High winds and nasty cold are the two dominant things we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Also notable are some significant snowstorms and even some record-setting high temperatures into the 70s.

From the National Weather Service:

22-26

In 1948…the longest period of snowfall on record (92 hours and 3 minutes) occurred in downtown Denver where a total of 13.6 inches of snow fell. At Stapleton Airport…19.0 inches of snow fell…making it the heaviest snow in January and the 5th heaviest snow of record at that time. North winds were sustained to a velocity of 23 mph on the 25th…but generally the winds were light throughout the storm. The snow disrupted traffic…but street clearing was begun soon after it became apparent that the snow would be heavy. Over the 5 days…temperatures ranged from a high of 48 degrees on the 22nd to a low of 1 degree on the 26th. Most readings were in the teens and 20’s during the storm.

24-25

In 1916…a trace of light rain…rare in Denver for January… Occurred on both days.

In 1946…high winds occurred in Boulder and along the foothills to the north. A wind gust to 72 mph was recorded at Valmont.

In 1947…strong winds were measured in Boulder. Hourly wind gusts averaged 72 mph at Valmont east of Boulder.

In 1950…heavy snowfall totaled 7.1 inches at Stapleton Airport and 6.8 inches in downtown Denver.

24-26

In 1970…a wind gust to 122 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder on the 24th. Winds also gusted to 109 mph at NCAR on the 26th. Most winds were estimated between 60 and 70 mph in Boulder. Damage…in most cases…was from broken windows and tree limbs and downed power lines. A roof was blown off a house in Eldorado Springs south of Boulder. A building under construction was damaged in Boulder. Reported damage totaled 25 hundred dollars in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 24th. In Denver…the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a record high of 68 degrees on the 24th.

25

In 1872…the greatest temperature change in one day…66 degrees…from a low of 20 degrees below zero…a record low for the date…to a high of 46 degrees…occurred.

In 1888…west winds sustained to 42 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.

In 1890…northwest Chinook winds gusting as high as 48 mph resulted in two temperature records. High temperature of 72 degrees was a record maximum for the date. Low temperature of only 48 degrees was a record high minimum for the date.

In 1914…Chinook winds from the northwest sustained to 46 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees. The low temperature was only 39 degrees.

In 1923…snowfall of 1.3 inches was the only measurable snow of the month.

In 1931…snowfall of 0.1 inch was the only measurable snow of the month. The melted snow totaled only 0.02 inch of precipitation…which was the only measurable amount of the month. This resulted in the 4th driest January on record.

In 1964…high winds occurred in Boulder…Golden…and Broomfield where a wind gust to 80 mph was recorded at Jefferson County Airport. Some power lines were downed. Damage to buildings and vehicles was also reported. West-northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1971…the highest recorded wind gust in the state of Colorado…147 mph…occurred at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa in southwest Boulder. Wind gusts to 91 mph were measured at the National Bureau of Standards and to 87 mph in downtown Boulder. A wind gust to 75 mph was recorded at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. The strong winds caused widespread minor damage in Boulder. Northwest winds gusting to 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.

In 1980…a blizzard struck Denver right at the evening rush hours…causing massive traffic snarls and forcing the closure of I-25 north of Denver and I-70 east of the city as well as many other roads. Hundreds of travelers were stranded. Multi-car accidents involving as many as 50 cars were common. Air traffic at Stapleton International Airport was stalled for 3 hours. Winds gusted to 50 or 60 mph with visibility reduced to zero at times. The high winds knocked out electrical power in Broomfield. During the height of the storm…temperatures plunged from the freezing mark at mid-afternoon to only 5 degrees before midnight. Initial snowfall from the storm was only 3 to 5 inches across metro Denver with 4.1 inches measured at Stapleton International Airport where north wind gusts to 58 mph were recorded.

In 1988…high winds pummeled the eastern foothills with a peak gust to 96 mph recorded near Rollinsville. A gust to 109 mph was recorded at Echo Lake. West winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…heavy snow fell along the Front Range foothills. Snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches were measured from I-25 west into the foothills with lighter accumulations reported elsewhere. Snowfall totaled only 0.9 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 2004…locally heavy snow fell across metro Denver. The heaviest snow was south of Denver and in the foothills. Snowfall totals included: 9 inches near Indian Hills… 8.5 inches near Franktown and 9 miles southwest of Sedalia…8 inches 7 miles southwest of Aurora…and 6 inches in Highlands Ranch. Snowfall was only 2.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 35 mph at Denver International Airport

In 2008…strong westerly winds blew out three windows at a Chipotle restaurant in Louisville. Two people were taken to the hospital for minor cuts. At Denver International Airport…northeast winds gusted to 35 mph.

