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All posts by Thornton Weather
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November 13 to November 19: This week in Denver weather history
Wind and snow are two hallmarks of Denver’s November weather and we see an abundance of those events in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Damaging wind makes numerous appearances as does wintry weather.
From the National Weather Service:
10-13
In 2014…an Arctic cold front associated with a strong storm system over the northern Rockies blasted into northeastern 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…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.
11-14
In 1970…heavy snowfall totaled 7.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 22 mph on the 12th and 14th. Most of the snow… 4.2 inches…fell on the 12th.
12-13
In 1961…heavy snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at Stapleton Airport. East-northeast winds gusted to only 20 mph.
In 2011…hurricane force winds…up to 115 mph… downed trees in and power lines across the Front Range Mountains and Foothills. Scattered outages were reported in Gilpin County. In Boulder…a woman received minor injuries when she was struck in the head by a falling tree limb. Three women near Georgetown received minor injuries when they were pelted by glass shards after a barrage of wind driven rocks and dirt shattered their windshield. Peak wind gusts included: 109 mph…6 miles north-northwest of Berthoud Pass; 101 mph atop Kenosha Pass…100 mph… 2 miles south-southwest of Loveland Pass; 99 mph…7 miles west-northwest of Berthoud; 92 mph at Blackhawk; 90 mph…3 miles south-southwest of Boulder; 87 mph…2 miles west-northwest of Aspen Springs and at Pickle Gulch; 84 mph at Loveland Pass and Lyons; 82 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 80 mph at Dumont and 78 mph near Rollinsville and Ward. At Denver International Airport…west winds gusted to 52 mph on the 12th.
12-15
In 1909…light snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days. This was the first measurable snowfall of the season. Northeast winds were sustained to 15 mph on the 12th.
13
In 1951…northwest wind gusts to 50 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport.
In 1983…winds gusted to around 60 mph in and near the foothills. There were scattered power outages and a few broken windows across metro Denver. The strong winds did 10 thousand dollars in damage to awnings at the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
13-14
In 1925…heavy post-frontal snowfall totaled 6.4 inches overnight in downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 29 mph on the 13th.
In 1974…northwest winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport…warming the temperature to 60 degrees shortly after midnight on the 13th. A cold front cooled temperatures into the 20’s by late morning and produced snowfall of 3.7 inches. The low temperature dipped to 14 degrees on the 14th.
In 1993…an upper level low pressure system combined with a weak but moist upslope flow to produce heavy snow across metro Denver. Snowfall amounts averaged 6 to 8 inches with up to 16 inches in the foothills at the Eldora Ski Area. Snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to only 20 mph on the 14th. Most of the snow fell on the 14th.
In 1994…heavy snow developed rapidly along the Front Range urban corridor with the heaviest snow over northwest metro Denver. Sixteen to 18 inches of snow fell in Boulder… Lafayette…and Louisville. This was the second heavy snowfall over northwest metro Denver in 10 days. Eleven to 14 inches of snow were measured from Longmont southward into Aurora. Snowfall totaled 12.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 29 mph on the 13th. Most of the snow…9.0 inches…fell on the 14th.
In 1997…heavy snow fell overnight in portions of Jefferson and Boulder counties. About 5.5 inches of snow were reported in Boulder…while 4 inches were measured 12 miles southwest of Morrison and 6 miles southwest of Golden. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport.
14
In 1874…west winds blew at gale speeds from midnight until mid afternoon when the winds abated. The maximum sustained velocity was 48 mph.
In 1928…strong winds caused 3 hundred to 5 hundred dollars damage in Boulder. Wind gusts to 70 mph were recorded at Valmont just east of Boulder.
In 2006…an upper level jet stream combined with a high surface pressure gradient behind a cold front to produce strong winds across metro Denver. A wind gust to 66 mph was recorded in Longmont. North winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 52 mph at Denver International Airport where winds were strong and gusty most of the day.
14-15
In 1917…overnight rainfall was 0.03 inch. This was the only measurable precipitation of the month…making it the 5th driest November on record.
