561
NOUS45 KBOU 140145
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-142300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
645 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2025
..THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
2-17 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.
12-15 IN 1921...DOWNSLOPE CHINOOK WINDS PRODUCED WARM TEMPERATURES
IN THE CITY...WHICH RESULTED IN 4 TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 72 DEGREES ON THE 13TH AND 68 DEGREES
ON THE 15TH WERE RECORD MAXIMUMS FOR THE DATES. LOW
TEMPERATURES OF 47 DEGREES ON BOTH THE 12TH AND 13TH WERE
RECORD HIGH MINIMUMS FOR THE DATES. WEST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 38 MPH ON THE 12TH AND TO 25 MPH ON THE
13TH.
13-14 IN 1902...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 6.4 INCHES IN THE CITY
OVERNIGHT. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 18 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 20 MPH ON THE 13TH.
IN 1925...HEAVY APPARENT POST-FRONTAL SNOWFALL TOTALED
7.8 INCHES ACROSS DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTHWEST WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 34 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 42 ON THE 13TH...
AND NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 33 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
38 MPH ON THE 14TH.
IN 1951...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.9 INCHES AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT.
IN 1987...A SNOWSTORM DROPPED 2 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW ALONG THE
FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS. EIGHT TO 12 INCHES FELL JUST SOUTH
OF DENVER. ICY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS CONTRIBUTED TO MANY
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ACROSS METRO DENVER AND FLIGHTS WERE
DELAYED AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE 2.7
INCHES OF SNOW FELL AND NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 17 MPH.
IN 1991...HIGH WINDS PUMMELED METRO DENVER. WIND GUSTS TO 93
MPH WERE RECORDED AT ROLLINSVILLE. WIND SPEEDS ACROSS METRO
DENVER WERE GENERALLY 35 TO 50 MPH. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED
TO 48 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 13TH.
14 IN 1926...AN INTRUSION OF COLD AIR RESULTED IN TEMPERATURES
REMAINING BELOW ZERO. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONE DEGREE
BELOW ZERO WAS A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE. THE LOW
TEMPERATURE WAS 11 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. NORTH WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 17 MPH.
IN 1985...A WIND GUST TO 61 MPH WAS RECORDED AT TABLE MESA IN
BOULDER.
IN 1996...HIGH WINDS GUSTING FROM 60 TO NEARLY 80 MPH MOVED
OFF THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND OVER THE NORTHEAST
COLORADO PLAINS IN THE WAKE OF A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT.
THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS INCLUDED 79 MPH AT GOLDEN GATE
CANYON AND 70 MPH NEAR TABLE MESA IN SOUTHWEST BOULDER.
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO ONLY 39 MPH.
14-15 IN 1988...A SNOW STORM AGAIN WHITENED METRO DENVER.
SNOWFALL ALONG THE FRONT RANGE WAS IN THE 6 TO 12 INCH
RANGE. SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.8 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 38 MPH.
IN 1990...HIGH WINDS HOWLED ACROSS METRO DENVER BEHIND A
STRONG PACIFIC COLD FRONT. BOULDER WAS HARDEST HIT BY THE
HIGH WINDS. A WIND GUST TO 120 MPH WAS RECORDED IN SOUTH
BOULDER WHERE WINDS STRIPPED THE ROOF OFF A GARAGE...A
VACANT GAS STATION...AND A HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
ELSEWHERE IN BOULDER...SEVERAL TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN. IN
BOULDER CANYON...THE WINDS TOPPLED TWO CINDER BLOCK WALLS ON
A HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. FOUR BOULDER COUNTY WOMEN WERE
TREATED FOR INJURIES CAUSED BY THE WIND. THE INJURIES WERE
CONFINED TO A BROKEN WRIST...A MILD CONCUSSION...BRUISES...AND
FACIAL CUTS. TWO SEMI-TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE BLOWN OVER BY
THE FIERCE WINDS SOUTH OF BOULDER. ANOTHER TRUCK ROLLOVER
OCCURRED SOUTHEAST OF GOLDEN. DRIVERS OF ALL THREE TRUCKS
SUFFERED ONLY CUTS AND BRUISES. SEVERAL VEHICLES WERE
TRAPPED IN A BLINDING DUST STORM ON THE DENVER-BOULDER
TURNPIKE NEAR BROOMFIELD. DRIVERS WERE FORCED TO STOP
ALONG THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES DURING THE STORM AND
WITNESS THEIR VEHICLES BEING PELTED WITH SAND AND GRAVEL.
A WIND GUST TO 97 MPH WAS RECORDED IN GOLDEN. HIGH WINDS
WERE ALSO REPORTED IN ARVADA...BOULDER...AND LAKEWOOD. WINDS
TOPPLED A NUMBER OF UTILITY POLES AND WOODEN FENCES...BLEW
OUT WINDOWS...AND CAUSED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO A LARGE
APARTMENT COMPLEX ON THE WEST SIDE OF GOLDEN. WIND GUSTS
OF 70 TO 100 MPH CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO SEVERAL
LARGE BILLBOARDS NORTH OF GOLDEN...AS WELL AS DAMAGING THE
PAINT...TRIM...AND GLASS ON NUMEROUS VEHICLES IN THE AREA.
