Tag Archives: Denver weather history

September 21 to September 27: This Week in Denver Weather History

September 26, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history is somewhat shorter than normal owing to the fact that this time of year is usually relatively quiet. However, what is notable are some significant snowstorms, including one as recently as 1995.

From the National Weather Service:

20-21

In 1963…heavy rain and hail caused local flooding in southeast Denver. Thunderstorm rainfall was only 0.60 inch at Stapleton Airport on the 20th.

In 1983…the cold front on the 19th brought an unusually cold air mass into metro Denver for so early in the season. The temperature dipped to a daily record minimum of 28 degrees on both days.

In 1995…a vigorous late summer storm brought the season’s first heavy snow to portions of metro Denver. Millions of trees were damaged and power lines downed as 4 to 8 inches of heavy wet snow settled on fully leafed trees in the Boulder and Denver areas. Branches snapped and trees split under the weight of heavy snow…downing power lines. Firefighters responded to numerous transformer fires. Around 100 thousand people were left without electricity in Boulder and Denver areas alone. It took over a week to fully restore power to some areas. Insurance claims were estimated to be around 6 million dollars to homes in metro Denver and about 500 thousand dollars in damage to automobiles. It was estimated that about 80 percent of 125 million dollars’ worth of city owned trees in Denver were damaged. Snowfall totaled 7.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport where the greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 4 inches due to melting. Temperature records were set on the 21st when the thermometer dipped to a record low reading of 27 degrees and climbed to a high of only 36 degrees… Setting a record low maximum for the date. North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport on the 20th.

20-22

In 1902…a thunderstorm on the 20th…in advance of an apparent cold front…produced rain…hail…and northwest winds to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph. Widespread rain developed behind the cold front and totaled 3.21 inches from the evening of the 20th through the early afternoon of the 22nd. The 2.70 inches of precipitation recorded from 800 pm on the 20th to 800 pm on the 21st is the greatest 24 hour precipitation ever recorded in the month of September. The temperature dipped from a high of 80 degrees on the 20th to a high of only 51 degrees on the 21st.

In 1951…4.2 inches of snow fell at Stapleton Airport… Where northeast winds gusted to 27 mph. This was the first snowfall of the season in Denver…marking the end of the second shortest snow-free period on record…109 days…from June 4th through September 20th. A trace of snow fell on June 3rd.

In 1984…thunderstorm winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1992…the only precipitation of the month at Stapleton International Airport…0.01 inch of rain…fell from a brief shower around daybreak.

In 2009…an early season storm brought moderate to heavy snow to the foothills of Clear Creek…Jefferson and Park counties…west and southwest of Denver. A trained spotter…4 miles west-northwest of Conifer…was the big winner with 14 inches of snow. Storm totals elsewhere generally ranged from 5 to 10 inches.

21-22

In 1870…strong winds occurred in the foothills and in Boulder and Denver.

In 1895…rain changed to snow overnight and totaled 11.4 inches in downtown Denver. This was the first snowfall of the season and the second heaviest first snowfall of the season on record. North winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 21st.

In 1913…a thunderstorm produced northwest winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 44 mph.

In 1946…a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver. This marked the start of the longest snow season on record… 263 days through June 11…1947…when a trace of snow also fell.

In 1873…north to northwest winds blowing almost a gale spread clouds of dust and sand into the city during the afternoon and evening. From the roof of the weather observer’s building…houses a few hundred yards away were not visible and not even the sky could be seen through the clouds of sand. The wind reached sustained speeds of 35 mph…but only 28 mph was registered for any one hour.

In 1977…wind gusts from 50 to 80 mph were reported along the foothills. A northwest wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

23-24

In 2000…the first snowstorm of the season brought heavy snow to areas in and near the foothills. While the heaviest snow fell north of metro Denver…6 inches were measured in Boulder…4 inches at both Castle Rock and Morrison…but only 0.2 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport where most of the precipitation fell as rain. At Denver International Airport where drizzle and rain fell on the 23rd… Snowfall during the early morning of the 24th was estimated at 2.1 inches due to melting. The foothills west of Denver received more snow with 10 inches measured at Conifer…9 inches 11 miles southwest of Morrison… 8 inches atop Crow Hill…7 inches at Chief Hosa…and 5 inches at Ralston Reservoir.

In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts as high as 57 mph in the city.

In 1932…thunderstorm rainfall of only 0.11 inch was the only measurable precipitation for the month that year in the city.

In 1986…a very strong wind storm roared across metro Denver. Boulder was hit hardest. Winds peaked to 131 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. This is thought to be the highest wind gust ever recorded in Boulder during September. A wind gust to 118 mph was clocked on Davidson Mesa and to 92 mph near Niwot. Gusts of 70 to 80 mph were common over all of Boulder where an estimated 70 to 90 large trees were uprooted. About a dozen of them hit cars. Two walls of a building under construction were toppled and solar panels were blown off a house. Traffic lights and power lines were downed. Damage to power equipment alone was estimated at 100 thousand dollars. Wind gusts to 87 mph at Jefferson County Airport damaged two planes. A woman was seriously injured in Boulder. She suffered a fractured skull when struck by a falling tree limb. Trees were also downed in Louisville and Lafayette. West wind gusts to 45 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1873…a fire was sighted in the woods near Platte Canyon… Probably caused by high winds blowing sparks among the timber.

In 1896…an apparent cold front produced northeast sustained winds to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1910…a thunderstorm produced sustained north winds to 51 mph. This was the highest recorded wind speed in the city in September at the time.

In 1936…a vigorous cold front produced a deadly dust storm in the city. North winds sustained to 36 mph with gusts to 38 mph produced much blowing dense dust…greatly restricting the visibility. The temperature plunged from a high of 84 degrees to a low of 38 degrees by midnight. The weather observer described the event with the following. “at 6:00 pm the temperature was 82 degrees and the wind velocity was only 4 mph; but with the wind shifting to the north and the barometer rising quite rapidly…the temperature fell sharply. By 6:30 pm…the wind velocity increased rapidly and by 7:00 pm had reached a maximum sustained velocity of 36 mph…bringing with it clouds of dust which had been picked up by gale force winds in southern Wyoming and northern Colorado…covering the city. The visibility was generally reduced to about 1/4 mile; however…the whirling of the dust down the streets and alleys…the visibility was at times somewhat less. Airplanes were grounded…traffic was halted at times…and homes filled with dust. The strong winds damaged electric power and telephone lines…leaving homes in darkness for a few hours in the city and for 18 hours in suburban towns and putting 2500 telephones out of service because of broken lines. An electric lineman was killed while repairing damage by the high winds. The dust storm was followed by rain that began falling at 10:55 pm…which turned to snow during the early morning hours of the 26th. A major snow storm followed on the 27th through the 29th.”

In 1999…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County. Winds gusted to 90 mph at Wondervu.

Continue reading September 21 to September 27: This Week in Denver Weather History →

September 14 to September 20: This Week in Denver Weather History

September 18, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Snow and cold? Temperatures well into the 90s? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? Hail? Must be September in Colorado.

From the National Weather Service:

In 1912…snow fell for most of the day…but melted as it fell. Precipitation from melted snow was 0.46 inch. Some sleet was also observed. Total precipitation was 0.61 inch. North winds were sustained to 15 mph with gusts to 17 mph.

In 1934…a moderate dust storm blew into the city at 4:15 pm. North winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 44 mph. By 5:25 pm the winds had decreased and the storm had ended. A trace of rain fell during the evening.

In 1976…a tornado touched down just west of I-25 between Arapahoe Road and Dry Creek road…tearing the roof from a house. Nearby…a high tension wire fell on a house causing damage…and lightning ripped a hole in the side of a house. Three tornadoes were observed just east of Stapleton International Airport and northeast of Buckley Field. No damage was reported. Dime to quarter size hail fell in northeast Denver with only 1/4 inch hail at Stapleton International Airport. The Colorado state patrol reported golf ball size hail 4 miles west of Franktown. A funnel cloud was sighted 4 miles north of Franktown.

In 1983…a thunderstorm produced winds gusts as high as 56 mph across metro Denver along with thick blowing dust. Power was knocked out in many locations. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 49 mph briefly reduced the visibility to 2 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…a 54-year-old woman was struck by lightning near Franktown…as she was preparing an outdoor barbeque. The woman was knocked unconscious…but received only minor injuries. Thunderstorms over southern Jefferson County dumped heavy rain in the Buffalo Creek area. Some minor roads were washed out by flash flooding…but no other damage was reported. Hail ranging in size from 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 2006…a microburst from a thunderstorm produced sustained winds to 40 mph with gusts to 53 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 1921…rainfall of 0.02 inch was the only measurable precipitation of the month.

In 1976…the public reported a funnel cloud and golf ball size hail east of Parker.