25-26

In 1910…gale force westerly winds of great velocity struck Boulder. Some damage was reported. West winds were sustained to 45 mph in Denver on the 25th.

25-27

In 1897…a cold spell resulted in three temperature records. Low temperature of 14 degrees below zero on the 27th was a record minimum for the date. High temperatures of only 3 degrees on the 25th and 2 degrees on the 26th were record low maximums for the dates. Very light snow or flurries fell on the 25th and 26th at times.

26

In 1902…the low temperature dipped to 20 degrees below zero.

In 1916…sleet…grains of ice…a rare occurrence in Denver… Fell for 3 hours and 15 minutes…covering the ground.

In 1999…high winds developed in and near the foothills. Peak wind reports included: 82 mph in Boulder and at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield…79 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…and 72 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab near Boulder. West winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature warmed to a high of 54 degrees.

Continue reading January 25 to January 31: This week in Denver weather history →

Our look back in Denver weather history for this week is dominated by the seemingly ever present high winds this time of year.  There are numerous incidents of those causing damage and injury.  Also notable though was a snowstorm in 1948 that dumped snow for more than 92 hours straight, a protracted cold spell in 1962 that lasted nearly a week and claimed lives and more recently the snowstorms in January 2007 that dumped snow on the region.

From the National Weather Service:

14-21

In 1930…a protracted cold spell occurred when low temperatures plunged below zero on 8 consecutive days. The coldest low temperatures of 20 degrees below zero on the 17th and 19 degrees below zero on the 16th were record minimums for the dates. High temperatures during the period ranged from 18 on the 18th to zero on the 20th. Two degrees on the 15th was a record low maximum temperature for the date.

15-23

In 1962…a protracted cold spell kept metro Denver in the deep freeze for more than a week. From the 15th thru the 23rd…low temperatures were zero or below for 9 consecutive days…but a daily record low was set only on the 22nd when the temperature dipped to 14 degrees below zero. A record low maximum for the date was also set on the 22nd when the temperature climbed to only 11 degrees. The coldest high temperature was 3 degrees above zero on the 21st…which did not break the record. The protracted cold was broken for only a few hours on the afternoon of the 20th when Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 38 degrees before another surge of cold arctic air plunged temperatures back into the deep freeze that evening. The severe cold caused much damage to water systems. A woman was frozen to death at Morrison. There were other deaths attributable to the weather…including traffic deaths and heart attacks from overexertion.

16-18

in 1943…light snowfall totaled 3.2 inches over the 3 days. This was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 16th.

In 2011…very strong winds associated with an upper level jetstream over Colorado produced blizzard conditions in the mountains above timberline. Peak wind gusts included: 99 mph atop Loveland pass…94 mph…2 miles southwest of Mary Jane…80 mph atop Berthoud Pass and 79 mph atop Niwot Ridge. Storm totals in the ski areas west of Denver ranged from 8 to 14 inches.

17-18

In 1974…rare overnight January rainfall totaled 0.12 inch on the 17th and 0.26 inch on the 18th when it was briefly mixed with snow.

In 2012…damaging winds developed in and near the Front Range. In Boulder…the high winds knocked down several trees…power poles and electrical lines. Some of the fallen trees damaged homes and automobiles. A semi-trailer was blown on its side along State Highway 93 near Marshall. Peak wind gusts included: 104 mph in south Boulder; 98 mph…3 miles southwest of Pinecliffe; 95 mph…2 miles northwest of Rocky Flats; 92 mph…at State Highway 93 near Marshall; 87 mph at Berthoud Pass and in Boulder Canyon; 80 mph…5 miles west- northwest of Boulder; 83 mph at NCAR Mesa Lab; 78 mph…8 miles northeast of four corners; 79 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 76 mph at Wondervu; 75 mph atop Loveland Pass and the NCAR foothills lab in Boulder; 74 mph at Blue Mountain…Boulder Municipal Airport…1 mile northwest of Lyons; 73 mph…4 miles east-northeast of Nederland; 72 mph at the junction of State Highways 72 and 93; 62 mph in Superior; and 61 mph at Erie Municipal Airport. A peak wind gust of 38 mph from the northwest was observed at Denver International Airport.

18

In 1874…light rain…rare in January…changed to snow which totaled 3 inches.

