May 13 to May 19 - This Week in Denver Weather History
As we get further into spring the chances for severe weather increase greatly across northeastern Colorado and that is seen in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. We also note the dangers this weather presents as we see events where the weather injured and even killed Coloradoans.
From the National Weather Service:
12-13
In 1907…the temperature warmed to a high of 73 degrees on the 12th…before a cold front produced a thunderstorm… Northeast winds sustained to 40 mph…and rain changing to light snow overnight. Snowfall totaled only 2 inches…but the high temperature on the 13th was only 39 degrees.
In 1961…a storm that covered metro Denver with rain and snow started as thunderstorms on the evening of the 12th. Hail to 1 1/2 inches in diameter was reported 10 miles northwest of Stapleton Airport. Rain continued overnight and changed to snow on the 13th. Snowfall totaled 6.4 inches and precipitation (rain and melted snow) 1.96 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph. The rain and heavy wet snow caused icing damage to utility lines. Heavy snow occurred in the foothills.
In 1982…a major storm dumped 1.50 to 3.50 inches of rain across northeast Colorado and deposited prodigious amounts of snow in the foothills. Coal Creek Canyon southwest of Boulder was buried under 46 inches of snow with 39 inches at Nederland. The heavy wet snow downed many powerlines in the foothills. In Thornton…the roof of a school was damaged by water from the heavy rain. At Stapleton International Airport…1.49 inches of rain were measured over the two day period. The heavy rain ended a severe and prolonged drought.
In 2004…a winter storm produced heavy snow in excess of a foot in the foothills above 6 thousand feet while heavy rain fell across the city. The heaviest snow occurred in the high country of Boulder County. Storm total snowfall was 14.5 inches near Jamestown. Rainfall totaled 0.81 inch at Denver International Airport with 0.94 inch recorded at Denver Stapleton. A trace of snow was recorded at both locations. East winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport on the 12th.
13
In 1905…a thunderstorm produced hail during the late afternoon. Precipitation totaled 0.57 inch.
13-14
In 1912…heavy snowfall totaled 12.4 inches over the city. Most of the snow…9.9 inches…fell on the 13th…which was the greatest 24 hour snowfall in May at the time. This was the last snowfall of the season. The low temperature dipped to 27 degrees on the morning of the 14th.
In 1989…a spring storm brought heavy rain and snow to the foothills. Metro Denver was soaked with 1 to 2 inches of rain. Rainfall totaled 1.26 inches at Stapleton International Airport.
In the foothills…Echo Lake received 20 inches of snow. A 30-ton Boulder slid onto I-70 east of the Eisenhower Tunnel…closing the freeway for 2 hours.
14
In 1910…a thunderstorm produced strong winds during the afternoon. Northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.
In 1913…light moist snow and light hail fell during short intervals…although no thunder was heard. The trace of snowfall was the only snow of the month. Precipitation… Mostly rain…totaled 0.44 inch.
In 1984…a pilot reported a tornado 16 miles east of Stapleton International Airport. No damage was reported. A thunderstorm produced a 58 mph wind gust in Brighton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…lightning struck a home in Evergreen…setting it afire.
In 1992…strong thunderstorm winds of unknown velocity… Knocked over and damaged the infield tote board at Arapahoe Park Racetrack just southeast of Aurora. Damage was estimated at 200 thousand dollars. No injuries were reported. Lightning started two house fires…causing 35 hundred dollars in damage in Adams County just 9 miles north-northwest of Denver.
In 1994…a sudden wind gust…estimated at 40 mph…blew a portion of the roof off a shopping center in Lafayette. The roof also damaged two parked cars in an adjacent lot.
In 2001…a construction worker in Castle Rock received minor injuries when lightning struck close-by.
In 2002…a microburst wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport.
In 2007…severe thunderstorms producing large hail…very heavy rain…and tornadoes impacted the urban corridor and adjacent plains. Heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm caused flooding along a small tributary draining into the South Platte River. The incident took place at 13th and Decatur St….near Invesco Field. The floodwaters inundated the bike trail adjacent to the creek. A woman with her child sought refuge under a bridge and became trapped by the high water. The woman slipped and the stroller containing the child was swept into the swift current. The child drowned. Rainfall totaled 0.42 inches at Denver International Airport. Elsewhere…golf ball hail was reported near Hudson. Hail…up to one inch in diameter…was observed in Boulder and Lyons. Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated to 70 mph were reported near Buckley Air Force Base…with a peak wind gust to 37 mph observed at Denver International Airport. A small tornado touched down near Ft. Lupton but did no damage.
14-15
In 1977…high winds up to 100 mph felled hundreds of trees in Gilpin County and caused extensive damage to telephone and power lines. Lumber and steel tanks were blown around in Boulder canyon. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 15th.
May 6 to May 12 - This Week in Denver Weather History
The first full week of May can be a very eventful one with a wide variety of conditions. As our look back at the week in Denver weather history shows, we can see everything from typical spring severe weather including tornadoes to winter-like weather with significant snowfall.
From the National Weather Service:
4-8
In 1969…heavy rains caused flooding on Boulder creek in Boulder…which resulted in one death on the 7th. Flooding also occurred on bear creek in Sheridan and on the South Platte River in Denver. Rain over most of the eastern foothills started late on the 4th and continued with only brief interruptions in many areas until the morning of the 8th. Very high rates of rainfall occurred on the 6th and 7th with the greatest intensities in a band along the foothills from about 25 miles southwest of Denver northward to Estes Park. Storm totals by both official and unofficial measurements exceeded 10 inches over much of this area and were over 12 inches in some localities. Heavy snow fell in the higher mountains and in the foothills later in the period. The saturation of the soil resulted in numerous rock and land slides…and the heavy run-off caused severe damage along many streams and flooding on the South Platte River. Many foothill communities were isolated as highways were blocked and communications disrupted. Roads were severely damaged over a wide area…and a large number of bridges washed out. Many roads were closed due to the danger from falling rocks. A building in Georgetown collapsed from the weight of heavy wet snow.
In Boulder…a man drowned when caught by the flooding waters of Boulder creek…and a patrolman was injured. Rainfall totaled 7.60 inches in Boulder with 9.34 inches recorded at the public service company electric plant in Boulder canyon.
In Morrison…rainfall totaled 11.27 inches in 4 days. Heavy rainfall totaled 4.68 inches at Stapleton International Airport over 3 days from the 5th through the 7th. Rainfall of 3.14 inches was recorded in 24 hours on the 6th and 7th. Downstream flooding continued along the South Platte River until the 12th when the flood crest reached the Nebraska line.
