduced to 1 1/2 miles in blowing dust.

In 1977…high winds in Boulder lifted a warehouse from its foundation and ripped it apart. Wind gusts from 60 to 103 mph toppled and injured a man while walking. Winds were clocked to 104 mph at Nederland…100 mph at Morrison…and 62 mph at Rocky Flats. Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…for the second day in a row high winds ripped the Front Range foothills. Winds gusted to 81 mph in Golden Gate Canyon. West-northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2013…high winds developed ahead of an approaching storm system. The strong winds downed several trees around Evergreen. Peak wind gusts included: 79 mph…4 miles west-southwest of Eldorado Springs; 78 mph…3 miles south of Evergreen; 75 mph and the NCAR Mesa Lab; and 69 mph in Longmont.

Continue reading December 2 to December 8: This week in Denver weather history →

Thornton Weather

November 2018 weather recap: Chilly temps, not much moisture

December 4, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Thornton’s month of November saw us get a real taste of what is to come for the next few months. Temperatures cooled considerably and we saw a decent bit of snow although not as much as normal.

The first five days of the month started out relatively mild but then we saw a series of systems interrupt the calm. Temperatures turned colder and on the 11th and 12th we received a nice little snowfall. We briefly warmed up then saw some light rain on the 18th and 19th and then once again warmed back up. The month closed out with a chilly day and some light snow.

November 2018 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Thornton saw an overall average temperature for the month of 36.8 degrees. This was a good bit colder than Denver’s long term average for the month of 38.3 degrees. Out at DIA where Denver’s official measurements are taken, it was a good bit warmer with an average of 37.8 degrees.

Temperatures for us ranged from a high of 64.7 degrees on the 2nd of the month down to a cold low of 15.7 degrees on the morning of the 26th. Denver’s high of 65 degrees on the 2nd matched ours but their coldest reading of 10 on the 12th was notably colder than our lowest reading.

November’s long term precipitation average in Denver is 0.61 inches. Thornton managed about half that in our bucket with 0.31 inches with Denver close to us at 0.35 inches.

Snowfall was respectable but not notable. Thornton recorded 6.3 inches of the white stuff while Denver, as usual, lagged with 4.5 inches. Both measurements were below Denver’s long term November average of 8.7 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s November 2018 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado's November 2018 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com) — Thornton, Colorado’s November 2018 temperature summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
929 AM MST MON DEC 3 2018

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2018...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2018

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              81   11/27/2017
 LOW              -18   11/29/1877
HIGHEST            65   11/02        73      -8       81  11/27
LOWEST             10   11/12        -6      16       22  11/15
                                                          11/12
AVG. MAXIMUM     50.6              52.1    -1.5     61.1
AVG. MINIMUM     25.0              24.5     0.5     29.4
MEAN             37.8              38.3    -0.5     45.3
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      2               2.3    -0.3        0
DAYS MIN <= 32     27              23.4     3.6       22
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.6    -0.6        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         3.21   1946
 MINIMUM            T   1899
                        1901
                        1949
TOTALS           0.35              0.61   -0.26     0.29
DAILY AVG.       0.01              0.02   -0.01     0.01
DAYS >= .01         6               4.7     1.3        3
DAYS >= .10         1               1.6    -0.6        1
DAYS >= .50         0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.17   11/11 TO 11/11           11/17 TO 11/17

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL             4.5               8.7
RECORD NOVEMBER  42.5  1946

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     808               801       7      586
 SINCE 7/1       1373              1382      -9     1171
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1       1026               769     257      881

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
.................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.8
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/225
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    48/330    DATE  11/24
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    62/320    DATE  11/24

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            8
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             16
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          6

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     56

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORMS             0      MIXED PRECIP       0
HEAVY RAIN                0      RAIN               0
LIGHT RAIN                2      FREEZING RAIN      0
LIGHT FREEZING RAIN       1      HAIL               0
HEAVY SNOW                0      SNOW               3
LIGHT SNOW                9      SLEET              0
FOG                       8      DENSE FOG          2
HAZE                      2

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

Thornton Weather

Thornton’s December weather preview: Will the chilly weather continue?