15-17

In 2000…unusually hot weather for so late in the season occurred when temperatures climbed into the 90’s setting daily record maximum temperatures on each of the 3 days. The high temperature was 92 degrees on the 15th and 95 degrees on both the 16th and 17th.

15-19

In 1906…rain on 5 consecutive days totaled 1.61 inches. A thunderstorm occurred on the 17th. High temperatures ranged from 48 degrees on the 16th to 65 degrees on the 15th. Low temperatures were in the lower to mid 40’s.

In 1874…a blast of west winds caused minor injuries during working hours in Boulder. In Denver…the winds veered suddenly from the southwest to the northwest around noon and increased to a maximum sustained speed of 49 mph behind an apparent cold front. The winds remained strong and backed to the west for the remainder of the afternoon.

In 2000…the record high temperature of 95 degrees at Denver International Airport established or equaled 3 different record extremes: the high temperature broke the previous record high for the day of 92 degrees set over a century ago in 1895; it marked the warmest that it has been so late in September; it also marked the 60th day during the warm season that the temperature had reached 90 degrees or more…equaling the record first set on September 29…1994.

In 2006…strong bora winds behind a pacific cold front raked the eastern slopes of the mountains and metro Denver during the afternoon. Northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 54 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2007…a severe thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust of 67 mph…about one mile east of Bennett. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust of 48 mph was observed.

16-19

In 1971…a record breaking early fall snow storm caused extensive damage to trees and utility lines. The heavy wet snow occurred with little wind…but caused record breaking cold temperatures for so early in the season. Snowfall totaled 15.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport with most of the snowfall…12.0 inches…occurring on the 17th. This was the heaviest first snow of the season. The maximum snow depth on the ground was 13 inches. Record low temperatures were set on three consecutive days: 31 degrees on the 17th…23 degrees on the 18th…and 20 degrees on the 19th…which was also a new all-time record minimum for the month at that time. Record low maximum temperatures were set on 4 consecutive days: 48 degrees on the 16th…35 degrees on the 17th…40 degrees on the 18th… And 42 degrees on the 19th.

In 1873…brisk west to northwest winds at different times during the day…generally in sudden gusts…spread a good deal of dust into the city.

In 1953…strong winds caused thousands of dollars in damage to Boulder. The winds blew for most of the day with great gustiness…and a freak twister was reported during the afternoon. Damage was minor. A thunderstorm wind gust to 40 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1992…a tornado touched down briefly near Bennett. No damage was reported.

In 1993…severe thunderstorms rumbled across northern portions of metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell in Brighton. Dime size hail damaged several roofs of residences in Lafayette.

In 2000…for the second day in a row…the high temperature of 95 degrees at Denver International Airport broke three record temperature extremes: the high temperature broke the previous record for the day of 94 degrees set in 1895; it marked the warmest it has been for so late in the season; it also marked the 61st day in the year that the temperature had equaled or exceeded 90 degrees…eclipsing the record equaled the previous day and first set on September 29… 1994.

In 1901…northeast winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 50 mph behind an apparent cold front.

In 1948…the low temperature cooled to only 69 degrees…the all-time record high minimum for the month.

In 1988…a strong cold front blasted metro Denver with high winds. Gusts reached 82 mph in Longmont and 81 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield where the winds flipped over and destroyed a small airplane. Wind gusts to 60 mph were recorded in Boulder and Wheat Ridge. West wind gusts to 54 mph were clocked at Stapleton International Airport. The strong winds downed trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. A Longmont man was slightly injured…when a tree fell on top of his car.

In 1990…a slow moving thunderstorm over southwest metro Denver spawned an ominous looking funnel cloud near the intersection of Sheridan Blvd. and U.S. Highway 285. The funnel cloud nearly touched down a few times before lifting back into the main cloud. No damage was reported. Pea to marble size hail and 3/4 inch of rain fell over central and northeast Denver. Numerous streets and underpasses became flooded on Denver’s south side when the heavy runoff backed up storm sewers. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.02 inches at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1993…a severe thunderstorm rolled through southeast metro Denver. Dime size hail was reported in many areas. Straight-line winds from the thunderstorm…measured by a weather spotter at 70 mph…tore the roof off 6 apartments of an apartment complex in Aurora. Heavy rain which accompanied the winds caused major damage to the apartments as well as the contents. Many trees…fences… And power poles were knocked down by the strong winds. Heavy rain flooded roadways in Denver and Aurora. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.08 inches and north winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to as low as 1/4 mile in heavy rain.

In 1996…a late summer snowstorm struck the northern mountains and Front Range eastern foothills. Golden Gate Canyon received 6 inches of new snow with 5 inches reported at both Nederland and Blackhawk. Thunderstorms produced heavy rain across metro Denver…which was mixed with snow by late evening. Rainfall totaled 0.83 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport and 1.22 inches at Denver International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 39 mph.

Continue reading September 14 to September 20: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

September 7 to September 13: This Week in Denver Weather History

September 9, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

As a transition month, September can bring a wide variety of weather conditions as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. From summer-like heat to snow and wildfires to tornadoes, just about anything can happen.

From the National Weather Service:

1-7

In 1978…the temperature reached 90 degrees or more on seven consecutive days with the highest temperature…94 degrees… Recorded on both the 4th and 6th.

5-9

In 1988…layers of smoke aloft from large forest fires in Yellowstone National Park completely obliterated the sun at times. At Stapleton International Airport…surface visibility was reduced at times to 5 and 6 miles in smoke.

5-13

In 2010…the Fourmile Canyon wildfire…northwest of Boulder… Broke out on the morning of the 5th. It originated from an unattended fire pit at a local residence. The wildfire quickly consumed 5 1/2 square miles or 3500 acres the first day…and forced the evacuation of over three thousand residents. Erratic 45-mph gusts sent the fire in two directions at times. Very dry weather conditions preceded the fire. The combination of strong winds…low relative humidities and dry fuels allowed the wildfire spread rapidly through the steep…heavily forested terrain. The flames were reportedly 20 to 50 feet in length. Towns within the burn area included Salina…Wallstreet and Gold Hill. The dry conditions coupled with gusty winds ranging from 45 to 64 mph persisted for several more days. Fire managers used as many as 700 firefighters and support personnel from 35 agencies and seven air tankers to battle the wildfire. A total of 6181 square acres or approximately 10 square miles were burned. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire was the most destructive fire in Colorado history in terms of the damage to personal property. It destroyed 171 homes with an estimated cost of 217 million dollars.
7

In 1875…the creeks were running dangerously high during the night from heavy rains in the mountains.

In 1885…a thunderstorm produced very white hail of irregular shape and about the size of beans. Precipitation was only 0.10 inch.

In 1971…a vigorous cold front accompanied by a thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport and much upslope cloudiness and light rain across metro Denver.

In 1989…widespread thunderstorms produced lightning strikes that knocked out power to about 13 thousand homes in Boulder County. In a rugged area stripped of vegetation by a forest fire earlier in July…heavy rain triggered mud slides that destroyed one home and severely damaged another in Boulder canyon 10 miles west of Boulder. In one home…the mud caved in an exterior wall and poured into the residence only seconds after 2 people had evacuated the premises. Rainfall totaled 1 to 3 inches. Hail 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell in Nederland…Idaho Springs…and Golden Gate Canyon. Hail 1 inch in diameter was measured 10 miles north of Golden.

In 1993…thunderstorm winds toppled an overhead sign onto the intersection of I-70 and I-25 in Denver…causing considerable damage to 4 vehicles. The winds also caused a police car to be blown off the road northeast of Denver. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 66 mph damaged the siding of a residence southeast of Brighton. A thunderstorm wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. Hail to 7/8 inch in diameter fell at Kittredge in the foothills of Jefferson County.

In 1994…lightning severely damaged a public television transmitter atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver.

7-8

In 1884…a windstorm from mid-afternoon until the early morning hours of the 8th produced south winds sustained to 48 mph. The strong winds toppled several trees in the city.

In 1892…there was a trace of rainfall each day. This together with a trace of rain on both the 2nd and 3rd was the only rainfall of the month…making the month the driest on record. The record was equaled in 1944.

In 1886…the last thunderstorm of the season pelted the city with hail the size of beans and dropped 0.81 inch of precipitation.

In 1962…the earliest first freeze of the season occurred. The temperature dipped to a low of 31 degrees.

In 1973…hail up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell northeast of Boulder. A tornado was reported by a pilot east of Parker. No damage was reported.

In 1933…heavy rain in the foothills over the clear creek and Golden Gate Canyon watersheds caused flooding in Golden and damaged the roadway in Golden Gate Canyon… Which resulted in its closure.

In 1969…a funnel cloud was sighted in southeast Denver. There was also considerable thunderstorm activity and local heavy rain across metro Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.30 inches at Stapleton International Airport where small hail also fell.

In 1973…hail from 3/4 inch to 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell in Westminster and south of Broomfield.

