January 10 to January 16: This week in Denver weather history
January weather is like the weather of any other month in Denver in that you can see just about any type of condition possible. However, three conditions are dominant during the month – wind, snow and cold. All three make many appearances in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.
From the National Weather Service:
7-10
In 1962…a major winter storm dumped 13.5 inches of snow on metro Denver. A foot of the snow fell on the 8th when northeast winds gusted to 30 mph. The storm was followed by an intense blast of very cold arctic air. Minimum temperature readings of 24 degrees below zero occurred on both the 9th and 10th. The temperature never reached above zero on the 9th when a maximum reading of 1 degree below zero was recorded. Temperatures were below zero for 37 consecutive hours.
8-10
In 1983…winds of 70 to 90 mph howled through Boulder. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. A tree blown down by the wind damaged a house in eastern Boulder County. The strong winds developed behind a cold front late on the 8th and continued through the 10th. At Stapleton International Airport…west to northwest winds gusted to 49 mph on the 8th…to 45 mph on the 9th…and to 48 mph on the 10th.
9-10
In 1962…the low temperature plunged to 24 degrees below zero on both days.
In 1972…a west wind gust to 60 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport…while in Boulder a wind gust to 86 mph was recorded at the National Bureau of Standards. The roof of a house was blown off…and trees were blown down in Boulder. The high winds contributed to the damage from a building fire in Boulder.
In 2000…heavy snow and strong winds in the mountains spilled into the Front Range foothills. Ward…northwest of Boulder…received 9 inches of new snow. Wind gusts to 91 mph were measured in Golden Gate Canyon…with gusts to 77 mph at Loveland Ski Area and to 73 mph along State Highway 93 north of Golden. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.
In 2011…a winter storm brought moderate to heavy snowfall to areas in and near the Front Range foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 13 inches…3 miles south of Golden; 11.5 inches near Eldorado Springs…10.5 inches… 2 miles southwest of Boulder; 10 inches…3 miles southwest of Roxbourough State Park; 9 inches at Genessee…8.5 inches in Arvada…4 miles south-southeast of Bennett and greenwood village…8 inches… 8 miles south of Elizabeth; 7 inches at Commerce City and 6.5 inches near Louisville and at Denver International Airport. Gusty winds produced snow drifts up to 2 feet deep over the Palmer Divide.
10
In 1893…strong west winds in Boulder and the adjacent foothills caused only minor damage.
In Denver…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 64 degrees and a low of only 40 degrees…which was a record high minimum for the date.
In 1911…southwest Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees.
In 1932…the first thunderstorm ever officially recorded in Denver during January occurred in the early morning. The assistant observer heard two prolonged peals of thunder between 4:20 am and 4:25 am. Another off-duty observer was awakened by the thunder. Other people reported both thunder and lightning. Light snow was falling at the time. Pellets of graupel or hail were reported from some parts of the city. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches. Northwest winds gusted to 30 mph.
In 1962…as the temperature dipped to a frigid 24 degrees below zero…setting a new record minimum for the date… The pressure adjusted to sea level reached the highest ever recorded in Denver…31.24 inches (1057.8 mb). The altimeter setting reached 30.70 inches…and the actual station pressure recorded was 25.260 inches.
In 1988…strong winds occurred throughout the day in and near the foothills. Peak gusts to 85 mph were recorded at Rollinsville…84 mph at Echo Lake…and 64 mph in Boulder.
In 1990…a third consecutive day of 50 to 85 mph wind gusts occurred in and along the eastern foothills. A 5 mile portion of the Denver-Boulder turnpike was closed after clouds of blowing dust and gravel caused several multicar accidents near Broomfield. One 59-year-old woman was killed and two others injured. A wind gust to 81 mph was recorded at the nearby Jefferson County Airport.
In Boulder…wind gusts to 85 mph were blamed for ripping off a portion of a roof on a house…as well as blowing out the large picture window. West winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The warm Chinook winds set a record high temperature of 71 degrees in Denver for the date.
In 1996…strong northwest winds developed behind a pacific cold front that moved rapidly across northeast Colorado. A peak wind gust to 64 mph was recorded at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility in Jefferson County. North- northeast winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.
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.
January 3 to January 9: This week in Denver weather history
January weather in Colorado can be as varied as during any month of the year. Temperatures bordering on spring-like to bone chilling Arctic cold can be seen. Snow of course plays a big part and while not always recognized as a big danger, high speed damaging winds are not unusual.
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.
2-3
In 1971…a major storm dumped a total of 8.4 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph.
In 1972…a strong cold front late on the 2nd produced north wind gusts to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Snow…heavy at times on the 3rd…totaled 6.4 inches as temperatures hovered only in the single digits.
In 2000…heavy snow fell over the higher terrain of the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 7 inches 5 miles southwest of Sedalia. Only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
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
In 1874…heavy snowfall totaled 6 inches with 5 inches falling in 3 hours. Melted snow totaled 0.40 inches of precipitation. Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph.
In 1887…west winds were sustained to 44 mph in the city.
In 1913…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 52 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees. The low temperature was only 40 degrees.
In 1951…northwest winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1967…a strong Chinook wind reached 90 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. In downtown Boulder winds only gusted to 35 mph. Northwest winds gusting to 49 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1986…winds gusted to 63 mph at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield and reached 73 mph at Echo Lake in the foothills west of Denver. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…high winds raked the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 99 mph were recorded on Squaw Mountain…south of Idaho Springs…and gusts to 85 mph occurred at the rocky flats facility in northwest Jefferson County. Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.
In 1996…very strong Chinook winds gusting to 104 mph blasted the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver. Three people were injured in separate incidents. One man was injured when strong crosswinds toppled his moving van into oncoming traffic along Colorado 93 south of Boulder. Two other people received minor injuries from flying debris. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…eleven hazardous waste storage facilities received at least 100 thousand dollars in damage. In addition…several power lines were downed leaving 3 thousand homes and stores without power. Hundreds of car windows were shattered…and several signs were toppled from buildings. Some of the strongest wind gusts included: 104 mph at Boulder municipal airport…98 mph in south Boulder…96 mph at Jefferson County airport…94 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research southwest of Boulder…91 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…and 90 mph at Wondervu southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.
In 2004…bands of heavy snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totals included 6.5 inches in Broomfield and 6 inches in Westminster…Arvada…and near Hudson. Only 0.5 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. More snow fell in the foothills with 9 inches recorded near Jamestown. Southeast winds gusted to 25 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2006…locally high winds developed in northern Jefferson County over and near rocky flats. Peak wind gusts from 75 to 91 mph were recorded during the afternoon. A semi-trailer truck was blown onto its side on State Highway 93 atop rocky flats. Strong winds also spread across metro Denver. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.
December 27 to January 2: This week in Denver weather history
Snow and wind are the two dominant weather conditions seen on our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Nine years ago, the second of two major winter storms buried Denver and closed highways. Eight years ago, damaging winds that downed trees and caused power outages occurred.
25-31
In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and new year’s. High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s. Four temperature records were set. Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees. A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.
26-27
In 1954…a major storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 8.6 inches at Stapleton Airport. The storm produced the heaviest snowfall of the calendar year and was the only measurable snowfall in December.
In 1987…a snowstorm stalled in northeastern Colorado…giving metro Denver its worst winter storm in 4 years. Total snowfall from the storm ranged from 12 to 18 inches on the east side…1 to 2 feet in Boulder County…and 2 to 3 feet in western and southern parts of metro Denver. The largest reported snowfall was 42 inches at Intercanyon in the foothills southwest of Denver. Snowfall totaled 14.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Winds were light on the 26th…but increased as high as 40 mph on the 27th… Creating near-blizzard conditions and forcing complete closure of Stapleton International Airport for about 8 hours. The strong winds whipped drifts to 5 feet high on the east side of town. All interstate Highways leading from Denver were closed on the 27th.
26-28
In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph. Most of the snow… 4.8 inches…fell on the 27th.
27
In 1895…west Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.
In 1901…an apparent cold front produced sustained north winds to 41 mph with gusts to 48 mph.
In 1957…northwest winds gusting to 52 mph produced some blowing dust across metro Denver.
In 1975…a northwest wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1976…a strong pacific cold front moving across metro Denver produced a northwest wind gust to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1990…high winds raked the eastern foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph clocked on fritz peak near Rollinsville. The strong northwest winds of 50 to 70 mph whipped newly fallen snow over higher areas into billowy clouds several hundred feet high that could be seen from most locations across metro Denver.
In 1996…another round of high winds developed over portions of the Front Range foothills during the morning hours. Several wind gusts from 70 to 100 mph were reported at Wondervu southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2005…a trained weather observer in Georgetown recorded a wind gust to 94 mph. No damage was reported.
In 2007…a winter storm brought heavy snow to portions of the urban corridor and adjacent plains. Storm totals generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches. Locally heavier bands produced up to 10 inches of snow. In the urban corridor…storm totals included: 10 inches…10 miles south-southeast of Buckley AFB and at Castle Pines; 9.5 inches…4 miles south-southeast of Aurora and Kassler; 7.5 inches…2 miles southeast of Highlands Ranch; 7 inches in Aurora and Sedalia; 6.5 inches in Arvada…4 miles east of Denver and Lafayette; 6 inches in Castle Rock and Thornton. A measurement of 5.4 inches was taken at the former Stapleton International Airport. The official total for the month was 20.9 inches; making it the 6th snowiest December on record.