In 1959…strong gusty winds caused damage to buildings… Airplanes…trees…and a radio tower in Boulder… Broomfield…Denver…and Longmont. A wind gust to 70 mph was recorded in Longmont. In Boulder…the top of a radio tower was toppled and signs…trees…and trailer houses were blown over. In southwest Denver…a mother and child were injured when their car was struck by a sign that had blown loose in the wind. Minor damage to buildings and power lines was reported in the area. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton Airport. Post-frontal east northeast winds gusted to 40 mph.

In 1961…northeast winds gusted to 29 mph and snowfall totaled only 0.1 inch at Stapleton Airport…but 2 to 7 inches of snow fell in the foothills west of Denver.

In 1975…a strong cold front roared through metro Denver producing north wind gusts to 52 mph and briefly reducing the visibility at Stapleton International Airport to less than 5/8 mile in blowing dust. The windstorm caused considerable damage to utility lines…homes…fences… Commercial buildings…autos…and schools. Heaviest damage was near the foothills where winds hit 80 mph at Boulder and at Rocky Flats northwest of Denver. The cold front caused temperatures to drop 13 degrees in one hour. Temperatures fell from a maximum of 61 degrees in the early afternoon to a minimum of 31 degrees before midnight.

In 1984…the coldest morning of the new year produced record breaking temperatures with a low of 19 degrees below zero for the date at Denver. Many other cities also reported record cold.

In 1985…highs winds occurred in the foothills with gusts reported to 60 mph at Evergreen. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1986…wind gusts to 60 mph were reported in Boulder. West winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1999…damaging downslope winds caused problems in the foothills. In Eldora…the roof was blown off an a-frame house. Peak wind gusts included: 100 mph at central city…84 mph at Wondervu…77 mph atop Blue Mountain… 75 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…72 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…and 70 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory near Boulder. West winds gusted to 36 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees…the highest reading of the month at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…high winds occurred in northern Jefferson and southern Boulder counties. A peak wind gust to 81 mph was recorded near superior along with a gust to 80 mph near Boulder. Five teenagers started a grassfire near Plainview atop Rocky Flats. The high winds coupled with very dry conditions allowed the fire to quickly spread…forcing the evacuation of dozens of residents and the closure of State Highways 93 and 72. The fire consumed 2700 acres and destroyed two outbuildings. No homes were damaged and no one was injured by the blaze. West winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading January 18 to January 24: This week in Denver weather history →

January is not usually particularly snowy and as our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows, it is wind and extreme cold that are the most notable conditions during the period.

From the National Weather Service:

10-11 in 1948…strong winds were reported in Boulder and Lakewood. Winds of 50 to 60 mph were reported at Valmont…just east of Boulder. Only minor damage was reported.

In 1980…strong winds of 60 to 95 mph howled across metro Denver…causing some brief power outages and some broken windows. A wind gust to 111 mph was recorded at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 10th.

In 1999…high winds gusting to 100 mph blasted the foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 100 mph at central city…98 mph at Wondervu…82 mph at Aspen Springs and Golden Gate Canyon… 81 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab in Boulder and near Nederland… 78 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon…and 72 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. West winds gusted to 38 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-12

In 1997…heavy snow fell over the Front Range foothills. A foot of new snow was measured at Blackhawk with 7 inches recorded in Coal Creek Canyon. Only 3.3 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East-northeast winds gusted to 18 mph at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-13

In 1963…a arctic cold wave plunged temperatures well below zero across metro Denver. Temperatures were below zero for a total of 64 consecutive hours. Low temperatures reached 25 degrees below zero on both the 11th and 12th. The high temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 11th was the coldest ever recorded at Stapleton Airport and equaled the record low maximum for the month first set on January 19…1883…in downtown Denver. The high temperature on the 12th reached only 1 degree below zero. On the 12th…an 18-year-old youth died of exposure from the extreme cold in Denver. There were many losses and damage to property from frozen water systems…stalled cars…and over-burdened heating systems. Light snow accompanied the arctic blast. At Stapleton Airport…2.3 inches of snow fell on the 10th and 11th.

11

In 1887…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph in the city.

In 1893…northwest winds to 48 mph were recorded in the city.

In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity of 47 mph.

In 1988…strong Chinook winds blew throughout the day along the eastern foothills. Winds peaked to 75 mph in Boulder… Breaking at least one window. West winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…2 to 3 inches of snow fell across metro Denver causing near gridlock conditions during the morning rush hour and two-hour delays at Stapleton International Airport. Two to 6 inches of snow whitened Boulder where many traffic accidents were reported. Snowfall measured 2.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 21 mph.