In 2009…a man was critically injured when he was struck by lightning while riding his bicycle. He was nearing a paramedic van when he was hit. His heart stopped but paramedics quickly responded and were able to resuscitate him.

In 2011…a man was struck by lightning at the Adams County fairgrounds. He was leaning against a tree while watching a cross country meet when the tree was hit. The lightning traveled down the tree and up through the ground…using him as a conductor. The victim received second and third degree burns.

9-10

In 1933…heavy rain over the Cherry Creek…plum creek…big dry creek…and little dry creek watersheds caused flooding on the South Platte River in Denver overnight. Nearly an inch of rain…0.98 inch…fell in the city.

In 1944…a trace of rain fell on each day. This together with a trace of rain on the 4th and 30th was the only precipitation for the month. The total of a trace of precipitation for the month equaled the driest September on record first set in 1892.

In 1994…unusually very warm weather resulted in three temperature records being equaled. High temperatures of 94 degrees on the 9th and 93 degrees on the 10th equaled record maximums for the dates. Low temperature of 63 degrees on the 9th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

Continue reading September 7 to September 13: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

August 31 to September 6: This Week in Denver Weather History

September 4, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

As we noted in our September weather preview, the month is typically one of the more pleasant in Colorado. Extremes can occur however including our earliest snowfall (September 3), flooding rains, damaging hail and destructive wildfires.

From the National Weather Service:

In 1951…hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter caused an estimated 300 thousand dollars damage in metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter was measured at Stapleton Airport.

In 1978…strong thunderstorm winds tore the roof off an apartment building in Aurora…downed trees…and damaged windows in Denver. A microburst wind gust to 58 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1985…a thunderstorm wind gust to 60 mph was clocked at Buckley Field in Aurora.

In 1997…hail to 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in Aurora.

In 2006…a female postal worker was struck and injured by lightning while delivering mail in Westminster.

In 2008…lightning struck a home in Brighton…damaging the roof and a bedroom. The damaged totaled 20 thousand dollars.

In 1951…large hail pounded Boulder…causing thousands of dollars in damage to roofs and automobiles. Heavy thunderstorm rainfall flooded basements and produced widespread street flooding.

In 1966…severe thunderstorms caused local flooding in areas from Denver to the north and east. There was scattered damage from hail and lightning. Streets were flooded in Boulder…and streets and basements were flooded in several areas of metro Denver. The public reported 1 inch diameter hail in Aurora and near Cheery Creek Reservoir. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.39 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1985…severe thunderstorms dumped heavy rain and hail at many locations along the Front Range from Denver south. The southern and eastern suburbs of metro Denver were especially hard hit. Rainfall from 1 1/2 to 3 inches caused extensive street flooding in Aurora where two creeks rose out of their banks. Two homes in the city suffered minor lightning damage. Almost 4 inches of rain fell in the Parker area. Hail up to ping-pong ball size piled up to a foot deep and closed a road in Evergreen. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter was reported 8 miles northeast of Deckers. Wind gusts to 65 mph were estimated in southeast Aurora.

In 1990…marble size hail piled up to 2 inches deep in the foothills community of Kittredge…18 miles southwest of Denver. As much as half an inch of rain fell in just 15 minutes and caused minor road and small stream flooding. A thunderstorm dropped pea to marble size hail and brief heavy rain near Ward road and 64th avenue in Arvada. Minor street and small stream flooding was reported in the area.

In 1995…a strong thunderstorm microburst with only a few drops of rain produced a recorded wind gust to 85 mph at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. The wind gust occurred at 8:30 pm MDT. The all-time highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees… Occurred. The same temperature also occurred on September 5…1899…September 4…1960…and September 4… 1995.

1-5

In 1995…record breaking heat occurred on the first 5 days of the month when the temperature climbed into the 90’s on each day. Record high temperatures of 97 degrees on both the 1st and 4th equaled the all-time record maximum for the month. High temperature of 95 degrees on the 3rd was a record for the date. High temperatures of 94 degrees on both the 2nd and the 5th were not records. The low temperature of 64 degrees on the 4th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

1-7

In 1978…the temperature reached 90 degrees or more on seven consecutive days with the highest temperature…94 degrees… Recorded on both the 4th and 6th.

In 1938…heavy cloudbursts in the foothills near the top of Genesee mountain caused flash flooding on Bear Creek at Morrison. Nearly 8 inches of rain fell just north of Morrison in 6 hours and drowned 6 people in a car between Morrison and Kittredge. Damage was estimated at nearly a half million dollars. Flash flooding also occurred on South Boulder Creek in Eldorado Springs. Rainfall totaled 4.42 inches in Eldorado Springs…and rainfall was estimated to more than 6 inches in the foothills west of the town. Many buildings and residences were damaged in Eldorado Springs…and bridges were swept away. The high waters forced residents from their homes as far downstream as Erie. This was the flood of record on South Boulder Creek.

In 1973…hail to 3/4 inch diameter was reported in Boulder.

In 1987…lightning struck two men who were standing under a tree in downtown Denver. Both were seriously injured and hospitalized.

In 1996…lightning sparked a brush fire in the south buffer zone of the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. No structures were damaged…but the fire burned about 100 acres of grassland before being contained.

2-3

In 1892…there was a trace of rainfall each day. This… Together with a trace of rain on both the 7th and 8th…was the only rainfall of the month…making the month the driest on record. The monthly record was equaled in 1944.

In 1901…a thunderstorm produced rain…hail of unknown size… And south winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 43 mph.

In 1961…Labor Day snow storm is the earliest date of the first snow…trace and measurable…of the season. The heavy wet snow broke many limbs from trees that were still in full foliage. The storm produced 4.2 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport with nearly a foot of snow in western suburbs and in the foothills. Minimum temperature of 33 degrees was a record for the date and the coldest ever recorded so early in the season.

In 1999…severe thunderstorms dumped large hail across metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was measured near Cherry Creek in Aurora and near Bennett. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in the city of Denver.

In 2002…a thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 51 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2003…very heavy thunderstorm rain washed out parts of the Virginia Canyon Road above Idaho Springs. Up to 4 feet of mud reportedly washed down the road during the storm. Several vehicles were trapped on the road. In Idaho Springs…several streets…including the main street… Were also buried in mud and gravel. Some buildings in town experienced minor flooding…including the basement of the town library and the police station.

Continue reading August 31 to September 6: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

August 24 to August 30: This Week in Denver Weather History

August 28, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Deadly lightning, damaging hail and even grasshoppers (yes, grasshoppers!) make an appearance in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

19-30

In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day. All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain. On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

22-24

In 1987…some locations in metro Denver had a total 3-day rainfall of 2 to 4 inches. Rainfall totaled 0.96 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1880…a thunderstorm produced vivid lightning and heavy rainfall…which caused flooding over the eastern part of the city including the brick yards. There was no rainfall recorded in downtown Denver.

In 1910…an apparent dry cold front caused a remarkable drop in temperature. From 3:00 pm until midnight the temperature fell from a high of 93 degrees to a low of 40 degrees. Northeast winds were sustained to 44 mph during the late afternoon.

In 1946…heavy rain near Idledale caused flooding on bear creek at Morrison…which resulted in one death when a woman was swept from her stranded car and drowned.

In 1973…strong winds blew down a few power lines and hail up to 3/4 inch diameter fell in southeast Aurora.

In 1984…heavy rain hit the south Denver area. Over an inch fell in less than an hour at both Castle Rock and Sedalia.

In 1992…heavy rains caused flash flooding across parts of metro Denver. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches fell with the hardest hit areas being the southwest and central parts of metro Denver. Bear creek rose above bankfull near Idledale with flood waters moving into southwest metro Denver. Mud and rock slides along Colorado Highway 74 west of Morrison were reported. The confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in downtown Denver also went out of its banks…flooding bike paths. Rainfall totaled 1.98 inches at Stapleton International Airport where light to moderate rain fell most of the day. Heavy rain and fog briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 1/2 miles. The temperature climbed to a high of only 58 degrees…which was a record low maximum for the date.

In 2002…hail to 7/8 inch in diameter was measured in southwest Denver.

In 2008…several landspout tornadoes developed along a boundary to the southeast of the Denver metropolitan area during the Democratic National Convention. In northwest Elbert County… Minor damage was reported. The damage consisted of downed power lines…broken windows and an out building. Severe thunderstorms also produced very heavy rain and large hail… Up to one inch in diameter. In southwest Douglas County… Heavy rain caused flash flooding near the town of Westcreek. A mudslide closed State Highway 67. The road in the YMCA Camp Shady Brook was also washed out and some bridges were damaged.

24-26

In 1910…the lowest temperature ever recorded in August…40 degrees…occurred on each of these days and on August 22… 1904. The unusually cold weather for so early in the season brought sub-freezing minimum temperatures to much of the Colorado northeastern plains.

In 1951…a microburst produced a southwest wind gust to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport. Only a trace of rain was observed.