In 1985…3 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 13 mph.
In 2005…a winter storm that brought heavy snow to the mountains also spread heavy snow into the foothills to the west of Denver. Snowfall totals included: 14 inches at Aspen Springs…13 inches near Pinecliffe…and 12 inches near Nederland. Interstate 70 along with U.S. Highway 40 had to be closed near Idaho Springs due to snow…poor visibility in blowing snow…numerous accidents…and an increased avalanche danger. High winds were recorded in the foothills on the 14th. Winds gusted to 89 mph at Georgetown and to 91 mph on Sugarloaf Mountain west of Boulder. Strong microburst winds associated with a dissipating rain shower gusted to 61 mph at Denver International Airport on the 14th.
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.
Continue reading November 13 to November 19: This week in Denver weather history
Weather and Election Day: Will Mother Nature play a role in the outcome?
We oftentimes hear about how weather can affect voter turnout but is there truly a link? If there is, who does it benefit – Republicans or Democrats? Studies seem to indicate that what might be thought of as an urban myth is indeed true and could in fact play a role in 2016.
In 2005, political science researchers Brad Gomez, Thomas Hansford and George Krause completed the first comprehensive study on the correlation between weather and voter turnout. Their paper, “The Republicans Should Pray for Rain: Weather, Turnout, and Voting in U.S. Presidential Elections” confirmed the conventional wisdom that weather does affect voter turnout, bad weather benefits Republicans and most interestingly, two presidential elections in the last 60 years may have had different results had the weather been different.
Looking back at presidential elections from 1948 to 2008, the study takes into account the weather in 3,000 U.S. counties. They in turn looked at key areas of the nation and how weather, good and bad, affected voter turnout. In the end, the study determined that precipitation is the key weather condition to affect voter turnout.
Continue reading Weather and Election Day: Will Mother Nature play a role in the outcome?
November 6 to November 12: This Week in Denver Weather History
Our look back at this week in Denver weather history is dominated with two types of events: snow and wind. November is our second snowiest month and we see many significant snowfall events in the past. Wind is a fact of life on the plains and in Denver and damaging events have occurred with relatively frequency as we can see below.
From the National Weather Service:
5-6
In 1938…heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 16 mph with gusts to 19 mph on the 5th.
5-7
In 1918…rain was mixed with and changed to snow…which became heavy and totaled 8.1 inches in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 21 mph with gusts to 23 mph.
6
In 1962…west winds gusted to 55 mph…briefly reducing the visibility to 1 1/2 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport. The strong winds blew all day.
In 1989…high winds to 62 mph were recorded in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…strong westerly Chinook winds blew into metro Denver with gusts to 88 mph recorded at Rollinsville and to 51 mph in Boulder. Later…northeast winds with gusts of 30 to 40 mph were common across all of metro Denver behind a cold front…which produced only 0.2 inch of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport.
7
In 1958…a strong cold front produced northeast wind gusts to 52 mph at Stapleton Airport where some blowing dust was observed.
In 1980…Chinook winds at sustained speeds of 40 mph were recorded with a peak gust to 71 mph measured at Wondervu southwest of Boulder. West winds gusted to 25 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…strong winds buffeted many foothills areas. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were recorded in Boulder and Longmont. Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…wind gusts to 75 mph were recorded at Golden Gate Canyon and at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility northwest of Denver. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 1998…upslope conditions…coupled with a moist and unstable air mass…allowed heavy snow to develop in the foothills west of Denver. Snowfall generally ranged from 4 to 6 inches…but 7 inches were measured 4 miles south of Evergreen. Only 1.2 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. This was the first measurable snow of the season.
7-8
In 1969…wind gusts to 48 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage.
8
In 1896…southwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 53 degrees.
In 1977 near-blizzard conditions in blowing snow caused the closure of I-70 to the west of Denver in clear creek canyon and east of Denver to Limon. Northeast wind gusts to 46 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.1 inches.
