Our look back at this week in Denver weather history carries with it one overriding condition – wind.  In January it is not uncommon for us to experience Chinook winds which are a blessing and a curse.  These winds bring warm temperatures which are welcome in our coldest month of the year.  However they also can run at extraordinary speeds and at their worst cause a great deal of damage. 

13-16

In 1888…a cold air mass settled over the city and caused temperatures to plunge well below zero on four consecutive days…but only one temperature record was set.  Minimum temperatures dipped to 4 degrees below zero on the 13th… 19 degrees below zero on the 14th…20 degrees below zero on the 15th…and 11 degrees below zero on the 16th.  The maximum temperature of only 4 degrees below zero on the 14th was a record low maximum for the date.  North winds were sustained to 30 mph on the 13th.

14-21

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

15-16

In 1967…a major windstorm struck Boulder.  The storm was described at the time as the worst single windstorm in the history of Boulder in terms of damage.  Winds reached 125 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and at Boulder airport.  Winds gusted to 84 mph downtown.  Damage totaled a half million dollars in Boulder where some minor injuries were reported.  At the Boulder municipal airport… 14 light airplanes were severely damaged.  The second floor of a warehouse was blown down…damaging two nearby moving vans.  A mobile home was blown over south of Boulder… Injuring one woman.  The roof of a department store was blown in.  There was widespread damage to houses…autos… And power lines from wind and flying debris.  Strong winds also occurred in Denver and Golden…but damage was only minor.  At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 43 mph on the 15th and to 45 mph on the 16th.
 
In 1981…heavy snow of 6 to 10 inches accumulated across metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where east winds gusted to 21 mph on the 15th.
 
In 1991…a Pacific storm system moved across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3 to 7 inches with 3 inches in Aurora… Denver…and Castle Rock…4 inches in Arvada…and 7 inches at South Platte station just southwest of Denver. Snowfall totaled only 2.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph on the 16th.
 
In 2001…heavy snow fell across the Front Range foothills and urban corridor.  The combination of careless driving and snowpacked highways resulted in 3 multi-vehicle accidents involving 30 vehicles…along I-25 in Douglas County.  Eleven people were injured and one was killed. Snow amounts included:  11 inches in Evergreen; 10 inches at Eldorado Springs and Genesee; 8 inches at Broomfield… Ken Caryl Ranch…and Thornton; and 5 to 7 inches in Arvada…Bailey…Crow Hill…Gross Reservoir…Lakewood… Louisville…Westminster…and near Loveland.  Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading January 16 to January 22 – This week in Denver weather history →

Winds along the Front Range this time of year can be a blessing and a curse all at once.  Chinook’s can warm temperatures well above what they normally would but they can also cause a great deal of damage when they are at their hardest.  We see these contrasts 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.

8-9

In 1891…heavy dry snowfall totaled 9.7 inches over downtown Denver.  Most of the snow…6.5 inches…occurred on the 8th when north winds were sustained to 12 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
 
In 1939…heavy snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver. The snowfall was the heaviest overnight…particularly during the early morning hours.  The moist snow adhered to the north side of the instrument shelter and other objects to a depth of 2 inches.  Snow accumulated on fences and trees to several inches.  This was the greatest snowfall of the month that year.  The greatest depth on the ground was 6.5 inches.  North to northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 8th and to 27 mph on the 9th.

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.

Continue reading January 9 to January 15 – This week in Denver weather history →

Certainly cold and snow are to be expected in Denver in January and our look back at this week in Denver weather history has plenty notable events with those conditions.  However, as we pointed out in our January weather preview, oftentimes it is the wind that is the real story.  Powerful Chinook winds appear during the month and we see the damaging – and sometimes deadly – results when we look back in time. 

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.

1-2

In 1896…warm Chinook winds on the 1st became cold Bora winds on the 2nd.  Southwest winds sustained to 60 mph with gusts as high as 66 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees on the 1st.  Northwest winds sustained to 54 mph with gusts to 60 mph resulted in snowfall of 0.3 inch and a high temperature of only 31 degrees on the 2nd.

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.

Continue reading January 2 to January 8 – This week in Denver weather history →

Winter wind in Colorado can be quite nasty oftentimes reaching damaging levels and we see numerous occurrences of that in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.  Also notable are storm system just a few years ago in 2006 and 2007 that dumped a good amount of snow on the Denver area.

25-26

In 1904…after a warm Christmas Day with a high temperature of 50 degrees…a late day cold front plunged temperatures to a low of 7 degrees…produced northeast winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 54 mph…and produced 5.2 inches of snow overnight for a late white Christmas.  The maximum temperature on the 26th was only 16 degrees.

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 

In 1877…heavy snow fell during the early morning and totaled nearly 6 inches.  Precipitation from melted snow was 0.58 inch.  After the snowfall…a number of sleighs were seen on the city streets.
 
In 1879…after a morning low of 4 degrees below zero… The temperature climbed to a high of 57 degrees in the city.
 
In 1907…west winds were sustained to 40 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 62 degrees.
 
In 1949…west winds gusted to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport.
 
In 1998…intense…but localized…downslope high winds developed near Wondervu in the foothills southwest of Boulder.  Winds frequently gusted to 100 mph with a highest reported wind gust to 104 mph.  West winds gusted to only 43 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading December 26 to January 1 – This week in Denver weather history →

Cold and snow dominate our look at the week leading up to the Christmas holiday.  Certainly the infamous Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 is the one event that most long-time resident will remember as it was truly one for the history books.  Also notable was a cold front that moved through in 1988 that dropped temperatures well below zero and was responsible for at least five deaths.