In 1964…thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph and caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1994…lightning struck a power pole in Louisville and caused a two-hour power outage.

In 2008…an unoccupied home was struck by lightning in Aurora… Causing 75 thousand dollars in damage to the roof.

In 1944…one of the most destructive hailstorms in the city in a decade caused damage estimated at nearly one million dollars. The storm occurred within a period of 10 to 30 minutes…between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The hail varied in size from very small to as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Hail covered the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches in some sections of the city. Several people were cut by broken glass. The hail and heavy rain flooded underpasses to a depth of 6 feet…and the occupants of stalled autos had to be rescued. Sewers were unable to handle the sudden amount of water and water backed up and flooded a number of basements. A few first floors of buildings were flooded. The water department had a busy time replacing manhole covers that had been displaced by the water pressure. Trees were stripped…one was severely broken…and telephone lines were downed. Roofs…windows… automobiles…awnings…and gardens were severely damaged. Flowers and gardens in some sections of the city were a total loss. Greenhouses were extensively broken with an estimated 20 carloads of glass shattered. Vegetable and truck crops in and around the city were severely shredded. The next day the American Red Cross was designated by the War Agency to grant any and all priorities needed to obtain materials and supplies to replace and repair the damage. In downtown Denver…the thunderstorm produced 0.95 inch of rain and heavy hail along with sustained northwest winds to 25 mph.

In 1961…strong winds blew in the walls of a warehouse under construction in Denver. Two workmen suffered a fractured foot and body bruises.

26-27

In 1980…two heavy thunderstorms hit Arvada and Westminster… Dumping up to 1.50 inches of rain in less than an hour. At least two streets were washed out and a number of homes and cars were damaged when a creek flooded. Three homes in Arvada sustained minor lightning damage.

In 1910…a thunderstorm produced south winds sustained to 40 mph.

In 1961…strong thunderstorm winds and heavy rain occurred at 79th and Federal Blvd. In Westminster. The strong winds blew the roofs off lumber sheds onto parked cars.

In 1967…a young woman was killed by lightning while horseback riding in the suburbs just west of Denver. Her horse died several hours after the incident. A young man and another young woman were also knocked from their horses by the impact of the lightning and required hospitalization.

In 1991…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.91 inch at Stapleton International Airport…where 1/4 inch diameter hail was measured.

In 1996…localized street flooding occurred in the Fort Lupton area when 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. The roof of a community college began leaking…which caused damage to ceiling tiles. The roof was under repair from hail damage which had occurred earlier in the summer. A weak tornado (f0) was sighted near Fort Lupton. No damage was reported.

In 1999…a slow moving thunderstorm dumped 5 inches of rain in 2 hours near dacono. A severe thunderstorm produced 3/4 inch diameter hail in Castle Rock.

In 2002…severe thunderstorms spread large hail over metro Denver. Hail as large as 2 inches in diameter fell in Jefferson County 5 to 11 miles northwest of Golden. Other large hail reports included: 1 1/2 inches near Golden and in Lakewood; 1 1/4 inches in Nederland; 1 inch hail near Elizabeth…Louviers…Rollinsville…and Blackhawk; 7/8 inch hail near Acequia in Douglas County. A thunderstorm produced a trace of rain and a microburst wind gust to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2003…lightning struck a house and sparked a fire in Arvada. Damage to the roof and ceiling was extensive.

In 2005…lightning struck an unoccupied home in Parker. The resulting fire damaged the roof…attic…and second floor bedroom. Damage was estimated at 15 thousand dollars.

27-28

In 2004…a brief chilly spell resulted in three temperature records. The high temperature of 55 degrees on the 27th was a record low maximum for the date. The low temperature of 48 degrees on the 27th equaled the record minimum for the date. The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 28th was a record minimum for the date.

Continue reading August 24 to August 30: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

August 17 to August 23: This Week in Denver Weather History

August 21, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Afternoon and evening thunderstorms this time of year are common and normally relatively uneventful. However, as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history, these storms can be severe with flooding, lightning, hail and even tornadoes.

From the National Weather Service:

16-19

In 1979…heavy thunderstorm rains on each of 4 consecutive days dumped a total of 2.62 inches of rain on Stapleton International Airport. The heaviest rain…1.05 inches… On the 19th was accompanied by 1/4 inch diameter hail.

In 1953…a tornado was sighted 8 miles east of Castle Rock. An unconfirmed tornado was sighted between Denver and Strasburg. No damage was reported.

In 1963…heavy rain in southeast Denver…Englewood…and Littleton caused flooding of basements and streets. Over 3.00 inches of rain fell at Cherry Creek Dam. Lightning caused power failures. The hardest hit areas were in north- central Denver. A 12-year-old boy was swept into a conduit by a 3-foot high crest of water. He was carried 125 feet through the waterway…but was unhurt. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.24 inch at Stapleton Airport.

In 1972…a thunderstorm wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. Strong winds also occurred in the Littleton area where several trees and utility poles were blown over and a number of windows broken.

In 1978…1 3/4 inch diameter hail was reported in Thornton.

In 1982…heavy rain occurred in the foothills southwest of Denver where 4.50 inches fell in 75 minutes between Evergreen and Conifer. Nearby…2.66 inches of rain drenched the north turkey creek canyon area in just 15 minutes.

In 1984…scattered slow moving thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across southern metro Denver. The heavy rain caused some road washouts in Jefferson and Douglas counties. A bridge was washed out in Douglas County. Three inches of rain fell in just an hour at Castle Rock…causing heavy silt damage to a home and to nearby drainage ditches.

In 1988…a thunderstorm dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain in southeast Denver and adjacent areas of Arapahoe County in less than 90 minutes. There was widespread street flooding…and I-25 was closed by 4 feet of water near its intersection with I-225 just south of Denver. A flood control project in Arapahoe County at Greenwood Village sustained over 10 thousand dollars damage. Up to 4 feet of water flooded some basements in the area. Only 0.44 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1990…heavy thunderstorm rains over the Boulder creek and St. Vrain Creek drainage basins caused many creeks and drainage ditches to rise in eastern Boulder and southwest weld counties. The high waters punched three 30-foot holes in the embankment of a drainage ditch…which traversed through the town of Firestone…20 miles north of Denver. A sheet of water 2 to 3 feet deep rushed out onto the streets of firestone…forcing the evacuation of a trailer park and residents from 50 neighboring homes. No injuries or serious damage occurred except for mud and water damage. Lightning struck and injured 4 construction workers standing in an Aurora field. They received treatment for minor injuries at a local hospital. Lightning also struck the roof of a Methodist church in central Denver… Knocking down the highest peak of the steeple. A half dozen people were in the building…but no one was injured. Slow moving thunderstorms dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain over southeast Aurora in 90 minutes. The heavy rain accumulated on the roof of a condominium clubhouse…causing the roof to collapse under the weight of the water. Nearly 300 residents were evacuated from the 200-unit complex because of the structural damage. The residents were allowed to return to their homes when it was determined the damage was confined to the clubhouse. No injuries were reported.

In 1993…just west of Fort Lupton…thunderstorm winds blew the tin roof off a cattle shelter into a mobile home… Causing considerable damage to the mobile home.

In 1997…lightning struck a home in Castle Rock sparking a fire. Damage was estimated at 20 thousand dollars.

In 2000…thunderstorms producing very heavy rain…up to 3.50 inches in spots…caused flooding and flash flooding across metro Denver. In Commerce City…a 37-year-old firefighter drowned while attempting to rescue a stranded motorist on a flooded street. The firefighter was wading through the water when he lost his footing and was sucked into a 10 foot deep culvert. He was swept away before anyone could reach him. Extensive flooding was also reported throughout Littleton and north Denver.

In 1965…heavy rain in areas south and east of Denver caused some flooding in Littleton and Englewood. Clear creek was running near bank full…and heavy rain in southwest Denver flooded intersections.

In 1966…a brief very heavy thunderstorm dumped 0.61 inch of rain in just 5 minutes at Stapleton International Airport. Total rainfall from the storm…0.64 inch…fell in just 10 minutes. Half inch diameter hail also fell at Stapleton International Airport. The public sighted funnel clouds 10 to 15 miles south of the airport.

In 1967…hail struck in a strip along the eastern foothills and caused minor damage in Boulder. Hail accumulated to a depth of 4 to 6 inches in Jefferson County just southwest of Denver.

In 1983…one inch to hen egg size hail was reported in Broomfield with golf ball size hail at Northglenn.

In 1990…dime size hail and thunderstorm wind gusts to 50 mph were reported by storm spotters just east of Aurora near the intersection of Mississippi Avenue and Gun Club Road. The hail and strong winds damaged a number of windows in the area.

