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Weather History

May 1 to May 7: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
May 1 to May 7: This week in Denver weather history

May can bring a variety of conditions from snow and cold to severe thunderstorms and flooding rains. Looking back at this week in Denver weather history we see where all of those events have made an appearance in our past.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1954…a major storm dumped 10.1 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport. Most of the snow…7.5 inches…fell on the 29th and 30th. The maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches on the 30th due to melting. No strong winds accompanied the storm.

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In 1980…to the west of Denver…heavy rain changing to snow buried the foothills above 7 thousand feet in 4 to 8 inches of snow. Precipitation in the foothills ranged from 1 to 3 inches…which caused some local flooding. Rain fell at lower elevations. Rainfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 1.05 inches from the storm.

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In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 68 mph with gusts as high as 74 mph in the city during the early morning. The apparent very strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 78 degrees.

In 1912…south winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph. South to southwest winds were strong all afternoon.

In 1935…a moderate duststorm blew into the city at around 2:00 pm on northwest winds sustained to 17 mph with gusts to 19 mph. Later in the afternoon…the dust receded to the east in advance of a rainstorm from the west.

In 1988…very strong winds behind a vigorous cold front produced a blinding dust storm that closed I-70 east of Denver. Northeast winds over metro Denver peaked to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport…but only kicked up some blowing dust. The temperature plunged from a high of 76 degrees at midday to 36 degrees at midnight as light rain changed to light snow.

In 1991…3/4 inch diameter hail fell at Standley Lake in northwest metro Denver.

In 1999…heavy snow developed in the foothills above 7 thousand feet elevation. Snow totals included: 10 inches at Rollinsville…7 inches near conifer…and 6 inches atop Crow Hill. Rain fell across metro Denver.

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In 1903…post-frontal rain changed to light snow overnight… But totaled only 2.0 inches. This was the last snow of the season. Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph on the 1st.

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In 1898…snowfall totaled 15.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.2 inches…fell on the 3rd. Most of the snow melted as it fell. The greatest snow depth on the ground was only 2.5 inches on the 3rd at 8:00 pm. This was the only snowfall during the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 1st.

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In 1874…strong winds upset two railroad passenger coaches near Georgetown. The baggage was retrieved and placed in a heavy…large wagon. The passengers then seated themselves on top of the baggage. Another strong gust of wind upset the wagon. The driver’s shoulder was dislocated…and a passenger’s leg was badly injured. In Denver…northwest winds increased and blew in gusts and heavy winds were observed on the ridge tops. On the Kansas Pacific R.R. east of Denver…the wind was so strong that it blew the train back several lengths…which caused the train to be about 7 hours late arriving in the city.

In 1901…south winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts to 60 mph from an apparent thunderstorm with hail.

In 1944…snowfall of 8.3 inches was accompanied by a thunderstorm. This was the last snowfall of the season and the only snow of the month. Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph.

In 1955…southwest winds at speeds of 37 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1983…1 inch diameter hail fell a few miles south of Bennett.

In 1984…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Northglenn.

In 1988…I-70 east of Denver was closed for the second straight day…this time due to snow and blowing snow producing up to 2 foot drifts. While only 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across metro Denver…Strasburg…just east of Denver…received a foot of snow. North winds peaked to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.3 inches.

In 1995…lightning struck a house in Westminster sparking an attic fire.

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In 1979…heavy rain changed to snow on the 2nd. Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport… Where northwest winds gusted to 26 mph. The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 1 inch at midday on the 2nd due to melting. Total precipitation for the 2 days was 1.65 inches.

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In 1987…a slow moving storm brought rain…wind…and snow to metro Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.04 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 48 mph on the 3rd. The foothills received 5 to 10 inches of snow.

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In 2001…a very slow moving pacific storm system became parked near the four corners region…which allowed heavy snow to develop above 6500 feet in the foothills with a mix of rain and snow over lower elevations of metro Denver. Snowfall totals included: 21 inches atop Crow Hill and at Idaho Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; and 18 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…Genesee…and 11 miles southwest of Morrison. Snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Precipitation (rain and melted snow) totaled 2.09 inches at Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph on the 2nd.

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In 1898…heavy snowfall of 6.2 inches fell over downtown Denver. Most of the snow melted as it fell. The greatest snow depth on the ground was 2.5 inches during the evening.

In 1907…the all-time lowest recorded temperature in the month of May…19 degrees…occurred.

In 1925…an apparent microburst produced sustained northeast winds to 44 mph with gusts to 52 mph. Rainfall was only 0.01 inch in downtown Denver.

In 1981…lightning struck 9 golfers at the south suburban golf course. None were injured seriously.

In 1983…hail 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell at Green Mountain west of Lakewood…with 3/4 inch stones reported in Lakewood.

In 1986…a thunderstorm wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1908…rain changed to snow on the evening of the 3rd and continued through the early evening of the 5th. Snowfall totaled 10.0 inches over downtown Denver. This was the last measurable snow of the season. Precipitation totaled 1.51 inches. North winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 3rd…33 mph on the 4th…and 21 mph on the 5th. Three temperature records were set. High temperatures of 30 degrees on the 4th and 38 degrees on the 5th were record low maximum temperatures for the dates. The reading on the 4th was also the all-time record low maximum for the month of May.

In 2007…a slow moving pacific storm system…from the desert southwest…brought a period of unsettled weather to the region. During the 3-day period…locally heavy snow was reported over parts of the Front Range foothills. Storm totals included: 15 inches near Conifer…14.5 inches west of Jamestown…13.5 inches; 6 miles southwest of Evergreen…and 12.5 inches at Pine Junction. Severe thunderstorms…producing large hail…up to one inch in diameter were observed in the vicinity of Boulder and Hudson. Lightning struck a residence in Jefferson County. The roof was hit…causing the attic to catch fire. At Denver International Airport…lightning struck a United Airlines jet as it was pushing away from the gate. The passengers were taken off the jet and put on another plane.

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In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1971…a funnel cloud was sighted 10 miles southwest of Boulder. Hail stones to 1 inch in diameter fell in southeast Denver…but caused only minor damage.

In 2006…a severe thunderstorm produced hail to 1.00 inch in diameter in Aurora near Cheery Creek Reservoir.

In 2010…high winds downed trees and power lines across parts of the Front Range foothills and urban corridor. Downed power lines sparked a 12-acre wildfire near Conifer. In Boulder…Longmont and Louisville…the wind damaged roofs and broke windows and skylights. Peak wind gusts included: 75 mph in northwest Longmont…71 mph at the national wind technology center and 4 miles south-southwest of Superior…61 mph at Broomfield and 56 mph in Erie. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust to 46 mph was observed.

Continue reading May 1 to May 7: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

April 24 to April 30: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
April 24 to April 30: This week in Denver weather history

Weather in Colorado is always interesting but springtime can bring the entire gamut of conditions. Looking back at this week in Denver weather history we see just how varied this time of year – from flooding rains to heavy snowfall to severe thunderstorms it can and has all happened.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 2010…a potent spring storm brought heavy… Wet snow to areas in and near the Front Range Foothills and widespread rainfall across the adjacent plains. In the Front Range Foothills and North-Central Mountains east of the Continental Divide…storm totals ranged from 15 to 30 inches. Storm totals included: 29.5 inches…3 miles southeast of Pinecliffe; 27 inches…8 miles northeast of Four Corners; 23 inches at Willow Creek; 22.5 inches… 13 miles northwest of Golden; 21 inches at Never Summer; 17 inches at Eldorado Springs; 16.5 inches…3 miles west of Jamestown. Denver International Airport reported just a trace of snowfall…but measured 2.01 inches of rainfall for the duration of the storm. In addition…a peak wind gust to 54 mph from the northwest was observed at the airport on the 23rd

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In 1883…snowfall totaled 7.6 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1904…a thunderstorm produced hail during the late evening of the 23rd. Apparent post-frontal rain changed to snow during the early morning of the 24th…but totaled only 2.0 inches. Precipitation consisting of rain…melted hail…and snow totaled 0.60 inch. Northeast winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph on the 24th.

In 1905…rain changed to snow and totaled 8.0 inches. Much of the snow melted as it fell with only 2.5 inches measured on the ground. Precipitation totaled 1.88 inches. Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 23rd.

In 1942…the South Platte River reached flood conditions in the city. As many as 15 thousand residents were warned to evacuate their homes temporarily. Two lives were lost in the city. Four bridges were washed out by the flood waters and other bridges were endangered. The damage was generally limited to bridges that were in poor condition. However…the flood waters did not overflow their channel banks within the city limits.

In 1980…heavy rain began in the eastern foothills on the night of the 23rd and turned to heavy wet snow on the 24th. Up to a foot and a half of snow fell in the foothills west of Denver. At Stapleton International Airport precipitation totaled 1.58 inches…but only 3.7 inches of snow fell from the storm. East winds gusted to 24 mph.

