048
NOUS45 KBOU 210045
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-212300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
645 PM MDT SAT APR 20 2019
..THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
19-21 IN 1984...A LARGE SNOWSTORM BURIED MOST OF COLORADO UNDER A
THICK MANTLE OF WET SNOW. TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS RANGED FROM
10 TO 20 INCHES ACROSS METRO DENVER AND A WHOPPING 20 TO
40 INCHES IN THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. THE SNOW CLOSED ROADS
AND DAMAGED ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS...CAUSING NUMEROUS POWER
OUTAGES. NEARLY 14 INCHES (13.6) OF SNOW FELL AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND
WIND CLOSED ALL BUT ONE RUNWAY...RESULTING IN THE CANCELLATION
OF MANY FLIGHTS. BOTH I-70 AND I-76 WERE CLOSED TO THE EAST
OF DENVER.
19-22 IN 1933...A MAJOR STORM DUMPED 16.8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL OVER
DOWNTOWN DENVER WHEN RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW DURING THE EARLY
MORNING OF THE 20TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MIDDAY OF THE
22ND. MOST OF THE SNOW FELL ON THE 21ST. DUE TO MELTING...
THE MOST SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS 10.5 INCHES AT 6:00 PM ON THE
21ST. BEFORE THE SNOW STARTED...A STRONG COLD FRONT ON THE
EVENING OF THE 19TH PRODUCED NORTH WINDS SUSTAINED TO 35 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 37 MPH. THE STRONG WINDS DEPOSITED A THIN
LAYER OF DUST ON THE CITY. NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 31 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ON THE 20TH AND TO
29 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 32 MPH ON THE 21ST.
20-22 IN 1957...STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS RAKED
METRO DENVER EACH DAY. THE STRONGEST WIND GUST OF 55 MPH
OCCURRED ON THE 21ST WHEN BLOWING DUST BRIEFLY REDUCED THE
VISIBILITY TO 3/4 MILE AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
20-23 IN 1989...UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER RESULTED IN SEVERAL DAILY
TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEING BROKEN IN DENVER. THE HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF 89 DEGREES ON THE 21ST EXCEEDED THE RECORD
MAXIMUM FOR THE MONTH AT THAT TIME. DAILY RECORD HIGH
TEMPERATURES WERE EITHER EXCEEDED OR EQUALED WITH 83
DEGREES ON THE 20TH...88 DEGREES ON THE 22ND...AND 85
DEGREES ON THE 23RD. THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 55 DEGREES
ON THE 22ND EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM FOR THE DATE.
21 IN 1885...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW DURING THE EARLY MORNING AND
WAS THE HEAVIEST SNOW OF THE SEASON. TOTAL SNOWFALL WAS
ESTIMATED AT 8.0 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER...BUT THE
SNOW MELTED RAPIDLY ON THE GROUND AS IT FELL. HOWEVER...
THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW...AS WELL AS NORTHWEST WINDS
SUSTAINED TO 29 MPH DOWNED TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE WIRES.
SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES OF TREES WERE ALSO BROKEN BY THE
WEIGHT OF THE SNOW. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.01 INCHES
FROM THE STORM.
IN 1887...WEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 47 MPH.
IN 1932...THE TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO A LOW OF ONLY 60 DEGREES...
THE ALL-TIME RECORD HIGH MINIMUM FOR THE MONTH.
IN 1988...A SMALL TORNADO WAS OBSERVED BY NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE EMPLOYEES ABOUT 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF THORNTON. IT
WAS ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES. NO DAMAGE WAS
REPORTED. LATER...LIGHTNING STRUCK TWO 14-YEAR-OLD GIRLS ON
A SOFTBALL FIELD IN WESTMINSTER. ONE WAS KILLED...WHILE THE
OTHER SUFFERED MODERATE INJURIES. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED
TO 44 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BEHIND A
COLD FRONT.
IN 2010...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL...STRONG
WINDS AND A TORNADO ACROSS PARTS OF ADAMS...ARAPAHOE...