December 3, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

November brought Thornton cooler than normal temperatures and a bit more snow than usual. What will December hold for us?

The month of December brings with it the official start of winter and oftentimes, colder and snowier weather conditions.

It however can also offer unseasonably warm temperatures and bone dry conditions. Given our recent mild and dry weather, we are certainly hoping for a change in the coming month.

Overall December’s monthly mean temperature of 30.0 degrees (1981 – 2010 averages) makes it our coldest month. Snow is always on everyone’s mind this time of year but December is only our 3rd snowiest month behind March and November with an average of 8.5 inches of the white stuff.

Get all the details on Thornton’s December weather including a look back at historical events and a look at the long range forecast in our December weather preview here.

Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Thornton Weather

November 2018 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

November 28, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Cool clouds over Thornton on an unsettled day. (LE Worley)

Typically November is a quiet weather month with plenty of nice, fall days but it can also turn wet with healthy doses of snow and moisture. The wide variety of conditions can create picturesque scenes ranging from blue skies and snow-capped mountains to a wintry wonderland in the metro area.

November is the second snowiest month of the year so winter conditions are not unusual. Typically though, these bouts of cold are short-lived and normal daytime conditions are pleasant.

Outdoor activities continue to be quite popular during the month. The cooling temperatures do oftentimes lead to an increase in wildlife activity.

All of the above help lead to a month in which a wide variety of scenes, flora and fauna can be captured.

Slideshow updated November 28, 2018
To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

[flickr_set id=”72157699958645692″]

What is missing in the slideshow above? Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured. The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids. Whimsical, newsy, artsy. Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard. You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State. We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow? We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes. However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets. Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

Email: info@ThorntonWeather.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThorntonWeather
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Thorntonweather
Twitter: @ThorntonWeather (https://twitter.com/thorntonweather)

Weather History

November 25 to December 1: This week in Denver weather history

November 28, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

From powerful, damaging wind to snowstorms that snarled Thanksgiving holiday traffic, this week in Denver weather history has been an eventful one.

From the National Weather Service:

21-25

In 1952…snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph on the 21st.

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.

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.

In 2010…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County. A gust to 75 mph occurred 5 miles northwest of Boulder with a gust to 72 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab above Boulder. West winds gusted to 24 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.

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.

Continue reading November 25 to December 1: This week in Denver weather history →

National Weather, Natural Disasters, Thornton Weather

Weather Geek Stuff offers everything for the weather enthusiast on your holiday shopping list

November 22, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Weather Geek Stuff is a great place to shop for gifts for weather enthusiasts, weather geeks and weather lovers.

Not everyone gets excited about blizzards, tornadoes, hurricanes and other types of extreme weather but many folks out there are passionate about Mother Nature. Weather Geek Stuff is an online shop just for those whose hearts race with the thrill of severe weather and they are offering special deals through the holiday season.

Weather Geek Stuff is an online store that provides a host of clothing items and novelties just for weather buffs. From the store’s custom ‘Weather Geek’ and ‘Weather Diva’ logoed merchandise to items imprinted with amusing weather warnings signs as well as Skywarn storm spotter logos, there is something there sure to please any weather lover.

Weather Geek Stuff’s merchandise was shown on the Weather Channel as a recommended gift so you know the quality is good. Stu Ostro, Weather Channel’s Senior Director of Weather Communications even sports a ‘Weather Geek’ t-shirt on his Twitter profile.

Kids and dogs aren’t left out of the weather fun either. There is a wide variety of clothing items sized just right for the little ones from babies to bigger kids. Canine companions as well can get shirts and bowls emblazoned with a weather-related logo.

The selection goes far beyond clothing too. Water bottles, clocks, mugs, bags and other novelties are part of the store’s offerings. For the tech types, cases for iPhones and iPads are available. Recently added products include laptop skins, clipboards and throw blankets.

Be sure to head over to WeatherGeekStuff.com and get that holiday gift today for your favorite weather geek.