27-28
In 1997…high winds combined with fresh snow from a previous storm caused highways to become slick from drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in localized ground blizzards. Strong winds blew snow across the runways at centennial airport…which glazed over and formed areas of ice. Two planes were damaged when they slid off the runway while landing. No injuries were reported. Numerous accidents also occurred on I-25 and I-70 as ice formed under the same conditions. A rollover accident which injured 4 people on State Highway 93 near the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility was also attributed to the high winds. The high winds caused an office building and showroom under construction in Golden to collapse. The largest wall was 180 feet long and 28 feet high. Some high wind reports included: 86 mph at Golden Gate Canyon…72 mph near Conifer…and 70 mph at Jefferson County airport and the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa near Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport on the 27th.
In 1998…damaging downslope winds formed in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged from 71 to 114 mph. Numerous trees were blown down in Coal Creek Canyon and near gross reservoir. Power lines were blown down… Resulting in scattered outages. Peak wind reports included: 114 mph at Wondervu…92 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…88 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…and 79 mph 8 miles west of Conifer. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
27-29
In 1983…a second surge of bitter cold air in less than a week was less intense. Record breaking low temperatures of 12 degrees below zero on the 28th and 15 degrees below zero on the 29th were accompanied by 3.7 inches of snowfall and northeast winds gusting to 23 mph.
28
In 2001…brief high winds developed in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 86 mph on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. West to northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature climbed to a high of 51 degrees.
28-29
In 1906…a trace of snow fell on both days…which along with a trace of snow on the 5th…was the only snow of the month…ranking the month the second least snowiest December on record.
In 1970…wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Winds gusted to only 46 mph in downtown Boulder. Damage was minor.
In 2006…while metro Denver residents were still digging out from the heavy snowfall and blizzard that occurred on December 20-21…the second major winter storm in a week buried the city and the eastern foothills again in more deep snow. Heavy snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet in the foothills and from 6 to 18 inches across the city. Another slow moving storm system centered over the Texas panhandle produced deep upslope flow over the high plains and against the Front Range mountains. The storm produced blizzard conditions over the plains mainly south of interstate 76. Interstate 70 as well as other roads and highways was closed from Denver to the Kansas line due to snow and blizzard conditions. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. The heaviest snow fell in and near the foothills and south of Denver over the palmer divide…where north winds sustained at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph piled the snow into drifts 4 to 14 feet deep. In the city…the heavy snowfall persisted for a total of 29 hours. Snowfall totals across metro Denver included: 17.5 inches at Ken Caryl; 15 inches 3 miles south-southeast of Morrison; 14 inches in Boulder and Lone Tree; 12 inches in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Wheat Ridge; 10.5 inches in Littleton; 10 inches in Arvada…Broomfield…and Louviers; and 8.5 inches in Lakewood and Thornton. Officially…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Denver Stapleton. North winds sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 32 mph produced some blowing snow at Denver International Airport. In the city…this second storm increased the total snowfall for the month to 29.4 inches…making the month the third snowiest on record. In the foothills the snow fell at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour at times. Total snowfall in the foothills included: 30 inches near Genesee; 29.5 inches 12 miles northwest of Golden; 25 inches in Evergreen and near Bergen Park; 24 inches near Conifer; 23.5 inches 3 miles southwest of Golden and near Gold Hill; 23 inches near Jamestown; 22.5 inches in Rollinsville; 19.5 inches in Aspen Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; 18.5 inches at Nederland; 16 inches in Indian Hills…at Intercanyon…and in Eldora; 15.5 inches at Echo Lake; and 12 inches near Ralston Reservoir. The total cost of snow removal just at Denver International Airport from this storm and the previous storm was in tens of millions of dollars. The airport estimated up to 6.7 million dollars in extra costs for contractors…overtime…equipment…de-icing chemicals…and other expenses. The two storms cost the airport 4.6 million dollars in loss concession revenues. United airlines reported lost revenue of over 25 million dollars from the two storms…while frontier airlines lost an estimated 12.1 million dollars.
29
In 1997…high winds persisted mainly in and near the foothills. Strong cross winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph blew a rental truck off the roadway in northern Jefferson County near the Coal Creek Canyon road. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2005…high winds were recorded across metro Denver. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph near Chatfield Reservoir and 64 mph at Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.
29-30
In 1898…heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 40 mph on the 29th.
In 1912…strong winds buffeted Boulder…causing hundreds of dollars damage. The winds were described as one of the most terrific in the history of the city.
In 1923…a cold wave caused temperatures to plunge 58 degrees in 24 hours. The temperature was 54 degrees at 2:00 pm on the 29th and only 4 degrees below zero at the same time on the 30th. The low temperature of 14 degrees on the 29th was the high temperature on the 30th. The low temperature on the 30th dipped to 10 degrees below zero. Light snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch. Northeast winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 29th.
In 2008…very strong Chinook winds blasted areas in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. The wind blew down trees and power poles…downed electrical lines and fences…and damaged homes and vehicles. Scattered power outages were reported along the Front Range. In metropolitan Denver alone…24…000 Xcel customers were affected by the outages. Four planed were damaged at the Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont…one was heavily damaged. Insurance companies estimated up to 7 million dollars in damage. Peak wind gusts included 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center…86 mph…2 miles north of Longmont; 77 mph at Erie…and 75 mph at Lafayette. On the 30th…a peak wind gust to 47 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport.
December 20 to December 26: This week in Denver weather history
The week leading up to Christmas is hectic enough but when you through in severe weather, it can be overwhelming. This week marks a number of notable weather events in Denver weather history but two stand out. Most recently was the storm three years ago that became the seventh biggest snowstorm in Denver weather history. Of course probably the most memorable for longtime Denver residents is the Christmas Eve storm of 1982 that buried the city for the holiday and for days afterwards.
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.
18-21
In 2010…a winter storm produced a 4-day period of moderate to heavy snow in the mountains. The combination of strong wind and heavy snow forced the closure of several mountain passes due to the threat of avalanches. The Amtrak train route… Which runs from Denver to California…was rerouted through Wyoming when Union Pacific closed its tracks along Interstate 70. Numerous accidents forced the closure of I-70 at times. The wind gusted to 60 mph over the higher mountain passes. Storm totals in the ski areas west of Denver ranged from 16 to 32 inches.
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.
19-20
In 1982…high winds buffeted the eastern foothills. At midday on the 19th…gusts of 75 to 80 mph were recorded in the Table Mesa area of Boulder. A gust to 62 mph was clocked in Boulder on the evening of the 20th.
In 1989…strong winds howled at mountain top level in clear creek and Gilpin counties. Speeds reached 97 mph on the summit of Squaw Mountain and 84 mph one mile south of Rollinsville. Northwest winds gusted 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 20th.
19-23
In 1990…a surge of very cold arctic air invaded metro Denver. Many temperature records were broken as the mercury remained at or below zero for 85.5 hours at Stapleton International Airport…making it the third longest period of subzero readings in 118 years of record keeping. On the morning of the 22nd…the mercury plunged to 25 degrees below zero…which equaled the all time record low temperature for the month set on December 24…1876. In the foothills southwest of Denver at tiny town…the mercury plunged to 33 degrees below zero on the morning of the 21st. On the same morning at Castle Rock the temperature dipped to 26 degrees below zero. During the period…other daily temperature records were set at Denver…including: record low maximum of 3 degrees below zero on the 20th and a record low of 17 degrees below zero on the 23rd. The record low was equaled with 16 degrees below zero on the 20th and 21 degrees below zero on the 21st. Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport from the 19th through the 21st.
20
In 1894…southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a maximum of 69 degrees…which was a record high temperature for the date. The minimum temperature dipped to only 33 degrees.
In 1903…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 54 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.
In 1948…strong winds occurred along the eastern foothills from Boulder north. Wind gusts to 45 mph were recorded at Valmont with a gust to 30 mph at Boulder airport. Some damage occurred. Wind gusts to 50 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1957…strong Chinook winds…gusting to 51 mph from the northwest…warmed the afternoon temperature to a high of 54 degrees.
In 1981 high winds were reported in the foothills with a peak gust of 87 mph recorded at Wondervu.
In 1992…strong Chinook winds raked the eastern foothills with 69 mph recorded at Table Mesa in south Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 21 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…five construction workers were injured…two seriously…when a sudden wind gust blew over a 30-foot- high retaining wall they were working on in western Lakewood. The scaffolding they were standing on collapsed…and some were pinned under the rubble for 15 minutes. Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph were reported in the area. Southwest winds gusted to only 24 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2004…strong downslope winds developed over the eastern mountain slopes and spread over metro Denver. Peak wind gusts approached 100 mph along the foothills of Boulder County. In superior…a 1200-square-foot section of roof was peeled off the gymnasium at monarch high school. Two semi-trailers were toppled on Colorado Highway 58 at McIntyre Street and another at c-470 and West Bowles Avenue. Two airplanes were damaged by wind-blown debris at Jefferson County airport. The high winds forced the closure of State Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder for approximately two hours. Insurance agents estimated 650 to 850 homes suffered wind damage in the Boulder and Louisville areas. In addition…downed trees and power lines left about 1000 residents…mainly in the Boulder area…without electricity. At least three people suffered minor injuries in the storm. Peak wind reports included: 95 mph in superior…92 mph at Jefferson County airport…85 mph in Golden…81 mph in Boulder…80 mph in Broomfield and Evergreen…and 79 mph in Louisville. West northwest winds gusted to 59 mph at Denver International Airport.
