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NOUS45 KBOU 030859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-032300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
259 AM MDT WED JUN 3 2026
..TODAY IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
1-4 IN 1977...UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER FOR THIS EARLY IN JUNE
RESULTED IN 3 MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEING EQUALED
AT THE TIME: 88 DEGREES ON THE 1ST...90 DEGREES ON THE 2ND...
AND 93 DEGREES ON THE 4TH. MAXIMUM OF 91 DEGREES ON THE
3RD WAS NOT A RECORD.
2-4 IN 1989...FROM THE 2ND TO THE 4TH...HEAVY RAIN DRENCHED METRO
DENVER WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNTS RECORDED ON THE 3RD.
TOTAL RAINFALL RANGED FROM 1 1/2 TO 3 INCHES. ROADS WERE
WASHED OUT IN BOULDER COUNTY...AND FLOODED BASEMENTS CAUSED
WATER DAMAGE TO HOUSES IN THE GUNBARREL SECTION OF BOULDER.
IN SUBURBAN DENVER...HEAVY RAIN CAUSED MINOR FLOODING ALONG
LENA GULCH IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WHERE TWO MOBILE HOME PARKS
WERE EVACUATED. RAINFALL TOTALED 1.66 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
2-7 IN 1921...HEAVY RAINFALL FOR NEARLY A WEEK...FROM THE 2ND TO
THE 7TH...ON TOP OF STREAMS ALREADY SWOLLEN BY MOUNTAIN
SNOWMELT...PRODUCED WIDESPREAD FLOODING OVER THE SOUTH
PLATTE RIVER BASIN...INCLUDING THE TRIBUTARIES THROUGH THE
CANYONS TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. HEAVY
RAINFALL OVER THE 6-DAY PERIOD TOTALED 3.36 INCHES IN
BOULDER...4.98 INCHES IN MORRISON...4.27 INCHES
IN CASTLE ROCK...AND 2.94 INCHES IN THE CITY OF DENVER.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE FOOTHILLS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN
3 AND 6 INCHES. THE NARROW-GAGE TRACKS OF THE COLORADO AND
SOUTHERN RAILROAD WERE DESTROYED IN THE PLATTE CANYON. FROM
THE MOUTH OF THE CANYON THROUGH THE CITY TO NEAR BRIGHTON...
THE RIVER SPREAD FROM 1/2 TO NEARLY 1 1/2 MILES WIDE...
FLOODING FARM AND PASTURE LAND AND DESTROYING OR DAMAGING
MANY BRIDGES. IN THE CITY...MANY BUSINESSES ALONG WITH AS
MANY AS 500 HOMES WERE INUNDATED...FORCING THEIR EVACUATION.
BRIDGES WERE SWEPT AWAY. THE HIGH WATERS FLOODED THE RAIL
YARDS AND STOCK YARDS IN LOWER DOWNTOWN...CLOSING THREE
ADJACENT PACKING HOUSES. THE HEAVY RAINS ALSO CAUSED
FLOODING ON BOULDER CREEK IN BOULDER ON THE 6TH.
3 IN 1951...A TRACE OF SNOW FELL AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1961...TORRENTIAL RAINS FELL 10 TO 30 MILES NORTH OF
DENVER...CAUSING FLOODING IN THE TOWN OF FREDERICK. THE
RUSH OF WATER BROKE THROUGH AND OVER A RETAINING DIKE
SENDING A 5-FOOT WALL OF WATER INTO THE TOWN...FLOODING
HOMES AND DAMAGING SEWER LINES...ROADS...AND STREETS.
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL FELL IN DERBY...WEST DENVER...AND
LAKEWOOD...CAUSING MORE THAN ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.
IN 1981...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED TORNADOES OVER METRO
DENVER. THE FIRST TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION
OF ALAMEDA AVE. AND SHERIDAN BLVD. THE TWISTER MOVED NORTH
ALONG SHERIDAN BLVD....DAMAGING BUSINESSES...APARTMENT
BUILDINGS...HOMES...AND VEHICLES. OVER TEN HOMES WERE
UNROOFED. THE ROOF OF ONE LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A
NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. AT LEAST 10 MOBILE HOMES WERE WRECKED.
