December 14 - 20 - This week in Denver weather history.
Our look back in Denver weather history for this week is punctuated by hurricane force winds – numerous times. Some of these storms reached 120 mph, overturned semis, ripped roofs off and more. Also notable is the blizzard we suffered through two years ago this week.
In 1939…more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily temperature records were set…including the all time record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the 60’s and 70’s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a trace of snow on the 12th.
3-15
In 1972…a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th. Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees below zero on the 5th…17 degrees below zero on the 6th… And 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and 6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air mass.
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.
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.
November 23 to 29 - This week in Denver weather history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MST SAT NOV 22 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
21-23
IN 1918…POST-FRONTAL SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.9 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN
DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…5.3 INCHES…FELL ON THE 22ND.
NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 20 MPH ON THE 21ST.
IN 1931…A MAJOR STORM DUMPED A TOTAL OF 13.2 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW…11.4
INCHES…FELL ON THE 21ST. A VERY COLD AIR MASS SETTLED
OVER THE CITY AFTER THE HEAVY SNOW ON THE 21ST. AFTER A
LOW TEMPERATURE OF ZERO…THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO A HIGH
OF ONLY 5 DEGREES ON THE 22ND…A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE
DATE.
21-25
IN 1952…SNOWFALL OF 6.2 INCHES WAS MEASURED AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 17 MPH ON THE
21ST.
This week in Denver weather history - November 16th to the 22nd.
Looking back into the Denver weather history books for this week, November 16th to the 22nd, we see a lot of the normal things we would expect to – lots of wind and snow.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MST SAT NOV 15 2008
..THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
14-18 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.
15-16 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. Continue reading November 16th – 22nd – This week in Denver weather history→
November 9th - 15th - This week in Denver weather history.
Plenty of snow and wind dominate a look back at the Denver weather calendar for this week in weather history – November 9th to the 15th.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MST SAT NOV 08 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
8-9 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. Continue reading November 9th – 15th – This week in Denver weather history→
This week in Denver weather history - October 26 to November 1.
Lots of interesting stuff in this look back at Denver weather history for the week of October 26th to November 1st. Lots of snow including some major storms and the seemingly ever present wind are on this look into history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 25 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
25-26 IN 1996…4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF
DENVER. ONLY 1.5 INCHES OF SNOWFALL WERE MEASURED AT THE
SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
26TH. THIS WAS THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE MONTH AT
THE SITE. THE SNOWFALL PRODUCED ICY AND SNOWPACKED
HIGHWAYS…WHICH RESULTED IN A 50-TO 60-CAR PILEUP ON I-25
SOUTH OF METRO DENVER. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 33 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2006…A WINTER STORM BROUGHT HEAVY SNOWFALL TO METRO
DENVER AND THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. TOTAL SNOWFALL RANGED
FROM 12 TO 22 INCHES OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND 6 TO 12
INCHES ACROSS METRO DENVER. NORTHERLY WINDS AT SUSTAINED
SPEEDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 47 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHIPPED THE SNOW INTO DRIFTS
3 TO 4 FEET DEEP. MANY TREE LIMBS SNAPPED UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF THE HEAVY…WET SNOW WHICH ALSO DOWNED POWER LINES…
LEAVING THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WITHOUT POWER. STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL INCLUDED: 25 INCHES NEAR ASPEN SPRINGS…CONIFER…
AND EVERGREEN; 23.5 INCHES NEAR ROLLINSVILLE; 23 INCHES IN
IDAHO SPRINGS; 22.5 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK; 21.5 INCHES NEAR
BAILEY; 19 INCHES NEAR BERGEN PARK; 18 INCHES NEAR ASPEN
SPRINGS…GENESEE…AND JAMESTOWN; 17 INCHES SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER; 16 INCHES IN EVERGREEN; AND 15 INCHES NEAR
GEORGETOWN AND PERRY PARK. SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.3 INCHES
IN THE DENVER STAPLETON AREA. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIPORT…RAIN…INCLUDING A THUNDERSTORM…CHANGED TO SNOW
ON THE EVENING OF THE 25TH AFTER A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF
70 DEGREES. Continue reading This week in Denver weather history – October 26 to November 1→
October 19th to October 25th - This week in Denver weather history.
Snow and wind seem to dominate a look back at Denver weather history for this week. Perhaps most notably, the October blizzard of 1997 occurred this week in history, one of the deadliest storms in Colorado history.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 18 2008
…THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY…
17-19 IN 1908…A MOIST…HEAVY…WET SNOWFALL TOTALED 13.0 INCHES IN
DOWNTOWN DENVER OVER THE 3 DAYS. RAIN FROM EARLY MORNING
ON THE 17TH CHANGED TO SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUED
THROUGH THE LATE MORNING OF THE 19TH. DUE TO TEMPERATURES
IN THE 30`S AND MELTING…THE MOST SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS
ONLY 5.0 INCHES AT 6:00 PM ON THE 18TH. NORTHWEST TO
NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED BETWEEN 12 AND 20 MPH DURING
THE STORM. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.82 INCHES.
18-23 IN 2003…AN EXTENDED WARM SPELL RESULTED IN 5 NEW TEMPERATURE
RECORDS. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 84 DEGREES ON THE 18TH
EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE. HIGH TEMPERATURES
OF 86 DEGREES ON THE 19TH…83 DEGREES ON THE 21ST…AND 84
DEGREES ON THE 22ND WERE RECORD HIGHS FOR THE DATES. LOW
TEMPERATURE OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 23RD WAS A RECORD HIGH
MINIMUM FOR THE DATE. LOW TEMPERATURES DURING THE PERIOD
WERE IN THE 40`S AND LOWER 50`S.
October 12th to the 18th - This week in Denver weather history.
Looking back into the Denver weather history books shows Denver can receive just about any kind of weather this time of year. From heavy snow to gale force winds to 80 plus degree temperatures, it can all happen this week.
10-12 IN 1969…THE SECOND HEAVY SNOWSTORM IN LESS THAN A WEEK
DUMPED NEARLY A FOOT OF SNOW ACROSS METRO DENVER AND
PLUNGED THE AREA INTO EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES FOR SO
EARLY IN THE SEASON. SNOWFALL TOTALED 11.0 INCHES AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO
26 MPH PRODUCED DRIFTS UP TO 2 FEET DEEP. TEMPERATURES
DIPPED FROM A HIGH OF 52 DEGREES ON THE 10TH TO A RECORD
LOW FOR THE DATE OF 10 DEGREES ON THE 12TH. THERE WAS
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES
FROM HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND ICING. TRAVEL WAS
RESTRICTED OR BLOCKED BY DRIFTING SNOW IN BOTH THE
MOUNTAINS AND ON THE PLAINS EAST OF DENVER.
As part of a special “Best of” series on Examiner.com, I recently penned an article about what was one of the most significant storms in Denver history – the 1982 Christmas Eve blizzard. It is republished here as I thought everyone might like to check it out:
Looking back through history, Denver and Colorado have had some extraordinary weather stories. When looking to pick a “best” or most significant weather event, reaching far back into the history books one might choose the Georgetown blizzard of 1913 which dumped an astonishing 86 inches of snow or perhaps the Big Thompson Flood of 1976 which claimed 145 lives. More recently, there were the holiday storms of 2006 or the Windsor tornadoes from 2007. But, there is one storm that historically stands out not only because of its severity in terms of the weather but also because of the long lasting impact it caused in Denver and Colorado which is still being felt today – the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982. For those of you that didn’t live in Colorado then or are too young to remember, a trip through the history books shows why this storm was so significant. Those that do remember it have memories that will last a lifetime.
As part of a special “Best of” series on