20-21
In 1969…high winds caused widespread…but mostly minor damage to roofs…windows…and power lines and overturned some house trailers in areas along and just east of the foothills. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported in Boulder and south of Boulder at Rocky Flats. A wind gust to 115 mph was measured in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 44 mph on the 20th and to 45 mph on the 21st. The warm Chinook winds warmed the high temperature to 56 degrees on the 20th and to 65 degrees on the 21st.
In 2006…a major blizzard buried greater metro Denver and the adjacent foothills in deep snow. A slow moving upper level low pressure center produced deep moist upslope flow over the high plains and against the eastern slopes of the mountains…allowing heavy snowfall to persist for 34 hours across metro Denver. Total snow accumulations ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet across the city and from 2 to nearly 4 feet in the foothills. Adding to the misery… Strong north winds sustained at 20 to 35 mph with gusts from 45 to nearly 60 mph produced much blowing snow and piled the snow into drifts from 6 to 12 feet high…closing businesses and bringing all transportation to a halt. The storm forced the closure of Denver International Airport for a total of 45 hours which snarled the nation’s air traffic system. This was the longest closure in the airport’s 12 year history. The closure stranded nearly 5000 travelers when 2000 flights were canceled. Many inbound flights were diverted to other airports…stranding even more passengers. Many of the stranded travelers failed to reach their final destinations until days after the airport re-opened due to fully booked flights during the holiday season. Police and national guardsmen rescued hundreds of commuters stuck in their cars…and sent them to temporary shelters set up by the Red Cross. All interstates and other major highways in and out of Denver were closed. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. Mail delivery was suspended. The Regional Transportation District suspended all metro Denver bus service for the first time since the March 2003 blizzard. The roof of a discount store in Aurora collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. In Lakewood…a power outage left 5600 residents without electricity for a brief time. Metro Denver snowfall amounts included: 34 inches 10 miles southeast of Buckley AFB…32 inches in Littleton…30 inches in Thornton and near Castle Rock…29.5 inches near Parker…28 inches in Wheat Ridge…25.5 inches at Centennial Airport…25 inches at Niwot…24 inches in Aurora…22.5 inches at Greenwood Village… 22 inches in Arvada…21.5 inches in Lakewood…20 inches in Longmont…and 15.5 inches in Boulder. Snowfall measured 20.7 inches officially in the Denver Stapleton area. This ranked the snowfall as the 7th greatest in the city since 1946. North winds were sustained to 37 mph with gusts to 55 mph at Denver International Airport. In the foothills snowfall totaled: 42 inches at Conifer and 11 miles southwest of Boulder…40 inches at Evergreen…39 inches at Aspen Springs… 37.5 inches 8 miles north of Blackhawk…33 inches near Nederland…31 inches at Intercanyon and near Tiny Town…30.5 inches atop Buckhorn Mountain…30 inches near Indian Hills… 29 inches at Rollinsville…24 inches near Gross Reservoir and Ralston Reservoir…22.4 inches atop Crow Hill…and 20 inches near Georgetown. Snowpacked and rutted streets and parking lots persisted for a month or more after the storm and subsequent storms. The heavy snowfall created a snow removal controversy when many citizens complained that residential streets were not cleared in a timely manner in the city and in some suburban areas. This was in spite of the fact that tens of millions of dollars were spent on snow removal. In the city of Denver…snow cover of an inch or more from this storm and subsequent storms persisted for 61 consecutive days…through February 19…2007. This is the second longest period of snow cover on record in the city. Many homeowners who had extensive Christmas lights and decorations in their yards were not able to remove the lights because the wires were buried in deep snow and ice until the end of February or later.
December 13 to December 19: This week in Denver weather history
December can of course be cold and that is why Chinook winds are sometimes welcomed as they bring warm air to the Front Range. However, those winds can also cause a great deal of damage if they blow too hard and we see that in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Particularly notable were winds on December 14th & 15th which caused accidents, toppled power poles and fences, ripped off roofs and more.
From the National Weather Service:
2-17
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.
9-13
In 1961…cold arctic air produced a protracted cold period. The temperature plunged to 16 degrees below zero on the 10th…establishing a new record for the date and the coldest reading since 25 degrees below zero on February 1… 1951. Low temperatures dipped below zero on 5 consecutive days with 9 degrees below zero on the 9th…16 below on the 10th…10 below on the 11th…and 12 below on both the 12th and 13th. High temperatures reached only 3 degrees on the 10th and 6 degrees on the 11th.
11-13
In 1940…5.4 inches of snow fell across downtown Denver. This was the only snowfall of the month. Temperatures were quite cold on the 13th with a high of 6 degrees and a low of 2 degrees below zero.
In 1984…up to 6 inches of new snow fell over metro Denver… Hampering flight operations at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 3.8 inches and east winds gusted to 25 mph on the 11th.
12-13
In 1916…snowfall totaled 5.7 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 28 mph on the 12th.
In 1992…an upslope snowstorm whitened metro Denver. While snowfall totaled only 4.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport…7 inches of new snow fell in Morrison…with 12 inches measured in Castle Rock. North winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 13th.
In 1995…strong winds gusting to nearly 100 mph whipped across the foothills west of Denver. The strongest wind gusts included 98 mph atop Squaw Mountain and 75 mph at the Eldora Ski Area. West-northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.
12-15
In 1921…downslope Chinook winds produced warm temperatures in the city…which resulted in 4 temperature records. High temperatures of 72 degrees on the 13th and 68 degrees on the 15th were record maximums for the dates. Low temperatures of 47 degrees on both the 12th and 13th were record high minimums for the dates. West winds were sustained to 38 mph on the 12th and to 25 mph on the 13th.
13
In 1955…strong winds raked the foothills. A wind gust to 72 mph was recorded at rocky flats northwest of Denver. Some damage occurred in Boulder. Northwest winds were sustained to speeds of 23 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1988…high winds again occurred in Boulder where winds were clocked to 66 mph. West winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
13-14 in 1902…heavy snowfall totaled 6.4 inches in the city overnight. North winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to 20 mph on the 13th.
In 1925…heavy apparent post-frontal snowfall totaled 7.8 inches across downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 34 mph with gusts to 42 on the 13th… And north winds were sustained to 33 mph with gusts to 38 mph on the 14th.
In 1951…heavy snowfall totaled 5.9 inches at Stapleton Airport.
In 1987…a snowstorm dropped 2 to 8 inches of snow along the Front Range foothills. Eight to 12 inches fell just south of Denver. Icy streets and highways contributed to many traffic accidents across metro Denver and flights were delayed at Stapleton International Airport where 2.7 inches of snow fell and northeast winds gusted to 17 mph.
In 1991…high winds pummeled metro Denver. Wind gusts to 93 mph were recorded at Rollinsville. Wind speeds across metro Denver were generally 35 to 50 mph. Northwest winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 13th.
14
In 1926…an intrusion of cold air resulted in temperatures remaining below zero. The high temperature of one degree below zero was a record low maximum for the date. The low temperature was 11 degrees below zero. North winds were sustained to 17 mph.
In 1985…a wind gust to 61 mph was recorded at Table Mesa in Boulder.
In 1996…high winds gusting from 60 to nearly 80 mph moved off the Front Range foothills and over the northeast Colorado plains in the wake of a fast moving cold front. The strongest wind gusts included 79 mph at Golden gate canyon and 70 mph near Table Mesa in southwest Boulder. At Denver International Airport…west-northwest winds gusted to only 39 mph.
14-15
In 1988…a snow storm again whitened metro Denver. Snowfall along the Front Range was in the 6 to 12 inch range. Snowfall totaled 5.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 38 mph.
In 1990…high winds howled across metro Denver behind a strong pacific cold front. Boulder was hardest hit by the high winds. A wind gust to 120 mph was recorded in south Boulder where winds stripped the roof off a garage…a vacant gas station…and a house under construction. Elsewhere in Boulder…several trees were blown down. In Boulder canyon…the winds toppled two cinder block walls on a house under construction. Four Boulder County women were treated for injuries caused by the wind. The injuries were confined to a broken wrist…a mild concussion…bruises…and facial cuts. Two semi-tractor trailers were blown over by the fierce winds south of Boulder. Another truck rollover occurred southeast of Golden. Drivers of all three trucks suffered only cuts and bruises. Several vehicles were trapped in a blinding dust storm on the Denver-Boulder Turnpike near Broomfield. Drivers were forced to stop along the highway for several minutes during the storm and witness their vehicles being pelted with sand and gravel. A wind gust to 97 mph was recorded in Golden. High winds were also reported in Arvada…Boulder…and Lakewood. Winds toppled a number of utility poles and wooden fences…blew out windows…and caused structural damage to a large apartment complex on the west side of Golden. Wind gusts of 70 to 100 mph caused considerable damage to several large billboards north of Golden…as well as damaging the paint…trim…and glass on numerous vehicles in the area. A west wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
15
In 1999…high winds developed in and near the foothills as a strong upper level jet moved into the area. Although most wind gusts were in the 70 to 80 mph range…a weather spotter located 1 mile south of Fritz Peak near Rollinsville measured a peak wind gust to 124 mph. Other wind reports included wind gusts to 77 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and atop Blue Mountain and 70 mph at the national wind technology center on Rocky Flats south of Boulder. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2000…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County…but winds were strong across all of metro Denver. Winds gusted as high as 72 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa just southwest of Boulder. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.