ELBERT...AND WELD COUNTIES. THE HAIL...UP TO 1.50 INCHES
IN DIAMETER...CAME DOWN SO HEAVY ALONG PARTS OF I-70
AND I-76 THAT SNOWPLOWS HAD TO BE CALLED OUT TO REMOVE
IT. NUMEROUS VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED BY HAIL. IN WELD
COUNTY...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL ACCOMPANIED
THUNDERSTORM WINDS UP TO 75 MPH. HAIL UP TO 1.50 INCHES
WAS REPORTED NEAR BENNETT; 1.25 INCHES...5.3 MILES EAST
OF ENGLEWOOD; 1.0 INCH SIZE HAIL NEAR BUCKLEY FIELD; WITH
0.88 INCH SIZE HAIL NEAR BOULDER. A WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED
DOWN BRIEFLY IN ELBERT COUNTY...ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
DEER TRAIL...BUT DID NO DAMAGE. SEVERAL MINOR ACCIDENTS
WERE REPORTED WITH SNOWPACKED AND SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS
ALONG WITH VERY LOW VISIBILITIES. MINOR STREET FLOODING
WAS REPORTED IN SOUTHEAST AURORA. DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT RECORDED 0.30 INCHES OF RAINFALL. ALSO...A PEAK
WIND GUST TO 36 MPH FROM THE SOUTHEAST WAS OBSERVED AT
THE AIRPORT.
21-22 IN 1910...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 45 MPH BEHIND A COLD
FRONT. RAINFALL TOTALED 0.63 INCH.
IN 1923...SNOWFALL OF 2.0 INCHES IN THE CITY WAS THE ONLY
SNOW OF THE MONTH AND THE LAST MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE
SEASON. NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 25 MPH ON
THE 21ST.
IN 1952...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.6 INCHES AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT. THE STORM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY NORTH WINDS GUSTING
TO 33 MPH.
IN 2001...THE SECOND MAJOR SNOW STORM IN 11 DAYS MOVED INTO
METRO DENVER WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DEVELOPING AGAIN
ACROSS THE PLAINS TO THE NORTHEAST OF DENVER. SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS RANGED UP TO 9 INCHES IN METRO DENVER WITH UP TO
23 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS. NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED
AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 36 MPH AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHICH WAS AGAIN SHUT DOWN FOR NEARLY
AN HOUR BY POWER OUTAGES ON THE 22ND. THE OUTAGES AFFECTED
LIGHTING IN THE CONCOURSES...TRAIN OPERATIONS...DE-ICING AND
REFUELING OPERATIONS...FLIGHT INFORMATION DISPLAYS...AND
SECURITY SCREENINGS. NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WERE ALSO AFFECTED...
RESULTING IN THE CANCELLATION OF 58 ARRIVING AND DEPARTING
FLIGHTS WHICH STRANDED ABOUT 5000 PASSENGERS. ACROSS METRO
DENVER STORM TOTALS INCLUDED: 9 INCHES AT ELDORADO SPRINGS;
7 INCHES IN BOULDER; 6 INCHES AT KEN CARYL...NORTHGLENN AND
NEAR SEDALIA; AND 5 INCHES IN ARVADA AND MORRISON. ONLY
1.7 INCHES OF SNOW WERE MEASURED AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. IN THE FOOTHILLS SNOW
TOTALS INCLUDED: 23 INCHES NEAR FRITZ PEAK SOUTH OF
ROLLINSVILLE...17 INCHES NEAR JAMESTOWN...16 INCHES NEAR
BLACKHAWK...14 INCHES IN COAL CREEK CANYON...13 INCHES AT
IDAHO SPRINGS AND NEAR NEDERLAND...11 INCHES AT ASPEN
SPRINGS...AND 10 INCHES NEAR BERGEN PARK.
21-23 IN 1999...A SPRING SNOWSTORM DUMPED HEAVY SNOWFALL OVER METRO
DENVER AND IN THE FOOTHILLS. NEARLY 3 FEET OF SNOW FELL
IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH OVER A FOOT IN THE CITY. THE HEAVY
WET SNOW DOWNED POWER LINES IN DOUGLAS AND ELBERT COUNTIES.
SCATTERED OUTAGES WERE REPORTED AT PARKER...FRANKTOWN...