5-6
In 1907…rain changed to snow on the 5th…continued through the night…and totaled 3.50 inches. Northeast winds were sustained to 15 mph on the 5th.
In 1917…post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow and totaled 12.5 inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow… 12.0 inches…fell on the 5th and this was the greatest 24-hour snowfall ever measured during the month of May. This was also the only measurable snow of the month that year. Low temperatures of 27 degrees on the 5th and 23 degrees on the 6th were record minimums for the dates. High temperatures on both days were in the lower 40’s. Southeast winds were sustained to 24 mph with an extreme velocity to 26 mph.
In 1964…high winds gusted to 54 mph in Boulder and to 80 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. Wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph were common over all of eastern Colorado. Buildings…power lines…trees…and vehicles were damaged by the wind. South-southwest wind gusts to 54 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 2 miles.
In 1973…a heavy driving rain storm with embedded thunderstorms…produced 1 to 5 inches of rain and caused local flash flooding along the east slopes of the Front Range. The greatest flash flooding occurred in metro Denver where rainfall totaled 3.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Flooding in metro Denver occurred on clear creek and the South Platte River…already swollen from heavy snowmelt. Numerous basements were flooded… Roads and streets were washed out…a bridge was demolished… And miscellaneous other damage was reported. North winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport during the storm. The storm produced major downstream flooding along the South Platte River all the way to the Nebraska border during the next two weeks. One person died and total damage was estimated at around 120 million dollars.
In 1978…heavy wet snow of around 24 inches collapsed an office and hotel building in Boulder. Many cars were abandoned in the city. Denver received 14 inches of heavy wet snow with Evergreen and Golden reporting 12 inches. Snowfall totaled 12.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport with a total accumulation of snow on the ground of 8 inches due to melting. Southeast winds gusted to 23 mph on the 5th. Temperatures both days remained in the lower to mid 30’s.
6
In 1876…heavy snow fell during the night and ended during the morning…but no amount was recorded. Light hail fell briefly during the late afternoon. Precipitation for the day totaled 1.05 inch which would give an estimated snowfall of nearly 11 inches had all of the precipitation been snow.
In 1889…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph in the city.
In 1893…heavy snow of 8.9 inches fell over downtown Denver. Once on the ground…the snow melted rapidly. This was the only snow of the month. Northwest winds were sustained to 20 mph.
In 1904…west winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity to 46 mph.
In 1914…an apparent dry microburst produced sustained north winds to 44 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph.
In 1920…a thunderstorm produced hail and 0.55 inch of rain. The hail of unknown size covered the ground.
In 1921…thunderstorm winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 44 mph. Rainfall was only 0.17 inch.
In 1936…a light to moderate duststorm moved in from the east on southeast winds and lasted most of the day. The dust reduced the visibility to two miles at times. Winds from the northwest sustained to 21 mph swept the dust out of the city during the late afternoon.
In 1966…a funnel cloud was sighted for 7 minutes to the southwest of Stapleton International Airport. The funnel appeared to be picking up dust from the ground…but was too distant to tell. No damage was reported.
In 1968…a thunderstorm wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…high winds raked the state. Wind gusts ranged from 60 to 80 mph in Boulder…Aurora…and at Centennial Airport. South-southwest winds to 53 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport. Across metro Denver…the strong winds knocked windows out of buildings…downed power poles and wires and some fences…unroofed several buildings…and damaged signs.
In 1997…strong winds from a dry microburst blew an empty 18-wheeler on its side in the northbound lane of I-25 north of Denver near the Brighton exit. There were no injuries. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport.
6-7
In 1873…snowfall totaled 8.9 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 6th.
7
In 1904…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph. A shower produced 0.16 inch of rain.
In 1953…a microburst caused a brief wind gust to 58 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1958…3/4 inch diameter hail fell over south metro Denver… 10 miles southwest of Stapleton Airport.
In 1977…baseball size hail damaged windows in wheat ridge. Hail was 4 inches deep on the ground in Arvada. Hail 3/4 to 1 inch diameter fell in Westminster and kittredge.
In 1990…a fast moving cold front produced wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph. Brighton reported a wind gust to 57 mph…while north wind gusts to 44 mph were measured at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1995…severe thunderstorms struck Aurora. Hail piled 4 to 5 inches deep in the vicinity of Quincy Reservoir in south Aurora. Lightning struck an Aurora police communications tower causing significant malfunction to the primary system. Minor damage was sustained when lightning struck an apartment building. Hail…up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter…while soft and slushy…accumulated up to 6 inches deep in 15 minutes. Many streets were closed for an hour or more due to flooding caused by heavy rain and melting hail stones. Some trees were stripped of their leaves. Hail as large as 1/2 inch diameter was measured at Denver International Airport where a funnel cloud was sighted.
In 2003…a tornado touched down briefly near Bennett…but did no reported damage.
In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced 3/4 inch hail near Brighton and a thunderstorm wind gust to 60 mph near Fort Lupton.
7-8
In 1958…rainfall totaled 2.50 inches at Stapleton Airport.
8
In 1873…a very light rain fell until 5:00 am…when it turned into light snow and sleet and was accompanied by brisk northeast winds. The snow froze as it fell… Breaking the telegraph lines in many places. Precipitation totaled only 0.14 inch in the city.
In 1883…a severe rain and hailstorm struck the city. In 25 minutes the hail was 5 inches deep in the vicinity of the weather office in downtown Denver and reported as deep as 10 to 12 inches in other parts of the city. Gutters were blocked by the hail…and many cellars were flooded. Precipitation from the storm was 1.90 inches with the total for the day recorded at 2.02 inches. The size of the hail was not recorded.
In 1988…a wind gust to 68 mph was recorded at Echo Lake. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1995…high winds of unknown strength blew a camper shell from the back of a pickup truck near Fort Lupton. North winds gusted to 49 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 1996…1 to 2 inch diameter hail was measured in Lochbuie northeast of Denver. Bean size hail fell in Brighton. The large hail fell from severe thunderstorms to the northeast of metro Denver.
In 2003…tornadoes touched down briefly near Brighton… Watkins…and Strasburg…but did no reported damage. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured near Hudson.
8-9
In 1957…intense heavy rain caused flash flooding on toll gate creek in Aurora where 3 people were killed in a car. Up to 4 inches of rain fell in 5 hours in the toll gate creek basin. The rain also caused flash flooding on sand creek in Aurora and Denver. Rainfall totaled 3.29 inches at Stapleton Airport with most of the rain…2.34 inches… Occurring on the 9th.
8-10
In 1979…4.3 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 8th. Most of the snowfall…2.3 inches…occurred on the 9th. High temperature of only 35 degrees on the 9th equaled the record low maximum for the date.
