874
NOUS45 KBOU 300859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-302300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
259 AM MDT SAT MAY 30 2026
..TODAY IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
26-31 IN 1995...FROM THE 26TH THROUGH THE 31ST...A COOL PERIOD
WITH LIGHT MORNING SHOWERS AND MODERATE TO HEAVY
AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PUSHED RIVERS
ALREADY SWOLLEN FROM MOUNTAIN SNOW MELT OVER THEIR BANKS
CAUSING MINOR FLOODING. STREAMS AND RIVERS SUCH AS THE
SOUTH PLATTE AND BOULDER CREEK FLOODED MEADOWLANDS...BIKE
PATHS...ROADS NEAR STREAMS...AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS.
NO SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AND CROP
DAMAGE WAS UNKNOWN. RAINFALL TOTALED 1.79 INCHES AT THE
SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND
ONLY 1.51 INCHES AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
29-1 IN 1894...FROM THE 29TH TO THE 1ST OF THE MONTH...HEAVY
RAIN COMBINED WITH SNOWMELT RUNOFF CAUSED WIDESPREAD
FLOODING OVER THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN.
RAINFALL WAS HEAVIEST IN THE FOOTHILLS WHERE 5 TO 8
INCHES WERE MEASURED OVER THE 4 DAYS. HEAVY RAINFALL
WEST OF BOULDER FLOODED MINING TOWNS AND DAMAGED MINING
PROPERTIES. IN THE CANYONS ABOVE BOULDER...RAILROADS
AND ROADS WERE WASHED OUT ALONG WITH MANY BRIDGES. THE
FLOODWATERS SPREAD INTO CENTRAL BOULDER AND COVERED A
WIDE AREA FROM UNIVERSITY HILL NORTH TO NEAR MAPLETON
HILL TO A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 8 FEET. MANY HOUSES WERE
SWEPT AWAY...AND EVERY BRIDGE IN BOULDER WAS DESTROYED.
A FEW PEOPLE...TRAPPED IN THEIR HOMES BY THE FLOODWATERS...
HAD TO BE RESCUED. HOWEVER...THE GRADUAL RISE OF THE FLOOD
WATERS RESULTED IN ONLY ONE DEATH. BOULDER CREEK SPREAD TO
A WIDTH OF NEARLY ONE MILE IN THE PASTURE LAND TO THE EAST
OF BOULDER. EXTENSIVE FLOODING ON LEFT HAND CREEK NORTH
OF BOULDER WASHED AWAY RAILROAD AND WAGON BRIDGES. THE
HEAVY CLOUDBURSTS CAUSED FLOODING ON BEAR CREEK...WHICH
WASHED AWAY BRIDGES...RAILROAD TRACKS...AND STRUCTURES AND
DESTROYED THE CANYON ROADWAY. MORRISON SUSTAINED THE
HEAVIEST FLOOD DAMAGE ON BEAR CREEK. IN DENVER...RAINFALL
TOTALED ONLY 1.50 INCHES ON THE 30TH AND 31ST...BUT THE
HEAVY RAINFALL ON UPSTREAM TRIBUTARIES OF THE SOUTH PLATTE
RIVER CAUSED THE RIVER TO RISE AS MUCH AS 10 FEET ABOVE THE
LOW WATER MARK IN THE CITY...WHICH CAUSED SOME FLOODING OF
PASTURE LAND DOWNSTREAM TO A DEPTH OF 6 FEET NEAR BRIGHTON.
30 IN 1875...A WINDSTORM LASTING ALMOST ALL DAY PRODUCED
SUSTAINED WINDS TO 42 MPH.
IN 1935...SOUTHEAST WINDS SUSTAINED TO 29 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
34 MPH PRODUCED A MODERATE DUSTSTORM DURING THE AFTERNOON.
IN 1938...HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAIN AND HAIL PUMMELED DOWNTOWN
DENVER DURING THE EVENING HOURS. RAINFALL ACCUMULATED TO
1.63 INCHES. HAIL ACCUMULATED TO A DEPTH OF 18 INCHES.
IN 1948...A LOCALIZED THUNDERSTORM CAUSED FLOODING ON SAND
CREEK IN AURORA AND NORTHEAST DENVER. RAINFALL WAS ONLY
0.49 INCH IN DOWNTOWN DENVER WHERE LIGHT HAIL ALSO FELL.
IN 1963...A GOLFER DIED OF INJURIES RECEIVED WHEN STRUCK
BY LIGHTNING ON A GOLF COURSE SOUTHWEST OF DENVER. A
WAREHOUSE IN DENVER WAS DAMAGED AND ITS CONTENTS DESTROYED
BY A LIGHTNING-CAUSED FIRE.
