December 21st to the 27th - This week in Denver weather history.
Our look back in Denver weather history for Christmas week includes a number of very notable events. One is the two year anniversary of the Holiday Blizzard of 2006. Most notably though is the 26th anniversary of the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982. More information on these and other significant events is below. For more on the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982, be sure to check out an article we wrote about it.
IN 1924…A PROLONGED COLD SPELL OCCURRED AFTER MILD TEMPERATURES DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH. MOST LOW TEMPERATURES DIPPED BELOW ZERO WITH THE COLDEST READING OF 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OCCURRING ON THE 24TH. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 5 DEGREES ON THE 18TH WAS A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
18-24
IN 1998…A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WITH NORTH WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 38 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 18TH DROPPED TEMPERATURES FROM A HIGH OF 51 DEGREES TO A LOW OF JUST 6 DEGREES BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THE ARCTIC AIR MASS THAT SETTLED OVER METRO DENVER PRODUCED INTERMITTENT LIGHT SNOW AND A WEEK-LONG PROTRACTED COLD SPELL THAT CAUSED LOW TEMPERATURES TO PLUNGE WELL BELOW ZERO FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE WAS 19 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE MORNING OF THE 22ND. HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBED ONLY INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ON 4 CONSECUTIVE DAYS…FROM THE 19TH THROUGH THE 22ND. AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE…MOSTLY HOMELESS… WERE TREATED FOR HYPOTHERMIA AT AREA HOSPITALS. THE BITTER COLD WEATHER WAS RESPONSIBLE…EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY… FOR AT LEAST 5 FATALITIES. THREE OF THE VICTIMS DIED DIRECTLY FROM EXPOSURE. THE COLD WEATHER ALSO CAUSED INTERMITTENT POWER OUTAGES. FOLLOWING THE COLD SNAP… THAWING WATER PIPES CRACKED AND BURST IN SEVERAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES…CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. ONLY ONE TEMPERATURE RECORD WAS SET. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 7 DEGREES ON THE 19TH SET A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
December 14 - 20 - This week in Denver weather history.
Our look back in Denver weather history for this week is punctuated by hurricane force winds – numerous times. Some of these storms reached 120 mph, overturned semis, ripped roofs off and more. Also notable is the blizzard we suffered through two years ago this week.
In 1939…more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily temperature records were set…including the all time record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the 60’s and 70’s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a trace of snow on the 12th.
3-15
In 1972…a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th. Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees below zero on the 5th…17 degrees below zero on the 6th… And 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and 6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air mass.
November 23 to 29 - This week in Denver weather history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MST SAT NOV 22 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
21-23
IN 1918…POST-FRONTAL SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.9 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN
DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…5.3 INCHES…FELL ON THE 22ND.
NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 20 MPH ON THE 21ST.
IN 1931…A MAJOR STORM DUMPED A TOTAL OF 13.2 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…11.4
INCHES…FELL ON THE 21ST. A VERY COLD AIR MASS SETTLED
OVER THE CITY AFTER THE HEAVY SNOW ON THE 21ST. AFTER A
LOW TEMPERATURE OF ZERO…THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO A HIGH
OF ONLY 5 DEGREES ON THE 22ND…A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE
DATE.
21-25
IN 1952…SNOWFALL OF 6.2 INCHES WAS MEASURED AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 17 MPH ON THE
21ST.
This week in Denver weather history - October 26 to November 1.