In 1991…very heavy rain from slow moving thunderstorms dumped up to 3 inches of rain in 20 minutes in the vicinity of Idaho Springs and central city. Flooding in Idaho Springs forced the closure of the Virginia Gulch Road…which runs from Idaho Springs to Central City. Dirt roads above Central City were damaged or destroyed with the mud being swept onto streets in town. High water in Clear Creek…up to 3 feet above flood stage…washed out a bridge in Idaho Springs. Rock and mud slides forced the closure of I-70 about 1 mile east of Idaho Springs.

In 1997…dry microbursts produced two peak wind gusts to an estimated 60 mph east of Buckley Field.

In 2000…hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter was measured 5 miles west of Sedalia.

In 2003…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 2.75 inches in diameter at Highlands Ranch. Hail to 3/4 inch was reported in Aurora near Cherry Creek and in Arapahoe County 9 miles southeast of Aurora.

In 2004…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding across central and southern metro Denver. A rain gage at City Park recorded 4.37 inches of rainfall from the deluge. Several roads in and around the city had to be closed due to floodwaters…stranding many vehicles. The Denver Fire Department conducted at least 15 water rescues. One driver nearly drowned when he made a wrong turn into a retaining pond. Four men who witnessed the accident were able to save the man before his car was completely submerged. Widespread street flooding was reported in the Denver Stapleton area where rainfall totaled 3.81 inches. Standing water over 6 inches deep was reported near I-70 and Quebec…I-225 south of I-70…and I-25 near 6th Avenue. Flood waters reached 8 feet deep in some low lying areas as sewers became clogged and the storm runoff pipes were unable to handle the heavy flow of water. Heavy rainfall caused additional flash flooding south of Denver. Several street intersections in Centennial and southern Aurora became impassable due to high water. Two feet of water covered portions of the roadway near Park Meadows Mall. One person had to be rescued near the intersection of Arapahoe Road and Liverpool. Floodwaters forced the closure of Stonegate Parkway near Jordan Road and Lincoln Avenue. Flooding was also reported on Meridian Blvd. Near I-25. Rainfall was 1.62 inches at Denver International Airport.

18-19

In 1875…nearly 0.75 inch of rainfall in the city overnight… Possibly assisted by heavier rainfall upstream…produced a decided and rapid rise in Cherry Creek…which washed out some bridges. Other small creeks and streams were filled to overflowing.

In 1983…heavy rain fell across the northern metro Denver suburbs with 1.50 to 1.80 inches of rain in Broomfield… Arvada…and Thornton.

In 1989…lightning killed a 31-year-old man and injured his 10 year old nephew when it hit a tree they were walking under in the foothills about 5 miles west of Boulder. The boy received mouth to mouth resuscitation on the scene and recovered after being hospitalized overnight. Three other people were knocked to the ground by the bolt…but were uninjured.

In 1990…3/4 inch diameter hail was reported in Wheat Ridge. A thunderstorm over west Denver dumped an inch of rain in 20 minutes…causing minor street flooding. One inch diameter hail was reported over east Denver. Ping pong to golf ball size hail was reported 14 miles northeast of Denver at the intersection of 122nd Ave. and Brighton Blvd. The hail stones knocked out windows and did an unspecified amount of damage to the roof of a house. Close by…heavy thunderstorm rains caused gullies…irrigation ditches…and small streams to overflow their banks near the intersection of 120th Avenue and Riverdale Road. Flood waters 1 to 2 feet deep covered the river bottom land along the South Platte River. However…no structures were threatened by the flood waters.

In 1999…heavy rain…up to 5 inches in two hours…caused East Tollgate Creek to jump its banks. The bike path adjacent to the creek was underwater at several locations. Several underpasses were also flooded…halting traffic. In addition…an unfinished playground at a local elementary school was completely flooded. Lightning struck a vehicle at East Evans Avenue and Tower Road. The woman inside the vehicle was not injured.

19-30

In 1980…winds to 55 to 60 mph were recorded in south Boulder.

In 1982…strong thunderstorm winds blasted the Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield…causing an estimated 3 million dollars in damage. At least 5 hangars and 15 airplanes were damaged…many seriously; one hangar was completely destroyed. Torrential rains accompanied the winds. Heavy rains also dumped on Boulder where 1.65 inches fell in just 15 minutes…causing street flooding. Wind gusts to 72 mph were recorded in Boulder. Over half an inch of rain fell in just 5 minutes in Littleton where two homes were struck by lightning. Lightning also struck a house in Arvada where over an inch of rain sent Ralston Creek over its banks. Strong winds accompanied the storms.

In 1984…slow moving thunderstorms dumped 1.25 inches of rain in Evergreen…causing street flooding. A half inch of rain fell in just 18 minutes in southeast Denver. Littleton and Boulder were also drenched with about an inch of rain. Rainfall totaled 0.92 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2001…severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and large hail across metro Denver. Hail as large 1 inch in diameter fell in Aurora near Cherry Creek. Strong thunderstorm winds gusting as high as 58 mph blew the roof from a building between Thornton and Denver and toppled several trees in Denver. One tree landed on a mail truck. Other thunderstorm winds were clocked to 60 mph near Parker… 62 mph in Broomfield…and 61 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…a tornado (F0) touched down near Bennett…but caused no reported damage.

Continue reading August 17 to August 23: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

August 10 to August 16: This Week in Denver Weather History

August 13, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

The later we get into August, the less traditional severe weather we experience. That however does not mean the end of the weather excitement by any means as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

8-10

In 1979…heavy thunderstorm rains on each of three consecutive days dumped a total of 2.22 inches of rain at Stapleton International Airport. The heaviest rain… 0.95 inches…fell on the 9th. Small hail to 1/8 inch diameter fell on the 8th.

8-13

In 1875…clouds of grasshoppers were seen flying through the air on the prevailing winds during each day.

9-10

In 2006…mid and high cloudiness overnight on both days resulted in two temperature records. The low temperature of 71 degrees on the 9th was a record high minimum for the date. The low temperature of 68 degrees on the 10th equaled the record high minimum for the date first set in 1936.

In 1924…0.01 inch of rain fell over downtown Denver. This along with the 0.01 inch of rainfall on the 4th was the only rainfall of the month…making this the driest August on record in the city.

In 1962…the high temperature reached 100 degrees at Stapleton Airport.

In 1970…hail stones to 1 inch in diameter were reported in the Fort Lupton area.

In 1972…dry thunderstorm microburst winds gusting to 46 mph briefly reduced the surface visibility to 3/4 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1978…lightning struck two men in Aurora…killing one and injuring the other.

In 1982…a tornado was sighted near Castle Rock and remained on the ground for 10 minutes. Wind gusts to 60 mph were reported in Castle Rock. No damage was reported.

In 1994…heavy thunderstorm rains caused flash flooding on Lena Gulch in west metro Denver. Damage was estimated at 50 thousand dollars. Lightning struck a house in Westminster…causing a small attic fire.

In 1996…strong thunderstorm winds toppled a tent at a company picnic in Westminster. Five people received minor injuries when the tent collapsed. Two cars nearby were also damaged by flying debris. A weak tornado (f0)…first sighted near Denver International Airport…traveled east to near Bennett and Strasburg. No significant damage was reported.

In 1998…heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding problems over southwest metro Denver. An observer in Lakewood measured 3.26 inches of rainfall in an hour. Several streets were flooded in central Lakewood. In addition…a trailer park along Lena Gulch in Wheat Ridge was evacuated due to high waters. One inch diameter hail fell near Roggen.

In 1999…thunderstorm-producing tornadoes…damaging straight line winds…heavy rain…and hail hammered metro Denver. In the city…small hail and heavy rainfall…up to 2.50 inches an hour…caused a 20-foot by 50-foot section of the roof to collapse at a furniture warehouse. Damage to the warehouse was estimated at 1 million dollars. Heavy rain also flooded several underpasses with up to 3 feet of water…which resulted in a number of stalled vehicles. In Fort Lupton…a tornado bounced across the area. Spotty damage was reported along a 5-mile path as trees…power poles…and lines were downed. In addition…an empty semi-trailer was overturned onto another vehicle northeast of the town. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 81 mph south of Fort Lupton.

In 2004…severe thunderstorms pummeled metro Denver with large hail. Hail up to 3 inches in diameter was measured 10 miles east of Castle Rock. Two inch diameter hail fell in Louisville…10 miles north of Hudson…and 1 mile east of Brighton. Hail to 1.75 inches was reported in Englewood… 1 mile south of Ft. Lupton…and 8 miles east of Boulder. Hail to 1.50 inches was reported around Boulder…near Broomfield…and in Lafayette…Thornton and Greenwood Village. Hail from 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter was found in Broomfield… Brighton…Castle Rock…Denver and Thornton…and near Longmont… Northglenn…greenwood village…Morrison…and Wheat Ridge. Severe thunderstorm wind gusts were recorded to 66 mph in Parker and to 60 mph 5 miles northeast of Boulder. There were no damage estimates from the hail or wind.

In 1872…fog was very dense until about 8:00 am. There was water dripping from the roofs of houses as if it had rained. The rain gage showed 0.01 inch of moisture…even though there had been no rainfall.

