This year Denver is still waiting for its first snowfall but that certainly has not been the case throughout history.  Many times in our past we have seen not only snow around this time of October but heavy snow as well, oftentimes damaging in nature.

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In 1989…an autumn snowstorm hit metro Denver with 2 to 6 inches of snow.  Snowfall totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting and north winds gusted to 25 mph on the 15th.  The heavy wet snow caused leafy branches to sag onto power lines…resulting in a number of power outages.  Five thousand homes were blacked out in Boulder on the 16th.  Up to a foot of snow fell in the higher foothills with 19 inches recorded at Echo Lake.

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In 1990…strong downslope winds raked the eastern foothills. Wind gusts from 60 to 75 mph were common.  Strong winds in metro Denver resulted in wave damage to a dock used to moor several private sail boats at Cheery Creek Reservoir. Damage was confined to the dock and two anchor cables. A northwest wind gust to 43 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1878…strong winds reached sustained speeds of 48 mph.
 
In 1988…a wind gust to 62 mph was recorded in central Boulder.  The strong winds caused a few brief power outages.  An old smoldering brush fire in the foothills west of Boulder was re-ignited by the wind gusts.
 
In 1994…winds gusted to 85 mph atop Squaw Mountain…5 miles south of Idaho Springs.
 
In 2006…a potent storm system brought heavy snowfall to the mountains and eastern foothills.  Snowfall totals in the foothills included:  14 inches at Blackhawk…13.5 inches near Idaho Springs…13 inches at cabin creek…12.5 inches at Aspen Springs and Echo Lake…11.5 inches at Georgetown and Rollinsville…10.5 inches near Jamestown…and 10 inches at grant and Lake Eldora.  Lesser snow amounts…from 4 to 9 inches…were recorded elsewhere in the foothills.  Snowfall totaled only 3.5 inches in the Denver Stapleton area.  At Denver International Airport…north winds gusted to 31 mph.

Continue reading October 17 to October 23 – This week in Denver weather history →

The farther we get into fall the more we start seeing significant snow events in our look back at the week in history.  None of these is more famous than the “Bronco Blizzard” of 1984 that saw the Mile High City buried under nearly a foot of snow – on live television.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 2005…a major winter storm brought heavy…wet snowfall to the Front Range mountains…eastern foothills…portions of metro Denver…and the Palmer Divide.  Snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 26 inches with drifts from 3 to 4 feet in places.  The heaviest snow occurred to the east and southeast of the city…closing most major highways in that area…including I-70 from Denver to Limon.  The Red Cross opened four shelters for people who were stranded along I-70 in eastern Colorado.  Since many trees had not yet shed their leaves…the storm caused significant tree damage.  One woman in Denver was killed when a tree branch… 8 to 10 inches in diameter…snapped under the weight of the heavy…wet snow and struck her as she was shoveling her driveway.  Xcel Energy reported power outages to about 35 thousand customers.  Several incoming flights were delayed at Denver International Airport.  Snow totals included:  16 inches in the foothills near Boulder…12 inches at Genesee and near Golden…22 inches near Watkins…19 inches near Bennett…17 inches southeast of Aurora…14 inches near Parker…13 inches near Castle Rock…12 inches in centennial… 11 inches in Parker…and 10 inches at Denver International Airport and in Littleton.  While many areas of metro Denver received heavy snow…others experienced almost entirely rain. This included west and northwest metro Denver…Boulder…and Longmont.  Rainfall amounts were significant as storm totals ranged between 1.50 and 2.50 inches.  The steady rainfall triggered 3 rockslides in foothills canyons.  Two of the slides occurred on State Highway 119 in Boulder canyon and the longest slide…7 feet in length…on State Highway 74 in Bear Creek Canyon at Idledale.  North winds were sustained to around 23 mph with gusts to 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.  The high temperature of only 34 degrees on the 10th was a record low maximum for the date.  The low temperature on both days was 32 degrees.

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In 1901…an evening thunderstorm produced east winds to 43 mph with gusts to 48 mph.
 
In 1949…strong winds believed to be the worst in Boulder’s history at the time caused over 100 thousand dollars damage in the city.  Peak winds were estimated to 85 mph at Valmont…just east of Boulder.  High winds also occurred over most of metro Denver and caused damage to trees…window glass…and utility lines.  The damage was most pronounced over the northwest metro area…including north Denver and Lakewood.  Falling tree branches caused damage to parked autos and houses.  Wind gusts to 70 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport.