In 1984…a rare November thunderstorm produced west winds gusting to 31 mph…but only 0.04 inch of rain at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…high winds gusting from 80 to 100 mph were recorded at Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder. West northwest winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2006…the temperature in Denver climbed to a high of 80 degrees. This was the first time the temperature had ever exceeded the 70’s in November since records began in 1872. This new all-time record maximum temperature for the month of November was also a new daily record and the highest temperature ever recorded so late in the season.
8-9
In 1897…west winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph in the city.
In 1919…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.4 inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.6 inches…fell on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 8th.
In 1950…a major winter storm dumped 10.4 inches of snow at Stapleton Airport with the most snow…7.8 inches…falling on the 8th. East winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th. Snowfall totaled 8.2 inches in downtown Denver.
In 1958…strong winds caused some damage in Boulder. West- northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th.
In 1975…heavy snowfall hit metro Denver. Snowfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 8.0 inches and east winds gusted to 21 mph. Power outages caused by the storm affected over 10 thousand people in metro Denver.
In the foothills west of Denver…10 to 15 inches of snow fell. The storm produced the greatest 24-hour precipitation…1.29 inches…ever recorded during the month of November in the city.
In 1983…metro Denver received 4 to 8 inches of snow with the heaviest amounts near the foothills. It was the first measurable snow of the season in Denver. Only 1.8 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 20 mph.
In 1989…strong winds hit the Front Range. On the 9th…the wooden frame of a house under construction in Boulder was blown down. The previous evening a power outage blackened Nederland. Wind gusts to 95 mph were recorded 4 miles south of Rollinsville with 97 mph on Fritz Peak near that town. At Stapleton International Airport…northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 8th and to 38 mph on the 9th.
In 1998…another upslope snow event developed in the Front Range foothills. The heaviest snowfall occurred in west central Jefferson County where 14 inches were measured 8 miles west of Conifer. Other snowfall totals included: 10 inches at Evergreen and 9 miles northwest of Bergen Park; 9 inches at Genesee…Nederland…and near the Chief Hosa exit on I-70; and 8 inches in Coal Creek Canyon. On the 9th…snowfall was 2.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.
8-10
In 1985…Indian summer came to an abrupt end when a winter storm dumped 10 to 18 inches of snow in the Front Range foothills and 6 to 10 inches across metro Denver…snarling traffic and causing flight delays of up to 3 hours at Stapleton International Airport. The temperature plunged from a high of 66 degrees on the 8th to a low of only 13 degrees on the 9th…after the passage of a vigorous cold front with northeast winds gusting to 32 mph. The temperature climbed to only 19 degrees on the 10th…setting a record low maximum for the date. Snowfall totaled 7.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport with most of the snow…7.1 inches…falling on the 9th.
Continue reading November 6 to November 12: This Week in Denver Weather History
Thornton’s November 2016 preview: Will we break out of the warm, dry pattern?
The weather during the month of November in Denver metro area can offer just about anything. While it is normally a quiet month, it can be prone to extremes.
November is Denver’s second snowiest month and major snowstorms are not entirely uncommon. However conditions can also be quite dry.
Temperatures during the month continue to cool as we get closer to winter and by the end of the month the low temperatures routinely dip to 20 degrees or below. At times it can in fact bring conditions more like what we see in January.
Certainly given how warm and dry we were in October, we could use some relief. Will that happen?
Get all the details on November’s weather and what we can expect in our complete preview here.
October 2016 weather recap: An exceedingly warm and dry month
High pressure was the dominant weather feature for the month of October and that led to a pattern that blocked off moisture and kept temperatures well above normal. Record-setting highs were made while precipitation was a rare event.
The historical average monthly temperature for the month of October in Denver is 50.9 degrees. That number was easily eclipsed. Here in Thornton we saw an average temperature of 55.8 degrees. Out at DIA where Denver’s official numbers are kept, it was much warmer with an average of 57.8 degrees.
Both averages for October 2016 were far above normal. Officially the month was so warm it became the fourth warmest October on record in Denver. The number one spot was quite secure though with an average of 59.9 degrees back in 1950.
Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a high of 84.8 degrees on the 16th down to a low of 27.1 degrees on the morning of the 20th. Out at the airport, the warmest reading was 86 degrees and the lowest 25 degrees, both on the same days that Thornton saw its warmest and coldest readings.
Denver recorded four record daily high temperatures during the month. The first record high came on the 15th of the month to be followed by records on the 27th and 28th then a tie for the record high on the 31st.
In terms of precipitation, the same high pressure that kept things warm, kept things dry as well. Thornton recorded a mere 0.43 inches in its rain bucket, all during the first half of the month. The airport was a bit drier with 0.26 inches recorded.
On average Denver receives 1.02 inches of precipitation in October so both locations were far below normal. While it was certainly dry, it was not so much so that it was a record-setter as the month failed to make it into the top 20 driest Octobers.
No snow was recorded during the month so we are still awaiting that first event of the season. This however is not entirely unusual as historically, 27% of Denver’s October fail to see any of the white stuff.
Click here to view Thornton’s October 2016 climate report.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
244 AM MDT TUE NOV 1 2016
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2016...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2016
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 89 10/16/1991
10/10/1910
LOW -2 10/29/1917
HIGHEST 86 10/16 83 3 87 10/11
LOWEST 25 10/20 22 3 28 10/28
AVG. MAXIMUM 74.5 65.3 9.2 70.1
AVG. MINIMUM 41.2 36.6 4.6 42.8
MEAN 57.8 50.9 6.9 56.5
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 0.4 -0.4 0
DAYS MIN <= 32 3 8.5 -5.5 1
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0
PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 4.17 1969
MINIMUM T 1934
TOTALS 0.26 1.02 -0.76 1.76
DAILY AVG. 0.01 0.03 -0.02 0.06
DAYS >= .01 3 5.3 -2.3 6
DAYS >= .10 1 2.4 -1.4 3
DAYS >= .50 0 0.5 -0.5 2
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.1 -0.1 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.22 10/05 TO 10/06 10/20 TO 10/21
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL MM MM
TOTALS 0.0 4.0
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 231 440 -209 274
SINCE 7/1 310 581 -271 301
COOLING TOTAL 17 5 12 16
SINCE 1/1 878 769 109 877
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
..................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.0
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 4/197
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 33/260 DATE 10/04
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 42/270 DATE 10/03
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 10
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 17
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 4
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 40
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 1
LIGHT RAIN 3 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0
LIGHT SNOW 0 SLEET 0
FOG 4 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 3
HAZE 0
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Time to ‘fall back’ as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end
The biannual ritual of changing our clocks to adjust for Daylight Saving Time occurs tonight providing yet another signal of the changing of seasons. The United States will ‘fall back’ one hour at 2:00am Sunday morning as we return to Standard Time.
The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock. Others actually like the return to standard time as they get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep.
The time change definitely has big effects on the dawning of daylight and how early it gets dark in the evening.
Sunrise on Saturday occurs at 7:34am but on Sunday it will be at 6:35am. Similarly, sunset will occur at 5:53pm on Saturday but on Sunday the sun will disappear over the horizon at 4:52pm.
For many this means that when they get home from work it will now be dark and outdoor activities will be significantly curtailed as a result.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time and remain on Standard Time year round. The U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands also do not observe the event.
It won’t be all that long though before Daylight Saving Time returns. On March 12, 2017 we will ‘spring forward.’
Daylight Saving Time Schedule
The mandated beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time has changed in the United States over the years.
The most recent schedule was set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and took effect in 2007. We now ‘spring forward’ to begin Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday in March and ‘fall back’ with the return to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November.
| Year | DST Begins 2 a.m. (Second Sunday in March) |
DST Ends 2 a.m. (First Sunday in November) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 13 March 2016 | 6 November 2016 |
| 2017 | 12 March 2017 | 5 November 2017 |
| 2018 | 11 March 2018 | 4 November 2018 |
| 2019 | 10 March 2019 | 3 November 2019 |
| 2020 | 8 March 2020 | 1 November 2020 |
| 2021 | 14 March 2021 | 7 November 2021 |
| 2022 | 13 March 2022 | 6 November 2022 |
October 30 to November 5: This Week in Denver Weather History
The further we go into the cold season, the more we see significant winter-like events in our look back at Denver weather history. Many significant snowstorms have occurred this week in the past including one in 1946 that dumped more than 30 inches of snow on Denver.