IN 1967...UP TO 4.00 INCHES OF RAIN IN LAKEWOOD AND WHEAT
RIDGE CAUSED FLOODING OF ROADS AND BASEMENTS. WATER WAS
SEVERAL FEET DEEP IN SOME YARDS. MANY STREETS WERE
TEMPORARILY CLOSED. HAIL AS LARGE AS 1 INCH IN DIAMETER
FELL IN WHEAT RIDGE. HAIL PILED UP TO 2 FEET DEEP IN SOME
LOW LYING AREAS OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST DENVER. SNOWPLOWS
WERE EMPLOYED TO REMOVE THE HAIL. STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...WHERE WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 39 MPH...RECEIVED 1.51
INCHES OF RAIN AND HAIL...WHICH FORCED THE CLOSURE OF THE
RUNWAYS FOR AN HOUR. HAIL STONES TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER
WERE MEASURED AT BUCKLEY FIELD. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SIGHTED
NEAR SOUTH WADSWORTH BLVD. AND BEAR CREEK. A TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY IN THE VICINITY OF 60TH AND 62ND
AVENUES NEAR NORTH WASHINGTON STREET. THE STORM UPROOTED
TREES AND DAMAGED ONE BUILDING. DOORS WERE RIPPED FROM A
BUSINESS HOUSE...WIDELY SCATTERING IRRIGATION PIPE. IN
ADDITION...A TOTAL OF 3 FUNNEL CLOUDS WERE SIGHTED IN THAT
AREA.
IN 1970...HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER FELL AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1976...A SINGLE THUNDERSTORM CROSSED SOUTH METRO DENVER
PRODUCING A FUNNEL CLOUD 2 MILES SOUTH OF ARAPAHOE ROAD
AND BROADWAY. THE STORM MOVED OVER BUCKLEY FIELD PRODUCING
A FUNNEL CLOUD AND 1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL. AS THE STORM
MOVED NORTHEAST OF THE CITY...A LARGE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN
NEAR EAST 59TH AVE AND TOWER ROAD AND WAS ON THE GROUND FOR
20 MINUTES. IT DEMOLISHED A 60-FOOT-LONG CINDERBLOCK COW
SHED...TORE A WALL FROM A MACHINERY SHED...TORE SHINGLES OFF
THE ROOF OF A FARMHOUSE NEARBY...AND FELLED 12 TREES ON ONE
FARM. A BOY IN A FEED SHED 20 FEET FROM A DESTROYED
BUILDING WAS NOT INJURED.
IN 1977...3/4 TO 1 INCH DIAMETER HAIL FELL AT OR NEAR
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. ONE INCH TO BASEBALL
SIZE HAIL FELL IN SOUTH DENVER...DAMAGING SOME HOMES AND
EXTENSIVELY DAMAGING SOME AIRPLANES AT ARAPAHOE COUNTY
AIRPORT...NOW CENTENNIAL AIRPORT. HAIL COVERED HIGHWAYS
TO A DEPTH OF 6 TO 8 INCHES IN SOUTH DENVER.
IN 1978...TWO FUNNEL CLOUDS WERE SIGHTED 5 MILES SOUTH OF
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. HAIL UP TO 1 1/4 INCHES IN
DIAMETER WAS REPORTED IN WHEAT RIDGE AND NORTHWEST DENVER.
ONLY 1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL FELL AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
IN 1989...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL FELL AT THE JUNCTION OF I-25 AND
I-225. ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL FELL IN LITTLETON.
IN 1990...A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CROSSED METRO DENVER...
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND SCATTERED AREAS OF
PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL. SMALL TREES AND BRANCHES WERE
BLOWN DOWN BY THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WINDS...WHICH ALSO
CAUSED MINOR POWER OUTAGES ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN
SECTIONS OF METRO DENVER. THE STRONG WINDS UPROOTED A 25-
TO 30-FOOT TREE IN THE ACRES GREEN SUBDIVISION OF NORTHERN
DOUGLAS COUNTY. THE TREE BLOCKED A BUSY STREET FOR SEVERAL
HOURS. A PILOT REPORTED HAIL AS LARGE AS 1 1/2 INCHES IN
DIAMETER COVERING THE GROUND NEAR THE NORTH END OF A RUNWAY
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. HEAVY RAIN CAUSED A
ROCK AND MUD SLIDE THAT PARTIALLY CLOSED THE BOULDER CANYON
HIGHWAY 10 MILES WEST OF BOULDER. THUNDERSTORM WINDS GUSTED
TO 41 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2001...LIGHTNING IGNITED A FIRE WHICH DESTROYED A LUXURY
HOME ON BEAR MOUNTAIN NEAR EVERGREEN. ESTIMATED DAMAGE
WAS SET AT 1 MILLION DOLLARS.