15-16
In 1964…high winds raked metro Denver…causing considerable damage. Wind gusts to 81 mph were recorded at rocky flats northwest of Denver…94 mph at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield…48 mph in downtown Boulder…and 70 mph in Littleton. West wind gusts to 67 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport. A man working on construction in downtown Denver died from injuries after being struck by a 5-foot by 8-foot section of plank runway blown by the strong winds. Several people were blown down by the strong winds or hit by flying objects. Buildings… Roads…trees…and power equipment were damaged. Roads were closed east of Denver due to blowing dust.
In 1981…wind gusts to 60 mph were common in the foothills northwest of Denver. West wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 3 miles in blowing dust.
In 1996…strong pre-frontal winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County ahead of an arctic cold front that moved into northeastern Colorado late on the morning of the 16th. Wind gusts of 70 to 75 mph were clocked at Table Mesa in southwest Boulder.
16
In 1912…northwest winds were sustained to 44 mph with an extreme velocity of 45 mph.
In 1921…north winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 50 mph behind a vigorous cold front. Only a trace of snow fell.
In 1954…a vigorous cold front produced sustained north winds to 45 mph with gusts as high 54 mph. Visibility was reduced to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1955…sustained west winds to 44 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport.
In 1994…a wind gust to 108 mph was recorded atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver with a gust to 92 mph in Rollinsville southwest of Boulder. West winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…a vigorous arctic cold front moved across metro Denver. Heavy snow and strong winds accompanied the front as near whiteout conditions in snow and blowing snow developed suddenly. Northerly winds gusted from 40 to 60 mph behind the front. Dozens of accidents occurred as roads and highways quickly turned to a glaze of ice. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches across metro Denver and in the foothills. The exception was at Eldorado Springs south of Boulder where 8 inches of new snow were measured. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Officially…this was the only measurable snow of the month in Denver. At Denver International Airport…north winds gusted to 34 mph.
In 1999…another brief round of high winds developed in and near the foothills of Boulder County. Peak wind gusts included 83 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research near Boulder and 74 mph atop Niwot Ridge and at the National Wind Technology Center on Rocky Flats south of Boulder. West winds gusted to only 33 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature warmed to a high of 54 degrees.
In 2000…high winds in the mountains spread into the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 87 mph at Georgetown Lake and at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Winds gusted to 72 mph at the national wind technology center south of Boulder.
December 6 to December 12: This week in Denver weather history
Denver and Colorado are certainly known for their varied weather conditions and as always, looking back at the weather history books highlights that. On these dates we have seen Arctic cold and balmy temperatures in the 70’s. We have seen hurricane force winds and even a rare December thunderstorm. And as one would expect, there has been plenty of snow.
2-17
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.
4-6
In 1960…heavy snowfall totaled 12.0 inches over the 3 days with 5.1 inches on the 4th…5.2 inches on the 5th…and 1.7 inches on the 6th. Rain changed to snow early on the 4th and ended by early afternoon. Snow started again early on the 5th and continued through midday on the 6th. West northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 4th. Post cold frontal temperatures cooled from a high of 38 degrees on the 4th to a low of 7 degrees below zero on the 6th.
5-6
In 1883…a major snow storm hit the city. Heavy snow fell from 10:00 am on the 5th to 7:30 am on the 6th. The amount of snowfall was not recorded…but precipitation from melted snow totaled 1.75 inches…which would give an estimated snowfall of nearly 18 inches. Temperatures during the storm were in the 30’s…so some of the snow May have melted as it fell. However…railroads were blocked and telegraph lines were downed in all directions. Telephone wires and poles were nearly all broken down. The company manager estimated the damage at 30 thousand dollars. Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph in the city.
In 1892…heavy snow totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.0 inches…fell on the 6th.
In 2001…high winds developed in the foothills northwest of Denver. Winds gusted to 74 mph at aspen springs. West- northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Denver International Airport…where the temperature warmed to a high of 55 degrees on the 6th.
5-7
In 1978…a major storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 8.5 inches…northeast winds gusted to 46 mph…and temperatures plunged from a high of 49 degrees on the 5th to a low of only 6 degrees on the 6th. Maximum temperature of 6 degrees on the 7th was a new daily record low maximum reading. Most of the snow…6.7 inches…fell on the 5th.
5-8
In 1983…high winds occurred in and near the foothills each day. Wind gusts to 63 mph were registered in Golden Gate Canyon on the evening of the 5th. On the evening of the 6th…winds knocked down trees…snapped power lines…and blew out windows across metro Denver. Gusts were clocked to 102 mph in southwest metro Denver…while wind gusts to 38 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport. On the 7th…winds overturned a tractor trailer near Castle Rock. After midnight on the 8th…gusts to 97 mph were reported in southeast Boulder. Wind speeds of 60 to 70 mph were reported in other parts of metro Denver.
6
In 1939…high temperature of 73 degrees was a record maximum for the date. Low temperature of 44 degrees was a record high minimum for the date.
In 1967…strong west winds produced blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport where a wind gust to 55 mph was recorded. A heavy windstorm caused minor damage in Boulder. In Denver…some structural panels were blown from a building… And the screen of an outdoor theater was severely damaged. There were unofficial reports of wind gusts to 75 mph in metro Denver.
In 1977…wind gusting to 85 mph raked the foothills from Boulder to Morrison. A few houses under construction were blown down. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…high in the atmosphere…a volcanic ash cloud was clearly visible in the direction of the sun during the late morning and early afternoon.
6-7
In 1953…high winds buffeted the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 80 mph occurred on Lookout Mountain. In Denver winds gusted to 65 mph. Damage in Boulder totaled 15 hundred dollars.
7
In 1897…west winds were sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 66 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 62 degrees…the warmest day of the month.
In 1957…a vigorous cold front produced a dust storm as it moved south across metro Denver. West-northwest wind gusts to 59 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where the surface visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust. Light snowfall of only 0.8 inch followed the passage of a secondary Canadian cold front.
In 1958…the worst wind storm in several years caused 10 thousand dollars damage in Boulder where wind gusts were estimated to 75 mph.
In 1977 winds up to 115 mph were reported in the Boulder area where one house was unroofed and another damaged. One woman was knocked down by the wind and injured. Several families were evacuated from homes in Boulder. Damage to trailers and motor vehicles was widespread. West winds gusted to 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 64 degrees.
In 1987…strong winds buffeted the Front Range foothills. A peak gust to 93 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Nearby…a metal shed was blown over a fence into a tree two houses away. Wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph were common in Boulder.
In 1988…4 to 8 inches of snow fell across metro Denver and caused traffic gridlock conditions on area highways. The 3.9 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport caused two-hour flight delays. Northeast winds gusted to 25 mph.
In 2005…a brief cold snap resulted in record breaking temperatures. The low temperature of 13 degrees below zero was a record minimum for the date. The high temperature of only 3 degrees was a record low maximum for the date. The cold temperatures were accompanied by 1.4 inches of light snow that was measured at Denver Stapleton overnight on the 6th and 7th.
7-9
In 1919…an apparent arctic cold front brought extreme cold and light snow to the city. Snowfall totaled only 2.5 inches on the 7th and 8th. Temperatures dipped to lows of 14 degrees below zero on the 8th and to 20 degrees below zero on the 9th. Both readings were daily record minimums. High temperatures were only 4 degrees on the 8th and 7 degrees on the 9th.
In 1923…a major storm dumped 13.5 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. The apparent post-frontal snowfall started during the late afternoon of the 7th and continued through the evening of the 9th. Temperatures dipped from a high of 66 degrees on the 7th with west winds sustained to 35 mph to a low of only 14 degrees on the 9th…with north winds sustained to 25 mph.
8
In 1880…severe winds buffeted the eastern foothills…causing some damage in Boulder.
In 1987…high winds damaged a chimney and roof of a house near Bergen Park in the foothills west of Denver. Gusts were estimated to 70 mph. Northwest winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
8-9
In 1943…4.5 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 8th.
In 2003…snowfall totaled 3 to 6 inches across metro Denver. Snowfall was heavier in and near the foothills with 8.0 inches measured in Boulder and 10 miles southwest of Sedalia. Snowfall was 3.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Most of the snow fell on the 8th…as the snow ended shortly after midnight. North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2008…an upslope snowstorm produced heavy snow in and near the foothills of Boulder…Jefferson and Douglas counties… And along the palmer divide south of Denver. Storm totals in the foothills ranged from 8 to 15 inches. In Boulder and in areas west and south of Denver…storm totals ranged from 6 to 13 inches. The snowfall measurement at Denver International Airport was 3.9 inches.
8-10
In 1985 a slow moving storm dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow over the northeast plains…closing schools and businesses in many areas along the Front Range north of Denver. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 9.9 inches with a maximum snow depth of 7 inches on the ground. North winds gusted to 24 mph. The snow caused long air traffic delays at Stapleton International Airport on the 9th.
In 1997…persistent light to moderate snowfall combined with strong and gusty northerly winds to produce much blowing and drifting snow across metro Denver. The hardest hit areas were south of Denver where north winds at speeds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph caused near whiteout conditions. The strong winds produced drifts 2 to 4 feet deep and dropped wind chill temperatures well below zero. Sections of both I-25 and I-70 and other roads were closed as travel became impossible due to blowing snow. Numerous traffic accidents were reported and a handful of people were stranded during the snowstorm. Snowfall totals included: 22 inches at Conifer…13 inches at Castle Rock…12 inches at Parker…and 8 inches in southeast Aurora. Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.