In 1964…lightning struck and killed a 13-year-old boy…while he was riding his bicycle along a tree-lined residential street in south Denver.  Apparent microburst winds gusted to 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading October 10 to October 16 – This week in Denver weather history →

The first half of October historically is quiet for the most part but there have been years with plenty of excitement.  We have seen damaging tornadoes and winds and of course significant snowstorms.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1875…very dense haze hid the mountains from view as observed from the city.
 
In 1933…rainfall of just 0.01 inch was the only precipitation of the month.  This was the second driest October on record.
 
In 1954…the low temperature cooled to only 60 degrees…the all-time record high minimum for the month October.

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In 1969…the first snowfall of the season totaled 16.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport.  There was a thunder snow shower on the evening of the 3rd…but otherwise little wind with the storm.  The greatest snow depth on the ground was 8 inches due to melting.  Heavy wet snow accumulated on trees…which were still in full leaf…and caused widespread damage from broken limbs and downed utility lines.

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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.

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In 1912…sustained south winds to 55 mph with gusts to 60 mph raised the temperature to a high of 83 degrees… The warmest temperature of the month that year.
 
In 1924…west winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 50 mph in the city.  The apparent Bora winds cooled the temperature to a high of 57 degrees from a high of 70 degrees on the 3rd.
 
In 2004…several small tornadoes touched down near Brighton… Barr Lake…and Hudson in Adams and southern Weld counties. Most of these caused no damage.  However…a small tornado 5 miles southeast of Brighton caused extensive damage to a recreational vehicle and severely damaged a barn.  The barn was torn from its foundation…and the roof was thrown 100 feet.  Four llamas in the barn were injured when it collapsed.

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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.

Continue reading October 3 to October 9 – This week in Denver weather history →

Denver has been graced with an unusually mild September this year.  That however is not always the case and in fact the weather can be downright winterish as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

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In 1908…apparent post-frontal rain changed to snow overnight and totaled 6.5 inches in downtown Denver.  This was the first snow of the season.  Precipitation totaled 0.76 inch. North winds were sustained to 39 mph on the 25th.

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In 1996…an early season snowstorm brought heavy snow to the Front Range eastern foothills.  Snowfall totals included:  8 to 12 inches around conifer…7 inches on Floyd Hill…and 6 inches at both Bailey and Chief Hosa. Snowfall totaled only 4.7 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  This was the first measurable snow of the season.  After the passage of a strong cold front…north winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport on the 25th.

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In 1907…a late afternoon thunderstorm produced hail…0.23 inch of precipitation…and north winds sustained to 24 mph.
 
In 1927…snowfall of 1.7 inches…mixed at times with sleet… Was the first measurable snowfall of the season.
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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.

Continue reading September 26 to October 2 – This week in Denver weather history →

This time of year many folks would consider “snow” a bad four-letter word but living in the Mile High City we can’t rule it out even with it technically still being summer.  In fact, it was only 15 short years ago that we received a significant snowstorm that brought up to 8 inches of snow in the metro area and caused millions of dollars in damage. 

From the National Weather Service:

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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.

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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.

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In 1955…heavy rains caused flash flooding across portions of metro Denver.  Rainfall totaled 1.71 inches at Stapleton Airport.

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In 1955…hail stones to 2 1/2 inches in diameter were reported north of Denver.  The large stones broke many automobile windshields.
 
In 1963…hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Westminster.
 
In 1983…an unusually strong cold front roared through metro Denver during the afternoon hours.  At Stapleton International Airport…the temperature dropped 51 degrees… From a sunny 86 degrees to a snowy 35 degrees…in just 7 hours.  Strong winds and a wall of blowing dust followed the front.  Northeast winds gusting to 36 mph briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport where only a trace of snow fell later.
 
In 1996…high winds gusting to 84 mph were measured at Golden Gate Canyon in the foothills west of Denver. West winds gusted to only 25 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading September 19 to September 25 – This week in Denver weather history →

Normally one doesn’t associate tornadoes with September weather in Denver but they can and do happen as we see in our look back in Denver weather history for the week.  We have a couple of occasions of twisters and of a funnel cloud.  Other severe weather like hail, damaging wind and flooding rains have also occurred.   Oh, and should we mention the dreaded “S” word – snow?