SEDALIA...AND CASTLE ROCK. SOME RESIDENTS WERE WITHOUT
ELECTRICITY FOR AS LONG AS 20 HOURS. THE INCLEMENT WEATHER
WAS BLAMED...AT LEAST IN PART...FOR SEVERAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
ALONG THE I-25 CORRIDOR BETWEEN DENVER AND CASTLE ROCK.
SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: 32 INCHES AT IDAHO SPRINGS; 31
INCHES ON CROWHILL; 29 INCHES NEAR EVERGREEN; 26 INCHES AT
CHIEF HOSA AND COAL CREEK CANYON; 25 INCHES AT BAILEY; 24
INCHES AT FLOYD HILL; 23 INCHES AT CONIFER...GENESEE...GOLDEN
GATE CANYON...NORTH TURKEY CREEK...AND PINE JUNCTION; 13
INCHES AT BROOMFIELD AND NEAR SEDALIA; 12 INCHES IN
BOULDER; 11 INCHES AT LOUISVILLE AND PARKER; AND 9 INCHES
AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2004...HEAVY SNOW FELL ACROSS METRO DENVER...WHEN LOW LEVEL
UPSLOPE CONDITIONS DEVELOPED AGAINST THE FOOTHILLS AND
PALMER DIVIDE. SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: 18 INCHES IN THE
FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER...17 INCHES AT INTERCANYON AND
NEAR CONIFER...10 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK AND PARKER...9 INCHES
AT CASTLE ROCK AND NEAR SEDALIA...7 INCHES IN CENTENNIAL...
LITTLETON...AND NEAR LONE TREE. ELSEWHERE ACROSS METRO
DENVER...SNOWFALL GENERALLY RANGED FROM 2 TO 5 INCHES.
SNOWFALL WAS 4.7 INCHES AT DENVER STAPLETON. NORTHWEST
WINDS GUSTED TO 35 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
ON THE 21ST.
22 IN 1896...SOUTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 39 MPH WITH GUSTS
AS HIGH 56 MPH. THE APPARENT CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE
TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 78 DEGREES.
IN 1904...WEST WINDS SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 48 MPH
WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 69 DEGREES.
IN 1925...SOUTHEAST WINDS SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 46 MPH WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 76 DEGREES.
IN 1958...WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 48 MPH AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT.
22-23 IN 1885...THE WORST SNOW STORM SINCE STATION RECORDS BEGAN IN
1872 DUMPED A TOTAL OF 24.0 INCHES OF SNOWFALL ON THE CITY.
THE 23.0 INCHES OF SNOW RECORDED ON THE 22ND AND 23RD WAS
THE GREATEST 24-HOUR SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED DURING THE
MONTH OF APRIL. STREETS WERE IMPASSABLE...ROOFS CAVED IN...
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE WIRES WERE DOWNED...RAILROADS WERE
BLOCKED AND TRAINS DELAYED...AND MOST BUSINESS CAME TO A
COMPLETE STANDSTILL. ESTIMATED LOSSES WERE REPORTED TO
50 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE TOTAL SNOWFALL WAS PARTLY
ESTIMATED DUE TO MELTING. PRECIPITATION FROM THE STORM
TOTALED 2.79 INCHES.
IN 1915...POST-FRONTAL RAIN DURING THE DAY AND OVERNIGHT
TOTALED 2.00 INCHES. MOST OF THE RAIN FELL ON THE 22ND.
IN 1945...6.7 INCHES OF SNOW FELL OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. THIS
WAS THE THIRD MAJOR SNOW IN A LITTLE OVER 3 WEEKS...WHICH
MADE THIS MONTH THE 4TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD. NORTHEAST WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 25 MPH AND LIGHT HAIL FELL ON THE 22ND.
IN 2013...A SPRING STORM BROUGHT HEAVY SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS...
