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NOUS45 KBOU 200859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-202300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
259 AM MDT MON JUL 20 2026
..TODAY IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
7-25 IN 1934...A STREAK OF 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 90 DEGREES...FROM THE
7TH TO THE 25TH...RANKED 5TH ON THE LIST OF HOT STREAKS. THE
RECORD OF 24 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE SUMMER OF
2008.
13-5 IN 2008...A STREAK OF 24 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 90 DEGREES...FROM
JULY 13TH TO AUGUST 5TH...SHATTERED THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 18
CONSECUTIVE DAYS ESTABLISHED IN 1901 AND 1874. IRONICALLY...
NO NEW SINGLE DAY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE SET IN THE
MONTH OF JULY. IN AUGUST HOWEVER...A RECORD OF 104 DEGREES
WAS SET ON THE 1ST...AND ANOTHER RECORD OF 103 DEGREES WAS
SET ON THE 2ND. IN ADDITION...A RECORD LOW MIN OF 70 DEGREES
WAS SET ON AUGUST 2ND.
18-2 IN 1987...FROM JULY 18TH TO AUGUST 2ND...A STREAK OF 16
CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 90 DEGREES RANKED 4TH ON THE LIST OF HOT
STREAKS. THE RECORD OF 24 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WAS ESTABLISHED
IN THE SUMMER OF 2008.
19-23 IN 2005...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE CLIMBED ABOVE 100 DEGREES ON
EACH OF THE 5 DAYS WITH READINGS OF 101 ON THE 19TH...105 ON
THE 20TH...104 ON THE 21ST...AND 102 ON BOTH THE 22ND AND 23RD.
A NEW RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF JULY OF 105
DEGREES WAS SET ON THE 20TH...WHICH ALSO EQUALED THE ALL TIME
RECORD MAXIMUM FOR DENVER OF 105 DEGREES FIRST SET ON AUGUST
8TH IN 1878. DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET ON
EACH DAY...AND THE 5 DAY PERIOD EQUALED THE RECORD FOR THE
MOST CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 100 DEGREES OR MORE FIRST SET FROM
JULY 4TH THROUGH 8TH IN 1989. THE INTENSE HEAT RESULTED IN
A HIGH USE OF ELECTRICITY FOR COOLING PURPOSES. THE DEMAND
FOR ELECTRIC POWER EXCEEDED THE SUPPLY AND ROLLING BLACK-OUTS...
EACH LASTING ABOUT AN HOUR...WERE SCHEDULED ACROSS METRO DENVER
DURING THE AFTERNOONS AND EARLY EVENINGS.
20 IN 1898...AN APPARENT THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED SUSTAINED NORTHWEST
WINDS TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 51 MPH.
IN 1939...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 102 DEGREES IN DOWNTOWN
DENVER. THIS WAS THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED SINCE
AUGUST 8...1878...A PERIOD OF 61 YEARS...AND THE THIRD HIGHEST
TEMPERATURE OF RECORD AT THE TIME. SIX MILES TO THE EAST...
AT DENVER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED
104 DEGREES. A DRY PERIOD DURING MID-JULY...COMBINED WITH LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES...RESULTED IN AN UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER
OF FOREST FIRES IN THE MOUNTAINS WEST OF DENVER.
IN 1941...AN AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM CAUSED TWO LIGHTNING
DEATHS. THE MEN WERE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING NEAR THE DENVER
AIRPORT.
IN 1951...A THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST TO 54 MPH WAS RECORDED AT
STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1965...HEAVY RAIN WEST OF DENVER DAMAGED ROADS AND BRIDGES.
TWO BRIDGES IN GOLDEN WERE WASHED OUT. LIGHTNING IN DENVER
CAUSED SOME POWER FAILURES AND FIRES...MOSTLY IN THE NORTHEAST
SECTION OF THE CITY. HEAVY RAIN CAUSED STREET FLOODING IN
THE CITY OF DENVER. HAIL AS LARGE AS 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER
AND 0.40 INCH OF RAIN IN 5 MINUTES WERE MEASURED AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE PRECIPITATION TOTALED
1.09 INCHES. LIGHTNING DAMAGED A HOUSE IN LITTLETON...AND
CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE IN IDAHO SPRINGS.