In 1927…an apparent dry microburst produced only a trace of rain and brief northwest winds sustained to 34 mph with gusts to 44 mph.

In 1980…hail up to golf ball size caused some roof and car damage in the southern part of Aurora.

In 1990…lightning ignited a storage tank filled with 10 thousand gallons of crude oil in a farmer’s field near Dacono…25 miles north of Denver. Flames shot to 40 feet high for nearly 2 hours before being extinguished. A lightning bolt also struck 21 miles north of Denver at an Erie fire station…causing extensive damage to the gas meter and electrical system. The sudden power surge blew out the station’s television set…a refrigerator…and a pop machine. Small fires spread throughout the structure… Totally destroying the building’s electrical wiring. The fires were quickly extinguished by the in-resident fire fighters. Golf ball size hail was reported in Denver near the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and I-25.

In 2012…a severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at rocky mountain metropolitan airport.

In 1992…dime size hail fell in Westminster.

In 1994…strong thunderstorms produced large hail across northwest and north metro Denver. One inch diameter hail fell in Brighton with 3/4 inch hail reported in Westminster and at Indian Hills in the foothills west of Denver. Lightning struck a house in Arvada. The resulting fire destroyed one-third of the house. Funnel clouds were sighted over Westminster.

In 1997…large hail…strong winds…and torrential rains hammered portions of Lakewood and south Denver. Nearly 1 inch of rain fell in the span of 10 minutes in south Denver with a storm total of 1.81 inches. Street flooding was extensive as gutters and other drainage systems in the area were clogged by hail…piled several inches deep…and other debris. Strong thunderstorm winds to 50 mph and large hail accompanied by heavy rain caused extensive damage to cars…homes…and businesses. Several trees were downed by the strong winds…and trees were stripped of their leaves by hail. A water lily exhibition on display at the Denver botanic gardens was heavily damaged. Final estimates of the damage included 60 million dollars to automobiles and an additional 68 million dollars to homes and businesses. Hail to 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell in south Denver with 3/4 to 1 inch hail in Lakewood. A man received minor injuries in Aurora when he was struck by lightning while talking on the telephone.

In 2003…hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured in Aurora near Cherry Creek.

In 1876…the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1941…excessive thunderstorm rainfall flooded streets and delayed traffic for a few hours in some sections of the city. The basements of a considerable number of homes and commercial buildings were flooded. The total value of the damage was unknown. Only 0.94 inch of thunderstorm rainfall was recorded downtown.

In 1969…a man and a 9-year old boy were injured…when lightning struck a tree near where they were standing. Both were revived after treatment…but the boy later died of respiratory failure due to electrical shock.

In 1984…heavy thunderstorm rains drenched southern metro Denver. Rural roads in Douglas County received minor washouts. Hail…as large as 3/4 inch in diameter…was reported in southeast Aurora with one inch diameter hail reported near Parker. Rainfall totaled 1.00 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

12-13

In 1975…heavy rains caused flash flooding along the foothills from Denver north. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2004…a brief cool spell resulted in two daily temperature records. The low temperature of 49 degrees was a record minimum for the 12th…as was the low temperature of 48 degrees on the 13th.

In 1959…thunderstorm winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1983…thunderstorms dumped torrential rain in Northglenn… Thornton…and Broomfield. Northglenn was drenched with 1.72 inches in 30 minutes. Street flooding was widespread. Hail…as large as 3/4 inch in diameter…was reported 7 miles northeast of Boulder along with heavy rain which caused some street flooding.

In 2000…lightning sparked 3 small grass fires near Golden. The fires were quickly contained. Hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Castle Rock.

Continue reading August 10 to August 16: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

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

August 7, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

As we enter August we start to see a decrease in severe weather. However, as our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows, extreme events can and do still occur. Heavy, flooding rain, hail and deadly lightning all show on the calendar.

From the National Weather Service:

2-3

In 1876…grasshoppers were in great abundance in the city and caused considerable damage to gardens and to crops in the surrounding farms and ranches.

In 1951…heavy thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver through the night. Heavy rain totaled 3.45 inches at Stapleton Airport. This was the greatest 24 hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of August in Denver.

In 2007…heavy rain caused localized flash flooding near Ft. Lupton. Up to 8 inches of water was reported across County road 18. In addition…several other County roads in the immediate area were washed out.

In 1878…the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1900…a thunderstorm produced west winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 55 mph…but only a trace of rain.

In 1903…a thunderstorm produced a trace of rainfall and northwest winds sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph. The high temperature was 99 degrees.

In 1927…a thunderstorm produced hail and sustained north winds to 22 mph.

In 1933…heavy cloudburst rains caused the failure of the Castlewood Dam…which resulted in flash flooding on Cherry Creek…the deaths of 7 people in Denver…and flood damage estimated at 1 million dollars. Lower Denver was flooded during the morning by waters pouring down Cherry Creek and its valley from Castlewood Dam…which had broken between midnight and 2:00 am. Heavy rain of 3 to 9 inches in 9 hours in the watershed above the dam resulted in the failure. At 7:30 am…the flow in Cherry Creek was reported at 16 thousand second-feet as compared with a peak flow of 3 thousand second-feet in other years. The flood waters ruined hundreds of acres of crops and drowned scores of farm animals. Six bridges in Denver were swept away. Great deposits of mud were left in the lower sections of the city…including hundreds of basements and lower floors of buildings. At the end of the month…a deadly stench still rose from swampy areas near the lower city limits.

In 1963…heavy thunderstorm rains in the Parker area caused Cherry Creek to overflow…which damaged roads.

In 1985…a tornado touched down briefly about 10 miles northeast of Parker. No damage was reported.

In 1991…upslope northeast winds produced chilly temperature readings and heavy rain across metro Denver. Rainfall… With no thunder…totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the heavy rain briefly reduced the surface visibility to 7/8 mile. The mercury climbed to a high of only 63 degrees.

In 1992…a thunderstorm wind gust to 64 mph was recorded in Brighton. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. Lightning started a fire in an Evergreen church…causing over 75 thousand dollars in damage.

In 1998…3/4 inch hail fell in Jefferson County 15 miles northwest of Arvada.

In 2006…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding along Leyden Creek in unincorporated Jefferson County. An automated rain gauge on upper Leyden Creek…6 miles northwest of Arvada…measured 2.68 inches of rainfall in less than 2 hours. Two to three feet of water covered the roadway at the intersection of 82nd and Quaker Street.

In 2009…a woman riding her bike…in training for an ironman triathlon…was struck by lightning in Boulder. She was in the 78th mile of a 100-mile training ride when she was hit. The woman lost her vision initially and couldn’t move her arms. After a short stay in the hospital…she made of complete recovery.

3-4

In 1988…two inches of rain fell in 3 hours at both Morrison and Wheat Ridge. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch overnight at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1889…southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with an extreme velocity to 52 mph.

In 1924…0.01 inch of rain fell over downtown Denver. This along with the 0.01 inch of rainfall on the 10th was the only rainfall of the month…the driest August on record.

In 1963…heavy rains in the foothills above Idaho Springs caused mud and rock slides which closed U.S. Highways 6 and 40 for a time.

In 1976…hail to 1 inch diameter was reported 12 miles southwest of Denver. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported in Lakewood. Small hail…1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter…fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1982…heavy rain poured through the roof of a clothing store in Aurora…causing widespread water damage. The roof was being repaired when the storm hit.

In 1983…hail up to one inch in diameter fell in Aurora where heavy rain produced street flooding.

In 1984…a Colorado State Trooper was struck and injured by lightning in Northglenn.

In 1989…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1997…lightning sparked a small fire in a home in Arvada… Causing minor damage. Several intersections in both Arvada and Westminster were flooded by thunderstorms producing heavy rain. Several cars were damaged by the high waters… And a number of businesses were flooded.

In 1999…flooding and flash flooding problems developed over metro Denver as slow moving thunderstorms dumped from 2 to 3.5 inches of rainfall in about 3 hours. Near the junction of I-25 and U.S. Highway 36…up to 4 feet of water flooded an auto dealership. About 45 cars were ruined. Damage estimates to the dealership alone totaled nearly a half million dollars. Sections of I-25 and U.S. 36 near the interchange were closed due to floodwaters. Floodwaters… Up to 5 feet deep…forced the evacuation of two mobile home parks in federal heights. Railroad tracks were washed out near Federal Blvd and 64th Avenue. Numerous power outages caused widespread blackouts in Thornton and Littleton. Along Massey Draw near Carr St. and Chatfield Reservoir…4 homes were flood damaged and portions of their backyards washed out. Widespread street flooding was also reported in Boulder where several buildings were flood damaged…including the University of Colorado memorial center.