WITH PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TO PORTIONS OF THE
FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND URBAN CORRIDOR. IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND FOOTHILLS...STORM TOTALS INCLUDED: 18 INCHES AT NIWOT
RIDGE SNOTEL; 16.5 INCHES NEAR WARD; 13 INCHES AT ARAPAHOE
BASIN AND ROACH SNOTEL...12 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK; 11.5
INCHES NEAR NEDERLAND; 11 INCHES NEAR ALLENSPARK AND AT
LOVELAND SKI AREA; 10 INCHES NEAR IDAHO SPRINGS AND
PINECLIFFE; WITH 9.5 INCHES AND NEAR SILVERTHORNE. ALONG
THE URBAN CORRIDOR STORM TOTALS INCLUDED: 7.5 INCHES NEAR
MORRISON; 7 INCHES AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
IN BOULDER AND NIWOT; 6.5 INCHES NEAR ARAPAHOE PARK AND
SUPERIOR; WITH 6 INCHES AT LAFAYETTE AND LAKEWOOD. AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...4.7 INCHES OF NEW SNOWFALL
WAS OBSERVED.
22-24 IN 2010...A POTENT SPRING STORM BROUGHT HEAVY...WET SNOW TO
AREAS IN AND NEAR THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND WIDESPREAD
RAINFALL ACROSS THE ADJACENT PLAINS. IN THE FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS AND NORTH-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS EAST OF THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...STORM TOTALS RANGED FROM 15 TO 30
INCHES. STORM TOTALS INCLUDED: 29.5 INCHES...3 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF PINECLIFFE; 27 INCHES...8 MILES NORTHEAST
OF FOUR CORNERS; 23 INCHES AT WILLOW CREEK; 22.5 INCHES...
13 MILES NORTHWEST OF GOLDEN; 21 INCHES AT NEVER SUMMER;
17 INCHES AT ELDORADO SPRINGS; 16.5 INCHES...3 MILES WEST
OF JAMESTOWN. DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTED JUST
A TRACE OF SNOWFALL...BUT MEASURED 2.01 INCHES OF RAINFALL
FOR THE DURATION OF THE STORM. IN ADDITION...A PEAK WIND
GUST TO 54 MPH FROM THE NORTHWEST WAS OBSERVED AT THE
AIRPORT ON THE 23RD
23 IN 1889...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 48 MPH.
IN 1913...NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 46 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 60 MPH BEHIND A DRY COLD FRONT.
IN 1914...A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED CONSIDERABLE HAIL AND 0.29
INCH OF RAIN. WEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 48 MPH.
IN 1942...HAIL OF UNKNOWN SIZE FELL OVER THE CITY.
IN 1958...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SIGHTED FOR 20 MINUTES...15 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF STAPLETON AIRPORT. THE FUNNEL FORMED IN
ADVANCE OF A THUNDERSTORM AND HUNG ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET
BELOW THE BASE OF THE CLOUD...BUT REMAINED ALOFT. LATER IN
THE DAY...3.6 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 2002...PERSISTENT DRY CONDITIONS IN THE FOOTHILLS
CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRST LARGE FOREST FIRE OF THE SEASON
NEAR BAILEY. VERY DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS ALLOWED THE
FIRE...INITIALLY STARTED BY A CARELESS SMOKER...TO GROW
INTO A 2400-ACRE BLAZE BEFORE IT COULD BE CONTAINED.
FORTUNATELY...NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED TO HOMES OR
OTHER PROPERTY IN THE AREA.
IN 2006...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL ACROSS
METRO DENVER. HAIL AS LARGE AS 1.25 INCHES IN DIAMETER
FELL IN SOUTH DENVER WITH HAIL TO 0.88 INCH ACROSS THE
REST OF THE CITY. HAIL TO 1.00 INCH IN DIAMETER WAS
REPORTED NEAR MORRISON...IN SOUTH LAKEWOOD...AND IN AURORA
NEAR CHERRY CREEK. HAIL TO 0.88 INCH WAS MEASURED IN
GOLDEN WITH 0.75 INCH HAIL IN EAST LAKEWOOD.
23-24 IN 1883...SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.6 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER.
IN 1904...A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED HAIL DURING THE LATE EVENING
OF THE 23RD. APPARENT POST-FRONTAL RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW
DURING THE EARLY MORNING OF THE 24TH...BUT TOTALED ONLY 2.0
INCHES. PRECIPITATION CONSISTING OF RAIN...MELTED HAIL...AND
SNOW TOTALED 0.60 INCH. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO
41 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 52 MPH ON THE 24TH.