Lots of interesting stuff in this look back at Denver weather history for the week of October 26th to November 1st. Lots of snow including some major storms and the seemingly ever present wind are on this look into history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 25 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
25-26 IN 1996…4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF
DENVER. ONLY 1.5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WERE MEASURED AT THE
SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
26TH. THIS WAS THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE MONTH AT
THE SITE. THE SNOWFALL PRODUCED ICY AND SNOWPACKED
HIGHWAYS…WHICH RESULTED IN A 50-TO 60-CAR PILEUP ON I-25
SOUTH OF METRO DENVER. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 33 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2006…A WINTER STORM BROUGHT HEAVY SNOWFALL TO METRO
DENVER AND THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. TOTAL SNOWFALL RANGED
FROM 12 TO 22 INCHES OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND 6 TO 12
INCHES ACROSS METRO DENVER. NORTHERLY WINDS AT SUSTAINED
SPEEDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 47 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHIPPED THE SNOW INTO DRIFTS
3 TO 4 FEET DEEP. MANY TREE LIMBS SNAPPED UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF THE HEAVY…WET SNOW WHICH ALSO DOWNED POWER LINES…
LEAVING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WITHOUT POWER. STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL INCLUDED: 25 INCHES NEAR ASPEN SPRINGS…CONIFER…
AND EVERGREEN; 23.5 INCHES NEAR ROLLINSVILLE; 23 INCHES IN
IDAHO SPRINGS; 22.5 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK; 21.5 INCHES NEAR
BAILEY; 19 INCHES NEAR BERGEN PARK; 18 INCHES NEAR ASPEN
SPRINGS…GENESEE…AND JAMESTOWN; 17 INCHES SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER; 16 INCHES IN EVERGREEN; AND 15 INCHES NEAR
GEORGETOWN AND PERRY PARK. SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.3 INCHES
IN THE DENVER STAPLETON AREA. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIPORT…RAIN…INCLUDING A THUNDERSTORM…CHANGED TO SNOW
ON THE EVENING OF THE 25TH AFTER A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF
70 DEGREES. Continue reading This week in Denver weather history – October 26 to November 1→
October 19th to October 25th - This week in Denver weather history.
Snow and wind seem to dominate a look back at Denver weather history for this week. Perhaps most notably, the October blizzard of 1997 occurred this week in history, one of the deadliest storms in Colorado history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
17-19 IN 1908…A MOIST…HEAVY…WET SNOWFALL TOTALED 13.0 INCHES IN
DOWNTOWN DENVER OVER THE 3 DAYS. RAIN FROM EARLY MORNING
ON THE 17TH CHANGED TO SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUED
THROUGH THE LATE MORNING OF THE 19TH. DUE TO TEMPERATURES
IN THE 30`S AND MELTING…THE MOST SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS
ONLY 5.0 INCHES AT 6:00 PM ON THE 18TH. NORTHWEST TO
NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED BETWEEN 12 AND 20 MPH DURING
THE STORM. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.82 INCHES.
18-23 IN 2003…AN EXTENDED WARM SPELL RESULTED IN 5 NEW TEMPERATURE
RECORDS. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 84 DEGREES ON THE 18TH
EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE. HIGH TEMPERATURES
OF 86 DEGREES ON THE 19TH…83 DEGREES ON THE 21ST…AND 84
DEGREES ON THE 22ND WERE RECORD HIGHS FOR THE DATES. LOW
TEMPERATURE OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 23RD WAS A RECORD HIGH
MINIMUM FOR THE DATE. LOW TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD
WERE IN THE 40`S AND LOWER 50`S.
October 12th to the 18th - This week in Denver weather history.
Looking back into the Denver weather history books shows Denver can receive just about any kind of weather this time of year. From heavy snow to gale force winds to 80 plus degree temperatures, it can all happen this week.
10-12 IN 1969…THE SECOND HEAVY SNOWSTORM IN LESS THAN A WEEK
DUMPED NEARLY A FOOT OF SNOW ACROSS METRO DENVER AND
PLUNGED THE AREA INTO EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES FOR SO
EARLY IN THE SEASON. SNOWFALL TOTALED 11.0 INCHES AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO
26 MPH PRODUCED DRIFTS UP TO 2 FEET DEEP. TEMPERATURES
DIPPED FROM A HIGH OF 52 DEGREES ON THE 10TH TO A RECORD
LOW FOR THE DATE OF 10 DEGREES ON THE 12TH. THERE WAS
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES
FROM HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND ICING. TRAVEL WAS
RESTRICTED OR BLOCKED BY DRIFTING SNOW IN BOTH THE
MOUNTAINS AND ON THE PLAINS EAST OF DENVER.