8-12
In 1932…the second longest sub-zero period on record in Denver occurred. The temperature fell below zero shortly after 1:00 pm on the 8th and remained below zero for 92 hours until 9:00 am on the 12th. The lowest temperature recorded during this period was 13 degrees below zero on both the 9th and 11th. That temperature on the 11th was a record low for the date. High temperatures of 4 on the 8th…5 below zero on the 9th…1 below zero on the 10th… And 6 below zero on the 11th were record low maximum temperatures for those dates. Light north winds at 5 to 10 mph were accompanied by occasional light snow…which totaled only 2.2 inches.
9
In 1898…the very cold air mass that settled over the city behind an apparent cold front on the 7th plunged temperatures to a low of 20 degrees below zero. The high temperature climbed to only 5 degrees.
In 1910…Chinook west winds sustained to 46 mph warmed the temperature to 60 degrees…the warmest reading of the month that year.
In 1919…the minimum temperature dipped to 20 degrees below zero in downtown Denver…setting a record low for the date.
In 1984…high winds occurred in the foothills with a gust to 69 mph recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver. West winds gusted to 36 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1992…high winds were recorded over most of the day in the Front Range foothills. Wind gusts to 95 mph were measured in the Table Mesa area of Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1993…a weather observer in Boulder recorded a wind gust to 73 mph. North winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1998…metro Denver and areas in the foothills received the first significant snowfall in more than a month. The upslope snow event deposited up to 17 inches in the foothills with generally 4 to 8 inches across metro Denver west of I-25. Snowfall totals included 17 inches at crescent park and 16 inches in nearby Coal Creek Canyon. Other snow amounts included: 16 inches at tiny town; 14 inches at Chief Hosa…Evergreen…and Genesee; 13 inches in Conifer; 12 inches at Nederland; 11 inches in Eldorado Canyon; 9 inches just west of Boulder; 8 inches in Boulder; and 7 inches in Broomfield and Golden. Only 3.6 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver International Airport.
9-13
In 1961…cold arctic air produced a protracted cold period. The temperature plunged to 16 degrees below zero on the 10th…establishing a new record for the date and the coldest reading since 25 degrees below zero on February 1… 1951. Low temperatures dipped below zero on 5 consecutive days with 9 degrees below zero on the 9th…16 below on the 10th…10 below on the 11th…and 12 below on both the 12th and 13th. High temperatures reached only 3 degrees on the 10th and 6 degrees on the 11th.
10
In 1953…snowfall totaled 3.8 inches at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds were sustained at speeds to 47 mph and gusted to 60 mph behind a cold front.
In 1969…sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1980…winds to 60 mph whistled through Boulder.
In 1987…strong winds in the foothills spread over northern portions of metro Denver. Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph were common in Boulder and southwestern weld counties. However… The highest reported wind gust…94 mph…occurred near Rollinsville. A northwest wind gust to 36 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
10-11
In 1933…downslope winds produced warm temperatures…resulting in record high minimums of 46 degrees on the 10th and 44 degrees on the 11th. High temperatures of 66 degrees on the 10th and 62 degrees on the 11th were not records. Southwest winds were sustained to 16 mph on the 10th.
In 1939…high temperatures of 70 degrees on the 10th and 74 degrees on the 11th were record maximums for the dates. The low temperatures of 39 degrees on the 10th and 41 degrees on the 11th were not records.
In 1948…high winds in Boulder and Louisville caused 1750 dollars in damage. Wind gusts in excess of 70 mph were reported at Valmont and Boulder airport. Chinook wind gusts to 60 mph briefly reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1989…the season’s greatest snowfall to date hit metro Denver with 6 to 12 inches of snow. Flight delays at Stapleton International Airport reached 2 hours. Multiple wrecks snarled traffic on I-25 both north and south of the city. Snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 25 mph on the 10th.
11
In 1938…snowfall totaled 3.7 inches in downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 21 mph with an extreme velocity to 22 mph.
In 1967…wind gusts to 58 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage. Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1980…winds to 60 mph were reported in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The Chinook winds warmed temperatures to a high of 67 degrees.
In 1994…strong gusty winds occurred along the Front Range eastern foothills. A wind gust to 67 mph was recorded in Boulder with a gust to 58 mph measured at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield. No damage was reported. Northwest winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
11-12
In 1903…a sharp cold front on the 11th plunged temperatures from a high of 59 degrees to a low of 15 degrees…produced northeast winds sustained to 42 mph along with gusts as high as 60 mph…and produced 1.3 inches of snow overnight. The high temperature on the 12th was only 25 degrees.
In 1968…strong winds buffeted the eastern foothills and plains and caused light…but widespread property damage. Wind gusts of 50 to 75 mph were reported. West winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
11-13
In 1940…5.4 inches of snow fell across downtown Denver. This was the only snowfall of the month. Temperatures were quite cold on the 13th with a high of 6 degrees and a low of 2 degrees below zero.
In 1984…up to 6 inches of new snow fell over metro Denver… Hampering flight operations at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 3.8 inches and east winds gusted to 25 mph on the 11th.
12
In 1937…a thunderstorm…rare in December…produced 0.09 inch of rain in advance of a cold front.
In 1973…high winds occurred across all of metro Denver with the foothills area being hit the hardest. A wind gust to 120 mph was recorded in Boulder where damage to residences…mobile homes…fences…and buildings totaled 100 thousand dollars. A northwest wind gust to 66 mph occurred at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…strong winds were recorded in Boulder. Peak wind gusts reached 70 mph at Table Mesa and 61 mph in east Boulder. West winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
12-13
In 1916…snowfall totaled 5.7 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 27 mph with gusts to 28 mph on the 12th.
In 1992…an upslope snowstorm whitened metro Denver. While snowfall totaled only 4.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport…7 inches of new snow fell in Morrison…with 12 inches measured in Castle Rock. North winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 13th.
In 1995…strong winds gusting to nearly 100 mph whipped across the foothills west of Denver. The strongest wind gusts included 98 mph atop Squaw Mountain and 75 mph at the Eldora Ski Area. West-northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.
12-15
In 1921…downslope Chinook winds produced warm temperatures in the city…which resulted in 4 temperature records. High temperatures of 72 degrees on the 13th and 68 degrees on the 15th were record maximums for the dates. Low temperatures of 47 degrees on both the 12th and 13th were record high minimums for the dates. West winds were sustained to 38 mph on the 12th and to 25 mph on the 13th.
November 29 to December 5: This week in Denver weather history
As always, our look back at Denver’s weather history books is very eventful. As we start to get closer to winter, we begin to see many more multi-day snow events that are notable and this week’s look is no different. We see many major snow events and also of note are the damaging high wind events.
From the National Weather Service:
25-29
In 1985…dense fog with visibilities as low as 1/8 mile occurred on five consecutive days at Stapleton International Airport. The fog was at times accompanied by light snow… Light freezing drizzle…or ice crystals. Fog occurred all day on both the 26th and 29th.
28-29 in 1908…heavy snowfall overnight and for most of the day on the 29th totaled 12.5 inches. Precipitation was 1.09 inches. Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 29th.
In 1928…a major storm dumped 15.5 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to 19 mph on the 28th.
In 1992…an upper level storm system moved across metro Denver…but left only a dusting of snow. Snowfall totaled only 1.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 25 mph. Other snow amounts included: 8 inches at Conifer…6 inches at Lake Eldora…3 inches at Rollinsville and in southeast Denver.
In 1997…a storm system tracking across northern New Mexico produced strong north to northeast upslope flow against the eastern slopes of the Front Range and Palmer Ridge. Snowfall totals in Jefferson County included: 14 inches near Deckers; 12 inches at Castle Rock and Sedalia; 10 inches near Conifer…11 miles southwest of Morrison…and at Buffalo Creek. Elsewhere…snow accumulations were less. Snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 27th and 28th.
In 2004…heavy snow fell in the foothills and across metro Denver. In the foothills…snowfall totals included: 13 inches at Roxborough State Park and Eldorado Springs… 11.5 inches near Conifer…11.0 inches near Nederland…and 10 inches near Indian Hills. Across metro Denver snowfall totaled 14 inches near Sedalia…9 inches near Louisville… 8 inches at Ralston Reservoir…and 5.1 inches in the Stapleton area of Denver. Northeast winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
In 2006…a slow moving storm system brought heavy snow to the mountains and to the eastern foothills where snowfall ranged from 8 to 18 inches. Some of the more impressive snow totals included: 18 inches at Genesee…17.5 inches near Boulder…17 inches at aspen springs…16.5 inches 10 miles northwest of Golden…15 inches at Eldorado Springs… 14.5 inches in Idaho Springs and near Jamestown…12 inches in grant and near Indian Hills…11.5 inches near Blackhawk… 11 inches at gross reservoir and Eldora…and 10.5 inches in Conifer. Across metro Denver…storm total snowfall generally ranged from 5 to 9 inches with the heaviest amounts near the foothills in Boulder and Jefferson counties. The most impressive totals included: 15.5 inches at Ken Caryl…12 inches in Boulder…7.5 inches near Morrison…and 7 inches near both Chatfield and Ralston reservoirs. Snowfall totaled only 4.2 inches in the Denver Stapleton area. Northeast winds gusted to 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
28-30
In 1991…a winter storm dumped heavy snow in the foothills and near the Palmer Divide with 10 inches recorded at Conifer and Golden Gate Canyon…12 inches in Morrison… 6 inches at Castle Rock and Parker. Only 3.4 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting to 35 mph on the 29th…produced some blowing snow. Some light freezing drizzle also fell on the 28th and 29th.