In 1997…locations in and near the foothills received the greatest snow of the year as a winter-like storm system moved into metro Denver. East to southeast winds at speeds of 15 to 35 mph were common with even stronger gusts above 9 thousand feet. Snow fell at a rate of 2 to 3 inches an hour as deep upslope combined with a moist and unstable air mass. The snow began in the foothills above 7500 feet during the evening of the 23rd. By sunrise the snow level had dropped to 5000 feet. The hardest hit areas extended from I-25 into the foothills. Snowfall totals in the foothills ranged from 1 1/2 to over 3 1/2 feet. In the city…snowfall ranged from 8 to 18 inches. Some snowfall amounts included: 36 inches at Coal Creek Canyon; 31 inches at Nederland and Wondervu; 20 to 24 inches near Blackhawk… At Echo Lake…and North Turkey Creek Canyon; 15 to 19 inches at Boulder…central city…conifer…Evergreen…Georgetown… And Louisville; 8 to 14 inches in Arvada…Broomfield… Westminster…Wheat Ridge…Castle Rock…and Ken Caryl Ranch. Only 2.3 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 24th. East winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 24th.

In 2003…a strong and deep northerly flow circulating around a closed upper low pressure center allowed heavy snow to fall in the mountains and eastern foothills. Snowfall totaled 14 inches in Idaho Springs. Rain was mixed with snow and thunder across metro Denver. Snowfall was only 0.9 inch overnight at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Precipitation totaled 1.34 inches at Denver International Airport…where northwest winds gusted to 55 mph on the 23rd.

In 2007…a storm system intensified over southeast Colorado… Allowing for heavy snow and rain to develop over much of north-central and northeast Colorado. Severe thunderstorms preceded the storm system on the 23rd…affecting the urban corridor. Nickel size hail was reported in Boulder and a small landspout touched down near Byers. On the 24th…heavy snow fell in the foothills west of Denver and Boulder…where storm totals ranged from 1 to 2 feet. Heavy snow also occurred along the palmer divide…with storm totals of 10 to 16 inches. Elsewhere…a steady moderate to heavy rainfall was reported. Denver International Airport measured 2.09 inches of rainfall…which shattered the previous 24-hr record of 1.29 inches for the 24th of April. The heavy wet snow caused several power outages. In some instances it took several days to restore power. Several road closures were reported…including interstates 25 and 70. A jackknifed semi-trailer backed up traffic for nearly 20 miles…on southbound I-25…between Denver and Colorado springs. In addition…a 50-ton Boulder blocked the southbound lane of State Highway 285…near Parmalee Gulch. Crews had to use explosives to break up the Boulder and clear the debris. Stranded buses and impassable roadways also forced several school closures.

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In 1935…heavy wet snow fell across metro Denver. The storm started as rain on the 23rd and changed to snow early on the morning of the 24th. There was continuous precipitation for a period of 48 hours. Snowfall totaled 19.0 inches over the city and 20.0 inches at Denver municipal airport. However… Due to warm temperatures in the 30’s…much of the snow melted as it fell and did not seriously disrupt traffic. The greatest snow accumulation on the ground downtown was 12 inches…but it quickly melted. The highest sustained wind speed recorded during the storm was 28 mph from the north on the 23rd. The storm contained 3.16 inches of moisture.

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In 1959…wind gusts to 60 mph recorded in downtown Boulder caused very limited minor damage. West winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1986…a wind gust to 60 mph was clocked at Golden Gate Canyon.

In 1989…1 3/4 inch diameter hail was reported in Lafayette. Boulder and Louisville reported 3/4 inch hail.
24-25 in 1890…rain changed to snow and totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1931…heavy snowfall totaled 9.3 inches over downtown Denver. Winds were light during the storm.

In 1996…the second wind storm in less than a week developed east of the continental divide and spread over metro Denver. High winds gusted from 60 to 90 mph. Several power lines and poles were downed. Some of the stronger wind gusts included: 91 mph atop squaw mountain west of Denver…90 mph atop Table Mesa near Boulder…85 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…and 82 mph at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport on the 25th.

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In 1924…post-frontal rain changed to snow…which became heavy and totaled 10.2 inches over downtown Denver. The greatest amount of snow on the ground was 6.0 inches on the 25th due to melting. North winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 42 mph on the 24th.

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In 1902…northeast winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1908…north winds were sustained to 40 mph behind an apparent cold front. Snowfall was 0.5 inch.

In 1928…rain changed to snow…which became heavy and totaled 7.4 inches in downtown Denver. Due to melting…the maximum snow depth on the ground was 4.0 inches at 6:00 pm. This was the last snow of the season. Southeast winds were sustained to 19 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

In 1976…a south wind gust to 54 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. The high winds toppled a 70-foot high cottonwood tree onto the rear of house and a neighboring residence in central Denver.

In 1989…lightning caused heavy damage to a radio transmitter in Parker…knocking a Denver area radio station off the air for 3 hours.

In 1994…weather spotters reported dime-size hail at the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and c470 in Jefferson County. Marble-size hail covered the ground near Golden to a depth of 1 inch. Pea-size hail was reported covering the ground to a depth of 3 inches in Arvada.

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In 1985…a spring storm brought much rain and snow to metro Denver. The foothills were buried with 15 inches of snow at conifer and 12 inches at Evergreen. At lower elevations… An inch or more of rain fell in Denver and Boulder. The heavy precipitation caused brief power outages in the Denver area. Precipitation totaled 1.06 inches at Stapleton International Airport…including only 0.7 inch of snowfall.

Continue reading April 24 to April 30: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

April 17 to April 23: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
April 17 to April 23: This week in Denver weather history

As we enter the latter half of April the weather history calendar starts to reflect shift in the type of weather events we see. There are still plenty of significant snowfall events. However spring severe weather starts to appear with greater frequency including heavy rain, hail and even tornadoes.

From the National Weather Service:

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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.

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In 1922…heavy snowfall totaled 9.0 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.0 inches…fell on the 16th. This was the third major snow storm in a week. Northwest winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts to 47 mph on the 15th.

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In 1944…heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches in downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 16th.

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In 2009…a potent spring storm brought heavy snow to locations in and near the Front Range foothills. A deep easterly upslope produced nearly 5 feet of snow in parts of the foothills. The heavy snow resulted in the closure of Interstate 70…from Golden west to Vail…for approximately 16 hours. The heavy snow snapped power lines in Evergreen and Nederland. The ensuing outages affected 14200 residents. In the Front Range foothills…storm totals included: 56 inches…3 miles south of Rollinsville; 54 inches…3 miles southeast of Pinecliffe…43 inches at Aspen Springs…42 inches at Evergreen…38 inches near conifer; 37 inches at St. Mary’s glacier…and 34 inches near Nederland. Along the urban corridor and Palmer Divide…the heaviest snow occurred above 5500 feet on the 17th. Storm totals included: 22 inches…8.5 miles southwest of Franktown; 18 inches…10 miles south-southeast of Buckley Air Force Base; 17 inches near Cherry Creek and 7 miles south of Sedalia… 16 inches…6.5 miles southwest of Castle Rock; 15 inches near Beverly Hills; 12 inches near Highlands Ranch and Lafayette…with 11 inches in Broomfield. Elsewhere storm totals ranged from 4 to 10 inches. Officially…only 2.6 inches of snow was observed at Denver International Airport. The 24-hr precipitation for the day however was 1.16 inches… Which established a new record for April 17th.

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In 1889…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph.

In 1899…apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph.

In 1935…light dust moved over the city behind an apparent dry cold front…which produced northeast winds to 19 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

In 1978…winds estimated to 70 mph occurred in Morrison. Northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2000…strong pre-frontal winds and widely scattered thunderstorms caused high winds to develop across northern metro Denver and portions of the northeast plains. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph at Louisville. South winds gusted to only 28 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2002…strong southwest winds in advance of a cold front gusted to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2003…severe thunderstorms produced 1 inch diameter hail 7 miles east of Brighton. Strong thunderstorm winds blew out an auto windshield near Denver International Airport where south winds gusted to 48 mph.

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In 1878…the wind blew violently all day on the 17th with a maximum sustained velocity of 40 mph. Dust hung over the city like a cloud. The relative humidity was zero nearly all day. A terrific gale blew overnight. There was much damage to buildings…signs…fences…etc. Some wind gusts were so strong as to jar buildings to their foundations. The station anemometer recorded sustained winds to 50 mph with higher gusts before it was damaged by the winds. The winds moderated during the day on the 18th and ended at sunset.

In 1894…post-frontal rain changed to snow on the 17th around sunrise and continued through 9:00 am on the 18th. Snowfall totaled 10.5 inches…but most of the snow melted as it fell. The high temperature warmed to only 35 degrees on the 17th after a high of 76 on the 16th. Northeast winds were sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 32 mph on the 17th.

In 1998…more spring snow fell across metro Denver and in the foothills. Snowfall totals included: 11 inches at Golden Gate Canyon; 10 inches at Highlands Ranch; 9 inches at Elizabeth; 8 inches at Broomfield and Morrison; and 7 inches at Chief Hosa…Evergreen…Littleton…and Sedalia. Snowfall totaled only 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport.

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In 1920…snow fell across the city continuously for 57 hours… From the early morning of the 17th until 11:40 am on the 19th. The heavy wet snowfall totaled 18.2 inches with the greatest accumulation on the ground of 12 inches. Winds during the storm were strong with sustained speeds in excess of 27 mph for over 40 consecutive hours…which created near-blizzard conditions. The highest recorded wind speeds were 44 mph with gusts to 50 mph from the north on the 17th and 39 mph with gusts to 48 mph from the northwest on the 18th. The strong winds piled the snow into high drifts which stopped all Denver traffic. Railroads were blocked with only one train entering the city on the 19th. All interurban trains were blocked…as were the 13 trolley lines. Thus…many workers were unable to get home at night and filled all of the downtown hotels to capacity. No grocery or fuel deliveries were possible… Except milk and coal to hospitals and to families with babies. No lives were lost in the city…but several people perished in surrounding districts. Stock losses were heavy on the plains. Temperatures during the storm were in the 20’s.