9
In 1875…a heavy windstorm swept across the city for most of the day. West-northwest winds averaged a sustained speed of 31 mph between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm. The peak wind was sustained to 45 mph at 9:50 am.
In 1918…post-frontal winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 43 mph. Only a trace of rain fell.
In 1941…a tornado was noted at 2:20 pm to the northeast of downtown and was followed by another similar shaped cloud or dust roll estimated 3 miles behind. Thick dust followed with heavy gusts of wind. The temperature fell 15 degrees in 10 minutes following the twister. The mild tornado did little damage except to unprotected frame structures. Winds were sustained to 50 mph with the passing of the tornado at Stapleton Airport. It was visible to observers for 10 minutes and was lost from sight as it traveled east into huge rolls of dust. Hail and rain followed with a few hailstones as large as 1/2 inch in diameter downtown. No damage was reported from the hail. Thunderstorm winds sustained to 31 mph produced blowing dust downtown. Precipitation was only 0.07 inch.
In 1983…streams swollen by recent rain and snowmelt caused an earthen dam to collapse…washing out portions of State Highway 67 near Deckers in southern Douglas County.
In 1992…three boys…ages 11…12…and 16…were struck by lightning while taking cover under a large tree during a thunderstorm in Jefferson County…just 7 miles northwest of Denver. The three were seriously injured.
9-10
In 1889…heavy rainfall totaled 2.15 inches in downtown Denver. The cold rain was mixed with snow at times overnight. Temperatures on the 10th ranged from a high of 38 degrees to a low of 32 degrees with north winds sustained to 22 mph.
In 2003…a late spring snowstorm hammered the mountains… Eastern foothills…and urban corridor. The heaviest snowfall occurred north of interstate 70. The heavy wet snow caused damage to trees throughout metro Denver and downed power lines. About 40 thousand people along the urban corridor were without power. Storm total snowfall amounts included: 11.5 inches in Louisville… 8 inches in Boulder and Broomfield; 7 inches in Thornton…Broomfield…at Denver International Airport… And at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport; and 6 inches 4 miles east of Denver. Snowfall ranged from 4 to 9 inches across extreme southern weld County. In the foothills…15 inches of snow fell near Jamestown…9 inches at Rollinsville and Rawah…with 8 inches at Chief Hosa and atop Lookout Mountain. The snow was accompanied by thunder on the afternoon of the 9th at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 25 mph on the 9th and north winds gusted to 22 mph on the 10th.
10
In 1875…a windstorm sand-blasted the city from 10:00 am until midnight. Northwest winds sustained to 60 mph brought clouds of sand…which caused high damage to unfinished buildings.
In 1912…a vigorous cold front produced strong north winds and rain. North winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. Rainfall totaled 1.10 inch.
In 1935…no precipitation occurred…making this one of only two days without precipitation during the entire month. The other day was the 21st. Precipitation totaled 4.95 inches for the month.
In 1956…northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.
In 1974…strong winds caused 30 thousand dollars in damage to a building under construction in Lakewood. Microburst winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…lightning struck a house in Boulder…setting it afire. The house…valued at 170 thousand dollars…was a total loss.
In 1989…golf ball size hail fell over southeast Denver near the junction of I-25 and I-225. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell over southeast Aurora. Only 3/8 inch hail fell at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…high winds up to 63 mph raked the eastern foothills. Winds estimated to 50 mph tore a roof from a home in Lafayette. A tower at Jefferson County stadium in west metro Denver was blown over by the high winds. No injuries were reported. Southeast winds gusting to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport produced some blowing dust. The temperature climbed to a high of 86 degrees… Equaling the record maximum for the date.
In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as 2 inches in diameter in and near Longmont.
10-11
In 1918…post-frontal snowfall totaled 4.7 inches in downtown Denver. Northwest winds gusted to 19 mph on the 10th.
In 1923…winds were strong and gusty on both days. Northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 44 mph on the 10th. North winds were sustained to 39 mph with gusts to 46 mph behind an apparent cold front on the 11th.
11
In 1879…an apparent cold front during the afternoon produced sustained north winds as high as 60 mph and great clouds of blowing dust. The dust filled the air until the thunderstorm rain began…which produced 1.46 inches of rainfall. The rain ended during the evening.
In 1900…southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 46 mph.
In 1958…a microburst caused a brief wind gust to 55 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1963…south-southwest winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton Airport. Winds May have been stronger over west Denver where some buildings were damaged.
In 1998…large hail fell over south metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in Parker with 1 inch hail recorded in Littleton and 4 miles south of Lakewood in Jefferson County. Hail to 3/4 inch diameter was measured in Douglas County…11 miles west- northwest of Parker.
12
In 1875…two forest fires on the eastern slope of the foothills were visible from the city.
In 1904…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.
In 1950…brilliant and complete primary and secondary rainbows arching across the sky were observed from Stapleton Airport.
In 1951…a wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport.
In 1984…winds gusted to 69 mph in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…a small weak tornado touched down for about 2 minutes in southeast Denver. The twister hit a car dealership…blowing about a dozen windows out of cars and shattering four skylights on the building. Some tin roofing was blown off a patio a block and a half away. The tornado also downed a power pole. Damage at the dealership was estimated at 10 thousand dollars. A man was slightly injured by lightning in northwest Aurora.
In 1995…several funnel clouds were sighted near Parker. One of the funnels produced a short-lived debris cloud on the ground in an open field. No damage was reported.
12-13
In 1907…the temperature warmed to a high of 73 degrees on the 12th…before a cold front produced a thunderstorm… Northeast winds sustained to 40 mph…and rain changing to light snow overnight. Snowfall totaled only 2 inches…but the high temperature on the 13th was only 39 degrees.
In 1961…a storm that covered metro Denver with rain and snow started as thunderstorms on the evening of the 12th. Hail to 1 1/2 inches in diameter was reported 10 miles northwest of Stapleton Airport. Rain continued overnight and changed to snow on the 13th. Snowfall totaled 6.4 inches and precipitation (rain and melted snow) 1.96 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph. The rain and heavy wet snow caused icing damage to utility lines. Heavy snow occurred in the foothills.
In 1982…a major storm dumped 1.50 to 3.50 inches of rain across northeast Colorado and deposited prodigious amounts of snow in the foothills. Coal Creek Canyon southwest of Boulder was buried under 46 inches of snow with 39 inches at Nederland. The heavy wet snow downed many powerlines in the foothills.
In Thornton…the roof of a school was damaged by water from the heavy rain. At Stapleton International Airport…1.49 inches of rain were measured over the two day period. The heavy rain ended a severe and prolonged drought.