29
In 1877…the all-time lowest recorded minimum temperature in the month of November…18 degrees below zero…occurred. The high temperature for the day was 16 degrees.
In 1899…northwest winds were sustained to 51 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a maximum of 74 degrees…a record high for the date and the warmest of the month that year. The minimum temperature was only 39 degrees.
In 1927…post-frontal rain changed to snow and totaled 5.8 inches over downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph.
In 1977…85 mph winds were reported at Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1980 strong Chinook winds reached 85 mph in Boulder… Blowing traffic signals and street lights down. Some windows were shattered by the wind. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…high winds blew across the Front Range eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 92 mph occurred atop squaw mountain…5 miles south of Idaho Springs…and to 82 mph on fritz peak near Rollinsville in the foothills southwest of Boulder. A wind gust to 75 mph was recorded at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield. Northwest winds gusted to only 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No damage was reported.
29-30
In 2008…a storm system produced locally heavy bands of snow across Douglas…Elbert and eastern Jefferson counties. Northerly winds gusting to 50 mph caused snow drifts to pile up to 2 feet in depth. Storm totals included: 12 inches just southwest of Kassler…11.5 inches…6.5 miles southwest of Castle Rock; 11 inches…8.4 miles southeast of Aurora and 9 miles west of Littleton; 10 inches at Louviers… 8 inches…2 miles west-southwest of Highlands Ranch and 5 miles south-southeast of Sedalia…and 7.5 inches…14 miles west-southwest of Agate and at Castle Pines. At Denver International Airport…2 inches of snow was observed. North winds gusted to 46 mph on the 30th.
30
In 1899…west winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph.
In 1903…west winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 54 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 57 degrees.
In 1981…strong winds blasted the foothills. In Wondervu… Winds were clocked to 81 mph with many other locations in the foothills reporting over 60 mph. Northwest winds gusted to 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1986…the worst snow storm of the season dumped from 5.0 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport to 14 inches over the higher southwestern suburbs. On the Sunday after thanksgiving…one of the busiest travel days of the year at Stapleton International Airport…two of the four runways were closed and flights were delayed up to four hours. Near-blizzard conditions prevailed on the plains east of Denver…closing both I-70 and I-76 for a time. North wind gusts to 36 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2000…strong winds raked metro Denver. In Thornton…a construction worker was critically injured when the scaffolding on which he was standing collapsed…throwing him 25 feet to the ground. West winds gusted to 54 mph at Denver International Airport.
November 22 to November 28: This week in Denver weather history
This time period in November has been exceedingly eventful throughout Denver weather history. Notable as usual are big wind events that have caused damage and injuries. Snow of course is also quite present, including the Thanksgiving blizzard of 1983 which dumped an astounding 21.5 inches of snow on the Mile High City.
From the National Weather Service:
21-22
In 1905…a trace of snow fell on both days in downtown Denver. This was the only snow of the month…ranking the month along with other Novembers…the 2nd least snowiest on record.
In 1999…the first significant snowfall of the season struck metro Denver. Snowfall totals included: 16 inches near bailey; 13 inches near evergreen; 12 inches at north turkey creek…Genesee…near Morrison…and near Sedalia; 11 inches near Conifer and in evergreen; 10 inches in Louisville; 9 inches in Brighton…Broomfield…and Denver; and 8 inches at Arvada…Castle Rock…and Eldorado Springs. Snowfall totaled 8.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
In 2003…heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder County. Snowfall totaled 10.5 inches in Eldorado Springs. Across the city…snowfall was lighter with 2.8 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 22nd. North winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport on the 22nd.
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.
22
In 1977…101 mph winds were measured in southwest Boulder. The side of a garage was blown down. West winds gusted to only 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1981…high winds occurred in the foothills. A peak gust to 75 mph was reported at Wondervu. West winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…a wind gust to 88 mph was measured at Rollinsville.
In 1990…strong west to northwest winds…on the coat tails of a mountain snow storm the day before…lashed out at portions of the eastern foothills with 60 to 95 mph wind gusts. The strong winds spread over all of metro Denver. A west wind gust to 49 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
22-23
In 1953…strong winds raked Boulder causing 18 thousand dollars in damage. Wind gusts to 80 mph were recorded at Valmont and estimated to 80 mph at the Boulder airport.
23
In 1899…a trace of snow fell in the city. This…together with a trace of precipitation on the 16th and 21st…was the only precipitation of the month…making the month the driest on record. The record was equaled in November of 1901 and 1949. This trace of snow along with a trace of snow on the 21st was the only snow of the month…ranking the month the 2nd least snowiest on record. This record was equaled in November of 1884…1901…1905…1917…and 1939.
In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
In 1910…west winds were sustained to 42 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.
In 1959…west-northwest winds gusted to 56 mph…briefly reducing the visibility to 3 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1998…winds…estimated as high as 58 mph…caused several wood trusses installed in a police station under construction in Castle Rock to collapse. A construction worker on the roof received minor injuries when he was struck by one of the trusses. Southeast winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.
23-24
In 1992…a pre-Thanksgiving blizzard belted metro Denver. Gusty north to northeast winds at 30 to 40 mph caused near-whiteout conditions as visibilities were often below 1/4 mile. The strong winds drove snow into drifts of more than 4 feet. Hundreds of holiday travelers were stranded when airlines canceled flights at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 7.6 inches and north winds gusted to 37 mph. Blizzard conditions began around mid- morning on the 23rd and ended by mid-afternoon…but heavy snow fell through the night. Snowfall totaled: 12 inches at Conifer…Morrison…and Wheat Ridge; 19 inches at Littleton; 16 inches at Castle Rock; 9 inches in Brighton; 8 inches in Aurora; and 6 inches in Parker.
In 1993…a moist upper level disturbance dumped heavy snow over most of Colorado. Snowfall amounts averaged 5 to 8 inches across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 4.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 20 mph on the 23rd. The very cold air mass caused the temperature to dip to a record low of 8 degrees below zero on the 24th. The temperature that day climbed to only 9 degrees…also setting a record low maximum for the date.
24
In 1915…Chinook winds from the southwest sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 61 degrees. It was windy most of the day.
In 1949…the low temperature dipped to 56 degrees…the all-time record highest minimum temperature ever recorded during the month of November.
In 1960…violent wind gusts caused some damage in Boulder. West winds gusted to only 22 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1980…a snow storm brought 3 to 6 inches of snow across metro Denver. At Stapleton International Airport…only 2.1 inches of snow fell.
In 1989…high winds were recorded in Boulder with a gust to 64 mph. West winds gusted to only 24 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
24-25
In 1908…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over downtown Denver overnight. North winds were sustained to 15 mph.
In 1930 strong winds raked the Front Range eastern foothills. Winds gusted to 40 mph at Valmont just east of Boulder where minor damage occurred.
In 1970…strong Chinook winds warmed Boulder. At the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder…wind gusts reached 97 mph…while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 69 mph. Some minor damage occurred. Northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport…and the high temperature warmed to 76 degrees on the 25th…setting a new record maximum for the date.
25
In 1877…northwest winds were sustained to 50 mph.
In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The strong apparent Bora winds warmed the temperature to a high of only 45 degrees.
In 1943…snowfall of 4.0 inches was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 17 mph.
In 1958…strong pre-frontal Chinook winds struck Boulder and the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded northwest of Denver. A gust to 88 mph occurred at Rocky Flats south of Boulder. The windstorm caused considerable structural damage to residential sections of north metro Denver.
In 1959…strong winds raked the eastern foothills including Boulder and Eldorado Springs. Wind gusts to 100 mph were estimated at the Matterhorn restaurant located atop rocky flats south of Boulder.
In 1993…a wind gust to 99 mph was recorded atop Squaw Mountain near Idaho Springs.
In 1998…strong winds developed over portions of the Front Range foothills for a brief time following the passage of a weak upper level disturbance. A wind gust to 71 mph was measured atop blue mountain near Coal Creek Canyon.
In 1999…strong Chinook winds developed in and near the foothills. Peak wind reports included 100 mph at the Eldora Ski Resort and 77 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab above Boulder. West winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.
25-26
In 1887…snowfall totaled 2.9 inches in the city. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 26th when the temperature dipped to 12 degrees below zero.
In 1959…a sharp cold front produced a northwest wind gust to 51 mph…followed by snow and falling temperatures from a high of 60 degrees to a low of 23 degrees at midnight on the 25th. Snowfall totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton Airport before ending early on the 26th.
In 1972…winds gusted to 104 mph at the rocky flats plant south of Boulder. Gusts to 70 mph were recorded at the national bureau of standards in Boulder…while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 68 mph. Some damage was reported. Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 26th.
In 1984…blowing snow closed I-70 east of Denver…stranding over a thousand travelers in Limon. Denver received only 2.3 inches of snowfall. North winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1999…strong Chinook winds redeveloped overnight in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts included 72 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu and at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab above Boulder.
In 2010…high winds developed in the foothills of Boulder County. A gust to 75 mph occurred 5 miles northwest of Boulder with a gust to 72 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research mesa lab above Boulder. West winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport.
25-27
In 1978…heavy snowfall of 6.0 inches was measured at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 20 mph. Most of the snow…4.8 inches…fell on the 25th. The greatest amount of snow measured on the ground was 5 inches due to settling and melting.