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In 1877…strong winds blew all day with an average sustained velocity of 36 mph. The maximum sustained velocity was 60 mph. No significant damage was reported.

In 1903…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 53 mph.

In 1936…light dust spread over the city from the east on southeast winds gusting to 25 mph. The surface visibility was reduced to about 2 miles at times.

In 1940…this date marked the start of the longest period without snow…200 days…through November 3…1940. A trace of snow fell on both April 17…1940…and November 4…1940.

In 1963…strong winds were prevalent all day across metro Denver. West-northwest winds gusting to 60 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1971…a microburst wind gust to 59 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1978…high winds caused much blowing dust over the plains. Wind gusts from 80 to 96 mph were reported in Boulder with 80 mph measured on Lookout Mountain. Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2000…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County. Peak wind gusts included 71 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab near Boulder. In Aurora…three workers were injured when strong winds caused a home under construction to partially collapse. Two received minor injuries…while the third worker had to be hospitalized with severe back injuries. South winds gusted to 47 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2002…strong northeast winds behind a cold front gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport where some blowing dust briefly reduced the visibility to 3 miles.

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In 1884…a major storm dumped 13.8 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. Most of the snow…10.0 inches…fell on the 18th. Light rain on the early morning of the 18th changed to heavy snow at 8:00 am and became light after 2:00 pm but continued until 4:00 am on the 19th. The snow melted nearly as fast as it fell. There were only 3 inches on the ground early on the morning of the 19th.

In 1941…heavy snowfall totaled 8.4 inches over downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 17 mph.

In 1993…sporadic high winds occurred across metro Denver. Significant wind gusts included 97 mph at Rollinsville… 80 mph in southwest Boulder…and 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The strong winds snapped a pine tree top…about 15 feet long and 8 inches in diameter…which crashed through the roof of a church in Evergreen…causing one thousand dollars in damage. Wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph caused structural damage to 3 homes under construction in Broomfield. Northwest winds gusted to 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1995…the second spring storm of the month dumped heavy snow in the foothills. The upslope flow along with areas of thunder snow dropped 6 to 12 inches of snow in the foothills west of Denver and Boulder. Snowfall totaled 4.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport…but most of the snow melted as it fell. East winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport on the 18th.

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In 1966…sub-freezing temperatures caused thousands of dollars in damage to fruit trees across metro Denver. Minimum temperatures were in the teens each morning and failed to reach above freezing on the 19th. The low temperature of 13 on the 20th set a new record minimum for the date. Snowfall totaled 5.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport during the period.
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In 1899…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph in the city.

In 1941…the last snow of the season…0.4 inch…occurred… Marking the end of the shortest snow season…167 days. The first snow of the season…a trace…occurred on November 4…1940.

In 1954…strong gusty winds raked metro Denver for most of the day producing some blowing dust. At midday…a severe dust devil was sighted in the Westwood area of southwest Denver.

In 1955…cold west winds at 52 mph with gusts as high as 69 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where blowing dust reduced the visibility to 1/2 mile.

In 1960…the second wind storm in 3 days produced sustained west winds up to 44 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph at Stapleton Airport. Winds were strong and gusty most of the day…but no damage was reported.

In 1963…the second windy day in a row produced west- northwest wind gusts to 52 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1971…a tornado occurred in the southwest corner of weld County about 10 miles west-northwest of Brighton. The storm moved through a farm yard damaging equipment and structures. The strong tornadic winds lifted a stock tank over 2 fences into a corral 150 feet away. Later…a tornado touched down briefly west-southwest of Buckley Field…8 miles southeast of Stapleton International Airport. No damage was reported.

In 1985…high winds occurred in the foothills. Winds gusted to 97 mph atop Squaw Mountain in the foothills west of Denver. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1987…a powerful cold front produced high winds and engulfed metro Denver in huge clouds of blowing dust that lowered the visibility to as little as 100 yards. The cold front generated winds as high as 72 mph at Brighton…67 mph in Thornton…and 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Winds of 50 to 70 mph were common along the Front Range from Denver north. The high wind gusts flipped a light plane taxiing at Stapleton International Airport…slightly injuring two people on board. The cold front dropped the temperature from a high of 80 degrees at 3:00 pm to a low of 33 degrees at midnight. Nearly an inch of snow…0.8 inch… Fell at Stapleton International Airport before midnight.

In 1988…a tornado touched down in Fort Lupton…following a path 50 to 75 yards wide for 2 1/2 blocks. The twister damaged roofs on 2 schools and broke numerous windows; about 10 houses were damaged and several cars had windows blown out. Several trees were downed.

In 1989…winds were clocked to 68 mph in Wheat Ridge. Microburst winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…high winds gusting from 70 to near 100 mph developed in the Front Range foothills and adjacent plains. Numerous power outages were reported as power lines and poles were downed. The high winds blew the chimney off the roof of a house in Westminster. Numerous homes received minor shingle damage. Some of the stronger wind gusts included: 98 mph at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield…91 mph atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver…and 75 mph atop Table Mesa near Boulder. West northwest winds gusted to 45 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2001…westerly Chinook winds…gusting as high as 40 mph at Denver International Airport…prevented the low temperature from dropping below 51 degrees…setting a new record high minimum for the date. The high temperature of 77 degrees was not a record.

In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced large hail across metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in Arvada. Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell in Westminster…Northglenn…and Thornton. Hail to 7/8 inch was reported near Brighton…Barr Lake…and Castle Rock. Hail to 3/4 inch fell in Elizabeth and Broomfield and near Golden…Brighton…and Fort Lupton.

Continue reading April 17 to April 23: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

April 3 to April 9: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week In Denver Weather History
April 3 to April 9: This Week in Denver Weather History

As we pointed out in our April weather preview, the month can bring just about any type of weather condition and we see that in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. From powerful, damaging winds to Arctic cold to heavy snowfall this has been an eventful week in the past.

From the National Weather Service:

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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.

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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.

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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.

2-3

In 1955…strong west to southwest winds raked metro Denver on both days. Sustained winds as high as 37 mph with gusts to 60 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was reduced to 1/4 mile in blowing dust.

In 1974…a heavy snowfall of 6.7 inches was accompanied by northeast wind gusts to 33 mph which produced some blowing snow across metro Denver. Over eastern Colorado many highways and schools were closed due to near-blizzard conditions from the storm.

In 1986…the worst snow storm of the season blasted metro Denver. Heavy snow and high winds combined to close roads… Schools…and airports. Portions of all interstate Highways out of Denver were closed at times. The snow came after an exceptionally mild late winter and early spring; trees and bushes had already bloomed and leafed out. The snow and wind snapped many of these…causing power outages. Total snowfall amounts in metro Denver ranged from 1 to 2 feet with 2 to 3 feet in the foothills. Snowfall totaled 12.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting to 39 mph reduced the visibility to 1/8 mile in snow and blowing snow. Most of the snow fell on the 3rd when temperatures hovered around 30 degrees for most of the day. The heavy snow halted traffic and closed businesses. A 59- year-old man was found dead from exposure in northwest Denver. The roof of a toy store in Northglenn collapsed. A 100 thousand square foot section of a greenhouse roof collapsed in Golden…destroying over a million dollars worth of plants.

In 2000…a combination of strong instability and moist upslope winds allowed for a heavy…wet spring snowstorm to develop in and near the Front Range foothills. The heaviest snow occurred in southern Jefferson County. Storm totals included: 14 inches near conifer…12 inches near Evergreen and on Floyd hill; 11 inches near Blackhawk…Morrison…and tiny town; 10 inches at Aspen Springs and Eldora Ski Area; 9 inches at Chief Hosa; and 8 inches at both Golden Gate Canyon and Rollinsville. Only 2.1 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 2nd.

In 2014…a storm system brought moderate to heavy snow to the Front Range Mountains…Foothills and Urban Corridor. Storm totals in the mountains and foothills included: 21.5 inches…8 miles north of Blackhawk; 15.5 inches near Rollinsville; 15 inches at Aspen Springs; 14.5 inches near Ward; 12 inches…6 miles southwest of Evergreen; 11 inches at Cabin Creek and 12 miles south-southwest of Georgetown; 10 inches at Winter Park; 8 inches near Conifer…Georgetown and Gross Reservoir; with 7.5 inches at Bailey and Intercanyon. In the Urban Corridor…storm totals included:  9.5 inches near Highlands Ranch…7 inches at Boulder… 6 inches near Castle Rock…with 5.5 inches at Lakewood and near Morrison. At Denver International Airport…3.4 inches of snowfall was observed.

2-4

In 1934…snowfall totaled 8.2 inches in downtown Denver from the afternoon of the 2nd through the early morning of the 4th. Most of the snow…6.8 inches…fell on the 3rd. Rain changed to snow behind a strong cold front on the afternoon of the 2nd. The cold front first appeared as a long-cigar shaped squall cloud to the north of the city. Strong north winds at sustained speeds of 33 mph with gusts to 43 mph produced much blowing dust and an abrupt fall in temperature…from a high of 68 on the 2nd to a low of 22 on the 3rd.