In 2004…a winter storm produced heavy snow in excess of a foot in the foothills above 6 thousand feet while heavy rain fell across the city. The heaviest snow occurred in the high country of Boulder County. Storm total snowfall was 14.5 inches near Jamestown. Rainfall totaled 0.81 inch at Denver International Airport with 0.94 inch recorded at Denver Stapleton. A trace of snow was recorded at both locations. East winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport on the 12th.
April 29 to May 5 - This Week in Denver Weather History
As we enter the month of May, winter-like events begin to taper off and we start to see greater occurrences of conditions associated with spring in Denver. Numerous severe weather events with damaging hail and lightning have occurred as well as deadly flooding.
28-29
In 1950…snowfall totaled 6.3 inches at Stapleton Airport…but only 3.5 inches over downtown Denver.
In 1960…heavy snow fell at Stapleton Airport where 8.6 inches of snow were measured. North winds gusted to 38 mph. Most of the snow…6.9 inches…fell on the 29th.
29
In 1898…apparent thunderstorm winds were sustained from the southwest to 58 mph with gusts to 66 mph.
In 1909…north winds were sustained to 44 mph behind an apparent cold front. These were the strongest measured winds of the month that year.
In 1962…heavy snowfall totaled 6.4 inches at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 17 mph. Snow fell all day…but the most on the ground was only 1 inch due to melting.
In 1991…two men were struck by lightning while golfing in cherry hills just south of Denver. The two received only minor burns. Shortly afterward…lightning struck a home in Cherry Hills Village several times…leaving numerous holes in the roof. No injuries were reported.
In 1993…localized strong winds occurred at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield where gusts to 63 mph were recorded. The strong winds were the result of a probable microburst.
In 2000…several severe thunderstorms producing large hail and destructive winds rumbled across northern metro Denver. Thunderstorm wind gusts reached 81 mph near Hudson with hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter at Longmont. Several homes and vehicles sustained damage. The strong winds uprooted trees and downed utility poles…causing scattered outages. Lightning sparked a house fire in Boulder. The fire damaged a portion of the roof and a bedroom on the third floor. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2003…lightning struck a chimney at a residence in Hiwan in Evergreen…sending stones flying as far as 150 feet. Electrical equipment in some nearby homes also failed. Damage to the residence…in addition to electrical equipment…was estimated at 100 thousand dollars. Severe thunderstorms produced large hail to 1 inch in diameter near Hudson and Sedalia and to 3/4 inch near Parker. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches was measured 9 miles north of Sedalia.
29-30
In 1964…several weeks of dry weather and windy conditions across the great plains to the east caused noticeable suspended dust to invade metro Denver. At Stapleton International Airport east winds gusted to 28 mph and visibility was reduced to 5 miles.
In 1989…a late season snowstorm dropped 2 to 4 inches of snow across metro Denver with 6 to 12 inches in the foothills. Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 23 mph and the greatest snow depth on the ground was 2 inches due to melting.
In 1991…a pacific storm dumped heavy wet snow across metro Denver. The foothills were hit the hardest where snowfall amounts ranged from 16 inches at Evergreen to 5 inches at Idaho Springs. Lower elevations of metro Denver received 5 to 9 inches of snowfall with 5 inches in Boulder and 7.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 25 mph. The weight of the snow caused power lines to fall and tree limbs to snap…producing power outages in parts of Denver…Aurora…and Westminster.
In 1999…heavy snow fell overnight in the foothills above 7500 feet elevation. Snowfall totals included: 13 inches near Rollinsville…10 inches near Evergreen…8 inches at Blackhawk and Nederland…and 7 inches at Conifer. Only rain fell across the city with 2.13 inches recorded at Denver International Airport.
April 22 to April 28 - This Week in Denver Weather History
Certainly April can bring pleasant weather but it also can bring thunderstorms and even heavy, damaging snow as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.
From the National Weather Service:
19-22
In 1933…a major storm dumped 16.8 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver when rain changed to snow during the early morning of the 20th and continued through midday of the 22nd. Most of the snow fell on the 21st. Due to melting… The most snow on the ground was 10.5 inches at 6:00 pm on the 21st. Before the snow started…a strong cold front on the evening of the 19th produced north winds sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 37 mph. The strong winds deposited a thin layer of dust on the city. North to northwest winds were sustained to 31 mph with gusts to 35 mph on the 20th and to 29 mph with gusts to 32 mph on the 21st.
20-22
In 1957…strong and gusty south to southeast winds raked metro Denver each day. The strongest wind gust of 55 mph occurred on the 21st when blowing dust briefly reduced the visibility to 3/4 mile at Stapleton Airport.
20-23
In 1989…unusually warm weather resulted in several daily temperature records being broken in Denver. The high temperature of 89 degrees on the 21st exceeded the record maximum for the month at that time. Daily record high temperatures were either exceeded or equaled with 83 degrees on the 20th…88 degrees on the 22nd…and 85 degrees on the 23rd. The low temperature of 55 degrees on the 22nd equaled the record high minimum for the date.
21-22
In 1910…north winds were sustained to 45 mph behind a cold front. Rainfall totaled 0.63 inch.
In 1923…snowfall of 2.0 inches in the city was the only snow of the month and the last measurable snow of the season. Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph on the 21st.
In 1952…heavy snowfall totaled 7.6 inches at Stapleton Airport. The storm was accompanied by north winds gusting to 33 mph.
In 2001…the second major snow storm in 11 days moved into metro Denver with blizzard conditions developing again across the plains to the northeast of Denver. Snowfall amounts ranged up to 9 inches in metro Denver with up to 23 inches in the foothills. Northwest winds were sustained at 20 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 36 mph at Denver International Airport which was again shut down for nearly an hour by power outages on the 22nd. The outages affected lighting in the concourses…train operations…de-icing and refueling operations…flight information displays…and security screenings. Navigational aids were also affected… Resulting in the cancellation of 58 arriving and departing flights which stranded about 5000 passengers. Across metro Denver storm totals included: 9 inches at Eldorado Springs; 7 inches in Boulder; 6 inches at Ken Caryl…Northglenn and near Sedalia; and 5 inches in Arvada and Morrison. Only 1.7 inches of snow were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. In the foothills snow totals included: 23 inches near Fritz Peak south of Rollinsville…17 inches near Jamestown…16 inches near Blackhawk…14 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…13 inches at Idaho Springs and near Nederland…11 inches at Aspen Springs…and 10 inches near Bergen Park.