17-24

In 1924…a prolonged cold spell occurred after mild temperatures during the first half of the month.  Most low temperatures dipped below zero with the coldest reading of 15 degrees below zero occurring on the 24th. The high temperature of only 5 degrees on the 18th was a record low maximum for the date.

18-24

In 1998…a vigorous cold front with north winds gusting as high as 38 mph at Denver International Airport on the 18th dropped temperatures from a high of 51 degrees to a low of just 6 degrees before midnight.  The arctic air mass that settled over metro Denver produced intermittent light snow and a week-long protracted cold spell that caused low temperatures to plunge well below zero for 6 consecutive nights.  The coldest temperature was 19 degrees below zero on the morning of the 22nd.  High temperatures climbed only into the single digits on 4 consecutive days…from the 19th through the 22nd.  At least 15 people…mostly homeless… Were treated for hypothermia at area hospitals.  The bitter cold weather was responsible…either directly or indirectly… For at least 5 fatalities.  Three of the victims died directly from exposure.  The cold weather also caused intermittent power outages.  Following the cold snap… Thawing water pipes cracked and burst in several homes and businesses…causing extensive damage.  Only one temperature record was set.  The high temperature of only 7 degrees on the 19th set a record low maximum for the date.

19

In 1913…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.5 inches over downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to only 16 mph.
 
In 1994…an intense pacific storm system and associated cold front moved across Colorado early in the day.  Strong downslope winds buffeted the Front Range eastern foothills. The highest wind gust recorded was 92 mph at Rocky Flats in northern Jefferson County.  Most of the wind gusts during the day ranged from 63 to 86 mph with lighter gusts of 40 to 58 mph on the northeast plains.  The strong winds downed power lines and poles in south Lakewood…causing power outages to 2400 homes.  Other small power outages and surges occurred across metro Denver.  Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

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

We all know weather can be dangerous but usually we don’t associate that with winter weather conditions.  However, our look in Denver weather history for this week shows that the common winter conditions of wind and cold can not only cause injure, it can lead to death. 

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.

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.

9-13

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.

11-12

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.

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

While Denver still waits for its first significant snowfall of the season, in years past it has been much easier to come by.  Looking back we see one five day storm that dumped snow that was measured in feet and many other smaller ones that were significant in their own right.

1-5

In 1913…the 1st marked the start of the heaviest 5-day total snowfall in the city’s history.  During this period snowfall totaled 45.7 inches.  Starting on the 1st…snow fell intermittently for 3 days and accumulated a little over 8 inches.  On the 4th and 5th…an additional 37.4 inches of snow fell.  At Georgetown in the foothills west of Denver even more snow fell…86 inches over the 5 days with the most…63 inches…on the 4th.  In Colorado…snowfall was heavy along the eastern slopes of the mountains from the Palmer Divide north.  High winds during the storm caused heavy drifting…which blocked all transportation.  Snow cover of an inch or more from the storm persisted for 60 consecutive days from the 1st through January 29…1914. Additional snowfall in December and January prolonged the number of days.  This is the third longest period of snow cover on record in the city.

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.

Continue reading December 4 to December 11 – This week in Denver weather history →

Cold, snow and wind are part of life on the Great Plains and we see all of those events have struck in abundance during this week in Denver weather history.  Many of the wind events were damaging and the snow accumulations significant.

From the National Weather Service:

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.

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.

Continue reading November 27 to December 4 – This week in Denver weather history →

Weather is a big part of the holidays.  With many people hitting the road to visit friends and family the weather can make or break those holiday plans.  Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows a number of Thanksgivings when the weather put a damper on travel plans.

19-21

In 1979…a heavy snowstorm buried most of Colorado under at least a foot of snow.  Snowfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 17.7 inches…the greatest snow depth since 1946.  Winds to 60 mph produced 5-foot drifts paralyzing the city as temperatures hovered in the 20’s.  While small airports closed…Stapleton remained open…but with long delays that snarled Thanksgiving holiday traffic.  Schools and businesses closed and postal deliveries were delayed. Almost all major highways leading out of Denver were closed to traffic for periods of time on the 20th and 21st.  Most of the snow…13.5 inches…fell on the 20th.  At Stapleton International Airport…north winds gusted to 35 mph on the 20th and to 38 mph on the 21st.

20-21

In 1898…snowfall totaled 4.0 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph behind an apparent cold front on the 20th… When temperatures plunged from a high of 66 degrees to a low of 9 degrees.  On the 21st the high was only 24 degrees and the low was 2 degrees.
 
In 1970…a wind gust to 94 mph was recorded at gold hill in the foothills west of Boulder.  Strong winds also swept across metro Denver.  Wind gusts reached 59 mph in downtown Boulder…while at Stapleton International Airport west- northwest winds gusted to 43 mph on the 21st.  Damage was minor.
 
In 1992…a large Canadian air mass moved into the state at the same time an upper level storm system approached from the west.  The combination of cold air at the surface and very moist air aloft produced heavy snow across the entire state.  Snowfall totaled 6.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport…where north winds gusted to 23 mph on the 20th.  Snow was heavier in the foothills…with 14 inches at Wondervu…13 inches at Aspen Springs…Conifer… Boulder…and Gross Reservoir…8 inches at Rollinsville… And 10 inches at Golden Gate Canyon and Morrison.
 
In 2007…a storm system brought moderate to heavy snowfall to portions of the urban corridor.  Storm totals included: 7 inches…3 miles south-southeast of Fort Collins…with 6 inches in Boulder and at Horsetooth inlet bay.  Elsewhere… Storm totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches.  Snowfall totaled 2.0 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading November 21 to November 27 – This week in Denver weather history →