IN 1973...LIGHTNING DAMAGE WAS REPORTED WEST OF ARVADA.
IN 1975...HEAVY RAINS CAUSED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS METRO
DENVER...RESULTING IN THE CLOSING OF SEVERAL STREETS AND
DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS HOMES AND BUSINESSES. HAIL 1/2 TO 3/4
INCH IN DIAMETER WAS REPORTED.
IN 1976...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CAUSED FLOODING OF STREETS IN
SOUTHEAST DENVER AND WESTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTIES. A TOTAL OF
3.35 INCHES OF RAIN WAS MEASURED AT KASSLER SOUTHWEST OF
LITTLETON.
IN 1978...A GIRL WAS INJURED BY LIGHTNING AT A COUNTRY CLUB
SOUTHWEST OF DENVER.
IN 1984...HEAVY RAIN WAS REPORTED JUST EAST OF BUCKLEY FIELD IN
AURORA WHERE 1.15 INCHES FELL IN JUST 45 MINUTES.
IN 1986...THUNDERSTORMS DUMPED HEAVY RAIN ACROSS METRO DENVER
CAUSING EXTENSIVE STREET FLOODING...POWER OUTAGES...AND
BASEMENT FLOODING. THE GREATEST RECORDED RAINFALL WAS 4.39
INCHES IN LAKEWOOD. IN EXTREME NORTHWEST DENVER...2.29
INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN JUST 20 MINUTES. ARVADA WAS DRENCHED
WITH 2.60 INCHES OF RAIN...AND OVER AN INCH FELL IN SOUTHEAST
DENVER AND ADJACENT SECTIONS OF AURORA.
IN 1990...HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINS CAUSED FLASH FLOODING IN
SECTIONS OF LITTLETON WHERE 1.20 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN
LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. THE DELUGE CAUSED DRY CREEK TO JUMP
ITS BANKS...CAUSING DAMAGE TO RESIDENTIAL STREETS...CURBS...AND
SIDEWALKS. NEARLY 100 VEHICLES WERE STRANDED FOR A TIME IN
FENDER-DEEP WATER WHEN SEWERS AND DRAINAGE DITCHES BECAME
CHOKED WITH DEBRIS. THE HEAVY RUNOFF SUBMERGED MANY
LITTLETON STREETS AND INTERSECTIONS.
IN 1992...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVED SLOWLY THROUGH EAST METRO
DENVER...PRODUCING RAINFALL UP TO 2.50 INCHES IN A SHORT TIME.
WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED 0.75 TO 1.00 INCH OF RAIN IN LESS
THAN 30 MINUTES. MANY AREAS OF SOUTHEAST DENVER WERE
FLOODED...INCLUDING I-25 WHERE UP TO 6 FEET OF WATER
FILLED SOME UNDERPASSES. HAIL TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER
FELL IN AURORA.
IN 1995...A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY IN AN OPEN FIELD
NEAR STRASBURG. THUNDERSTORM WINDS GUSTED TO 58 MPH AT
CENTENNIAL AIRPORT.
IN 1996...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WINDS DAMAGED THE BUILDING OF
A TELEPHONE INSTALLATION COMPANY IN THE CITY OF DENVER.
IN 1998...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 100 DEGREES AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2006...HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE OVERLAND WILDFIRE BURN AREA
CAUSED MINOR FLASH FLOODING IN JAMESTOWN. THE ROADS BEHIND
THE JAMESTOWN FIRE HALL WERE WASHED OUT...WHEN A CULVERT WAS
BLOCKED BY DEBRIS. A ROCKSLIDE WAS ALSO REPORTED IN TOWN.