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In 1974…post-frontal rain changed to snow overnight for the first snow of the season.  Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 40 mph on the 11th.  High temperature of only 46 degrees on the 12th set a new record low maximum for the date.

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In 1887…west winds to 42 mph were recorded in the city.
 
In 1952…a thunderstorm outflow produced strong southeast winds gusting to 52 mph.  Surface visibility at Stapleton Airport was briefly reduced to 2 miles in blowing dust.
 
In 1963…a nearly stationary…white tornado near Bennett was sighted from Denver.  No damage was reported.
 
In 1989…an early snowfall and the first of the season brought 2 to 3 inches of slush to metro Denver.  More snow whitened the foothills west of Denver where 6 inches were measured at Evergreen.  The snow fell on leaf laden trees… And sagging branches onto power lines caused outages.  Much of Denver’s snow fell during the evening rush hour…creating traffic chaos.  Snowfall totaled 2.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 1 inch due to melting.
 
In 1994…thunderstorm microburst winds gusted to 67 mph in Boulder.  No damage was reported.
 
In 2002…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter near Castle Rock.

Continue reading September 12 to September 18 – This week in Denver weather history →

September is typically one of our quietest weather months and in fact it is our sunniest.  That doesn’t however mean we can’t experience weather extremes.  This week in Denver weather history we see everything from scorching heat and severe thunderstorms to snow and damaging wind.  For more about September’s weather, check out our September weather preview.

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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.

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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.

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In 1909…rainfall for the 4 days accumulated to 3.97 inches in Boulder…while in Denver rainfall totaled 2.45 inches on the 4th…5th…and 6th.

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In 1899…the highest recorded temperature in September…97 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature was also reached on September 4…1960…and September 1 and 4…1995.
 
In 1940…a severe wind and hail storm confined mostly to the west and north parts of the city occurred shortly after 4:30 pm.  Hail stones ranged in size from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. In north Denver…hail piled to a depth of 4 inches.  Flooding occurred in one underpass…which stalled 2 cars.  One girl was injured when the weight of the hail flattened a porch on which she stood. Northeast winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 32 mph in downtown Denver.
 
In 1987…a thunderstorm complex produced hail as large as 1 3/8 inches in diameter…2 miles east of Buckley Field in Aurora.  No damage was reported.

Continue reading September 5 to September 11 – This week in Denver weather history →

Certainly this time of year we start to see temperatures drop and the conditions moderate.  This is usually one of Denver’s most pleasant times of years when the heat of summer fades and the snow and cold of winter is still far away.  That however wasn’t the case when the most notable event in Denver weather history this week occurred.  It was in 1961 on the 3rd of September that Denver received its earliest measurable snowfall – 4.2 inches!

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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.

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In 1876…after the passage of a gentle rain shower to the east during the late evening hours…the moon shone brightly and a remarkably bright lunar rainbow appeared.

In 1910…an apparent cold front produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph.

In 1946…the high temperature warmed to only 55 degrees…the record low maximum for the month.

In 1989…a spectacular lightning display knocked out power to 300 blocks in southeast Denver.  One bolt started a fire in a lumber yard in the northeast part of the city…and the attic of a home in the same area was set ablaze by a lightning bolt.

In 1996…3/4 inch diameter hail was measured in Parker.

In 2000…lightning struck two homes in Thornton.  The extent of damage was unknown.

In 2002…two small tornadoes caused damage in southeast metro Denver.  The first tornado…associated with a multi-vortex storm…touched down briefly near E-470 and South Jordan Road.  Some fences were damaged…and a few trees were blown down.  A few of the homes also sustained minor roof damage. Damage from this storm totaled 100 thousand dollars.  The second tornado associated with the storm touched down in a subdivision that was under construction at Gartrell and Arapahoe roads.  Four large condominiums under construction were destroyed.  The most heavily damaged portions of the structures were still in the framing stages.  Adjacent sections where enclosed walls were in place were not destroyed.  A man suffered 4 broken ribs and several cuts and bruises when the trailer he sought shelter in was flipped three times and torn apart by the twister.  Damage from this storm totaled 6 million dollars. A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch diameter hail near Evergreen.

In 2006…severe thunderstorms produced large hail in the foothills west of Denver.  Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Blackhawk.  Hail as large as 7/8 inch was measured near Idaho Springs…along with 3/4 inch hail near Nederland and Conifer.