21-23
In 1999…a spring snowstorm dumped heavy snowfall over metro Denver and in the foothills. Nearly 3 feet of snow fell in the foothills with over a foot in the city. The heavy wet snow downed power lines in Douglas and Elbert counties. Scattered outages were reported at Parker…Franktown… Sedalia…and Castle Rock. Some residents were without electricity for as long as 20 hours. The inclement weather was blamed…at least in part…for several traffic accidents along the I-25 corridor between Denver and Castle Rock. Snowfall totals included: 32 inches at Idaho Springs; 31 inches on Crow Hill; 29 inches near Evergreen; 26 inches at Chief Hosa and Coal Creek Canyon; 25 inches at Bailey; 24 inches at Floyd Hill; 23 inches at conifer…Genesee…Golden Gate Canyon…North Turkey Creek…and Pine Junction; 13 inches at Broomfield and near Sedalia; 12 inches in Boulder; 11 inches at Louisville and Parker; and 9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
In 2004…heavy snow fell across metro Denver…when low level upslope conditions developed against the foothills and Palmer Divide. Snowfall totals included: 18 inches in the foothills southwest of Boulder…17 inches at Intercanyon and near Conifer…10 inches near Blackhawk and Parker…9 inches at Castle Rock and near Sedalia…7 inches in Centennial… Littleton…and near Lone Tree. Elsewhere across metro Denver…snowfall generally ranged from 2 to 5 inches. Snowfall was 4.7 inches at Denver Stapleton. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Denver International Airport on the 21st.
April 15 to April 21 - This Week in Denver Weather History
Snowstorms, tornadoes and wind, oh my! Our look back at this week in Denver weather history highlights the wide variety of weather we can receive this time of year as we transition from winter to spring.
From the National Weather Service:
12-15
In 1927…snowfall totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 14th. Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph during the storm.
13-15
In 1945…heavy snowfall totaled 9.8 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…4.8 inches…fell on the 14th. Snow fell for a total of 53 consecutive hours. This was the second big snow in less than 2 weeks. The air mass was very cold for April. High temperatures of 21 degrees on the 14th and 32 degrees on the 15th were record low maximums for the those dates.
13-17
In 2001…a huge dust storm over southern and inner Mongolia during April 3rd through the 6th lifted desert dust into the jet stream. This dust cloud moved over metro Denver on the 13th and persisted through the 17th. The cloud created widespread haze…giving the sky a milkish cast due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation.
14-15
In 1873…north winds blew a gale during the afternoon on both days. Winds were brisk throughout each day.
In 1902…snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow melted as it fell. Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph.
In 1910…strong winds occurred on both days. Northeast winds were sustained to 52 mph on the 14th. North winds were sustained to 44 mph on the 15th.
In 1921…heavy snowfall and strong winds produced near- blizzard conditions in the city. Snowfall totaled 10.0 inches. Strong north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 54 mph on the 15th produced drifts to several feet in depth. The heavy wet snow caused extensive damage to trees…utility poles…and buildings. Precipitation from the storm was 1.73 inches. Very heavy snow also fell in the foothills. At Silver Lake…in the mountains west of Boulder…95 inches of snow fell in 32.5 hours on the 14th and 15th.
In 1935…dense dust…apparently behind a dry cold front… Enveloped the city at 1:00 pm on the 14th and persisted through the night. The dust blew into the city on northeast winds sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 32 mph. By mid-morning on the 15th…the dust had become light and continued as such into the evening. North winds were sustained to only 13 mph on the 15th.
In 1999…a spring storm dumped heavy snow over portions of metro Denver. Nearly 2 feet of snow fell in the foothills with half a foot to a foot over western and southern suburbs. The heavy snow alleviated drought conditions and associated high fire danger that prevailed during much of the winter season. Snowfall totals included: 22 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…20 inches at Wondervu…19 inches at Genesee…17 inches near Evergreen and Nederland and at Idaho Springs and Tiny Town…14 inches at Georgetown…13 inches at Morrison…10 inches near Sedalia…9 inches in south Boulder… 8 inches at Highlands Ranch and Wheat Ridge…and 7 inches at Littleton and Parker. Only 3.4 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North- northwest winds gusted to 41 mph on the 15th at Denver International Airport.
15
In 1874…light snow developed around daybreak and became moderate to heavy by mid-morning and continued into the early evening. While most of the snow melted as it fell… Total precipitation from the melted snow was 0.95 inch. This would make the estimated snowfall nearly 10 inches.
In 1963…high winds were widespread across metro Denver. West winds gusted to 63 mph in Denver at Stapleton Airport with sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts to 70 mph in downtown Boulder. The winds caused extensive damage to buildings and other property. Visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1998…another spring storm brought heavy snow to the foothills. Thirty to 40 vehicles were involved in accidents along I-70 near Georgetown. The combination of poor visibilities…slick roads…and careless drivers led to the multi-car pileups. Only minor injuries were reported. The accidents forced the closure of all of I-70’s eastbound lanes. Snowfall totals included 12 inches at Genesee and 10 inches at Aspen Springs…Chief Hosa…Georgetown…near Morrison…and on North Turkey Creek. Only 0.1 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2002…unseasonable warm weather resulted in two records being broken. The high temperature of 84 degrees was a record maximum for the date. The low temperature of 57 degrees was a record high minimum for the date.
April 8 to April 14 - This Week in Denver Weather History
April in Denver can bring a wide array of weather conditions, many of which appear in their most extreme form. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history demonstrates this with everything from major snowstorms to damaging windstorms to even a tornado.
From the National Weather Service:
6-8
In 1973…a major spring snow storm dumped 11.6 inches of snowfall over metro Denver. North wind gusts of 30 to 35 mph produced some blowing snow. Most of the heavy wet snow… 10.1 inches…fell on the 7th when temperatures remained in the 20’s. Snow accumulated on the ground to a maximum depth of 9 inches. Low temperature of 5 degrees on the 8th was a new record minimum for the date and the lowest for so late in the season.
7-9
In 1913…heavy snowfall totaled 10.9 inches in downtown Denver behind a cold front. Most of the snow fell on the 8th. Northeast winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 38 mph on the 9th.
In 1935…moderate dust blew into the city around 9:00 pm on the 7th and persisted until early afternoon on the 9th. Southeast winds were sustained to around 20 mph on the 7th and 8th. Winds shifting to the west at sustained speeds to 20 mph cleared the dust from the air on the 9th.
7-12
In 1959…snow falling over a 5-day period totaled 20 to 30 inches just east of the mountains…while over the plains blizzard conditions closed schools and blocked highways. The second big storm in two weeks dumped 16.4 inches of snowfall on Stapleton Airport with the most…11.6 inches… Occurring on the 8th. East winds gusted to 37 mph on the 9th. Temperatures dipped into the single digits on the mornings of the 7th and 12th when 7 degrees were registered. Low temperature records for the dates were set on the 9th…10th…and 12th. The cold temperatures caused streets to glaze with ice…resulting in the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car in Denver. Three people died from heart attacks while shoveling the heavy… Wet snow.