IN 1905...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW AND TOTALED 8.0 INCHES. MUCH
OF THE SNOW MELTED AS IT FELL WITH ONLY 2.5 INCHES MEASURED
ON THE GROUND. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.88 INCHES.
NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 20 MPH ON THE 23RD.
IN 1942...THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER REACHED FLOOD CONDITIONS IN
THE CITY. AS MANY AS 15 THOUSAND RESIDENTS WERE WARNED
TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES TEMPORARILY. TWO LIVES WERE LOST
IN THE CITY. FOUR BRIDGES WERE WASHED OUT BY THE FLOOD
WATERS AND OTHER BRIDGES WERE ENDANGERED. THE DAMAGE WAS
GENERALLY LIMITED TO BRIDGES THAT WERE IN POOR CONDITION.
HOWEVER...THE FLOOD WATERS DID NOT OVERFLOW THEIR CHANNEL
BANKS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
IN 1980...HEAVY RAIN BEGAN IN THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS ON THE
NIGHT OF THE 23RD AND TURNED TO HEAVY WET SNOW ON THE 24TH.
UP TO A FOOT AND A HALF OF SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST
OF DENVER. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PRECIPITATION
TOTALED 1.58 INCHES...BUT ONLY 3.7 INCHES OF SNOW FELL FROM
THE STORM. EAST WINDS GUSTED TO 24 MPH.
IN 1997...LOCATIONS IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS RECEIVED THE
GREATEST SNOW OF THE YEAR AS A WINTER-LIKE STORM SYSTEM
MOVED INTO METRO DENVER. EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AT SPEEDS
OF 15 TO 35 MPH WERE COMMON WITH EVEN STRONGER GUSTS ABOVE
9 THOUSAND FEET. SNOW FELL AT A RATE OF 2 TO 3 INCHES AN
HOUR AS DEEP UPSLOPE COMBINED WITH A MOIST AND UNSTABLE
AIR MASS. THE SNOW BEGAN IN THE FOOTHILLS ABOVE 7500 FEET
DURING THE EVENING OF THE 23RD. BY SUNRISE THE SNOW LEVEL
HAD DROPPED TO 5000 FEET. THE HARDEST HIT AREAS EXTENDED
FROM I-25 INTO THE FOOTHILLS. SNOWFALL TOTALS IN THE
FOOTHILLS RANGED FROM 1 1/2 TO OVER 3 1/2 FEET. IN THE
CITY...SNOWFALL RANGED FROM 8 TO 18 INCHES. SOME SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 36 INCHES AT COAL CREEK CANYON; 31 INCHES
AT NEDERLAND AND WONDERVU; 20 TO 24 INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK...
AT ECHO LAKE...AND NORTH TURKEY CREEK CANYON; 15 TO 19 INCHES
AT BOULDER...CENTRAL CITY...CONIFER...EVERGREEN...GEORGETOWN...
AND LOUISVILLE; 8 TO 14 INCHES IN ARVADA...BROOMFIELD...
WESTMINSTER...WHEAT RIDGE...CASTLE ROCK...AND KEN CARYL RANCH.
ONLY 2.3 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 24TH. EAST WINDS
GUSTED TO 36 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
24TH.
IN 2003...A STRONG AND DEEP NORTHERLY FLOW CIRCULATING AROUND
A CLOSED UPPER LOW PRESSURE CENTER ALLOWED HEAVY SNOW TO
FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN FOOTHILLS. SNOWFALL
TOTALED 14 INCHES IN IDAHO SPRINGS. RAIN WAS MIXED WITH
SNOW AND THUNDER ACROSS METRO DENVER. SNOWFALL WAS ONLY
0.9 INCH OVERNIGHT AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.34 INCHES
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...WHERE NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 55 MPH ON THE 23RD.
IN 2007...A STORM SYSTEM INTENSIFIED OVER SOUTHEAST COLORADO...