Continue reading August 29 to September 4 – This week in Denver weather history →

Lightning is a very real danger here in Colorado.  The outdoor-centric lifestyle we lead oftentimes puts us in situations when we are better off heading for cover.  The dangers of not properly taking shelter when lightning is in the area are highlighted by a number of events in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

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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.

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In 1898…an apparent thunderstorm produced southwest sustained winds to 40 mph with gusts to 43 mph.
 
In 1903…a late afternoon thunderstorm produced rain…hail… And east winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 44 mph.
 
In 1904…the lowest recorded temperature in August…40 degrees…occurred.  The same temperature also occurred on three consecutive days…August 24…25…and 26 in 1910.
 
In 1965…heavy rain and hail caused some damage from flooding over northern Douglas County from Castle Rock to Franktown.
 
In 1981…thunderstorms moved across metro Denver.  At least 5 funnel cloud sightings were reported.  Funnel clouds were seen at 96th Ave. And Sheridan Blvd. and at 92nd Ave. and Federal Blvd. In Westminster and 7 miles north of Stapleton International Airport.  Lightning injured two people in Boulder.  A quarter inch of rain fell in just 5 minutes in Brighton.  Up to 3/4 inch of rain doused Parker in 30 minutes.
 
In 1983…3/4 inch diameter hail was reported at Kittredge… Along with 0.60 inch of rain in 25 minutes.
 
In 1984…a thunderstorm dumped 4 inches of rain on Brighton in 90 minutes…causing extensive street flooding in the downtown area.
 
In 1987…over an inch of rain fell in 24 hours throughout most of metro Denver.  A public library suffered water damage to the ceiling…carpet…and a few books.  Rainfall was 0.76 inch at Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1990…lightning knocked out power to about 2500 homes in Lakewood for about an hour.
 
In 1991…National Weather Service personnel at Stapleton International Airport sighted an apparent tornado briefly on the ground 3 miles west-northwest of the airport.  No damage was reported.
 
In 1995…lightning struck 3 electrical power substations in Louisville.  Residences of more than 4500 people were without power from 30 minutes to more than an hour.
 
In 1996…between 1 and 3 inches of rain fell across metro Denver.  As a result…several low lying areas were flooded. A bicyclist was swept into a fast moving creek when he tried to cross a flooded bike path.  The man was washed downstream about 15 feet before getting snagged by a tree stump.  He and a man who tried to rescue him received minor injuries.  The heavy rain caused numerous power outages…false fire alarms…and traffic accidents. In Lakewood…telephone service to around 60 thousand residents was knocked out when a switching center was flooded.  Funnel clouds were sighted near Chatfield Reservoir and Highlands Ranch.
 
In 2000…lightning sparked a blaze which gutted a 10-unit apartment building in Highlands Ranch.  Twenty-eight people were left homeless.  Damage was estimated at 2 million dollars.
 
In 2007…severe thunderstorms produced large hail…up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter…in the vicinities of Castle Rock… Elizabeth and Franktown.

Continue reading August 22 to August 28 – This week in Denver weather history →

While not as common this time of year, severe weather can still strike as we close out summer.  Most notable are the heavy rain events that can come along as a result of the monsoon season.  The dangers of these are oftentimes ignored and as we see can oftentimes turn deadly.

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In 1899…a thunderstorm produced southwest sustained winds to 43 mph with gusts to 46 mph.
 
In 1972…a pilot reported a funnel cloud briefly touching the ground in open fields…17 miles east-northeast of Stapleton International Airport.
 
In 1980…thunderstorm winds gusted to 55 mph in Boulder.
 
In 1982…brief heavy rain and winds estimated as high as 70 mph occurred in the conifer-Evergreen area.  No damage was reported.
 
In 1990…lightning triggered a small attic fire in a house near Sedalia…20 miles south of Denver.  A furious lightning storm caused widespread power outages across southern sections of metro Denver.  One lightning bolt knocked out an electrical substation…causing a 90-minute blackout in southeast Denver affecting nearly 10 thousand homes and businesses.
 
In 2007…severe thunderstorms produced large hail…up to 2 inches in diameter…near Larkspur.   Extensive damage to vehicles in the area was reported.  In Parker…lightning struck a residence.  The ensuing fire damaged the attic and top floor; causing $100000 in property damage.
 
In 2008…at least three homes were hit by lightning during the early morning hours in Arapahoe County.  Lightning also struck two homes in Castle Rock…damaging the roofs.

Continue reading August 15 to August 21 – This week in Denver weather history →