Support ThorntonWeather .com

Weather Geek Stuff is owned and operated by the same folks that run ThorntonWeather.com. We provide ThorntonWeather.com as a no-cost service to the community and use the minimal amount of money made from Weather Geek Stuff to support the costs of running this website and the associated equipment. So remember, if you have a weather buff on your shopping list, by buying from Weather Geek Stuff you are supporting ThorntonWeather.com! You can also donate directly to fund the site here.

Weather History

November 18 to November 24: This week in Denver weather history

November 21, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Powerful winds and heavy snow make up the majority of significant weather events in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

14-18

In 1964…the first measurable snowfall of the season totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 14th. Most of the snow…4.2 inches…fell on the 14th. This was the only measurable snow of the month.

16-18

In 1921…heavy snowfall totaled 6.5 inches over downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. East winds were sustained to 14 mph on the 17th.

17-18

In 1869…the heaviest wind storm in 5 or 6 years raked the eastern foothills including Boulder…Denver…Georgetown… And Golden. Some hundreds of dollars in damage occurred in Boulder.

In 1872…fresh west winds contributed to the relative humidity dipping to zero at 2:43 pm. The maximum temperature was 54 degrees.

In 1907…heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches over downtown Denver. Snow fell all day. North winds were sustained to 19 mph.

In 1915…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph. It was windy most of the day.

In 1996…high winds struck the foothills west of Denver. Wind gusts ranged from 70 to 75 mph. A few power lines were downed…but no major outages were reported.

In 1998…strong downslope winds developed during the morning. Wind gusts reached a peak of 72 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. West winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 1999…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills. The strong winds downed power lines…which sparked several small brush fires. In Broomfield… Scaffolding was damaged at the Wadsworth Recreation Center…while flying rocks broke several windows at a local bank building. Peak wind gusts included: 91 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu…88 mph atop the Gamow Tower on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder… 83 mph at Jefferson County Airport…81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab above Boulder…and 80 mph at Wondervu. West-northwest winds gusted to 48 mph at Denver International Airport.

18-19

In 1975…snowfall totaled only 5.5 inches and north winds gusted to 35 mph causing some blowing snow at Stapleton International Airport…while a major blizzard struck southeastern Colorado.

In 1985…4 to 7 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph.

In 1991…another strong winter storm produced heavy snow over metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 9.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport with 9 inches at Parker… And 8 inches in southeast Denver…Morrison…and Wheat Ridge. This second storm brought the 5 day (15th-19th) snowfall total at Stapleton International Airport to 21.1 inches. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was 13 inches on the morning of the 19th. The adverse effects of the two storms were diminished by the lack of significant winds.

18-20

In 1930…a major storm dumped a total of 13.6 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver. Most of the snow…9.4 inches…fell on the 19th when north winds were sustained to 23 mph. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Temperatures hovered in the 20’s and lower 30’s.

In 1956…an intense winter storm dumped 12.8 inches of snowfall on metro Denver. Strong north-northeast winds gusting to 33 mph at Stapleton Airport frequently reduced the visibility to 1/2 mile in snow and blowing snow on the 19th. Most of the snowfall…10.7 inches…occurred on the 19th.

Continue reading November 18 to November 24: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

November 11 to November 17: This week in Denver weather history

November 15, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Two conditions seem to dominate Denver weather this time of year – snow and wind. Both of those make numerous appearances in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

10-11

In 1911…a strong cold front produced snow and a cold wave. The temperature dropped 68 degrees from a high of 66 degrees at 12:40 pm on the 10th to a low of 2 degrees below zero at 7:15 am on the 11th. The low temperature of 23 degrees at midnight on the 10th was also the high temperature on the 11th. Northeast winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 51 mph. Snowfall was only 2.5 inches.

In 1982…up to 4 inches of snow fell over the higher terrain between Denver and Colorado springs. Winds gusted to 50 mph along the foothills. Rainfall totaled 0.27 inch with only 0.1 inch of snow on the 11th at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph. Dense fog with visibilities as low as zero persisted all day on the 10th.