In 2004…two golfers were shocked when lightning struck the eighth green of the golf course at castle pines north of Castle Rock. The two men suffered only minor injuries. Heavy thunderstorm rain from the same storm caused flash flooding. Floodwaters rushed across parts of U.S. Highway 85 near the entrance to the castle pines golf club. The traffic lanes were covered with up to 6 inches of running water.

In 2008…lightning sparked a grassfire that consumed 300 acres on the northern edge of Green Mountain…in Jefferson County. Gusty winds and very dry conditions allowed the wildfire to quickly spread and threaten several houses. Fortunately…only minor damage was reported to homes due to smoke and melted siding.

In 1881…the low temperature cooled to only 76 degrees…the record high minimum temperature for the month.

In 1889…southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1918…hail pelted the city…but was light and caused no damage. Precipitation totaled 0.25 inch. Northwest winds were sustained to 31 mph.

In 1964…lightning struck two boys in Denver while playing ball. One was treated and released from the hospital…but the other boy suffered second degree electrical shock and cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in critical condition for several days.

In 1969…two tornadoes touched down briefly in an open field southeast of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.

In 1970…heavy rain in the Indian Hills area in the foothills west of Denver caused flash flooding…which washed out roads and damaged other property. Hail accumulated to a 3 inch depth with stones up to golf ball size; however…most of the damage was from flooding.

In 1982…2.38 inches of rain fell in an hour in Arvada… Causing minor flooding on Ralston Creek. In Westminster… 1 1/2 inches of rain fell…causing damage to streets and culverts. In addition…lightning caused some minor power outages across metro Denver.

In 1983…very heavy thunderstorms hit the southern portion of metro Denver. Heavy rainfall…as much as 2.89 inches in 38 minutes…caused widespread street flooding in southeast Denver. Two feet of water covered a section of I-25. Hail up to golf ball size accompanied the storm in Littleton and Englewood…along with 60 mph winds.

In 1984…a heavy thunderstorm drenched Littleton with up to 2.35 inches of rain in an hour…along with small hail that piled up to 2 inches deep. Flood waters were up to 4 feet deep in parts of town with many basements flooded. There were some power outages caused by lightning.

In 1990…a thunderstorm dumped 1.25 inches of rain in 12 minutes near tower and smoky hill roads in southeast Aurora. Minor street flooding was reported in the area.

In 1992…a pilot reported two funnel clouds near Cheery Creek Reservoir. Both dissipated quickly. Dime size hail fell near Franktown.

In 1994…one inch diameter hail fell near Strasburg. No damage was reported.

In 1999…a dog kennel east of Denver International Airport… Was flooded when a small dam…upstream in Elbert County… Was breached. The floodwaters…up to 4 feet deep…washed away some 6-foot fences and other small buildings. Ten of the 70 dogs boarded at the kennel drowned.

In 2002…a mail carrier was struck by lightning as he inserted a key into a multi-unit mailbox in Bailey. The shock knocked the man back against the mail truck. He suffered minor injuries. Lightning struck a residence in Commerce City. The resulting fire destroyed the roof of a detached garage and damaged much of its contents. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter pelted pine. One inch diameter hail fell in Arvada and southwest Denver. Heavy rain triggered a mudslide along U.S. Highway 285 near Bailey. Both lanes of traffic had to be closed until debris could be removed from the highway. Several residences in the Bailey and Glenisle areas were also flooded.

In 2004…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused localized flash flooding in Virginia Canyon near Idaho Springs. Sections of the Virginia Canyon Road had to be closed due to the floodwaters.

In 2008…a severe thunderstorm produced large hail…up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter…northeast of Parker. Several automobiles were damaged.

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

Weather History

July 27 to August 2: This Week in Denver Weather History

July 28, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

The end of July and beginning of August has historically been a rather active one. Looking back at the history books, deadly and damaging lightning, heavy monsoon rains and extreme heat are the dominate extremes we have seen.

From the National Weather Service:

13-5

In 2008…a streak of 24 consecutive days of 90 degrees shattered the previous record of 18 consecutive days established in 1901 and 1874. Ironically…no new single day record high temperatures were set in the month of July. In August however…a record of 104 degrees was set on the 1st…and another record of 103 degrees was set on the 2nd. In addition…a record low min of 70 degrees was set on August 2nd.

18-2

In 1987…a streak of 16 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 4th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.
26-27 in 1885…heavy cloudbursts on the palmer divide south of Denver caused flooding on Cherry Creek in the city overnight. The high water washed away street and railroad bridges and a few houses. The flood waters completely inundated the rail yards in lower downtown. This was the worst flood on Cherry Creek since May 19-20…1864…but the damage was mitigated by stream improvements and fewer structures near the channel. There was also no simultaneous flood on the South Platte River to slow the flow of water through the city. Rainfall in the city was only 0.08 inch on the 26th.

In 1897…an apparent dry microburst produced sustained west winds to 48 mph with gusts to 60 mph and a trace of rain.

In 1901…a thunderstorm produced north winds to 38 mph with gusts to 41 mph and rainfall of only 0.01 inch in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable rainfall of the month… Making this the driest July on record.

In 1953…an unconfirmed tornado in south Lakewood touched down briefly and abruptly dissipated. No damage was reported from the twister.

In 1955…the public sighted a funnel cloud estimated at 500 feet above the ground near the western edge of Lowry Field. Wind estimates up to 60 mph were reported in the vicinity.

In 1956…a severe thunderstorm produced 3/4 inch diameter hail and wind gusts to 48 mph at Stapleton Airport where rain fall totaled 1.08 inches.

In 1965…a tornado was sighted 21 miles south of Denver in Douglas County. No damage was reported.

In 1977…a thunderstorm wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. A funnel cloud was sighted by an aircraft east of Parker.

In 1982…heavy rain doused Boulder with 1 1/2 to 3 inches of rain over a short period of time…causing extensive street flooding.

In 1984…strong thunderstorms drenched several areas. Rainfall of 1.04 inches occurred in just 20 minutes at Boulder. Downpours also hit Aurora and northeast Denver… Delaying flights at Stapleton International Airport for an hour. Up to 3/4 inch of rain fell in central Aurora in 15 minutes.

In 1989…lightning hit a home in Littleton…setting a bed on fire. Damage was confined to the bedroom.

In 1994…lightning struck a furniture store in Boulder… Igniting a fire which caused major damage to the building and contents.

In 1997…lightning sparked a fire…causing extensive damage to a home in Watkins. Heavy rain caused Lena Gulch to surge 2 feet over its banks in Golden. The fire department had to rescue a man when his van stalled in high waters. High waters from swollen creeks and streams washed out bridges and several sections of road in southeast Aurora. A 200-to-300 foot section of road was washed away where Picadilly Street dips across Coal Creek. Three youths had to be rescued when they became stranded by rapidly rising water in another normally dry creek bed.

In 1999…lightning was suspected of igniting a fire which caused substantial damage to a farm in Hudson. The blaze destroyed a 10-foot by 60-foot metal pole barn…a pick-up truck…a SUV…a boat and trailer…3 four wheeler vehicles… And other farm equipment.

In 2007…a man was struck and killed by lightning while jogging at Matthews Winters Park in Morrison.

27-31

In 1956…96 percent of the total precipitation for the month of July occurred over the last five days of the month. Heavy thunderstorms produced 4.00 inches of rainfall at Stapleton Airport. This amount of precipitation in 5 days or less had been exceeded only 3 times in previous record. The last time had been in December of 1913 as snow. Considerable property damage occurred across metro Denver from flooding.

In 1882…intense thunderstorm lightning struck a number of places in the city…but no significant damage was reported.

In 1910…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.21 inches in downtown Denver. Rainfall was 1.11 inches in an hour during the early afternoon.

In 1922…heavy rainfall to the south of Denver caused Cherry Creek to rise to the top of the retaining walls in the city. The creek did not flood; however…the large volume of water discharged into the South Platte River did inundate a few blocks of Globeville. Flooding also occurred along bayou creek near Franktown to the south of the city.

In 1923…thunderstorm winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 52 mph.

In 1957…iridescent cirrocumulus clouds of unusual formation and brilliant color…oriented from southwest to northeast over metro Denver…were sighted by U.S. Weather Bureau observers at Stapleton Airport shortly after noon.

In 1966…heavy rains from a severe thunderstorm caused flash flooding on Deer Creek…southwest of Littleton. A child was injured when washed from a car caught in the flood waters. The flooding damaged property along the creek. Strong winds damaged several houses in suburban Littleton.

In 1970…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1974…a tornado was sighted just east of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.

In 1982…up to 2.50 inches of rain drenched an area just southwest of Denver in 30 minutes. This was the second day of heavy rain across portions of metro Denver.

In 1984…1.25 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes in Arvada. Minor flooding occurred on Bear Creek after a small dam broke.

In 1989…lightning killed two men in Arvada. They were taking wash from a clothesline when a bolt hit the older man…39… Killing him instantly. The bolt then traveled along the line…which was stretched between 2 tall trees…and hit his 26-year-old brother who died the next day.