ALLOWING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND RAIN TO DEVELOP OVER MUCH OF
NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST COLORADO. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
PRECEDED THE STORM SYSTEM ON THE 23RD...AFFECTING THE URBAN
CORRIDOR. NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN BOULDER AND A
SMALL LANDSPOUT TOUCHED DOWN NEAR BYERS. ON THE 24TH...HEAVY
SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER AND BOULDER...WHERE
STORM TOTALS RANGED FROM 1 TO 2 FEET. HEAVY SNOW ALSO
OCCURRED ALONG THE PALMER DIVIDE...WITH STORM TOTALS OF 10 TO
16 INCHES. ELSEWHERE...A STEADY MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL
WAS REPORTED. DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MEASURED 2.09
INCHES OF RAINFALL...WHICH SHATTERED THE PREVIOUS 24-HR
RECORD OF 1.29 INCHES FOR THE 24TH OF APRIL. THE HEAVY WET
SNOW CAUSED SEVERAL POWER OUTAGES. IN SOME INSTANCES IT
TOOK SEVERAL DAYS TO RESTORE POWER. SEVERAL ROAD CLOSURES
WERE REPORTED...INCLUDING INTERSTATES 25 AND 70. A JACKNIFED
SEMI-TRAILER BACKED UP TRAFFIC FOR NEARLY 20 MILES...ON
SOUTHBOUND I-25...BETWEEN DENVER AND COLORADO SPRINGS. IN
ADDITION...A 50-TON BOULDER BLOCKED THE SOUTHBOUND LANE OF
STATE HIGHWAY 285...NEAR PARMALEE GULCH. CREWS HAD TO USE
EXPLOSIVES TO BREAK UP THE BOULDER AND CLEAR THE DEBRIS.
STRANDED BUSES AND IMPASSABLE ROADWAYS ALSO FORCED SEVERAL
SCHOOL CLOSURES.
23-25 IN 1935...HEAVY WET SNOW FELL ACROSS METRO DENVER. THE STORM
STARTED AS RAIN ON THE 23RD AND CHANGED TO SNOW EARLY ON THE
MORNING OF THE 24TH. THERE WAS CONTINUOUS PRECIPITATION FOR
A PERIOD OF 48 HOURS. SNOWFALL TOTALED 19.0 INCHES OVER THE
CITY AND 20.0 INCHES AT DENVER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. HOWEVER...
DUE TO WARM TEMPERATURES IN THE 30'S...MUCH OF THE SNOW
MELTED AS IT FELL AND DID NOT SERIOUSLY DISRUPT TRAFFIC.
THE GREATEST SNOW ACCUMULATION ON THE GROUND DOWNTOWN WAS
12 INCHES...BUT IT QUICKLY MELTED. THE HIGHEST SUSTAINED
WIND SPEED RECORDED DURING THE STORM WAS 28 MPH FROM THE
NORTH ON THE 23RD. THE STORM CONTAINED 3.16 INCHES OF
MOISTURE.
24 IN 1959...WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH RECORDED IN DOWNTOWN BOULDER
CAUSED VERY LIMITED MINOR DAMAGE. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO
38 MPH AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1986...A WIND GUST TO 60 MPH WAS CLOCKED AT GOLDEN GATE
CANYON.
IN 1989...1 3/4 INCH DIAMETER HAIL WAS REPORTED IN LAFAYETTE.
BOULDER AND LOUISVILLE REPORTED 3/4 INCH HAIL.
24-25 IN 1890...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW AND TOTALED 7.0 INCHES IN
DOWNTOWN DENVER.
IN 1931...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 9.3 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN
DENVER. WINDS WERE LIGHT DURING THE STORM.
IN 1996...THE SECOND WIND STORM IN LESS THAN A WEEK DEVELOPED
EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND SPREAD OVER METRO
DENVER. HIGH WINDS GUSTED FROM 60 TO 90 MPH. SEVERAL
POWER LINES AND POLES WERE DOWNED. SOME OF THE STRONGER
WIND GUSTS INCLUDED: 91 MPH ATOP SQUAW MOUNTAIN WEST OF
DENVER...90 MPH ATOP TABLE MESA NEAR BOULDER...85 MPH IN
GOLDEN GATE CANYON...AND 82 MPH AT WONDERVU. NORTHWEST
WINDS GUSTED TO 41 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
ON THE 25TH.