8
In 1885…dense smoke polluted the air until noon.
In 1887…south winds were sustained to 42 mph.
In 1890…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.
In 2005…a mixture of strong pressure gradient winds coupled with thunderstorm outflow winds produced high winds across metro Denver. The high winds downed power lines and knocked out electricity to about 19 thousand customers on the east side of metro Denver. High wind reports included gusts to 68 mph in Longmont…61 mph near Castle Rock…59 mph at Centennial Airport…and 54 mph at Denver International Airport.
8-10
In 1999…a windstorm caused 20 million dollars in damage along the Front Range urban corridor from Fort Collins south to Pueblo and to the east over the plains…making the storm equal to the costliest windstorm ever…which occurred in Boulder on January 17…1982. In metro Denver… Several homes were damaged as shingles were blown off roofs. Large pieces of a roof torn off a strip mall in Lakewood damaged several cars in a parking lot. Most of the damage to homes consisted of broken fences…awnings…doors…and windows. Scores of automobiles suffered broken or cracked windshields and paint damage from flying debris. Multiple accidents were triggered as several tractor-trailer rigs were blown on their sides by the strong cross-winds. Blowing dust and dirt caused near zero visibilities at times. Both I-25 and I-76 were closed north and northeast of Denver. State Highway 93 was closed between Golden and Boulder. Several trees…power poles…and power lines were downed…causing a number of outages as well as sparking a few small grass fires. Highest wind gusts reached 112 mph atop Niwot Ridge near the Continental Divide west of Boulder…102 mph at Wondervu…100 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab in Boulder…98 mph at the national wind technology center near Broomfield…96 mph on Rocky Flats…92 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield and on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder…and 90 mph at Highlands Ranch in southwest metro Denver. Winds gusted to 48 mph at Denver International Airport.
9
In 1950…strong southwest winds gusting to 58 mph reduced the visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport. Scattered minor wind damage…consisting of falling tree branches and damage to signs…occurred across metro Denver.
In 1989…6 to 12 inches of snow fell at many locations in the Front Range foothills. Boulder received 6 to 8 inches. Five inches (5.0 inches) of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport…causing 2 hour flight delays. I-25 south of Denver was closed for 4 hours due to a 100- car traffic pileup. North winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting.
April 1 to April 7 - This Week in Denver Weather History
April in the Denver area can offer up an extraordinary array of weather conditions. As we discussed in our April weather preview, everything from wind and snow to thunderstorms and tornadoes can make an appearance. We see this variety in our look back at this week in Denver weather history which includes all of those conditions and more.
From the National Weather Service:
31-1
In 1876…heavy snow began during the night and lasted all day on the 31st and through the morning of the 1st. The average depth of snow fall was 10 to 12 inches…but strong winds whipped the snow into drifts of 8 to 10 feet deep on the streets of the city. Precipitation from the storm was 1.03 inches on the 31st and 0.37 inch on the 1st.
In 1891…heavy moist snowfall totaled 18.0 inches in the city. Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph with gusts to 24 mph on the 31st.
In 1936…northeast winds sustained to 21 mph produced a light dust storm in the city.
In 1975…a major storm dumped 9.3 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 41 mph. Rain changed to snow on the afternoon of the 31st…reducing the visibility to as low as 1/8 mile. Snow continued all day on the 1st and accumulated to a depth of 8 inches on the ground. The minimum temperature of 10 degrees on the 1st set a new record low for the date.
31-2
In 1980…the second major blizzard in 5 days buried much of eastern Colorado under 6 to 12 inches of snow. Some drifts were up to 22 feet high. Hundreds of travelers were stranded. Over 3000 families were without power. Livestock losses were high. Metro Denver escaped the main brunt of this storm. At Stapleton International Airport…only 6.3 inches of snow fell over the 3-day period and north winds gusted to only 22 mph on the 1st.
31-3
In 1979…total snowfall of 6.6 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 31 mph on the 31st. The greatest accumulation of snow on the ground was 3 inches on the 1st.
31-4
In 1905…much rain and some snow occurred over the 5 days behind an apparent cold front. Precipitation totaled 2.00 inches. There was a thunderstorm on the 3rd. Snowfall totaled 3.0 inches on the 4th. North winds were sustained to 34 mph on the 1st and 2nd and to 30 mph on the 3rd. High temperatures during the period ranged from the upper 30’s to the lower 40’s. Low temperatures were in the upper 20’s and lower 30’s.
1
In 1987…a vigorous cold front produced 2.3 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph. The temperature dropped from a maximum of 59 degrees at mid-morning to a low of 25 degrees at midnight.
1-2
In 1963…strong winds buffeted metro Denver…while wind- whipped fires consumed grassland on the plains. A child was injured by a windblown falling tree in Castle Rock. Southwest winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton Airport… Causing some blowing dust. The worst fire storm burned over 25 thousand acres of grazing land in southern Weld County near Roggen northeast of Denver.
In 1984…a snowstorm with near-blizzard conditions over eastern Colorado closed many roads…including I-70 and I-76 east of Denver and I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches…but north winds gusted to 45 mph on the 2nd.
In 1999…moist upslope conditions allowed heavy snow to develop in the Front Range foothills where snowfall totals included: 10 inches at aspen park and Evergreen; 9 inches at turkey creek; 8 inches at Idaho Springs and Genesee; 7 inches at Aspen Springs…Crow Hill…Intercanyon…and Lake George.
In metro Denver snowfall totals included: 10 inches south of Sedalia; 8 inches in Littleton; 7 inches at Morrison; 6 inches at Highlands Ranch; and 4 to 5 inches in Northglenn…Parker and near Louisville. Snowfall totaled 4.7 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
1-3
In 1945…snow fell across metro Denver for a total of 51 consecutive hours. While the storm was not accompanied by excessive snow…the long duration made the event a heavy snow producer. Snowfall totaled 10.7 inches in downtown Denver with 9.5 inches recorded at Stapleton Airport. North winds were sustained to 21 mph on the 1st; otherwise winds were not strong. The air mass was very cold for April. The high temperatures of 26 on the 2nd and 17 on the 3rd were record low maximums for the dates. The latter was also a record low maximum for the month. Warm weather following the storm quickly melted the snow.