From the National Weather Service:
28-30
In 1971…a vigorous cold front plunged temperatures from a high of 70 degrees on the 27th to record low levels on the 29th and 30th. Snowfall totaled 3.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph. Some freezing drizzle also fell on the 28th. Record daily low maximum temperatures of 32 degrees on the 28th and 25 degrees on the 29th were established along with a daily record minimum of 13 degrees on the 30th.
28-31
In 1929…rain changed to snow on the afternoon of the 28th and continued until midday on the 30th followed by intermittent light snow which continued through the 31st. Snowfall over the four days totaled 16.2 inches in the city. Most of the snow…8.5 inches…fell on the 29th with 6.1 inches on the 30th. Temperatures hovered in 20’s during most of the storm.
29-30
In 1905…heavy snowfall developed on the evening of the 29th and continued through the evening of the 30th. Snowfall totaled 11.0 inches in downtown Denver. Precipitation was 1.02 inches. Temperatures were generally in the 20’s.
In 1959…rain during most of the day on the 28th changed to snow early on the 29th and continued through most of the 30th. Heavy snowfall totaled 7.4 inches at Stapleton Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 30th. Some freezing drizzle also occurred on the 30th.
In 1981…4 to 8 inches of new snow were recorded in the foothills west of Denver. Snowfall totaled only 0.4 inch at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 25 mph.
29-31
In 1889…the first snowfall of the season totaled 14.0 inches over the three days in downtown Denver. Snowfall was 8.0 inches on the 29th and 5.0 inches on the 31st. North to northeast winds gusted to 30 mph on the 29th.
In 1950…a warm spell resulted in five daily temperature records. Record highs of 84…80…and 79 degrees occurred on the 29th…30th…and 31st…respectively. Low temperature of 49 degrees on the 30th was the record high minimum for the date.
In 1991…the second surge of cold arctic air in a matter of days plunged metro Denver into the deep freeze. While low temperatures remained above zero…high temperatures were only in the 20’s. Three temperature records were set: record lows of 7 degrees on the 30th and 10 degrees on the 31st and a record low maximum of only 21 degrees on the 30th. Snowfall was light with only 1.9 inches recorded at Stapleton International Airport where east winds gusted to 23 mph.
In 2002…snowfall totaled 4.3 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 32 mph on the 29th behind a cold front…which plunged temperatures well below seasonal normals. High temperatures of 18 degrees on the 30th and 19 degrees on the 31st were record low maximums for each date. Low temperatures dipped to 12 degrees on the 30th and 15 degrees on the 31st.
29-1
In 1972…heavy snowfall totaled 15.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport. However…the heaviest snow occurred on Halloween night when 7 inches fell on trick-or-treaters during a short 3-hour period. I-25 was closed south of Denver. North winds gusting to 29 mph caused some blowing snow on the 1st. The snow started late on the 29th and ended during the mid afternoon on the 1st. The greatest snow depth on the ground at Stapleton International Airport was 13 inches on the 1st.
30
In 1974…a rare thunderstorm for so late in October produced hail to 3/8 inch in diameter and 0.10 inch of rain at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…the high temperature warmed to only 21 degrees…the all-time record low maximum for the month of October. The same temperature also occurred on October 25…1997.
31
In 1997…high winds buffeted the foothills and adjacent areas of metro Denver. West winds gusted to 70 mph in Broomfield and to 40 mph at Denver International Airport. The strongest winds occurred in the mountains west of Denver and in the foothills north of Denver.