In 1964…a major storm dumped 10.9 inches of heavy wet snow on Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 35 mph. Most of the snow…10.0 inches…fell on the 3rd.

2-5

In 1918…snowfall totaled 12.4 inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 3rd and 4th. Temperatures were in the 20’s and 30’s. Northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 2nd.

3

In 1872…skies were cloudy and threatening until 11:30 am when it commenced to rain and continued to rain until 3:00 pm…when it turned into heavy snow with a very brisk north wind. Snow continued all night. Telegraph wires were downed between Denver and Cheyenne…and the night report could not be sent. Precipitation (rain and melted snow) measured 0.82 inch.

In 1887…north winds were sustained to 43 mph.

In 1894…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 50 mph. The warm Chinook winds on the 2nd became a Bora as the temperature warmed to a high of only 52 degrees.

In 1900…southeast winds were sustained to 52 mph with gusts as high as 61 mph.

In 1945…the temperature warmed to only 17 degrees…the all-time record low maximum for the month.

In 1968…a snow storm of unusual severity for so late in the season caused ground blizzard conditions with near zero visibility in snow at times and severe drifting of snow over portions of northeastern Colorado and metro Denver. Highways were blocked to the north of Denver and to Colorado springs. Rain at the start of the storm contributed to power and communications outages. In metro Denver…snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 45 mph.

In 1978…a tornado was sighted by a national weather service observer 3 miles north of Stapleton International Airport near the rocky mountain arsenal. Security police on the arsenal called it a large dust devil…but four commercial airline pilots confirmed the phenomenon as a tornado or funnel cloud.

In 1981…a snowstorm hit northeastern Colorado…dumping 6 to 12 inches of snow in the foothills and 4 to 8 inches on the plains north of Denver. Snowfall totaled only 2.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 24 mph.

In 1985…strong winds of 60 to 70 mph occurred in the foothills. The driver of a car in Nederland was slightly injured when the wind toppled an utility pole onto his vehicle. Northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 2 miles in blowing dust.

In 1989…a northwest wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2011…high winds developing along the Front Range during the early morning hours.  Peak wind gusts included:  92 mph… 7 miles northwest of Berthoud; 75 mph…2 miles west of Castle Rock; and 65 mph…2 miles west of Elbert.  West winds gusted to 49 mph at Denver International Airport.

3-5

In 1996…the foothills west of Denver received 6 to 8 inches of new snow. Only 0.8 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport…along with some freezing drizzle on the 4th and 5th. North-northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 3rd.

3-6

In 1898…snowfall totaled 8.7 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days. Northeast winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph on the 3rd.

In 1983…a prolonged heavy snow storm blanketed the area along with very cold temperatures. The greatest amounts of snow fell in the foothills where 24 to 42 inches were measured. A foot of snow fell in Boulder. Snow fell for 50 consecutive hours at Stapleton International Airport on the 3rd through the 5th with a total snowfall of 8.8 inches and a maximum accumulation on the ground of 6 inches on the 5th. In Denver…the mercury failed to rise above freezing for 3 consecutive days…on the 4th…5th…and 6th…for the first time ever in April. Five daily temperature records were set from the 4th through the 6th. Record low temperatures of 12 degrees occurred on the 5th with 7 degrees on the 6th. Record low maximum temperatures of 25 degrees occurred on the 4th…27 degrees on the 5th… And 28 degrees on the 6th.

Continue reading April 3 to April 9: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

March 27 to April 2: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 27 to April 2: This week in Denver weather history

With March being historically our snowiest month we would expect to see plenty of snow events this week in Denver weather history and we do indeed. Also notable however is the other extreme – that of dangerously dry conditions. We see one event, in 1963, that scorched 25,000 acres of ranchland in Weld County.

From the National Weather Service:

25-27

In 1904…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.

26-27

In 1886…heavy snowfall totaled 7.1 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1911…post-frontal north winds were sustained to 48 mph on the 26th and to 47 mph on the 27th.

In 1931…a cold front brought snow and very cold weather to the city. Snowfall totaled 7.3 inches over downtown Denver with most of the snow…6.4 inches…occurring on the 26th… When northwest winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 44 mph. High temperature of 31 degrees on the 26th equaled the low temperature of the previous day as the temperature plunged to a low of 1 degree below zero. High temperature of only 15 degrees on the 27th was a record low maximum for the date. Low temperature of 2 degrees below zero on the 27th was not a record.

In 1975…a major pre-Easter blizzard…the worst since the vicious storm of 1949…battered northeastern Colorado and left livestock losses in millions of dollars…but metro Denver escaped the main brunt of the storm and received only 5.0 inches of snowfall. North winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport where temperatures plunged from a high of 50 degrees to 18 degrees by midnight on the 26th.

In 1991…heavy snow fell over portions of the eastern foothills with 9 inches recorded at Lake Eldora west of Boulder. The snow spread across metro Denver…but snowfall totaled only 1.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north to northeast winds gusting to 31 mph on both days produced some blowing snow.

27

In 1873…a severe wind and sand storm damaged buildings in the city. At 11:00 am brisk west winds blew clouds and sand into the city…which continued for an hour when it abated some. At 2:00 pm another terrific sand storm blew a gale from the west. The storm lasted 30 minutes…but winds remained brisk the rest of the day.

In 1884…a windstorm struck the city at mid-morning and lasted until midnight. Sustained winds of 40 to 60 mph unroofed some buildings and blew others down. A few people were injured…but none fatally.

In 1896…southwest winds sustained to 60 mph with gusts as high as 70 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 59 degrees.

In 1905…north winds were sustained to 40 mph.

In 1939…freezing drizzle deposited glaze as thick as 1/4 inch from late morning through late afternoon. No damage was reported.

In 1956…strong and gusty winds raked metro Denver all day behind a pacific cold front. Wind gusts to 58 mph at Stapleton Airport briefly reduced the visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust.

In 1987…snow and wind closed many highways across eastern Colorado for the second time in less than a week. I-25 was closed south of Denver and I-70 was closed east of Denver for nearly 48 hours. Metro Denver only received around 4 inches of new snow…but snow and blowing snow caused air traffic delays of up to 3 hours at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 3.5 inches and north winds at 15 to 25 mph gusted to 40 mph. Temperatures hovered in the 30’s for much of the day.

In 1997…strong winds developed behind a fast moving cold front. While the highest winds were north and northeast of metro Denver…northwest winds gusting to 56 mph at Denver International Airport produced widespread blowing dust…which briefly reduced the visibility to 2 1/2 miles.

27-28

In 1951…heavy snowfall totaled 6.5 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusted to 38 mph on the 27th and 41 mph on the 28th.

In 1972…heavy snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport…where northeast winds gusted to only 21 mph.

In 1980…a major blizzard struck the northeastern Colorado plains…closing both I-70 and I-76 to the east of Denver for a time. Some areas received 1 to 2 feet of snow. Drifts were 4 to 8 feet high. The storm killed many young livestock. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 6.7 inches from the storm and north winds gusted to 29 mph.

In 2002…high winds developed in the foothills west of metro Denver. Winds gusted to 81 mph near Fritz Peak…72 mph at Rollinsville…and 70 mph at Blackhawk. West winds gusted to 51 mph on the 27th and to 45 mph on the 28th at Denver International Airport where the temperature warmed to a high of 69 degrees on the 28th.

27-29

In 1948…high winds raked Boulder. A wind gust to 75 mph was recorded at Valmont. Sustained winds in excess of 35 mph were estimated in Boulder. Minor damage was reported.

In 1961…heavy snowfall totaled 9.5 inches at Stapleton Airport over the 3 day period. Most of the snow…5.3 inches…fell on the 28th. Winds were generally light and gusted to only 22 mph from the north.

28

In 1886…the lowest recorded temperature in March…11 degrees below zero…occurred.

In 1911…a thunderstorm produced snowfall of 0.4 inch…which was the only measurable snowfall of the month…making the month the second least snowiest March on record.

In 1962…a vigorous cold front produced strong winds across eastern Colorado. North winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton Airport where visibility was briefly reduced to 3/4 mile in blowing dust. A construction worker was injured in Aurora when he was struck by a windblown piece of plywood.

28-29

In 1891…rain changed to snow and totaled 9.7 inches in the city. Northeast winds were sustained to 12 mph with gusts to 28 mph on the 28th.

In 1910…a strong cold front brought much wind…rain…and and snow to the city. Rain on the 28th changed to snow early on the 29th. Snowfall totaled only 2.8 inches…but north winds were sustained to 50 mph on the 29th. Precipitation from the storm totaled 0.96 inch.

In 1994…moist upslope winds combined with an upper level system to dump 5 to 7 inches of snow along the eastern foothills and across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 6.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph. Thirteen inches of new snow were measured at the Eldora Ski Area west of Boulder.

28-30

In 1949…a major winter storm dumped 11.3 inches of snow over downtown Denver. Snowfall totaled 10.4 inches at Stapleton Airport. North to northeast winds were sustained to 17 mph.

In 1985…a slow moving snow storm moved across the state. Denver received only 4.0 inches of snowfall with amounts in the foothills totaling 1 to 2 feet. Still…this was enough snow in Denver to cause flight delays of up to 6 hours at Stapleton International Airport on the night of the 29th. East winds gusted to 28 mph on the 28th.