In 1973…heavy snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where 8.7 inches were measured. Snow began late on the 1st and continued through early morning on the 3rd. Thunder accompanied the snow during the late morning and afternoon of the 2nd. North winds gusted to 33 mph on the 2nd and 37 mph on the 3rd. Snow only accumulated to a depth of 5 inches on the ground due to melting.
In 1977 a foot of snow fell in Boulder and Broomfield. The Denver-Boulder turnpike was closed for an hour after numerous minor traffic accidents. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 4.7 inches and southeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 2nd. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting.
March 25 to March 31 - This Week in Denver Weather History
In stark contrast to the extremely dry and mild month we are experiencing now, March is normally known for its snow. In our look back at this week in Denver weather history we see many significant snow events that have occurred in the past and are much more representative of Denver’s March weather.
From the National Weather Service:
23-25
In 1891…rain changed to snow and totaled 8.8 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 24th. Winds were light.
In 1964…heavy snowfall of 5.8 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 21 mph behind a cold front.
24-25
In 1904…west Bora winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 55 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 49 degrees on the 24th. Overnight…a cold front produced 4.5 inches of snow. The high temperature was only 34 degrees on the 25th.
In 1955…a vigorous cold front with winds sustained to 34 mph and gusts to 39 mph briefly reduced the visibility to 2 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport. Post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 9.5 inches at Stapleton Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was 7 inches.
24-26
In 1959…the second major spring storm in less than a week dumped 10 to 20 inches of wet snow across northeastern Colorado. Snowfall totaled 14.3 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusted to 36 mph…causing near-blizzard conditions with visibilities frequently reduced to 1/2 mile in snow and blowing snow. Many travelers were marooned when trains…planes…and buses were unable to make their schedules. Utility lines were again damaged as a result of the storm.
25
In 1874…the wind blowing in gusts from the west-northwest filled the air with dust so dense that only the houses in the immediate neighborhood of the weather station could be recognized. The brisk winds continued through the afternoon.
In 1886…heavy snowfall of 6.5 inches occurred in the city.
In 1896…northwest winds sustained to 58 mph with gusts to 65 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
In 1911…west winds were sustained to 43 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 65 degrees.
In 1925…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 46 mph.
In 1950…strong Chinook winds gusted to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1976…3.4 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 46 mph. The strong winds at 20 to 35 mph all day produced a rare “snirt” storm when blowing dust and dirt became mixed with snow and blowing snow reducing the visibility to as low as 1/4 mile at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1984…1 to 4 inches of new snow fell across metro Denver. Icy roads contributed to many accidents. The most hazardous conditions occurred in the foothills west of Denver. Both I-70 and U.S. 40 were closed at the height of the Sunday afternoon ski rush…causing delays of many hours. Snowfall totaled only 1.0 inch at Stapleton International Airport with only a trace on the ground due to melting.
In 1988…high winds in the mountains spread over metro Denver. A wind gust to 75 mph was noted in Boulder where a traffic light was downed. Power outages were reported in Boulder County. Northwest winds to 46 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
March 18 to March 24 - This Week in Denver Weather History
As our snowiest month, heavy, wet snows are not at all unusual in March. Certainly we see many of those types of events in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Also notable are the high wind events including one in 1995 that brought down two houses under construction in Thornton.
From the National Weather Service:
9-19
In 1906…an extended cold and blustery period occurred with light snow totaling 14.4 inches over 11 consecutive days. The greatest amount of snow on a single day was 4.0 inches on the 15th. Only a trace of snow fell on the 12th and 17th. High temperatures were below freezing for the entire period. The coldest were 14 degrees on the 16th and 18 degrees on the 17th. Both readings were record low maximums for the dates. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits. The coldest were 2 degrees below zero on the 16th and 5 degrees below zero on the 19th. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 36 mph on the 10th…32 mph on the 13th…and 22 mph on the 15th.
17-18
In 1923…4.2 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 49 on the 17th. Low temperature of zero degrees on the 18th was the lowest of the month that year.
In 1944…heavy snow fell across metro Denver. The storm started as rain on the 17th…but soon turned to snow. Snowfall amounts totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver and 11.0 inches at Stapleton Airport. The highest wind recorded during the storm was 23 mph on the 17th.
In 1961…a major winter storm dumped 10.7 inches of snow at Stapleton Airport. Most of the snow…9.7 inches…fell on the 18th. Winds were light.
In 1994…strong winds buffeted metro Denver. West winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 17th. Other significant wind gusts included 85 mph atop squaw mountain south of Idaho Springs…and 82 mph at Rollinsville southwest of Boulder…both on the 18th.
In 1996…a second storm in less than 3 days dumped heavy snow in the mountains and foothills again…but snowfall amounts across metro Denver ranged from only 2 to 4 inches. The heavy snowfall resulted in several traffic accidents along I-25 and I-70…south and west of Denver respectively. The major accidents involved at least 30 cars and resulted in several minor injuries. The accidents closed both highways for a time. Snowfall totals included 13 inches at Evergreen and 10 inches at conifer. Snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. At Denver International Airport… North winds gusted to 28 mph on the 17th and 39 mph on the 18th.
17-19
In 1933…rain changed to snow on the evening of the 17th and continued through mid-day of the 19th. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches with 0.83 inch of precipitation in in the city. North winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 46 mph on the 18th and to 30 mph with gusts to 43 mph on the 19th.