IN 2009...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN
SUBURBS OF DENVER. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED IN THE
CITIES OF ARVADA...LAKEWOOD AND WHEAT RIDGE. THE INTENSE
STRAIGHTLINE WINDS WERE THE RESULT OF A WET MICROBURST WHICH
DOWNED HUNDREDS OF TREES AND SNAPPED POWER POLES. WIND
GUSTS TO 80 MPH WERE REPORTED ALONG WITH HAIL UP TO 1 3/4
INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND HAIL
CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO HOMES AND VEHICLES. THE DAMAGE
CLAIM ESTIMATES TOTALED 350 MILLION DOLLARS; ABOUT 32900
CLAIMS WERE FILED FOR HOMES...WHILE ANOTHER 19500 CLAIMS
WERE FILED FOR VEHICLES. AS MANY AS 90000 HOMES AND
BUSINESSES WERE LEFT WITHOUT POWER. IN SOME AREAS IT TOOK
UP TO 3 DAYS TO COMPLETELY RESTORE ELECTRICAL SERVICE.
MINOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED FROM BROKEN GLASS DURING THE
STORM...BUT NO ONE WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE STORM CRIPPLED THE
COMPUTERS AT THE COLORADO CRIME INFORMATION CENTER IN
LAKEWOOD FOR NEARLY 3 HOURS. ONE WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN
NEAR PARKER BUT DID NO DAMAGE. IN SOUTHERN WELD COUNTY...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED WIDEPREAD DAMAGE OVER 150
SQUARE MILES OF FARMLAND. IN ALL...400 FARMS WERE DIRECTLY
IMPACTED BY SEVERE WEATHER. DAMAGE TO CROPS ALONE WAS
ESTIMATED TO 3 MILLION DOLLARS. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...A PEAK WIND GUST TO 48 MPH WAS OBSERVED FROM THE
NORTHEAST. IN ADDITION...1.01 INCHES WAS MEASURED AT THE
AIRPORT.
IN 2013...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL...RANGING IN
SIZE FROM NICKEL TO GOLFBALL...ACROSS PORTIONS OF ARAPAHOE...
DENVER...ELBERT AND WELD COUNTIES. IN ADDITION...DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS TO 60 MPH SNAPPED LARGE TREE BRANCHES IN THORNTON AND
3 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF BUCKLEY AFB. IN BENNETT...HAIL UP
TO 1 1/2 INCHES IN DIAMETER WAS REPORTED. AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...A PEAK WIND GUST TO 58 MPH WAS
RECORDED FROM THE NORTHEAST.
IN 2017...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NORTH OF ELIZABETH PRODUCED HAIL
UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. THE HAIL COMPLETELY COVERED THE
GROUND.
IN 2019...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A WIND GUST TO 60 MPH
AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT. A THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED A FLASH FLOOD
IN SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND SOUTHWEST DENVER COUNTIES. THE
FLOODING WAS PARTICULARLY BAD ON SOUTHBOUND I-25 NEAR 6TH
AVENUE. ONE WOMAN WAS RESCUED BY A PASSERBY IN LAKEWOOD WHEN
FLOODWATERS BEGAN POURING INTO HER CAR NEAR CASA BONITA. STANDING
WATER UP TO 3 FEET DEEP WAS OBSERVED ON OTHER STREETS IN LAKEWOOD.
A HOMELESS WOMAN DROWNED NEAR WEST 12TH AVENUE AND MILLER
STREET WHEN SHE WAS SWEPT AWAY IN THE FLOODWATERS. HER BODY
WAS RECOVERED THE FOLLOWING DAY.
20-23 IN 1961...FROM THE 20TH TO THE 23RD...UNUSUALLY COOL WEATHER FOR
JULY RESULTED IN SEVERAL TEMPERATURE RECORDS. RECORD
MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE SET OR EQUALED ON EACH DAY WITH
READINGS OF 51...51...49 AND 49 DEGREES. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF
ONLY 64 DEGREES ON THE 21ST WAS A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE
DATE.
20-25 IN 1965...FROM THE 20TH TO THE 25TH...HEAVY SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS DOUSED METRO DENVER WITH SIGNIFICANT RAIN EACH
DAY. RAINFALL FOR THE SIX DAYS TOTALED 5.16 INCHES AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. MASSIVE RAINFALL OCCURRED
ON THE 20TH...21ST...AND 25TH...FLOODING STREETS AND BASEMENTS
AND CAUSING STREAMS TO OVERFLOW. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL...
2.05 INCHES...AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OCCURRED ON
THE 25TH.
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