29

In 1887…west winds sustained to 44 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 62 degrees.

In 1921…post-frontal northeast winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 52 mph.

In 1925…southeast winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 48 mph. These were the strongest winds of the month that year. The winds warmed the temperature to a high of 72 degrees.

In 1934…a construction worker was killed by lightning as he walked with a shovel on his shoulder along Cherry Creek in the city. The thunderstorm produced light rain.

In 1967…a southwest wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. The warm Chinook winds warmed the temperature to 79 degrees equaling the record for the date.

In 1979…a tornado touched down 4 miles southwest of Parker… But caused no reported damage.

In 1998…four children attending a birthday party in Denver were injured when an apparent dry microburst produced a sudden strong wind gust which blew an inflatable playhouse they were occupying into a neighbors yard. The playhouse scraped the roof of the host’s two-story house…then landed in the adjoining yard. The children were treated for minor head injuries and cuts.

29-30

In 1938…overnight heavy snowfall was 6.3 inches over downtown Denver.

In 1982…strong winds buffeted metro Denver…breaking windows and damaging roofs. Wind gusts to 90 mph were recorded in Boulder and 51 mph at Stapleton Airport. The strong winds flattened a condominium under construction in Lakewood.

In 1991…1 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver with the heaviest snow confined to the foothills. Six inches of snow was recorded at South Platte in the foothills southwest of Denver and 3 inches at Castle Rock. Snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 33 mph on the 29th.

29-31

In 1970…snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Heavy snow accumulation in Boulder on the 29th caused the collapse of a carport at an apartment building…damaging 11 automobiles. Northeast winds gusted to 24 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading March 27 to April 2: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

March 20 to March 26: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 20 to March 26: This Week in Denver Weather History

Up until a few days, the Colorado Front Range had been quite dry for the better part of a month.  Temperatures had stayed well above normal and an early onset of spring seemed to be in the offing.  That isn’t always the case as we can see looking back at this week in Denver weather history. March is historically our snowiest month and many significant snowstorms have occurred during this period including one six years ago on the 23rd and 24th. Read more about that event and others below.

From the National Weather Service:

18-21

In 1907…a warm spell resulted in 6 daily temperature records. Record maximum temperatures of 82 degrees occurred on the 18th with 81 degrees on the 19th and 80 degrees on the 20th. Record high minimum temperatures of 52 degrees occurred on the 19th and 20th with 54 degrees on the 21st.

19-20 in 1912…post-frontal heavy snowfall of 6.3 inches was measured in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 19th. The strong cold front plunged temperatures from a high of 60 degrees on the 19th to a low of 1 degree on the 20th.

In 1959…a major storm dumped heavy snowfall of 7.7 inches on Stapleton Airport where north winds gusting to 44 mph caused much blowing and drifting snow. Many highways were blocked…and there was damage to phone lines along the South Platte River. The storm started as rain and changed to heavy wet snow…which froze on the lines causing the poles to break. The storm caused 2 deaths over eastern Colorado.

In 2006…strong northerly winds…associated with a surface low pressure system that intensified as it moved into the central Great Plains…brought heavy wet snow to the eastern foothills and northeastern plains of Colorado. The hardest hit areas included the foothills of Boulder and Gilpin counties. Storm totals included: 15 inches at Rollinsville… 14 inches at Aspen Springs…12.5 inches near Nederland…and 5.7 inches in the Denver Stapleton area. Strong winds…heavy snow…and poor visibility forced the closure of interstate 70 from Denver east to the Kansas state line. North winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport on the 19th.

19-21

In 1888…heavy snowfall totaled 8.6 inches over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 27 mph on the 19th.

20

In 1915…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph. Only a trace of snow fell.

In 1989…2 to 6 inches of snow fell along the Front Range urban corridor with up to 9 inches in Boulder. Only 1.6 inches of snowfall were measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 36 mph.

20-21

In 1878…warm days with high temperatures in the lower 70’s in the city…caused snow to melt on the palmer divide…which caused the waters in Cherry Creek to rise. The high…rapid running water damaged a home and eroded bridge footings and abutments. Some bridges became unsafe for the passage of trains.

In 1904…southwest winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 68 degrees on the 20th. The high was only 42 degrees on the 21st behind a cold front…which produced 1.3 inches of snow and northeast winds sustained to 27 mph overnight.

In 1923…post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow and totaled 8.2 inches over the city. North winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 29 mph on the 20th. This was the second major snow in a week.

In 1932…rain changed to heavy snow…which totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. North winds gusted to 22 mph on the 21st.

In 1948…heavy snowfall totaled 7.2 inches over downtown Denver.

In 1952…a major snow storm produced north wind gusts to 35 mph and dumped 16.9 inches of snowfall on Stapleton Airport. The maximum snow depth on the ground was 13 inches due to melting.

In 2000…heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Douglas and Jefferson counties. Snowfall totals included: 9 inches near tiny town and 7 inches in Littleton. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 34 mph at Denver International Airport on the 20th.

20-22

In 1944…heavy snow fell over metro Denver for a total of 36 hours. The storm dumped 18.5 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver and 12.2 inches at Stapleton Airport. Fortunately…there were no strong winds with the storm. North winds to only 19 mph were recorded on the 21st.

21

In 1898…an apparent Canadian cold front produced strong winds and plunged temperatures from a high of 56 degrees to a low of 8 degrees late in the day. North winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph.

In 1908…light snowfall of 1.3 inches produced 0.10 inch of precipitation. This…along with the 0.01 inch of precipitation on the 8th…resulted in the driest March on record with a total of 0.11 inch of precipitation.

In 1916…southwest winds were sustained to 46 mph with a gust to 48 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 62 degrees.

In 1923…heavy snowfall totaled 8.0 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1953…northwest winds gusting to 57 mph briefly reduced visibility to 3/4 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1981…rain changed rapidly to snow…but totaled only 2.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusting to 35 mph produced much blowing snow and reduced the visibility to a half mile at times. Over the higher elevations of south metro Denver…4 to 6 inches of snow were measured.

21-22

In 1955…wind gusts to 98 mph were recorded at Rocky Flats south of Boulder. Some damage and a few minor injuries were reported in Boulder. Northwest winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 39 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 22nd.

In 1966…a vigorous cold front produced only 1.7 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport…but northeast winds gusted to 49 mph on the 21st. Temperatures cooled from a maximum of 66 degrees on the 21st to a minimum of 14 degrees on the 22nd. Strong winds occurred on both days.

In 1992…an arctic cold front produced upslope snow across metro Denver mainly west of I-25. Castle Rock reported 6 inches of snow with 3 inches at Evergreen. At Stapleton International Airport…only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured and northeast winds gusted to 18 mph on the 21st.

22

In 1905…apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 49 mph.

In 1922…a vigorous cold front with north winds sustained to 41 mph brought only 0.6 inch of snowfall to the city. These were the highest winds of the month.

In 1966…high winds caused extensive blowing snow that impeded traffic and closed highways over a wide area of eastern Colorado. Wind damage was widespread…but minor. North wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where visibility was reduced as low as 1/8 mile in blowing snow.

In 1975…a strong west wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport…while east of Denver the strong winds caused minor property damage and considerable blowing dust which closed several roads.

In 1979…near-blizzard conditions paralyzed the northeastern quarter of the state. Strong winds and drifting snow closed many roads…including I-25 and I-70. Power outages darkened sections of metro Denver. Snow accumulations of 4 to 12 inches were measured over the plains with drifts several feet deep. Only 3.5 inches of snow were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph causing some blowing snow.

In 1995…strong winds associated with a fast moving pacific cold front moved from the mountains into metro Denver. Winds estimated at 60 to 75 mph picked up rocks and shattered the windows of a car in Louisville. The strong winds blew down and partially destroyed two houses under construction just north of Thornton. West winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.

Continue reading March 20 to March 26: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

March 13 to March 19: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 13 to March 19: This Week in Denver Weather History

Snow is one thing we have not seen a lot of in recent weeks but we still have time to gain ground. March is our snowiest month and our look back at this week in Denver weather history provides evidence of this. It was this week 13 years ago that the Denver was struck by a massive snowstorm – the costliest in Denver history. Also, six years ago, we saw significant snowfall this same week. Below is a complete look at those and other events.

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.

12-13

In 2005…a winter storm brought heavy snow to the eastern foothills and western metro Denver overnight. Storm total snowfall included: 15 inches in Jamestown…13 inches near Blackhawk…11 inches in the foothills southwest of Boulder and near Nederland…10.5 inches at Gross Reservoir…9.5 inches at Eldorado Springs…9 inches at Roxborough Park… 8.5 inches near Longmont…8 inches in Boulder…7.5 inches at Centennial…7 inches in Louisville…3.3 inches at Denver Stapleton. At Denver International Airport…west winds gusted to 46 mph on the 12th before the passage of the cold front and north winds gusted 31 mph on the 13th.

12-16

In 1880…a protracted cold spell resulted in 8 temperature records being set. Record low temperatures for the date were set when the temperature dipped to 10 degrees below zero on the 13th and 14th…8 degrees below zero on the 12th and 15th…and 4 degrees below zero on the 16th. Daily record low maximum temperatures were set with 11 degrees on the 12th…12 degrees on the 13th…and 19 degrees on the 15th.

13

In 1973…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The strong winds were accompanied by virga and a very light snow shower.