In 1995…high winds developed in the foothills. A gust to 67 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats in northern Jefferson County. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…very strong winds were reported in the Front Range foothills for a brief time. Wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded at Golden Gate Canyon…with 95 mph at Wondervu.

11-12

In 1972…high winds howled along the Front Range foothills. A wind gust to 144 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. A wind gust to 105 mph was recorded at the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder. Wind gusts to 90 mph were recorded in downtown Boulder. The greatest damage from the windstorm occurred in Boulder where 25 or more mobile homes were destroyed either by wind or the fires which resulted when they were overturned. Car windows were blown out; many buildings damaged; utility poles…power lines…trees…and traffic lights blown down. As many as 75 families were evacuated from a recently completed apartment building because of severe structural damage. Government and private office buildings and industrial plants were evacuated because of danger from flying glass and debris. Twelve people were treated at the hospital…mostly for cuts from flying glass. At least 15 small planes were seriously damaged and hangar doors were blown off at the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Wind damage in Boulder alone totaled 2 million dollars. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 53 mph on the 11th and to 47 mph on the 12th. The strong Chinook winds warmed temperatures into the mid 50’s on both days.

11-14

In 1997…cold arctic air plunged temperatures below zero across metro Denver. The temperature was below zero for 60 consecutive hours from the afternoon on the 11th to around daybreak on the 14th. The high temperature of only 1 degree below zero on the 12th equaled the record low maximum for the date last set in 1963. The low temperature dipped to 14 degrees below zero on the 12th.

Continue reading January 11 to January 17: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows the period has been a very eventful one. There have of course been some significant snow events as you would expect in January. However, perhaps most notable are the number of high wind events that have caused extensive damage and in one case, death. Extreme cold has been another hallmark of the period including Denver’s all-time coldest temperature reading.

From the National Weather Service:

31-6

In 1973…the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days. Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.

31-7

In 1941…a protracted cold spell through January 7…1942… Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero. The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero…the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero…and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.

1-5

In 1940…the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle…light snow…and fog. Fog occurred on each day. On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle. All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side. This resulted in very slippery streets…which caused several minor traffic accidents. The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.

2-4

In 1949…the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado. The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits. This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero. Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm… While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches. The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown. Numerous lives were lost…and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.

2-5

In 1959…very cold temperatures…to near zero and below…caused power and gas lines…water pipes…and automatic sprinkler systems to break. In Boulder… Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store…flooding three floors. The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd…3rd…and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.

3-4

In 1982…wind gusting to 85 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder caused a few power failures. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2000…high winds buffeted the foothills of Boulder County. Wind gusts were reported to 91 mph at Nederland and 81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa southwest of Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

4

In 1893…the low temperature dipped to only 52 degrees…the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in January. The high temperature was 64 degrees. The spring-like weather was the result of northwest Chinook winds sustained to 20 mph with gusts as high as 38 mph.

4-5

In 1996…snow began falling across the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver on the 4th. Most snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches. Icy roads and blowing snow caused a 22 car accident on I-25 north of Denver… Resulting in an 8-mile traffic back-up for several hours. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

5

In 1871…a heavy gale in Boulder caused 500 dollars damage.

In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph in the city.

In 1899…strong winds occurred in Boulder…but caused only minor damage.

In 1911…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph in downtown Denver.

In 1915…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph behind a cold front…which produced only 1.0 inch of snowfall.

In 1972…warm Chinook wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded in Boulder at the National Bureau of Standards and to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. The high winds caused severe blowing snow in and near the foothills… Completely blocking traffic in some areas…closing schools and industrial plants. Houses under construction were damaged…and falling trees damaged cars in Boulder. An apartment building under construction was blown down in the Denver area. Northwest wind gusts reached 58 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…during the early morning hours with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30’s…0.25 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport

In 1994…occasional high winds blew across the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 84 mph were recorded in southwest Boulder and 74 mph in north Boulder. There were also reports of 70 to 80 mph winds along Colorado highway 93 in Jefferson County from Golden to Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.

In 1999…strong downslope winds developed in the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu… Southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 37 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2007…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas along the Front Range. The most snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Storm totals included: 17 inches 8 miles northwest of Evergreen…16 inches near Conifer…15 inches southwest of Boulder and at Eldorado Springs…14.5 inches near Genesee…12 inches near aspen and Estes Parks…11.5 inches in Boulder…11 inches at Perry park… 9.5 inches near Blackhawk…9 inches in Louisville…7.5 inches in Arvada…7 inches near Erie…6.5 inches near Longmont…and 6 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Littleton. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History →