10-14

In 2014…an Arctic cold front on the 10th…associated with a strong storm system over the northern Rockies blasted into northeast Colorado. The temperature in Denver plummeted from the high of 64 degrees at 4:37 pm to 34 degrees by 5:53 pm. The temperatures continued to fall and dropped into the teens by early evening. The Arctic airmass remained entrenched over the region through the morning of the 14th…with the high temperatures failing to reach the teens from the 11th through the 13th. This was the first time since records have been taken in Denver…dating back to 1872…that there were three consecutive days with the maximum temperatures remained below 20 degrees in the month of November. In addition to the frigid temperatures…0.1 inch of snowfall was observed on 11th at Denver International Airport…which marked the first measureable snowfall for the season. An additional 2.2 inches of snowfall was measured on the 12th. Several temperature records were broken. A record low max of 16 degrees on the 11th broke the previous record of 19 set back in 1916. A record low max of 6 degrees on the 12th broke the previous record of 9 degrees…also set in 1916. The record low of -13 on the 12th…shattered the previous record of -4 degrees set back in 1872. Even more impressive…the record low of -14 degrees on the 13th broke the previous record of -3 degrees set back in 1916. The sudden drop in temperatures on the 10th…followed by several days of sub-freezing temperatures chilled trees to the core. The record drop in temperatures…preceded by mild fall temperatures…damaged or killed scores of trees across the Urban Corridor and Northeast Plains. At the time…the trees were not finished with the hardening process that enables them to withstand winter weather. Many were instantly flash-frozen…and some would not show signs of damage until spring of 2015. Of the 2.2 million trees in the city of Denver alone…tens of thousands were killed from the November frost. Denver estimated a citywide loss of more than 10 million dollars.

In 1901…a trace of rain fell in the morning…and a trace of snow fell in the afternoon. This was the only snowfall and precipitation for the month…ranking it the driest November on record…along with November of 1899 and 1949. The month also ranks as the second least snowiest November…along with Novembers in other years.

In 1903…northwest winds sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 56 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 56 degrees.

In 1912…rain changed to snow…which became heavy…and totaled 6.5 inches over downtown Denver. Precipitation was 1.02 inches…the greatest calendar day precipitation ever recorded in November. Northeast winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 29 mph.

In 1919…light snow fell from an apparent clear sky during the early afternoon. The first snow was observed at about 12:40 pm and continued at least 30 minutes before clouds could be seen forming…followed by the sky becoming totally cloudy. During this time the temperature fell from 50 degrees at noon to only 18 degrees at 100 pm and plunged to 6 degrees at 5:45 pm. A low temperature of 2 degrees was recorded overnight. Northeast winds were sustained to 33 mph with gusts to 36 mph between noon and 1:00 pm behind an apparent arctic cold front. Snowfall was only 0.1 inch.

In 1949…north winds gusted to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport. A trace of rain fell. Another trace of rain on the 15th was the only precipitation of the month…making the month one of the driest Novembers on record and the least snowiest with no snow. This was the first November since 1882 without snow.

In 1959…strong northwest winds struck Boulder and the foothills causing some damage. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1995…strong downslope winds gusting to 84 mph blew out a few car windows in Boulder County. Winds gusted to 69 mph at Golden…Lakewood…and Table Mesa in Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2000…heavy snow occurred in the foothills southwest of Denver and over Monument Ridge south of Denver. Snowfall totals included: 6.5 inches near Parker… 6 inches near Bergen Park…5 inches at Genesee and near Sedalia…and 4 inches at Coal Creek Canyon and St. Mary’s glacier. Snowfall totaled 1.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 2003…strong downslope winds developed along the Front Range. Peak wind reports included 91 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu and 75 mph in Boulder. Damaging winds downed power lines in Boulder County. North of Golden…a semi-truck was blown over by the winds near the intersection of State Highways 72 and 93 atop Rocky Flats. At the same location…blowing rocks shattered several car windows at an RTD Park and Ride. West winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport.

11-12

In 1922…a major storm dumped 14.1 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver. The most snow on the ground was 10.5 inches at 6:00 pm on the 12th. North winds were sustained to 21 mph on the 11th. Temperatures were generally in the teens and 20’s.