24-26 IN 1924...POST-FRONTAL RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW...WHICH BECAME
HEAVY AND TOTALED 10.2 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. THE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF SNOW ON THE GROUND WAS 6.0 INCHES ON THE
25TH DUE TO MELTING. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 38 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 42 MPH ON THE 24TH.
25 IN 1902...NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 48 MPH.
IN 1908...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH BEHIND AN
APPARENT COLD FRONT. SNOWFALL WAS 0.5 INCH.
IN 1928...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW...WHICH BECAME HEAVY AND TOTALED
7.4 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. DUE TO MELTING...THE MAXIMUM
SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND WAS 4.0 INCHES AT 6:00 PM. THIS
WAS THE LAST SNOW OF THE SEASON. SOUTHEAST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 19 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 20 MPH.
IN 1976...A SOUTH WIND GUST TO 54 MPH WAS RECORDED AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE HIGH WINDS TOPPLED A
70-FOOT HIGH COTTONWOOD TREE ONTO THE REAR OF HOUSE AND A
NEIGHBORING RESIDENCE IN CENTRAL DENVER.
IN 1989...LIGHTNING CAUSED HEAVY DAMAGE TO A RADIO TRANSMITTER
IN PARKER...KNOCKING A DENVER AREA RADIO STATION OFF THE AIR
FOR 3 HOURS.
IN 1994...WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED DIME-SIZE HAIL AT THE
INTERSECTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY 287 AND C470 IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY. MARBLE-SIZE HAIL COVERED THE GROUND NEAR GOLDEN
TO A DEPTH OF 1 INCH. PEA-SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED COVERING
THE GROUND TO A DEPTH OF 3 INCHES IN ARVADA.
IN 2016...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED HAIL UP TO ONE INCH
IN DIAMETER NEAR CASTLE ROCK.
25-26 IN 1985...A SPRING STORM BROUGHT MUCH RAIN AND SNOW TO METRO
DENVER. THE FOOTHILLS WERE BURIED WITH 15 INCHES OF SNOW
AT CONIFER AND 12 INCHES AT EVERGREEN. AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...
AN INCH OR MORE OF RAIN FELL IN DENVER AND BOULDER. THE
HEAVY PRECIPITATION CAUSED BRIEF POWER OUTAGES IN THE
DENVER AREA. PRECIPITATION TOTALED 1.06 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...INCLUDING ONLY 0.7 INCH OF SNOWFALL.
25-27 IN 1877...SNOW ENDED AROUND 7:00 AM ON THE MORNING OF THE 27TH...
AFTER FALLING CONTINUOUSLY FOR 48 HOURS AND TOTALING AN
ESTIMATED 13 INCHES IN THE CITY. THE STORM...LIKELY
ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS...CAUSED TRAINS TO BE DELAYED
FOR 2 TO 3 DAYS. ONE OR TWO ROOFS OF SMALL BUILDINGS WERE
CRUSHED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW...AND MANY TREE BRANCHES
WERE BROKEN IN THE CITY. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REPORTS OF
LIVESTOCK LOSSES. ONE STOCKMAN LOST 17 HORSES AND SEVERAL
CATTLE FROM THE SNOW AND COLD. PRECIPITATION TOTALED
1.30 INCHES FROM THE STORM.
26 IN 1965...WHILE ONLY 0.40 INCH OF RAIN FELL AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...SOME COMMUNITIES IN THE FOOTHILLS
WEST OF DENVER REPORTED OVER 30 INCHES OF SNOW FROM THE
STORM.
IN 1972...A SPRING SNOW STORM ACCOMPANIED BY THUNDER DUMPED
15.8 INCHES OF HEAVY WET SNOW ON METRO DENVER. STRONG
NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH PRODUCED BLOWING SNOW.
THE STORM WAS QUITE INTENSE AND GREATLY HAMPERED TRAVEL.
HIGH WINDS CAUSED DRIFTS 10 TO 15 FEET DEEP IN SOME AREAS...