25-28
In 1952…the average coldest 4-day period in November in the previous 81 years of record occurred. Maximum temperatures of 19…15…21…and 25 degrees were recorded. Minimum temperatures were below zero each day with readings of 7 below…6 below…5 below…and 6 below.
25-29
In 1985…dense fog with visibilities as low as 1/8 mile occurred on five consecutive days at Stapleton International Airport. The fog was at times accompanied by light snow… Light freezing drizzle…or ice crystals. Fog occurred all day on both the 26th and 29th.
26
In 1873…west winds increased to a violent gale at 3:00 am and reached a maximum sustained velocity of 56 mph at 3:15 am. The winds continued with a velocity of not less than 40 mph until 6:00 am. Winds continued brisk for the remainder of the day. The strong winds caused damage to houses and buildings in the city. Temperatures were in the 50’s through early afternoon with a recorded high of 59 degrees. Winds also blew strongly in Boulder and caused 300 dollars in damage.
In 1911…post-frontal northeast winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph. Snowfall was only 0.5 inch.
In 1965…post-frontal snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where strong west winds gusted to 39 mph during the afternoon.
In 1976…2 to 4 inches of snow with an arctic cold front produced near zero visibility at times in blowing snow… Causing multiple automobile accidents in metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph. Temperatures hovered in the teens and lower 20’s most of the day dipping to 7 degrees by midnight.
In 1977 a strong wind storm raked metro Denver. High winds blew windows from office towers in Denver and Boulder. Thirteen people were injured in Boulder due to flying debris. Wind gusts to 119 mph were clocked on Davidson Mesa southeast of Boulder…with 109 mph in downtown Boulder. Six airplanes were damaged at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield. Winds to 90 mph were reported in Lakewood. Glass was blown out of several vehicles in Wheat Ridge…and roofs were blown off 4 houses in Arvada. Several houses under construction collapsed across metro Denver. Winds to 75 mph were reported at the Denver federal center with 90 mph at rocky flats. West winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Total insured damage from the wind storm was 2.2 million dollars.
In 1987…a Thanksgiving snowstorm brought 5 inches of snow to metro Denver and 6 inches to the foothills. At Stapleton International Airport…snowfall totaled 5.0 inches…north winds gusted to 22 mph…and temperatures hovered in the upper 20’s most of the day.
In 1991…strong winds were recorded in and near the eastern foothills. Winds at Rollinsville were clocked to 70 mph with 45 mph recorded in Boulder and 51 mph at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Rocky Flats plant. West winds gusted to only 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
26-27
In 1876…heavy snowfall totaled 9.0 inches over the city from 5:00 pm on the 26th through 5:00 p.m. on the 27th. Precipitation was 0.30 inch on the 25th and 0.60 inch on the 27th.
In 1919…an incursion of cold arctic air produced snowfall of 4.6 inches over downtown Denver. Temperatures dipped to 5 degrees below zero on the evening of the 26th and recovered to a high of only 1 degree below zero on the 27th…the all-time record low maximum for the month of November and the record for the date. Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 26 mph on the 26th.
In 1923…snowfall of 2.0 inches was the only snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 26th.
In 1972…heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to only 18 mph on the 27th.
In 1983…a Thanksgiving blizzard dumped 21.5 inches of snowfall in 37 hours with a maximum of 18 inches on the ground at Stapleton International Airport. The storm produced howling winds…which paralyzed Thanksgiving weekend transportation across all of eastern Colorado. On the 27th…Stapleton International Airport closed… Opening 24 hours later. Interstate Highways were closed in all directions…but west…from Denver. At Stapleton International Airport…north winds gusted to 36 mph on the 26th and to 29 mph on the 27th. However…most wind speeds across metro Denver were 15 to 30 mph. Temperatures hovered in the teens and lower 20’s. Many stores and businesses closed. Several high school football games were postponed. Across metro Denver…snow depth varied from 15 inches in Commerce City to 28 inches near Chatfield Reservoir. Snow removal in Denver was estimated at 1.5 million dollars. Following the storm… An inch or more of snow remained on the ground for 63 consecutive days through January 27…1984. This is the longest period of continuous snow cover ever recorded in Denver.
In 1990…an early winter storm deposited 2 to 8 inches of wet snow across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 30 mph on the 26th.
In 1993…strong winds swept off the foothills across metro Denver. Sustained winds of 30 to 50 mph were common across the area. Wind gusts to 67 mph were recorded atop Squaw Mountain near Idaho Springs. West winds gusted to 36 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 26th. The strong winds produced some blowing snow…reducing the visibility to less than one mile at times.
In 1995…snowfall totaled 3.7 inches at the former Stapleton International Airport site. The foothills west of Denver received 4 to 7 inches of snow. North-northeast winds gusted to 34 mph at Denver International Airport on the 26th.
27
In 1965…strong winds buffeted Boulder…causing 11 thousand dollars in damage. Wind gusts to 75 mph were recorded downtown. West winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…winds gusted to 87 mph atop Squaw Mountain…5 miles south of Idaho Springs…and to 84 mph on fritz peak near Rollinsville in the foothills southwest of Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
28
In 1884…a windstorm during the afternoon produced northwest sustained winds to 46 mph. Two wooden slats were blown out of the weather instrument shelter…and nearly all of the slats on the north and west sides were loosened.
In 1898…northwest winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts as high as 80 mph.
In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The strong apparent Bora winds warmed the temperature to a high of only 40 degrees.
In 1904…northwest winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 58 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.
In 1927…strong west winds occurred in Boulder…causing widespread minor damage. A wind gust to 65 mph was recorded at Valmont east of Boulder. The west winds possibly produced a cyclonic twist.
In 1928…heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over downtown Denver.
In 1957…a vigorous cold front produced north-northeast wind gusts to 54 mph at Stapleton Airport. Light snow following the front totaled only 0.2 inch.
In 1970…strong Chinook winds reached 77 mph in downtown Boulder.
In 1978…wind gusts 60 to 90 mph were reported in and near the foothills.
In 1984…high winds of 60 to 80 mph occurred along the Front Range eastern foothills. In Boulder…the high winds blew the roof off a service station. Several trees were felled… Damaging some cars. An elderly woman was injured when she was knocked down by a wind gust and blown 20 feet into some bushes. Northwest winds gusted to 36 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…winds gusted to 72 mph in Boulder. No damage was reported. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
28-29
In 1908…heavy snowfall overnight and for most of the day on the 29th totaled 12.5 inches. Precipitation was 1.09 inches. Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 29th.
In 1928…a major storm dumped 15.5 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to 19 mph on the 28th.
In 1992…an upper level storm system moved across metro Denver…but left only a dusting of snow. Snowfall totaled only 1.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 25 mph. Other snow amounts included: 8 inches at Conifer…6 inches at Lake Eldora…3 inches at Rollinsville and in southeast Denver.
In 1997…a storm system tracking across northern New Mexico produced strong north to northeast upslope flow against the eastern slopes of the Front Range and Palmer Ridge. Snowfall totals in Jefferson County included: 14 inches near Deckers; 12 inches at Castle Rock and Sedalia; 10 inches near Conifer…11 miles southwest of Morrison…and at Buffalo Creek. Elsewhere…snow accumulations were less. Snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 27th and 28th.
In 2004…heavy snow fell in the foothills and across metro Denver. In the foothills…snowfall totals included: 13 inches at Roxborough State Park and Eldorado Springs… 11.5 inches near Conifer…11.0 inches near Nederland…and 10 inches near Indian Hills. Across metro Denver snowfall totaled 14 inches near Sedalia…9 inches near Louisville… 8 inches at Ralston Reservoir…and 5.1 inches in the Stapleton area of Denver. Northeast winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
In 2006…a slow moving storm system brought heavy snow to the mountains and to the eastern foothills where snowfall ranged from 8 to 18 inches. Some of the more impressive snow totals included: 18 inches at Genesee…17.5 inches near Boulder…17 inches at Aspen Springs…16.5 inches 10 miles northwest of Golden…15 inches at Eldorado Springs… 14.5 inches in Idaho Springs and near Jamestown…12 inches in grant and near Indian Hills…11.5 inches near Blackhawk… 11 inches at gross reservoir and Eldora…and 10.5 inches in Conifer. Across metro Denver…storm total snowfall generally ranged from 5 to 9 inches with the heaviest amounts near the foothills in Boulder and Jefferson counties. The most impressive totals included: 15.5 inches at Ken Caryl…12 inches in Boulder…7.5 inches near Morrison…and 7 inches near both Chatfield and Ralston reservoirs. Snowfall totaled only 4.2 inches in the Denver Stapleton area. Northeast winds gusted to 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.
28-30
In 1991…a winter storm dumped heavy snow in the foothills and near the Palmer Divide with 10 inches recorded at Conifer and Golden Gate Canyon…12 inches in Morrison… 6 inches at Castle Rock and Parker. Only 3.4 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting to 35 mph on the 29th…produced some blowing snow. Some light freezing drizzle also fell on the 28th and 29th.
November 15 to November 21: This week in Denver weather history
Any week in Denver weather history is filled with numerous notable weather events and this week is no different. We have everything from major snowstorms to damaging winds and much more. However, one item is particularly notable and historic. It was on the 20th of November in 1871 that the first, official weather observation took place in Denver. Henry Fenton, Observer Sergeant of the United States Army Signal Service, made the report at 5:43 am. The office was located on the 2nd floor of a building at the corner of Larimer and G Streets, now 16th Street. Scroll down to see what the report said.