In 1964…strong winds in Boulder caused power outages and minor damage. Winds gusted to 42 mph in downtown Boulder. At Stapleton International Airport west winds gusted to 36 mph on the 11th and 35 mph on the 12th.

In 1976…snow and freezing drizzle caused icing on bridges… Overpasses and some main roads. The elevated portion of I-70 was closed for a time during the afternoon of the 11th. Snowfall totaled only 0.8 inch at Stapleton International Airport…where northeast winds gusted to 20 mph on the 11th.

In 1989…the temperature climbed to a maximum of 76 degrees on both days…setting new record highs for each day.

In 1995…hurricane force downslope winds whipped across the Front Range foothills overnight. The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder registered a peak wind gust to 124 mph with several more wind gusts over 100 mph. Utility poles and power lines were downed…leaving several hundred homes in Boulder without power. Windows were blown out of cars in Boulder. Other reports of strong wind gusts included: 108 mph atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver…104 mph at Table Mesa in Boulder…99 mph at Golden Gate Canyon… 85 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology site… 69 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield…and 62 mph in Lakewood. West-northwest wind gusts to 40 mph were recorded at Denver International Airport on the 12th.

Continue reading November 11 to November 17: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

November 4 to November 10: This week in Denver weather history

November 6, 2018 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history is shorter than what we often see which shows the normally quiet weather we see in November. However there are still significant weather events in the past, most of which involved heavy snow and powerful winds.

From the National Weather Service:

2-5

In 1946…a major snow storm dumped 30.4 inches of heavy snowfall downtown and 31.0 inches at Stapleton Airport. The winter storm closed schools and disrupted all forms of transportation in the city. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was 28 inches at the airport. The duration of the snowfall…from 4:22 am on the 2nd to 3:08 am on the 5th… A total of 70 hours and 46 minutes…is the second longest period of continuous precipitation on record and the second heaviest snowfall of record at the time in Denver. The 17.7 inches of snowfall on the 2nd and 3rd was the greatest 24- hour snowfall ever recorded during the month of November. Buses and street cars had a difficult time…and many cars were abandoned along roadsides and streets for several days. Secondary roads in rural areas were blocked for 2 to 3 weeks. Several buildings in the city collapsed or were damaged from the weight of the heavy snow. Football games were canceled. Livestock losses were high over eastern Colorado. The precipitation from this storm alone exceeded the greatest amount ever recorded in Denver during the entire month of November previously. The precipitation recorded downtown was 2.03 inches…and the previous record for the entire month of November was 1.95 inches in 1922. North winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 2nd.

3-4

In 1994…a fast moving snow storm dumped 8 to 9 inches of snow on Boulder…Broomfield…and Lafayette. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where on the 3rd east winds gusted to 20 mph and some freezing drizzle fell.

In 1940…a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver. This marked the start of the shortest snow season on record… 167 days…through April 19…1941…when 0.4 inch of snow fell.

In 1959…high winds caused damage in many areas of the eastern plains.

In Denver…winds averaged 40 mph with gusts to 70 mph. Some damage was reported to utility lines…signs…and vehicles. Northeast winds were sustained to 30 mph at Stapleton Airport.

4-5

In 1933…the first measurable snow of the season totaled only 2.5 inches. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph on the 4th.

In 1951…heavy snowfall of 5.7 inches was measured at Stapleton Airport where northwest winds gusted to 32 mph.

In 1896…west Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 56 degrees in the city.

In 1919…a rare November thunderstorm produced a mixture of rain and snow during the evening. Precipitation totaled only 0.14 inch with only a trace of snow. Northeast winds were sustained to 39 mph with gusts to 44 mph.

In 1948…a west-northwest wind gust to 50 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport.

In 1994…winds gusted to 76 mph on the summit of Squaw Mountain…5 miles south of Idaho Springs.

In 2000…snow fell in the foothills west of Denver and across the southern suburbs. Snow totals included 6 inches near Evergreen…11 miles southwest of Morrison… And 7 miles south of tiny town and 5 inches in Aurora and Parker. Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport where the visibility was reduced to 1/4 mile in heavy snow at times.

5-6 Continue reading November 4 to November 10: This week in Denver weather history →

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