In 1996…several weak tornadoes developed along a thunderstorm outflow boundary that moved into southern weld…northern Jefferson…and Adams counties. The tornadoes sighted near Bennett…Barr Lake…and in Arvada caused little damage. Strong thunderstorm winds downed several trees in the city of Denver and toppled several trees 7 miles west of Arvada where shingles were blown off several houses. Thunderstorm wind gusts reached 58 mph in Broomfield.

In 1997…a weak tornado touched down briefly in Parker… Damaging a greenhouse. Twenty pieces of the fiberglass roof were ripped away. Heavy rainfall in the foothills washed out some culverts in the pine and Conifer areas. Heavy rainfall spread over the plains with 4 to 7 inches reportedly falling near Hudson. Several County roads were washed out between Fort Lupton and Hudson. Several basements in the area were flooded up to the ceiling. Standing water…up to 3 feet deep…was reported in some backyards. Later in the evening…a flash flood killed 5 people and injured 40 others in two mobile home parks in Fort Collins. The torrential rainfall also caused extensive damage on the Colorado state university campus. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch at Denver International Airport and 1.09 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 1999…heavy rainfall…up to 3 inches an hour…triggered a massive rock and mudslide along I-70 near Bakerville. The slide area was about 200 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Several other smaller slides were also reported along the highway. As a result…I-70 was closed for nearly 25 hours in both directions until the debris could be cleared from the roadway. The blockage of I-70 was one of the longest in the history of the highway in Colorado. A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 64 mph at Denver International Airport. The storm also produced 1.56 inches of rain and briefly reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile.

In 2004…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter in Thornton.

In 2010…a wet microburst produced very heavy rain and torrential hail in Boulder County…in the vicinities of Caribou…Nederland and Eldora. Flash flooding washed out sections of County roads 126 and 128 near Caribou. Several large boulders had fallen across the roadways. Considerable flooding was reported in Nederland. Water was also observed running across County Road 130…between Eldora and Nederland. The hail had accumulated up to 8 inches deep near Eldora. Several vehicles were stuck in the ice…forcing the temporary closure of cr130 and the Lake Eldora ski road until snowplows could clear away the hail. Lightning strikes caused minor damage to two local businesses in Nederland. At Denver International Airport…a thunderstorm produced 0.30 inches of rain along with a peak wind gust to 38 mph.

In 2012…a tornado touched down briefly at the southeast corner of Mt. Evans near Lincoln Lake. The estimated elevation where this tornado touched down was near 12500 feet. This would make this tornado one of the highest ever observed in the U.S.

28-30

In 1889…dense smoke from forest fires in the mountains obscured the sun over the city for three days.

In 1971…a vigorous cold front late on the 28th produced northeast wind gusts to 39 mph and record breaking cold temperatures on the 29th and 30th. The temperature dipped to 47 degrees on the 29th and 43 degrees on the 30th… Setting record minimums for the dates. Upslope cloudiness along with rain and fog early on the 29th helped set a record low maximum temperature of 58 degrees for the date.

Continue reading July 27 to August 2: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Weather History

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

July 25, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Heavy rain events become more commonplace as we get further into Colorado’s monsoon season. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history contains many examples of the damage these fast-moving events can cause.

From the National Weather Service:

7-25

In 1934…a streak of 15 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 5th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

13-5

18-2

In 1987…a streak of 16 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 4th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

19-23

In 2005…the high temperature climbed above 100 degrees on each of the 5 days with readings of 101 on the 19th…105 on the 20th…104 on the 21st…and 102 on both the 22nd and 23rd. A new record maximum temperature for the month of July of 105 degrees was set on the 20th…which also equaled the all-time record maximum for Denver of 105 degrees first set on August 8th in 1878. Daily maximum temperature records were set on each day…and the 5 day period equaled the record for the most consecutive days of 100 degrees or more first set from July 4th through 8th in 1989. The intense heat resulted in a high use of electricity for cooling purposes. The demand for electric power exceeded the supply and rolling black-outs… Each lasting about an hour…were scheduled across metro Denver during the afternoons and early evenings.

In 1898…an apparent thunderstorm produced sustained northwest winds to 45 mph with gusts to 51 mph.

In 1939…the high temperature reached 102 degrees in downtown Denver. This was the highest temperature recorded since August 8…1878…a period of 61 years…and the third highest temperature of record at the time. Six miles to the east… At Denver municipal airport…the maximum temperature reached 104 degrees. A dry period during mid-July…combined with low relative humidities…resulted in an unusually large number of forest fires in the mountains west of Denver.

In 1941…an afternoon thunderstorm caused two lightning deaths. The men were struck by lightning near the Denver airport.

In 1951…a thunderstorm wind gust to 54 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport.

In 1965…heavy rain west of Denver damaged roads and bridges. Two bridges in Golden were washed out. Lightning in Denver caused some power failures and fires…mostly in the northeast section of the city. Heavy rain caused street flooding in the city of Denver. Hail as large as 1/2 inch in diameter and 0.40 inch of rain in 5 minutes were measured at Stapleton International Airport where precipitation totaled 1.09 inches. Lightning damaged a house in Littleton…and caused a power outage in Idaho Springs.

In 1973…lightning damage was reported west of Arvada.

In 1975…heavy rains caused flash flooding across metro Denver…resulting in the closing of several streets and damage to numerous homes and businesses. Hail 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported.

In 1976…heavy thunderstorms caused flooding of streets in southeast Denver and western Arapahoe counties. A total of 3.35 inches of rain was measured at Kassler southwest of Littleton.

In 1978…a girl was injured by lightning at a country club southwest of Denver.

In 1984…heavy rain was reported just east of Buckley Field in Aurora where 1.15 inches fell in just 45 minutes.

In 1986…thunderstorms dumped heavy rain across metro Denver causing extensive street flooding…power outages…and basement flooding. The greatest recorded rainfall was 4.39 inches in Lakewood. In extreme northwest Denver…2.29 inches of rain fell in just 20 minutes. Arvada was drenched with 2.60 inches of rain…and over an inch fell in southeast Denver and adjacent sections of Aurora.

In 1990…heavy thunderstorm rains caused flash flooding in sections of Littleton where 1.20 inches of rain fell in less than 30 minutes. The deluge caused dry creek to jump its banks…causing damage to residential streets…curbs…and sidewalks. Nearly 100 vehicles were stranded for a time in fender-deep water when sewers and drainage ditches became choked with debris. The heavy runoff submerged many Littleton streets and intersections.

In 1992…strong thunderstorms moved slowly through east metro Denver…producing rainfall up to 2.50 inches in a short time. Weather spotters reported 0.75 to 1.00 inch of rain in less than 30 minutes. Many areas of southeast Denver were flooded…including I-25 where up to 6 feet of water filled some underpasses. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Aurora.

In 1995…a tornado touched down briefly in an open field near Strasburg. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 58 mph at Centennial Airport.

In 1996…strong thunderstorm winds damaged the building of a telephone installation company in the city of Denver.

In 1998…the high temperature reached 100 degrees at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…heavy rainfall in the overland wildfire burn area caused minor flash flooding in Jamestown. The roads behind the Jamestown fire hall were washed out…when a culvert was blocked by debris. A rockslide was also reported in town.

In 2009…a severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds…large hail and very heavy rain across the western and southern suburbs of Denver. Widespread damage was observed in the cities of Arvada…Lakewood and Wheat Ridge. The intense straightline winds were the result of a wet microburst which downed hundreds of trees and snapped power poles. Wind gusts to 80 mph were reported along with hail up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter. The combination of wind and hail caused widespread damage to homes and vehicles. The damage claim estimates totaled 350 million dollars; about 32900 claims were filed for homes…while another 19500 claims were filed for vehicles. As many as 90000 homes and businesses were left without power. In some areas it took up to 3 days to completely restore electrical service. Minor injuries were reported from broken glass during the storm…but no one was hospitalized. The storm crippled the computers at the Colorado crime information center in Lakewood for nearly 3 hours. One weak tornado touched down near Parker but did no damage. In southern Weld County… Severe thunderstorms produced widespread damage over 150 square miles of farmland. In all…400 farms were directly impacted by severe weather. Damage to crops alone was estimated to 3 million dollars. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust to 48 mph was observed from the northeast. In addition…1.01 inches was measured at the airport.

20-23

In 1961…unusually cool weather for July resulted in several temperature records. Record minimum temperatures were set or equaled on each day with readings of 51…51…49… And 49 degrees. High temperature of only 64 degrees on the 21st was a record low maximum for the date.

20-25

In 1965…heavy showers and thunderstorms doused metro Denver with significant rain each day. Rainfall for the six days totaled 5.16 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Massive rainfall occurred on the 20th…21st…and 25th… Flooding streets and basements and causing streams to overflow. The heaviest rainfall…2.05 inches…at Stapleton International Airport occurred on the 25th.

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

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