IN 2003...FLASH FLOODING OCCURRED IN THE HAYMAN FIRE BURN AREA
AFTER AS MUCH AS 1 INCH OF RAIN FELL IN 30 MINUTES. THE
HEAVY RAINFALL WASHED OUT MANY ACCESS ROADS AND CLOSED STATE
HIGHWAY 67 BETWEEN DECKERS AND WEST CREEK. A 3-FOOT WALL OF
WATER RAN DOWN FOURMILE CREEK FROM THE YMCA CAMP AT SHADY
BROOK...DAMAGING ONE BUILDING IN THE CAMP AND FLOODING ROADS.
HAIL AS LARGE AS 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER FELL NEAR ROGGEN IN
WELD COUNTY.
IN 2005...LIGHTNING STRUCK AS LEAST 20 HOMES IN WESTMINSTER.
ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
PRODUCED HAIL AS LARGE AS 1.25 INCHES IN AND NEAR FORT
LUPTON AND HAIL TO 3/4 INCH NEAR INDIAN HILLS IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY.
IN 2014...HEAVY RAINFALL...NEARLY 1.2 INCHES IN 30 MINUTES...
PRODUCED LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING IN BOULDER. THE HEAVY
RAIN COUPLED WITH THE ALREADY SWOLLEN CREEKS FROM THE SPRING
RUNOFF ALONG BOULDER CREEK RESULTED IN THE FLOODING. STREET
FLOODING WAS REPORTED AT 6TH ST AND CANYON BLVD AND AT
BASELINE ROAD. SOME CARS WERE STRANDED IN THE HIGH WATER IN
LOW LYING AREAS AND ONE PERSON REPORTED BEING TRAPPED IN HIS
VEHICLE.
IN 2024...DURING THE LATE EVENING HOURS...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVED ACROSS DENVER AS WELL AS THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN
SUBURBS...INCLUDING BROOMFIELD...AURORA...AND COMMERCE CITY.
QUARTER TO BASEBALL SIZED HAIL LEFT A LARGE SWATH OF
DAMAGE. THESE STORMS AND THE RESULTING HAIL CAUSED AN
ESTIMATED $1.9 BILLION IN DAMAGES. THAT MOSTLY INCLUDES
HOMES...AUTOS...AND BUSINESSES. THE TOTAL DAMAGE CAUSED MAKES
THIS SECOND ONLY TO THE MAY 8...2017...STORM...WHICH WAS THE
WORST HAILSTORM IN COLORADO HISTORY.
30-31 IN 1935...FROM THE 30TH TO THE 31ST...HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINS
OVERNIGHT CAUSED FLASH FLOODING EAST OF THE CITY ON BOTH
KIOWA AND BIJOU CREEKS...RESULTING IN A TOTAL OF 9 DEATHS.
MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS ON KIOWA CREEK WHERE THERE WERE MORE
STRUCTURES. THE WATER ROSE RAPIDLY DURING THE STORM...
RIPPING HOUSES AND STORES FROM THEIR FOUNDATIONS AND
SWEEPING THEM DOWNSTREAM. PRECIPITATION IN DENVER TOTALED
ONLY 0.01 INCH. HAIL FELL IN THE CITY FOR A SHORT TIME. THE
HAIL WAS VERY SMALL AND CAUSED NO DAMAGE.
IN 1983...FROM THE 30TH TO THE 31ST...A LATE STORM OF RAIN AND
SNOW HIT THE FRONT RANGE. OVER AN INCH OF RAIN FELL AT SOME
SPOTS...AND ABOVE 7 THOUSAND FEET...1 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW
WHITENED THE GROUND. SOME SNOW FLAKES EVEN FELL IN THE
WESTERN SUBURBS OF METRO DENVER ON THE NIGHT OF THE 30TH.
IN 2002...FROM THE 30TH TO THE 31ST...UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER
AT THE END OF THE MONTH RESULTED IN 3 TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 91 DEGREES ON THE 30TH EQUALED THE
RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE. LOW TEMPERATURE OF 61 DEGREES
ON THE 31ST WAS A RECORD HIGH MINIMUM FOR THE DATE. HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF 93 DEGREES ON THE 31ST WAS A RECORD MAXIMUM
FOR THE DATE.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page