In 1990…4 to 9 inches of snow fell across metro Denver with 8 to 16 inches in the foothills. Morrison reported 9 inches; Evergreen…11 inches; and Aspen Springs…14 inches from the storm. Blowing snow and reduced visibilities caused 2-hour delays at Stapleton International Airport where only 5.1 inches of snow fell and north winds gusted to 21 mph.

13-14

In 1996…a storm system moving across northern Colorado dumped heavy snow in the mountains and foothills and across metro Denver where snowfall ranged from 5 to 10 inches. A foot of new snow was measured at Nederland with 11 inches at Conifer. Snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.

13-15

In 1906…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches over downtown Denver.

14

In 1873…a brisk west wind blew a perfect gale during the afternoon and evening.

In 1898…northwest winds were sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 62 mph.

In 1899…west Bora winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts to 60 mph.

In 1902…west winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1913…strong winds all day behind a cold front made for a blustery cold day as the high temperature climbed to only 25 degrees after a low of 19 degrees. Northeast winds were sustained to 51 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. Only a trace of snow fell.

In 1920…west winds sustained to 43 mph with gusts to 50 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.

In 1923…heavy snowfall of 8.5 inches fell in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 25 mph.

In 1947…heavy snowfall totaled 5.8 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 17 mph.

In 1971…a wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder.

In 1989…a strong pacific cold front produced west wind gusts to 59 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2002…heavy snow developed in the foothills of Boulder County with 9 inches measured near Jamestown and 7 inches near Nederland. Snowfall totaled only 2.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport.

14-16

In 1908…a warm spell resulted in daily record high minimum temperatures on 3 consecutive days: 54 degrees on the 14th…52 degrees on the 15th…and 56 degrees on the 16th… Also the all-time record high minimum for the month of March. High temperatures ranged from 65 degrees on the 14th to 72 degrees on the 16th.

In 1983…a heavy wet snowstorm buried metro Denver with the foothills receiving the most. Conifer recorded 34 inches of snow with 4 feet measured at Coal Creek Canyon in the foothills northwest of Denver. The storm left 6 to 10 inches of snow across metro Denver. Boulder received 12 to 18 inches. Flight operations at Stapleton International Airport were limited to one runway for a time. Some roads and schools were closed…and power outages occurred when wet snow downed lines. Snowfall on the 15th and 16th totaled 7.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph. Maximum snow depth on the ground was only 6 inches due to melting.

15

In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 54 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.

In 1920…southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The strong but cold downslope winds warmed the high temperature to only 35 degrees.

In 1935…strong winds howled across Boulder. At Valmont a wind gust to 60 mph was recorded. No damage was reported.

In 2006…strong winds ranging from 60 to 75 mph were reported in and near the foothills of Boulder County.

In Longmont… Two trees toppled by the strong winds damaged a car. Winds gusted to 75 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory in Boulder. West winds gusted to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.

15-16

In 2000…heavy upslope snowfall occurred in and near the Front Range foothills and over the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver. Snowfall totals from the storm included: 17 inches at Idaho Springs; 16 inches at Aspen Springs; 12 inches in Boulder; 11 inches at Bailey… Chief Hosa…Coal Creek Canyon…Eldorado Springs…Evergreen… And near Morrison; 10 inches at Intercanyon…Ken Caryl Ranch…and near Nederland; 9 inches near Sedalia and in Wheat Ridge; and 8 inches in Arvada. Snowfall totaled 5.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 15th.

16

In 1902…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1908…the low temperature dipped to only 56 degrees…the record high minimum for the month.

In 1963…high winds struck metro Denver causing heavy damage. Winds gusted at 90 to 100 mph in Boulder. Wind gusts to 98 mph were recorded at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield where hangars and several light planes were severely damaged. Wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded southwest of Littleton. A west wind gust to 55 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport. Trees were uprooted…signs blown down…and utility lines disrupted. Damage totaled nearly 5 thousand dollars in Boulder alone.

In 1987…a storm dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow across metro Denver with higher amounts in the foothills. Most of the snow on the plains melted as it fell. Only 1.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where southeast winds gusted to 30 mph.

In 2015…the temperature at Denver International Airport reached 81 degrees. It broke the previous record of 75 degrees and also made it the earliest the 80 degree day on record. The previous 80 degree day record was the 18th.

17

In 1966…high winds caused extensive minor damage across metro Denver. A light plane was overturned at Stapleton International Airport where northwest wind gusts to 55 mph were recorded. Winds gusted to 56 mph at Table Mesa in Boulder

In 1989…strong winds raked metro Denver. West wind gusts to 49 mph were clocked at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2003…the first tornado of the season was sighted near Strasburg. The small landspout touched down briefly…but caused no damage.

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 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 Baskerville 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.

Continue reading March 13 to March 19: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

March 6 to March 12: This Week in Denver Weather History

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 6 to March 12: This Week in Denver Weather History

March is Denver’s snowiest month and it is not unusual for us to receive heavy, wet snows during this time. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history highlights many such events.

From the National Weather Service:

4-6

In 1931…a cold front with north winds gusting to 35 mph on the evening of the 4th brought snowfall on the 5th into the early morning of the 6th. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches. Temperatures plunged from a high of 58 degrees on the 4th to a low of only 22 degrees by midnight…which was also the high reading on the 5th.

In 1983…a slow moving moisture laden storm produced heavy snow and rain. Two to three feet of snow fell in the foothills at Wondervu and Nederland. The southern portion of metro Denver was buried with 26 inches of snow in southeast Aurora…25 inches at Franktown…and 19 inches at Littleton. Snowfall totaled 18.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport with most of the snow…18.0 inches… Falling on the 5th. Brighton received only 11 inches of new snow. Boulder was drenched by rain and received no snow. Precipitation from the storm totaled 3.06 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 28 mph. The heavy wet snow snapped many tree limbs…which fell on power and phone lines causing many outages. Numerous highways were closed. Two thousand travelers were stranded at Stapleton International Airport where only one runway was open for a time. Many flights were canceled. One home in Denver was severely damaged when its roof collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. The 2.68 inches of precipitation on the 5th was the greatest calendar day precipitation ever recorded in the city during March. The 2.79 inches of precipitation on the 4th and 5th was the greatest 24 hour precipitation ever measured during March.

5-6

In 1935…3.0 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northwest winds gusted to 29 mph on the 5th.

In 1940…heavy snowfall totaled 9.1 inches over downtown Denver. North winds gusted to 22 mph.

In 2000…high winds developed in and near the foothills just prior to the passage of an upper level storm system moving in from the west. Peak gusts from the windstorm included: 88 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research near Boulder…82 mph in Boulder…80 mph at the national wind technology center south of Boulder…79 mph on Rocky Flats…and 71 mph in Golden Gate Canyon. Several power lines were downed causing a few brief outages. Thunderstorms produced southeast wind gusts to 51 mph at Denver International Airport on the 5th.

In 2003…high winds spread from the mountains down the eastern slopes. The highest wind gusts were 85 mph atop the Gamow Tower on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder and 70 mph at the national wind technology center on Rocky Flats west of Broomfield. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport on the 6th.

6

In 1900…west winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 49 mph.

In 1920…the high temperature warmed to only 6 degrees… The all-time record low maximum temperature for the month of March. The same reading also occurred on March 10…1948.

In 1972…a wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Winds gusted in Boulder at speeds of 50 to 65 mph. A light plane was overturned… And there was damage to other planes at Boulder airport. The roof of a garage was blown off…and a mobile home was overturned in Boulder. A truck was blown off the highway 15 miles east of Boulder. West winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The warm Chinook winds were responsible for setting a new record high temperature for the date of 75 degrees…exceeding the old record of 72 degrees set in 1925.

In 1990…a blizzard pummeled metro Denver. Snow fell at a rate of 2 to 3 inches an hour. Gusty north winds whipped the snow into 2- to 3-foot drifts by noon. During the afternoon many stores and schools closed. By rush hour sustained winds of 35 to 46 mph and gusts to 58 mph reduced visibilities to near zero and whipped the new snow into 3- to 4-foot drifts. Many residential as well as secondary and primary roads became impassable. I-25 and I-70 were closed in and out of the city. Road crews cleared drifts as high as 12 feet in southeast Boulder and northwest Adams counties. Several hundred rush hour commuters…including the state’s governor…were caught in the blizzard conditions along a 15-mile stretch of the Denver-Boulder turnpike. Many remained snowbound in their vehicles up to 8 hours until rescued by police and the National Guard. The highway remained closed until mid-day on the 7th. Shelters for stranded commuters and travelers were opened in Broomfield and Castle Rock. Many workers didn’t even try to go home…but filled downtown hotels to near capacity. By early evening…Stapleton International Airport was shut down after an airliner with 82 passengers aboard skidded off a runway. Snowfall totals for the storm varied from 18 to 50 inches in the foothills above 6 thousand feet…9 to 24 inches west of I-25…and 2 to 12 inches over eastern metro Denver. Snowfall from the storm totaled 11.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was 7 inches due to melting.