In 2003…one of the worst blizzards since historic records began in 1872 struck metro Denver with a vengeance. Heavy wet snow accumulating to around 3 feet in the city and to more than 7 feet in the foothills brought transportation to a near standstill. North winds sustained to 30 mph with gusts as high as 41 mph produced drifts to 6 feet in the city. The estimated cost of property damage alone…not including large commercial buildings…was 93 million dollars… Making it the costliest snowstorm ever. Mayor Wellington Webb of Denver said…”this is the storm of the century…a backbreaker…a record breaker…a roof breaker.” two people died in Aurora from heart attacks after shoveling the heavy wet snow. The national guard sent 40 soldiers and 20 heavy duty vehicles to rescue stranded travelers along I-70 east of gun club road. The heavy wet snow caused roofs of homes and businesses to collapse. The snow also downed trees…branches…and power lines. Two people were injured when the roofs of their homes collapsed. In Denver alone…at least 258 structures were damaged. In Arvada…a roof collapse at west gate stables killed a horse. Up to 135 thousand people lost power during the storm…and it took several days for power to be restored in some areas. Denver International Airport was closed…stranding about 4000 travelers. The weight of the heavy snow caused a 40-foot gash in a portion of the tent roof…forcing the evacuation of that section of the main terminal building. Avalanches in the mountains and foothills closed many roads…including I-70…stranding hundreds of skiers and travelers. Along I-70…an avalanche released by the Colorado Department of Transportation…blocked the interstate in both directions for several hours. Several residences between Bakerville and Silver Plume were evacuated because of the high avalanche danger. At Eldora Ski Area…270 skiers were stranded when an avalanche closed the main access road. After the storm ended…a military helicopter had to ferry food to the resort until the road could be cleared. The heavy snow trapped thousands of residents in their foothills homes in Jefferson County for several days. Two homes burned to the ground when fire crews could not reach the residences. Some schools remained closed well into the following week. The storm officially dumped 31.8 inches of snow at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport…the most snowfall from a single storm since the all-time record snowfall of 37.5 inches on December 4-5…1913. The storm made March 2003 the snowiest March on record…the 4th snowiest month on record… And the 5th wettest March on record. The 22.9 inches of snow on the 18th into the 19th was the greatest 24 hour snowfall ever recorded in the city during the month of March. The storm was also a drought-buster…breaking 19 consecutive months of below normal precipitation in the city. Snowfall across metro Denver ranged from 2 feet to more than 3 feet. The highest amounts included: 40 inches in Aurora…38 inches in centennial and 6 miles east of Parker…37 inches at Buckley AFB…35 inches in southwest Denver…34 inches in Louisville… 32 inches in Arvada…31 inches in Broomfield and Westminster… And 22.5 inches in Boulder. In the foothills…snowfall ranged from 3 feet to more than 7 feet. Some of the most impressive storm totals included: 87.5 inches atop Fritz Peak and in Rollinsville…83 inches at Cabin Creek…74 inches near Bergen Park…73 inches northwest of Evergreen…72 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…70 inches at Georgetown…63 inches near Jamestown…60 inches near Blackhawk…55 inches at Eldora Ski Area…54 inches 8 miles west of Sedalia…and 46.6 inches at Ken Caryl Ranch. The storm was the result of a very moist…intense slow moving pacific system which tracked across the four corners and into southeastern Colorado…which allowed deep easterly upslope flow to form along the Front Range.
18
In 1883…0.3 inch of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snowfall of the month.
In 1903…rain changed to sleet and then to snow…which became heavy. Post-frontal snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over the city. North winds were sustained to 51 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.
In 1905…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.
In 1914…northeast winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 56 mph behind a strong cold front. Snowfall was 3.4 inches over the city…but most of the snow melted as it fell. The estimated amount of melted snow was 8.1 inches.
In 1920…a terrific windstorm occurred along the eastern foothills. Two deaths were attributed to the storm and some damage occurred. Both Denver and Boulder were affected by the strong winds. West winds were sustained to 51 mph with gusts as high as 66 mph in downtown Denver. The strong winds did considerable damage to property… Wires…plate glass windows…and indirectly loss by fire. The wind caused the death of one young girl by toppling the side of a brick building on her as she was standing on a corner waiting for a car. The wind was also responsible for several severe auto accidents due to blowing debris into the streets and blowing dust and dirt into the eyes of drivers.
In 1954…west winds at sustained speeds of 40 mph and gusts as high as 56 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1979…heavy snow totaled 4 to 12 inches along the Front Range from Denver north. I-25 was closed for a brief time between Denver and Cheyenne. New snowfall totaled 4.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 29 mph.
In 1998…a major winter storm dumped heavy snow over areas west from I-25 to the continental divide as strong upslope conditions developed. Two to 3 1/2 feet of snow fell in the foothills with 1 to 2 feet reported in west metro Denver. Snowfall totals included: 38 inches at Silver Spruce Ranch…2 miles south of Ward; 35 inches at Aspen Springs; 33 inches near Blackhawk; 30 inches at Eldora; 29 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 27 inches at Conifer… Chief Hosa…and Nederland; 25 inches at Rollinsville and Gross Reservoir; 21 inches at Evergreen; and 15 to 19 inches at Broomfield…Lakewood…and Table Mesa in Boulder. Elsewhere across metro Denver…snowfall ranged from 8 to 14 inches. Snowfall totaled only 7.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East winds gusted to 31 mph at Denver International Airport.
March 11 to March 17 - This Week in Denver Weather History
March is usually a month of transition in Denver as winter winds down and spring begins to assert itself. This leads to many different types of weather events from high winds, to monstrous snowstorms and even tornadoes. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows that all of these can occur during this time of the year.
From the National Weather Service:
9-11
In 1927…rain changed to heavy snow behind a cold front and totaled 7.7 inches over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 37 mph with an extreme velocity to 38 mph on the 11th.
In 1955…a strong windstorm raked the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 95 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats with a gust to 60 mph measured at Valmont. Damage in Boulder totaled 10 thousand dollars. Minor injuries also occurred. The strong winds were associated with a vigorous cold front that produced northwest winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 3/4 mile in blowing dust on the 10th.
In 1968…5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 10th.
9-19
In 1906…an extended cold and blustery period occurred with light snow totaling 14.4 inches over 11 consecutive days. The greatest amount of snow on a single day was 4.0 inches on the 15th. Only a trace of snow fell on the 12th and 17th. High temperatures were below freezing for the entire period. The coldest were 14 degrees on the 16th and 18 degrees on the 17th. Both readings were record low maximums for the dates. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits. The coldest were 2 degrees below zero on the 16th and 5 degrees below zero on the 19th. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 36 mph on the 10th…32 mph on the 13th…and 22 mph on the 15th.
10-11
In 1886…snowfall of 3.5 inches was measured in downtown Denver. Apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 43 mph on the 11th.
In 1977…a major blizzard struck metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds at speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph frequently reduced visibilities in blowing snow to 1/4 mile or less. Most of the snow…7.7 inches…fell on the 10th. The snow ended by daybreak on the 11th…but strong north winds persisted through the day.
In 1988…a late winter storm produced heavy snow and wind… Mainly north of Denver. Wind gusts reached 62 mph at Keenesburg and produced a lot of blowing snow…closing schools in southwest weld County. The storm closed I-70 east of Denver. Only 1.1 inch of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport…but north winds gusted to 39 mph.
10-12
In 1924…snowfall was heavy and totaled 9.9 inches over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 11th.
In 2001…heavy snow fell over northeast Colorado and metro Denver when a combination of upslope winds and convective snow bands formed over the area. Storm totals included: 11 inches at the Eldora Ski Resort; 10 inches at Genesee; 8 inches at Elizabeth…atop Lookout Mountain…near Sedalia… And at Strasburg; 7 inches near Castle Rock and Evergreen; and 6 inches in Aurora…atop Crow Hill…and in Parker. Elsewhere across metro Denver…snowfall ranged from 2 to 5 inches with 3.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.