From the National Weather Service:
From the 12th to the 15th:
In 1909…light snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days. This was the first measurable snowfall of the season. Northeast winds were sustained to 15 mph on the 12th.
From the 14th to the 15th:
In 1917…overnight rainfall was 0.03 inch. This was the only measurable precipitation of the month…making it the 5th driest November on record.
In 1985…3 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 13 mph.
In 2005…a winter storm that brought heavy snow to the mountains also spread heavy snow into the foothills to the west of Denver. Snowfall totals included: 14 inches at Aspen Springs…13 inches near Pinecliffe…and 12 inches near Nederland. Interstate 70 along with U.S. Highway 40 had to be closed near Idaho Springs due to snow…poor visibility in blowing snow…numerous accidents…and an increased avalanche danger. High winds were recorded in the foothills on the 14th. Winds gusted to 89 mph at Georgetown and to 91 mph on Sugarloaf Mountain west of Boulder. Strong microburst winds associated with a dissipating rain shower gusted to 61 mph at Denver International Airport on the 14th.
In 2009…a storm system produced heavy snow over parts of Front Range foothills…urban corridor and Palmer Divide. Storms totals in the Front Range foothills included: 13.5 inches…6 miles southwest of Evergreen and near Genesee; 13 inches…3 miles northwest of Idledale; 12 inches…3 miles north of Conifer and near Kittredge; 11 inches…12 miles southwest of Boulder and 3 miles southeast of Indian Hills and at Strontia Springs dam; 10 inches near Bailey…Bergen Park and Crow Hill; 9.5 inches near Blackhawk and 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland. Across the urban corridor and Palmer Divide storm totals included: 12 inches at Highlands Ranch…11 inches…5 miles south-southwest of Arapahoe Park and Louviers; 10 inches…4 miles south of Denver; 9 inches near Englewood…Lakewood… And Wheat Ridge; 8 inches at Aurora and 3 miles south-southwest of Castle Pines; 7.5 inches…3 miles southeast of Denver; with 7 inches 2 miles north-northeast of Commerce City. At Denver International Airport…7.3 inches of snowfall was observed.
From the 14th to the 18th:
In 1964…the first measurable snowfall of the season totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 14th. Most of the snow…4.2 inches…fell on the 14th. This was the only measurable snow of the month.
On the 15th:
In 1902…4.0 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
In 1906…strong winds howled and roared across Boulder… Causing several thousand dollars in damage. The strong winds caused one fatality and minor injuries to others. West winds were sustained to 46 mph in downtown Denver where the strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 74 degrees.
In 1944…the low temperature dipped to 32 degrees. This is the latest date of the first freeze in Denver.
In 1949…a trace of rain fell. Another trace of rain on the 11th was the only precipitation of the month…making the month one of the driest Novembers on record and the least snowiest with no snow. This was the first November since 1882 without snow.
In 1960…strong winds caused 2 thousand dollars damage to a new school building in Boulder where wind gusts were estimated to 70 mph. Wind gusts to 40 mph were recorded in downtown Denver. Damage occurred to utility lines…signs… And trees. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1986…strong Chinook winds howled over the Front Range foothills. The highest wind gust…81 mph…was recorded at Table Mesa in Boulder. West winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…the first measurable snow of the season was also a major snowstorm. The snow combined with strong winds to close I-70 east of Denver and I-25 to Colorado Springs. Snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 9 inches across metro Denver with 10 to 20 inches in the foothills. At Stapleton International Airport…6.1 inches of snow fell and north winds gusted to 47 mph reducing the visibility to as low as 1/8 mile in heavy snow. Strong north winds at 20 to 30 mph with frequent gusts to 40 mph and temperatures hovering around 30 degrees plunged wind chill temperatures to 5 below zero.
In 1988…the season’s first snow storm hit metro Denver. The storm dumped 2 to 5 inches of snow…which caused numerous traffic snarls and accidents. North wind gusts to 43 mph caused some blowing snow. Snowfall totaled 2.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport. This was the latest first snow of the season. No traces of snow had occurred earlier in the season.
In 2010…the combination of light snow…wind… Black ice and careless driving resulted in a 34-vehicle crash along Interstate 25 north of Monument. Five tractor-trailers were involved in the pileup. Although there were no fatalities… 18 people were seriously injured and taken to nearby hospitals. The northbound lanes of I-25 were closed for several hours…snarling the traffic between Denver and Colorado Springs.
From the 15th to the 16th:
In 1894…winds behind an apparent strong cold front were sustained to 60 mph with gusts to 75 mph on the 15th. Snowfall totaled 2.6 inches in the city. Temperatures plunged from a high of 72 degrees on the 15th to a low of only 5 degrees on the 16th. The high temperature on the 16th was 24 degrees…which occurred shortly after midnight.
In 1996…around a foot of new snow fell in the foothills west of Denver with 3 to 6 inches at lower elevations across metro Denver. Some of the snowfall totals included: 15 inches at Georgetown…12 inches at Idaho Springs…10 inches at Chief Hosa…and 9 inches in Coal Creek Canyon. Snowfall totaled 2.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 23 mph at Denver International Airport on the 16th.
From the 15th to the 17th:
In 1991…a strong winter storm dumped heavy snow over metro Denver. Snowfall amounts totaled 15 inches at Castle Rock and conifer…14 inches at Morrison and Parker…12 inches in southeast Aurora…and 11.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport. Winds were light with the storm.
November 8 to November 14: This week in Denver weather history
Wind is always a factor on the plains and the fall usually brings a great deal of it, especially in November. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows that event and snow are quite common this time of year.
From the National Weather Service:
From the 7th to the 8th:
In 1969…wind gusts to 48 mph in downtown Boulder caused minor damage.
On the 8th:
In 1896…southwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 53 degrees.
In 1977 near-blizzard conditions in blowing snow caused the closure of I-70 to the west of Denver in clear creek canyon and east of Denver to Limon. Northeast wind gusts to 46 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.1 inches.
In 1984…a rare November thunderstorm produced west winds gusting to 31 mph…but only 0.04 inch of rain at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…high winds gusting from 80 to 100 mph were recorded at Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder. West northwest winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2006…the temperature in Denver climbed to a high of 80 degrees. This was the first time the temperature had ever exceeded the 70’s in November since records began in 1872. This new all-time record maximum temperature for the month of November was also a new daily record and the highest temperature ever recorded so late in the season.
From the 8th to the 9th:
In 1897…west winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph in the city.
In 1919…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.4 inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.6 inches…fell on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 8th.
In 1950…a major winter storm dumped 10.4 inches of snow at Stapleton Airport with the most snow…7.8 inches…falling on the 8th. East winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th. Snowfall totaled 8.2 inches in downtown Denver.
In 1958…strong winds caused some damage in Boulder. West- northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 8th.
In 1975…heavy snowfall hit metro Denver. Snowfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 8.0 inches and east winds gusted to 21 mph. Power outages caused by the storm affected over 10 thousand people in metro Denver. In the foothills west of Denver…10 to 15 inches of snow fell. The storm produced the greatest 24-hour precipitation…1.29 inches…ever recorded during the month of November in the city.
In 1983…metro Denver received 4 to 8 inches of snow with the heaviest amounts near the foothills. It was the first measurable snow of the season in Denver. Only 1.8 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 20 mph.
In 1989…strong winds hit the Front Range. On the 9th…the wooden frame of a house under construction in Boulder was blown down. The previous evening a power outage blackened Nederland. Wind gusts to 95 mph were recorded 4 miles south of Rollinsville with 97 mph on fritz peak near that town. At Stapleton International Airport…northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 8th and to 38 mph on the 9th.
In 1998…another upslope snow event developed in the Front Range foothills. The heaviest snowfall occurred in west central Jefferson County where 14 inches were measured 8 miles west of conifer. Other snowfall totals included: 10 inches at evergreen and 9 miles northwest of Bergen Park; 9 inches at Genesee…Nederland…and near the Chief Hosa exit on I-70; and 8 inches in Coal Creek Canyon. On the 9th…snowfall was 2.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.
From the 8th to the 10th:
In 1985…Indian summer came to an abrupt end when a winter storm dumped 10 to 18 inches of snow in the Front Range foothills and 6 to 10 inches across metro Denver…snarling traffic and causing flight delays of up to 3 hours at Stapleton International Airport. The temperature plunged from a high of 66 degrees on the 8th to a low of only 13 degrees on the 9th…after the passage of a vigorous cold front with northeast winds gusting to 32 mph. The temperature climbed to only 19 degrees on the 10th…setting a record low maximum for the date. Snowfall totaled 7.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport with most of the snow…7.1 inches…falling on the 9th.
On the 9th:
In 1939…a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver. This snow…along with a trace of snow on the 2nd…was the only snow of the month…ranking it…along with other months…the second least snowiest November on record. Precipitation of 0.01 inch was the only precipitation of the month…making this the second driest November on record.
In 1944…the first killing frost of the season occurred in the city when the low temperature dipped to 35 degrees. This is the latest date for a killing frost ever recorded in Denver.
In 1946…heavy snowfall totaled 7.7 inches over downtown Denver. This was the second heavy snowfall in less than a week. Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph.
In 1995…strong downslope winds gusted between 50 and 57 mph at Erie and Boulder. West wind gusts to 44 mph were recorded at Denver International Airport.
In 2014…a record high min of 45 degrees… Broke the previous record of 43 degrees set in 1934…and preceded several days of record cold temperatures from the 11th through the 13th.