THE TORNADO CURVED TO THE NORTHEAST INTO NORTHWEST DENVER...
HOPPING UP AND DOWN IN SEVERAL PLACES. VERY STRONG WINDS
OUTSIDE THE ACTUAL FUNNEL CAUSED 20 TO 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS
IN DAMAGE IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. THE THIRD FLOOR OF ONE OLD
BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED. NO MAJOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED
FROM THE TORNADO...ALTHOUGH SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE HURT
SLIGHTLY IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ON SHERIDAN BLVD. IN THE
CONFUSION CAUSED BY THE STORM. DAMAGE IN LAKEWOOD ALONE
WAS ESTIMATED AT 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AT THE SAME TIME...
THE WORST TORNADO TO EVER HIT METRO DENVER STRUCK THORNTON.
COMING FROM THE SAME THUNDERSTORM THAT SPAWNED THE DENVER
TWISTER...THE THORNTON TORNADO TORE A SWATH THROUGH THE
HEART OF THE CITY. 87 HOMES WERE DESTROYED...110 OTHERS
DAMAGED AT LEAST MODERATELY. IN ALL...600 HOMES IN A 100
BLOCK AREA SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE. THE TWISTER ALSO HIT
SHOPPING CENTERS...SEVERAL RESTAURANTS...AND OTHER BUILDINGS.
SEVEN OF THE 42 INJURED WERE CONSIDERED SERIOUS. THE STORM
WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO SNAP LAMP POSTS IN HALF AND DRIVE A 6-
INCH SLAB OF WOOD 2 FEET INTO THE GROUND. DAMAGE WAS
ESTIMATED AT UP TO 50 MILLION DOLLARS. THE SAME STORM THAT
STRUCK THORNTON PRODUCED ANOTHER DAMAGING TORNADO THAT
TOUCHED DOWN IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF FORT LUPTON. THIS
TWISTER DAMAGED 16 HOMES AND NUMEROUS CARS AND CAMPERS.
TWO CHILDREN WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED WHEN THE CAR THEY WERE
IN WAS KNOCKED ABOUT AND ITS WINDOWS SHATTERED BY THE
STORM. THE TWISTER ALSO DAMAGED TWO COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS. DAMAGE WAS VERY SPOTTY...AND OBSERVERS SAID
THE STORM HOPPED UP AND DOWN AT LEAST 3 TIMES. DOLLAR
DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE
THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX THAT PRODUCED 3 DAMAGING TORNADOES
ALSO DROPPED LARGE HAIL WHICH DAMAGED MANY CARS OVER
NORTHWEST DENVER. ONE TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN LESS
THAN AN HOUR...FLOODING A MOBILE HOME PARK WITH 3 TO 4 FEET
OF WATER ON THE NORTHWEST EDGE OF DENVER. THE HIGH WATER
DAMAGED ABOUT HALF OF THE 392 HOMES IN THE PARK. LOCAL
FLOODING WAS ALSO REPORTED IN OTHER AREAS ACROSS METRO
DENVER. A TORNADO WAS ALSO SIGHTED NEAR FRANKTOWN...BUT
CAUSED NO DAMAGE. A THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST TO 52 MPH WAS
RECORDED AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1982...A COLD AIR FUNNEL CLOUD TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY IN
SOUTHWEST DENVER. TWO TORNADOES WERE BRIEFLY SPOTTED NEAR
WATKINS. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED FROM THESE STORMS. A
BRIEF FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SIGHTED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OBSERVERS AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE 1/4 INCH
HAIL FELL.
IN 1984...THERE WERE SEVERAL SIGHTINGS OF TORNADOES AROUND
PARKER. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.
IN 1985...A TORNADO JUST SOUTHEAST OF AURORA WAS SPOTTED BY A
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PUMMELED THE METRO AREA WITH HAIL.