BLOCKING ROADS AND STRANDING HUNDREDS OF MOTORISTS. AN
ESTIMATED 500 TO 600 PEOPLE WERE STRANDED IN THE CASTLE
ROCK AREA. RESCUE SERVICE WAS PROVIDED BY HEAVY ARMY
EQUIPMENT FROM FORT CARSON. POWER LINES WERE DOWNED...POWER
POLES WERE TOPPLED...AND A NUMBER OF STEEL TOWERS CARRYING
HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES WERE DOWNED. SOME AREAS NORTHEAST
OF DENVER WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR A WEEK. A LARGE NUMBER OF
CATTLE AND SHEEP WERE KILLED BY THE STORM. THE GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WAS 12 INCHES. WARM TEMPERATURES FOLLOWING THE STORM
QUICKLY MELTED THE SNOW.
IN 1995...THE THIRD MAJOR SNOW STORM OF THE MONTH DUMPED HEAVY
SNOW IN AND NEAR THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS. SIX TO 12
INCHES OF HEAVY WET SNOW FELL IN THE WESTERN METRO SUBURBS
WITH THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS ABOVE 6 THOUSAND FEET. BOTH
BOULDER AND GOLDEN MEASURED 10 INCHES OF SNOW. ONLY 2.4
INCHES OF SNOWFALL WERE MEASURED AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTH WINDS GUSTED 28 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1998...THE LAST IN A SERIES OF APRIL STORMS BLANKETED THE
FOOTHILLS WITH HEAVY SNOW. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 17
INCHES NEAR BLACKHAWK...15 INCHES AT IDAHO SPRINGS...14
INCHES AT GEORGETOWN...11 INCHES NEAR CONIFER AND MORRISON.
ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW FELL AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO
28 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
26-27 IN 1906...RAIN CHANGED TO HEAVY SNOW OVERNIGHT AND TOTALED
7.0 INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTH WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 16 MPH ON BOTH DAYS. PRECIPITATION TOTALED
2.16 INCHES.
IN 1932...THE TEMPERATURE REMAINED BELOW FREEZING FOR MORE
THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE HOURS. FOR ABOUT 4 OF THOSE HOURS
THE TEMPERATURE HOVERED AROUND 24 TO 25 DEGREES. AT THIS
TIME SOME EARLY CHERRY TREES WERE IN BLOOM AND APPLE AND
LILAC BLOSSOMS WERE BEGINNING TO OPEN. THE LEAVES OF
MANY PLANTS WERE PARTLY UNFURLED AND VEGETATION IN GENERAL
WAS CORRESPONDINGLY ADVANCED DUE TO THE WARM WEATHER FROM
THE 11TH TO THE 22ND. HOWEVER...THERE WAS LITTLE APPARENT
INJURY TO FOLIAGE AND BLOSSOMS...BUT SOME OF THE EARLY
CHERRY AND APPLE BLOSSOMS WERE INJURED. RAIN CHANGED TO
SNOW ON THE 26TH AND CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY THROUGH THE
27TH. SNOWFALL TOTALED ONLY 2.0 INCHES AND NORTHEAST WINDS
GUSTED TO 22 MPH ON THE 26TH.
IN 1964...STRONG WINDS CAUSED DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS...TREES...AND
POWER LINES. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 37 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 50 TO
60 MPH WERE RECORDED IN METRO DENVER. WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 44 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
26TH.
27 IN 1955...WEST WINDS AT 43 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 55 MPH
WERE RECORDED AT STAPLETON AIRPORT WHERE BLOWING DUST
BRIEFLY REDUCED THE VISIBILITY TO 3/8 MILE.
IN 1966...A NORTHWEST WIND GUST TO 51 MPH WAS RECORDED AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
27-28 IN 1919...RAINFALL TOTALED 2.03 INCHES FOR THE TWO DAYS...
ALONG WITH A TRACE OF SNOWFALL. NORTHWEST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 24 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 26 MPH ON THE 27TH.
IN 1975...HIGH WINDS GUSTING TO 85 MPH SEVERELY DAMAGED A
MOBILE HOME IN BOULDER AND CAUSED OTHER MINOR DAMAGE.
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 46 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT ON THE 28TH.
IN 1996...HEAVY SNOW FELL OVER PORTIONS OF THE FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS RANGED FROM
4 TO 7 INCHES. ONLY 0.3 INCH OF SNOW FELL AT THE SITE OF
THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTH WINDS
GUSTED TO 41 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
27TH.
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