In 2004…very strong downslope winds developed in and near the eastern foothills…causing numerous traffic accidents and extensive property damage to roofs and aluminum sheds. Three semi-trucks were toppled by the strong winds near the I-70 and C-470 interchange. One of the trucks was carrying a modular home…while another was hauling hazardous material. I-70 had to be closed in both directions until the accidents could be cleaned up. Strong winds forced the closure of State Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder…when the road became icy and snowpacked from localized ground blizzards. Another semi- truck was blown over near the intersection of State Highways 72 and 93 atop Rocky Flats. Scattered power outages were reported across northern and western sections of metro Denver…affecting around 2000 residents. In Boulder…several pine trees were uprooted by the high winds.

6-7

In 1981…a storm dumped 4 to 8 inches of snow over higher elevations between Denver and Colorado springs. At Stapleton International Airport…north winds gusted to 16 mph and snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches.

In 1998…heavy snow fell over portions of metro Denver and the adjacent foothills. Snowfall totals included 11 inches at Chief Hosa…10 inches near Evergreen…8.5 inches in Broomfield…8 inches at Bailey…and 7 inches at both Standley Lake and Thornton. Elsewhere…snowfall across metro Denver ranged from 3 to 6 inches with 4.9 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport on the 7th. Several accidents occurred along area roads and highways when they became icy and snowpacked.

6-8

In 1932…snowfall totaled 6.3 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…5.2 inches…fell on the 8th. Northeast winds gusted to 20 mph on the 6th.

7

In 1872…heavy rain started shortly after midnight and soon turned to sleet…which continued to just after sunrise…the ground at that time not even being white. At about 7:00 am the worst snow storm of the winter commenced and continued until 10:00 pm…snowing heavily nearly all the time. North winds averaged a sustained speed of 25 mph. About 8 inches of snow fell…but it drifted too much to obtain a direct measurement.

In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph. The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.

In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph.

In 1950…strong north winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph produced a dust storm across metro Denver. At Stapleton Airport…blowing dust reduced visibility to as low as 1/4 mile for most of the day.

In 1972…northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The Chinook winds warmed temperatures to a high of 64 degrees.

In 1984…a wind gust to 63 mph was recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver. West winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

7-8

In 1878…snow from the evening of the 7th until noon of the 8th totaled only 5 inches in downtown Denver. Apparent heavier snow over the plains along with strong winds drifted the snow into high drifts…which delayed trains for several days and caused a great loss of livestock. Melting of the snow caused a rise in Cherry Creek…which resulted in much damage. Precipitation from the storm totaled only 0.50 inch in Denver.

In 2000…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills…as well as parts of the northeast Colorado plains as another pacific storm system moved across the area. Several trees and power lines were downed near Blackhawk…Boulder…and in Coal Creek Canyon. About 30 homes in the Pinebrook Hills subdivision in Boulder were evacuated when downed power lines sparked a grassfire. The winds eventually shifted the fire onto itself…thus allowing firefighters to contain the two acre blaze. Several roofs were blown off barns…sheds… And garages. Two semi-trailers were blown over…one along C-470 between Golden and Morrison and another north of Denver on I-25. Wind gusts reached 101 mph on Rocky Flats…100 mph at the nearby national wind technology center…90 mph at Blackhawk and atop Blue Mountain…92 mph in south Boulder…73 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…72 mph in Golden…and 70 mph at Louisville. Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 7th and to 49 mph on the 8th at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading March 6 to March 12: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

February 28 to March 5: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
February 28 to March 6: This week in Denver weather history

Wild weather is a fact of life in Denver and in Colorado in general.  We see that consistently in the history books and this week demonstrates that.  As usual we see high wind events and extreme cold.  Also notable is that as we enter the month of March, we start to see occurrences of those heavy, wet spring snows that can wreak havoc.

From the National Weather Service:

22-29

In 1960…heavy snowfall of 6.1 inches at Stapleton Airport on the 22nd and 23rd marked the beginning of a protracted cold spell which lasted until the end of the month.  The cloudy… Cold weather was accompanied by occasional light snow or flurries and fog.  New record low temperatures for the dates were set on the 24th thru the 29th with the lowest temperature of 11 degrees below zero on the 28th.  The seven consecutive days of low temperatures of zero or below had been exceeded in duration only 4 times previously.  New low maximum temperatures for the dates were set on the 23rd… 24th…and the 26th thru the 29th with the lowest maximum temperature of 8 degrees recorded on the 26th.
27-28 in 1918…heavy snowfall totaled 9.6 inches in downtown Denver.  Most of the snow…8.4 inches… Fell on the 27th.

In 1931…a major winter storm dumped 12.0 inches of heavy snowfall over downtown Denver.  This is the greatest 24 hour snowfall ever recorded during the month of February. North winds gusted to 18 mph on the 28th.

In 2006…a warm spell resulted in 3 temperature records. The high temperature of 73 degrees on the 27th equaled the record high for the date.  High temperature of 77 degrees on the 28th was a record high for the date and equaled the all time record high temperature for February first set on February 4…1890.

28

In 1896…northwest winds were sustained to 54 mph with gusts to 65 mph.  The winds warmed the temperature to a high of 56 degrees.  This was the second consecutive day of strong winds in the city.

In 1958…at Stapleton Airport… Snowfall totaled 5.3 inches and northeast winds gusted to 24 mph.

28-29

In 2012…another round of high winds occurred along the Front Range foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 84 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 77 mph…3 miles south-southwest of Boulder; and 75 mph…3 miles southwest of Rocky Flats.  At Denver International Airport…west winds gusted to 36 mph on the 28th and 35 mph on the 29th.

28-1

In 1875…6 inches of snow fell from 3:15 pm on the 28th to 1:00 am on the 1st.  Precipitation for the two days was 0.50 inch.

29

In 1896…southwest winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 60 mph.  This was the third consecutive day that strong winds occurred in the city.

In 1992…Chinook winds gusted to only 25 mph at Stapleton International Airport…but warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees…which equaled the record for the date first set in 1940.

In 2004…only light snow fell across metro Denver… While a blizzard raged across northeast Colorado.  Both I-70 and I-76 were closed to the east of Denver by winds gusting to 60 mph producing drifting snow to depths of 2 to 6 feet. Snowfall was only 1.6 inches at the Denver Stapleton site. North winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.

29-1

In 1896…snowfall totaled 5.5 inches in the city.  Northeast winds gusted to 24 mph.

In 1948…snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 15 mph.

1

In 1904…west winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.

In 1906…snowfall was heavy and totaled 7.5 inches over downtown Denver.  Northeast winds were sustained to 37 mph.

In 1940…snowfall was heavy and totaled 7.7 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1943…6.0 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 19 mph.

In 1956…west-northwest wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport.

In 1961…a wind gust to 65 mph was recorded at the Colorado building in downtown Boulder.  The high winds caused some minor damage.  Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1974…a wind gust to 77 mph was recorded in Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2002…upslope conditions caused heavy snow to develop in and near the eastern foothills.  Snow totals included 14 inches at Eldorado Springs and near Genesee; 13 inches atop Lookout Mountain; 12 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 10 inches in Nederland and just east of Boulder; 9 inches in Boulder and Morrison; and 8 inches at Broomfield…Erie…  Golden…Louisville… And Littleton.  Snowfall totaled 6.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  Northeast winds gusted to 31 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2014…a localized band of heavy snow over downtown Denver produced around one inch in less than 30 minutes and contributed to a chain of accidents in the northbound lanes of Interstate 25…between Logan Street and University Blvd. The combination of excessive speed and very poor driving conditions led the chain reaction; it involved 104 vehicles and resulted in one death along with 30 injuries. The interstate was closed for approximately 5 hours. At Denver International Airport…1 inch of snow was observed.

1-2

In 1969…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north-northwest winds gusted to 18 mph.

In 1988…3 to 6 inches of snow fell over metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 32 mph.

In 2003…localized heavy snow developed in the foothills of Jefferson County.  Storm totals included:  12.5 inches near conifer…11 inches in the foothills southwest of Boulder…and 10 inches near Genesee.  Only 0.9 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

2

In 1904…west winds sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 68 degrees. Snowfall was 0.4 inch in the evening.

In 2008…a storm system brought heavy snow to portions of the Front Range foothills; as well as localized blizzard conditions to areas along the palmer divide.  In the foothills of Jefferson and park counties storm totals included:  16 inches at Genesee…14 inches… 4 miles south of Evergreen; 13 inches…3 miles southeast of Pinecliffe; 12 inches…5 miles west-southwest of conifer; 10 inches at Evergreen and 5 miles west of Littleton. Along the Palmer Divide…south and southeast of Denver…  The combination of gusty northerly winds and snow caused localized blizzards.  Storm totals included:  7 inches… 2 miles east of Castle Rock; 6 inches…4 miles east of Parker and 2 miles northwest of Elizabeth; and 5 inches near Castle Pines.  The wind…gusting to 35 mph… Stirred up snow drifts from 1 to 3 feet in depth.  Northeast winds gusted up to 49 mph at Denver International Airport; and 2.0 inches of snow was observed at the former Stapleton International Airport.

2-3

In 1901…strong northwest winds raked the city for 2 days. On the 2nd…winds were sustained to 55 mph with gusts to 62 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 72 degrees…a record maximum for the date.  On the 3rd…winds were sustained to 61 mph with gusts as high as 65 mph.  The high temperature was 59 degrees.

In 1964…heavy snowfall of 6.3 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport.  East winds gusted to only 20 mph behind a cold front.