In 2001…high winds developed in the foothills. Peak wind gusts were measured to 74 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa in Boulder and to 72 mph near Rollinsville. West winds gusting as high as 53 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 71 degrees at Denver International Airport.
31-1
In 1951…6.4 inches of snowfall were measured at Stapleton Airport.
In 1989…a Halloween storm dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow on metro Denver with the adjacent foothills receiving 5 to 10 inches. Snowfall totaled 4.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport…where north winds gusted to 31 mph on the 31st. Most of the snow fell on the evening of the 31st…but the storm left icy streets throughout metro Denver on the morning of the 1st…making it a “spooky” commute for many motorists.
In 2004…heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Jefferson and Douglas counties. Storm total snowfall included: 14.5 inches in aspen park…10 inches at Boxborough state park and and near Sedalia…8 inches near bergen park…and 7 inches in Highlands Ranch. Snowfall totaled only 3.2 inches in the Denver Stapleton area. Post-frontal northeast winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.
1
In 1896…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees in the city.
In 1973…wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded in Boulder. West winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
In 1989…a 39-year-old Lakewood man in a motorized wheelchair was found dead of exposure early in the morning after an overnight snowfall dumped 3 to 6 inches of snow across metro Denver.
1-2
In 1892…snowfall totaled 5.0 inches in downtown Denver. This was the only snow of the month.
In 1956…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton Airport. The storm was accompanied by much blowing and drifting snow. North winds gusted to 47 mph.
In 1991…the storm system which hit the Front Range at the end of October finished the job during the start of November. Six inches of new snow were recorded at both Rollinsville and Morrison…while 2.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph. The temperature climbed to a high of only 19 degrees on the 2nd…setting a record low maximum for the date.
In 1995…a winter storm dropped 5 to 8 inches of snow in the Front Range foothills. The exception was at Golden Gate Canyon where a foot of new snow was measured. Icy roads…fog…and blowing snow along I-70 in the foothills west of Denver caused dozens of accidents. One man was killed when he lost control of his vehicle and was ejected when his truck hit a median and rolled over. At least 20 other accidents involved minor injuries. Only 1.0 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport where some freezing rain also fell.
2
In 1939…a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver. This snow…along with a trace of snow on the 9th…was the only snow of the month…ranking it…along with other months…the second least snowiest November on record.
In 1967…post-cold frontal heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 29 mph…briefly reducing the visibility to 1/8 mile.
In 1992…the first major snowfall of the season dumped 4.6 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 26 mph. Heavier amounts of snow fell in and near the foothills with 8 inches at conifer… Empire…and Bailey…6 inches at Rollinsville and Golden Gate Canyon…and 4 inches at Morrison and Wheat Ridge.
In 2011…a storm system brought another around of moderate to heavy snow to the region. Areas in and near the Front Range Foothills and Palmer Divide were hit the hardest. Gusty winds also produced blizzard conditions at times along the Palmer Divide. In addition…the snow and blowing snow forced several school closures in Douglas and Weld Counties. Snow drifts…from 1 to 3 feet deep were reported in the northern portion of Douglas and Elbert Counties. Storm totals included: 14 inches…4 miles south of Boulder and 12.5 miles northwest of Golden…13 inches… 5 miles east-southeast of Aspen Springs; 12 inches near Allenspark and Parker; 11 inches…6 miles southwest of Castle Rock…Genessee… 9 miles north-northeast of Elizabeth…10 inches… 10 miles south-southeast of Buckley AFB. At the National Weather Service in Boulder… 7.9 inches of snow was recorded…with 4.5 inches observed at Denver International Airport.
Continue reading October 30 to November 5: This Week in Denver Weather History
October 2016 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow
October in Thornton can bring a wide variety of weather conditions, perfect for the photographer in all of us.
The month brings the changing of the colors at Colorado’s lower elevations and it is also is typically when we see our first freeze and first snow.
Couple those facts with our usual widely varying landscapes and wildlife and we have a month that is sure to bring in plenty of photo opportunities.
- Slideshow updated October 31, 2016
- 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.
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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)