This week in Denver weather history - October 5th to October 11th
In our weekly look back at Denver weather history, we see a wide range of weather has occurred in the past. From thunderstorms to rain to big time snowstorms, we can and have seen it all.
3-5 IN 1984…THE REMNANTS OF PACIFIC HURRICANE POLO PRODUCED
HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTHEASTERN COLORADO. MOST LOCATIONS
RECEIVED BETWEEN 1.00 TO 2.50 INCHES OF RAIN…BUT 3.45
INCHES FELL IN LITTLETON. RAINFALL TOTALED 1.73 INCHES
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…WHERE NORTH WINDS
GUSTED TO 24 MPH.
4-5 IN 1997…UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER RESULTED IN TWO TEMPERATURE
RECORDS. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES ON THE 4TH EXCEEDED
THE OLD RECORD SET IN 1922 BY ONE DEGREE. HIGH TEMPERATURE
OF 86 DEGREES ON THE 5TH EQUALED THE RECORD SET IN 1990 AND
PREVIOUS YEARS.
This week in Denver weather history - September 27- October 4
A new weekly feature for ThorntonWeather.com – This Week in Denver Weather History. The National Weather Service maintains a historical archives of weather history across the nation and makes it available to the public. ThorntonWeather.com will start publishing that information weekly.
So, let’s stroll down memory lane with This Week in Denver Weather History.
26-28 IN 1936…THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER
AND THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED SO EARLY IN THE
SEASON DUMPED A TOTAL OF 16.5 INCHES OF SNOW ON DOWNTOWN
DENVER AND 21.3 INCHES AT DENVER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THE
15.0 INCHES OF SNOW MEASURED FROM 6:00 PM ON THE 27TH TO
6:00 PM ON THE 28TH IS THE GREATEST 24 HOUR SNOWFALL EVER
RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER. THIS WAS THE FIRST SNOW OF THE
SEASON. THE SNOW WAS INTERMITTENT THROUGH THE 26TH…BUT
CONTINUOUS FROM EARLY AFTERNOON ON THE 27TH TO AROUND
MIDNIGHT ON THE 28TH…EXCEPT FOR A PERIOD OF RAIN DURING
THE AFTERNOON OF THE 28TH WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A LOSS OF
DEPTH ON THE GROUND. THE GREATEST SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND
DOWNTOWN WAS 13 INCHES WITH 8 INCHES AT DENVER MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT. THERE WERE NO HIGH WINDS WITH THE STORM AND
TRAFFIC WAS INTERRUPTED FOR ONLY A SHORT PERIOD. THE
STORM PRODUCED PROPERTY DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT 7 MILLION
DOLLARS. WITH TREES AND SHRUBS IN FULL FOLIAGE…THE LEAVES
CAUGHT AND HELD THE HEAVY WATER-LADEN SNOW…UNTIL THE
BRANCHES SNAPPED FROM THE WEIGHT. MORE THAN 3000 WORKMEN
WERE CALLED TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS AND SNOW FROM THE CITY. THE
CITY FIREMEN WHO WERE OFF DUTY…AS WELL AS ALL THE RESERVES…
WERE ASKED TO REPORT TO THEIR STATIONS. ALL SCHOOLS IN THE
CITY REMAINED OPEN…BUT ATTENDANCE WAS ONLY 50 PERCENT OF
NORMAL. GRADE SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE SENT HOME AT NOON ON THE
28TH. THE EARLY STORM CAUGHT STOCKMEN WITH MANY CATTLE STILL
IN HIGHER RANGES. WARM WEATHER FOLLOWED THE SNOW…WHICH HAD
ALL MELTED BY THE END OF THE MONTH…EXCEPT FOR A FEW INCHES
IN SHELTERED PLACES.