In 1978…5.0 inches of snowfall were measured at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 2nd.  The passage of a cold Canadian front kept temperatures only in the teens and 20`s on the 2nd after a high temperature of 33 degrees shortly after midnight. The temperature…after a morning low of 3 degrees below zero…climbed to only 14 degrees on the 3rd… Setting a record low maximum for the date.

2-4

In 1963…heavy wet snow was accompanied by strong gusty winds across metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 11.6 inches at Stapleton Airport where north winds gusting to 44 mph caused much blowing and drifting snow.  Hazardous driving conditions resulted in many traffic accidents.

In 1976…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where…on the 4th… Northeast winds gusted to 31 mph reducing the visibility to as low as 1/4 mile.  Maximum snow depth on the ground was 7 inches.  Nine inches of snow were measured in Boulder.

Continue reading February 28 to March 5: This week in Denver weather history →

Weather History

February 21 to February 27: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
February 21 to February 27: This week in Denver weather history

Snow and wind dominate our look back at this week in Denver weather history.  In 2009, high winds on the Boulder Turnpike blew a trailer into oncoming traffic damaging two cars and injuring one driver.  46 years ago, a protracted cold spell resulted in seven consecutive days with low temperatures dropping to zero or below.  Those are just two of the many events – see more below.

From the National Weather Service:

19-21

In 1971…heavy snowfall totaled 9.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to only 16 mph.  Most of the snow occurred on the 19th and 20th. The 24 hour snowfall of 8.2 inches was the greatest in February since 1953.

20-21

In 1997…heavy snow fell in the foothills.  Snowfall totals included:  16 inches at Eldora Ski Area; 15 inches at South Turkey Creek; 14 inches at Conifer and Morrison; and 11 inches at Blackhawk…Evergreen…and Intercanyon.  Only 1.0 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  Northeast winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport on the 20th.

In 2014…high winds occurred in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Peak wind reports included: 93 mph near gold hill; 89 mph at NCAR Mesa Lab; 83 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 76 mph…in Boulder… 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland and the junction of Colorado highways 72 and 93; and 75 mph at Lyons. Scattered electrical outages were reported in Boulder…Denver and Littleton…which affected 3400 Xcel Energy customers. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind of 50 mph was observed from the west on the 21st.

21

In 1901…northwest winds sustained to 43 mph with gusts to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.

In 1935…strong west to northwest winds sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 34 mph produced considerable blowing dust. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees.

In 1967…west winds gusting to 53 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.  Winds were strong and gusty all day.

In 1988…high winds were reported along the foothills with 90 mph in east Boulder where the winds knocked out a few street and traffic lights.  The strong winds whipped a grass and timber fire in Boulder canyon.  The fire threatened some homes for a time…but was extinguished before causing any significant property damage.  West winds gusting to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees.

21-22

In 1909…a major storm dumped 12.9 inches of heavy snowfall over the city.  North winds were sustained to 37 mph on the 22nd.  Temperatures during the storm hovered in the 20’s.

22

In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts to 50 mph.

In 1900…northwest winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 45 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 61 degrees.

In 1910…a cold front caused a remarkably sharp drop in temperature from 43 degrees at 3:00 am to only 3 degrees at 8:30 am.  These were the high and low temperatures for the day.  Early west winds switched to northeast behind the front.

In 1927…west winds were sustained to 42 mph with a measured maximum velocity to 60 mph.

In 1954…strong and gusty west winds persisted throughout the day.  The highest wind gust recorded at Stapleton Airport was 58 mph.

In 1960…snowfall totaled 5.9 inches…producing near-blizzard conditions in snow and blowing snow at Stapleton Airport where northeast wind gusts to 40 mph reduced visibility to 1/2 mile.

In 1986…high winds occurred in the foothills.  Wind gusts of 65 to 70 mph were reported at Golden Gate Canyon…and a peak gust of 83 mph was recorded at Echo Lake.  Northwest winds gusted to only 29 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1988…a wind gust to 83 mph was recorded in Boulder with 80 mph clocked at Rollinsville.  Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…wind gusts to 63 mph were reported in western Elbert County.  Southwest winds gusted to 45 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 1999…strong post-frontal…Bora winds developed over the foothills and spread over the northeast plains.  Peak wind gusts included:  87 mph at Golden Gate Canyon; 84 mph at Wondervu; 80 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab; 75 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility; 74 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield; 72 mph at the Gamow Tower on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder; and 60 mph at Bennett.  West to northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2000…thunder was heard across much of metro Denver. Thunderstorms over southwest metro Denver produced 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter hail at Pinehurst Country Club.  A thunderstorm at Denver International Airport produced wind gusts to 34 mph.  This was only the 6th time since 1891 that thunder had been reported in February.

22-23

In 1985…a snowstorm struck the eastern foothills with 8 to 15 inches of new snow.  Three to 7 inches of new snow fell across metro Denver and parts of I-70 were closed at times. Snowfall totaled only 3.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast wind gusts to 29 mph were recorded.

In 1992…a snow storm dumped heavy snow in the Front Range foothills.  Conifer received 12 inches of new snow with 7.5 inches at Aspen Springs.  Snow only dusted the plains and metro Denver…but winds were strong with a gust to 43 mph from the north at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 0.3 inch.  This was the only measurable snowfall of the month…equaling the record for the least snowiest February first set in 1970.  Rare thunder for February accompanied the snow during the early morning hours of the 23rd.

In 1999…strong Chinook winds developed on a very localized scale overnight in and near the foothills of northern Jefferson and southern Boulder counties.  Peak wind reports included:  82 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…80 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab in Boulder…77 mph near Nederland…and 75 mph atop the Gamow Tower on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder.

In 2012…a strong upper level jet stream produced high winds along the Front Range. In Boulder…the strong winds snapped power poles and toppled trees. As a result…about 7 thousand Xcel Energy customers were without power for several hours. The high winds overturned a tractor-trailer on foothills highway overpass…north of Valmont road. The driver suffered minor injuries. A parked car was totaled when it was crushed by a fallen tree near the University of Boulder. The strong winds were also responsible for two Boulder County wildfires which consumed a total of 65 acres. Colorado department of transportation officials closed U.S. 36 at McCaslin Boulevard in both directions after the wind caused damage to the pedestrian overpass. Metal siding from the overpass fell into highway; fortunately there were no injuries. In total…electrical outages affected 46 thousand customers along the Front Range. Damage to roofs…siding… Garage doors and fences was also reported. Peak wind gusts included: 93 mph near Lyons; 88 mph at NCAR Mesa Lab; 85 mph…2 miles southwest of Rocky Flats; 82 mph… 5 miles northwest of Boulder; 81 mph…2 miles north of Longmont… 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland…the National Wind Technology Center and near Wondervu; 80 mph at the junction of highways 72 and 93; 79 mph at the Boulder Municipal Airport; 78 mph…6 miles northwest of Boulder; 77 mph at Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport; 76 mph atop Berthoud Pass; 75 mph near Aspen Springs; 70 mph at Longmont Municipal Airport; 64 mph at Erie Municipal Airport. At Denver International Airport…peak wind gusts of 53 mph on the 22nd and 55 mph on the 23rd were observed.

22-29

In 1960…heavy snowfall of 6.1 inches at Stapleton Airport on the 22nd and 23rd marked the beginning of a protracted cold spell which lasted until the end of the month.  The cloudy… Cold weather was accompanied by occasional light snow or flurries and fog.  New record low temperatures for the dates were set on the 24th thru the 29th with the lowest temperature of 11 degrees below zero on the 28th.  The seven consecutive days of low temperatures of zero or below had been exceeded in duration only 4 times previously.  New low maximum temperatures for the dates were set on the 23rd… 24th…and the 26th thru the 29th with the lowest maximum temperature of 8 degrees recorded on the 26th.

23

In 1904…west winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees.

In 1907…a thunderstorm…relatively rare in February…was observed over the city.  The chance of occurrence is around once every ten years.

In 1977…while 60 to 100 mph winds produced a huge dust storm over much of eastern Colorado…only an experimental windmill at the Rocky Flats nuclear plant was destroyed in the Denver area.  Winds at Rocky Flats were clocked to 90 mph.  Northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1986…wind gusts to 79 mph were clocked at Echo Lake in the foothills west of Denver.

In 1992…a rare February thunderstorm occurred.  This was only the 5th time since 1891 that thunder has been heard in February.

In 1994…periodic high winds occurred over the higher elevations of the Front Range eastern foothills.  The strongest wind gusts reached 87 mph atop Squaw Mountain near Idaho Springs.  Southwest winds gusted to only 25 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…high winds gusting as high as 76 mph were reported along the Front Range foothills and adjacent urban corridor. Wind gusts to 70 mph were reported atop Table Mesa near Boulder and to 63 mph in Broomfield.  West winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2012…bands of moderate to heavy snow… Associated with a strong upper level jet…formed over the southern Front Range foothills…Palmer Divide and southern Denver suburbs. Storm totals included: 10 inches…2 miles west-northwest of Highlands Ranch and Kiowa; 9.5 inches near Castle Rock and Littleton; 8 inches at Aspen Springs and Marston Reservoir; 7.5 inches at Evergreen and Louviers; 7 inches…5 miles south-southwest of Arapahoe Park; with 4 to 6 inches elsewhere. Officially…Denver International Airport observed 1.9 inches of snowfall.

Continue reading February 21 to February 27: This week in Denver weather history →