ONE INCH TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN SOUTH
LAKEWOOD...ONE INCH HAIL IN LITTLETON...3/4 INCH TO 1 INCH
HAIL IN AURORA...AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN SOUTH DENVER.
IN 1989...HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE FELL OVER ARVADA. A GOLF
COURSE HAD TO BE EVACUATED AS THE HAIL ACCUMULATED UP TO 3
INCHES DEEP IN SOME PLACES. ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL FELL IN
WEST DENVER AND WESTMINSTER.
IN 1993...AN EARLY MORNING THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED LIGHTNING...
WHICH CAUSED AN ATTIC FIRE AT A RESIDENCE IN NIWOT
NORTHEAST OF BOULDER. DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT 40 THOUSAND
DOLLARS. NO ONE WAS INJURED.
IN 1994...HAIL TO 1 1/2 INCH DIAMETER FELL JUST NORTHEAST OF
BOULDER. ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL FELL IN GOLDEN.
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH WERE RECORDED IN ERIE.
IN 1995...A TORNADO WAS SIGHTED OVER OPEN COUNTRY NEAR
STRASBURG. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS
SIGHTED 11 MILES EAST OF AURORA WHERE 3/4 INCH HAIL FELL.
IN 2001...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL OVER EAST
AND SOUTHEAST METRO DENVER. HAIL AS LARGE AS 1 3/4 INCHES
IN DIAMETER FELL AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT WITH 1 1/2 INCH
HAIL NEAR BUCKLEY FIELD...1 1/4 INCH HAIL IN PARKER...1 INCH
HAIL NEAR ELIZABETH...7/8 INCH HAIL AT CHERRY CREEK
RESERVOIR...AND 3/4 INCH HAIL 20 MILES NORTH OF KIOWA IN
ELBERT COUNTY.
IN 2002...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DUMPED LARGE HAIL ACROSS METRO
DENVER. HAIL TO 1 3/4 INCHES IN DIAMETER FELL OVER
SOUTHEAST DENVER AND 4 MILES NORTH OF AURORA. HAIL TO
1 1/4 INCHES PELTED PARKER. ONE INCH HAIL WAS MEASURED
NEAR FT. LUPTON...AND 3/4 INCH HAIL FELL 9 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BUCKLEY FIELD...NEAR STRASBURG...AND AT THE SITE OF THE
FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2005...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL CAUSED
FLASH FLOODING OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST METRO DENVER.
PEOPLE BECAME TRAPPED IN THEIR VEHICLES BY THE HIGH WATER...
AND NUMEROUS WATER RESCUES WERE REQUIRED. THE HARDEST HIT
AREAS INCLUDED THE VICINITY OF I-25 AND ALAMEDA AVENUE...AS
WELL AS THE INTERSECTION OF YALE AVENUE AND QUEBEC STREET.
SEVERAL BASEMENTS WERE FLOODED ALONG EASTMAN PLACE.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS BROUGHT HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL TO
EASTERN CENTENNIAL AND SOUTHEASTERN AURORA. UP TO 3 FEET
OF STANDING WATER WAS REPORTED ON EAST ORCHARD ROAD WHERE
SEVERAL MOTORISTS WERE STRANDED IN THEIR VEHICLES AND NEEDED
TO BE RESCUED. HAIL TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER FELL IN THE
AREA. TEN VEHICLES WERE STRANDED ON GRAND AVENUE...AND MOST
HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE THE FLOODWATERS RECEDED. WATER WAS
REPORTEDLY CHEST DEEP AT ONE LOCATION ON GIRARD AVENUE.
HAIL AS LARGE AS 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER ALSO WAS REPORTED IN
LITTLETON...NEAR PARKER...AND NEAR BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE.
HAIL TO 7/8 INCH WAS MEASURED NEAR SHERIDAN AND CHERRY
CREEK RESERVOIR.
3-4 IN 1904...A THUNDERSTORM DURING THE EARLY MORNING OF THE
3RD TURNED INTO WIDESPREAD GENERAL RAIN...WHICH CONTINUED
INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON OF THE 4TH. RAINFALL TOTALED
2.04 INCHES.
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