A WEST WIND GUST TO 51 MPH WAS RECORDED AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
15 IN 1999...HIGH WINDS DEVELOPED IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS AS
A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET MOVED INTO THE AREA. ALTHOUGH
MOST WIND GUSTS WERE IN THE 70 TO 80 MPH RANGE...A WEATHER
SPOTTER LOCATED 1 MILE SOUTH OF FRITZ PEAK NEAR
ROLLINSVILLE MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST TO 124 MPH. OTHER
WIND REPORTS INCLUDED WIND GUSTS TO 77 MPH AT THE NATIONAL
CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH IN BOULDER AND ATOP BLUE
MOUNTAIN AND 70 MPH AT THE NATIONAL WIND TECHNOLOGY CENTER
ON ROCKY FLATS SOUTH OF BOULDER. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY
32 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2000...HIGH WINDS DEVELOPED IN THE FOOTHILLS OF BOULDER
COUNTY...BUT WINDS WERE STRONG ACROSS ALL OF METRO DENVER.
WINDS GUSTED AS HIGH AS 72 MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH ON THE MESA JUST SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER.
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 44 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2021...A POWERFUL COLD FRONT MOVED ACROSS NORTHERN COLORADO
IN THE MORNING. BANDS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS IN
THE MOUNTAINS RESULTED IN EARLY MORNING SNOW SQUALLS.
COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAD BRIEF ROAD CLOSURES
ALONG WITH PARTS OF I-70 DUE TO THE LIMITED VISIBILITY AND
HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS THAT ACCOMPANIED THE SNOW SQUALLS.
STORM TOTALS IN THE MOUNTAINS GENERALLY RANGED FROM 3.5 TO
6.5 INCHES. AS THE COLD FRONT SWEPT ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS...URBAN CORRIDOR...AND ADJACENT PLAINS...VERY STRONG
POST-FRONTAL OR BORA WINDS DEVELOPED. THE STRONGEST WIND
GUSTS RANGED FROM 70 TO 95 MPH OCCURRED IN AND NEAR THE
FOOTHILLS...AND ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-76 CORRIDOR. AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...A PEAK WIND GUST TO 60 MPH
WAS OBSERVED FROM THE NORTHWEST. THERE WERE OVERTURNED
SEMIS REPORTED ON I-25...AND CAR WINDOW WERE BLOWING OUT IN
BOULDER AND BROOMFIELD. DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTED
2219 FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AND 12327 DELAYS. XCEL ENERGY
POWER OUTAGES PEAKED AT ABOUT 63000 CUSTOMERS DURING THIS
HIGH WIND EVENT. THE HIGH WINDS KNOCKED DOWN SEVERAL TREES...
WITH BLOWING DUST AND REDUCED VISIBILITY NORTHEAST AND EAST
OF DENVER. SOME TREES REPORTEDLY CRASHED INTO NEARBY HOMES
AND ONTO PARKED VEHICLES.
15-16 IN 1964...HIGH WINDS RAKED METRO DENVER...CAUSING CONSIDERABLE
DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS TO 81 MPH WERE RECORDED AT ROCKY FLATS
NORTHWEST OF DENVER...94 MPH AT JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT
NEAR BROOMFIELD...48 MPH IN DOWNTOWN BOULDER...AND 70 MPH
IN LITTLETON. WEST WIND GUSTS TO 67 MPH WERE RECORDED
AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. A MAN WORKING ON
CONSTRUCTION IN DOWNTOWN DENVER DIED FROM INJURIES AFTER
BEING STRUCK BY A 5-FOOT BY 8-FOOT SECTION OF PLANK RUNWAY
BLOWN BY THE STRONG WINDS. SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE BLOWN DOWN
BY THE STRONG WINDS OR HIT BY FLYING OBJECTS. BUILDINGS...
ROADS...TREES...AND POWER EQUIPMENT WERE DAMAGED. ROADS WERE
CLOSED EAST OF DENVER DUE TO BLOWING DUST.
IN 1981...WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH WERE COMMON IN THE FOOTHILLS
NORTHWEST OF DENVER. WEST WIND GUSTS TO 47 MPH WERE
RECORDED AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE THE
VISIBILITY WAS BRIEFLY REDUCED TO 3 MILES IN BLOWING DUST.
IN 1996...STRONG PRE-FRONTAL WINDS DEVELOPED IN THE FOOTHILLS
OF BOULDER COUNTY AHEAD OF AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT THAT MOVED
INTO NORTHEASTERN COLORADO LATE ON THE MORNING OF THE 16TH.
WIND GUSTS OF 70 TO 75 MPH WERE CLOCKED AT TABLE MESA IN
SOUTHWEST BOULDER.
16 IN 1912...NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 44 MPH WITH AN
EXTREME VELOCITY OF 45 MPH.
IN 1921...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 46 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
50 MPH BEHIND A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT. ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW
FELL.
IN 1954...A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT PRODUCED SUSTAINED NORTH WINDS
TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH 54 MPH. VISIBILITY WAS
REDUCED TO 1 MILE IN BLOWING DUST AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1955...SUSTAINED WEST WINDS TO 44 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS
58 MPH WERE RECORDED AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1994...A WIND GUST TO 108 MPH WAS RECORDED ATOP SQUAW
MOUNTAIN WEST OF DENVER WITH A GUST TO 92 MPH IN
ROLLINSVILLE SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER. WEST WINDS GUSTED
TO 48 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1996...A VIGOROUS ARCTIC COLD FRONT MOVED ACROSS METRO
DENVER. HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS ACCOMPANIED THE
FRONT AS NEAR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW DEVELOPED SUDDENLY. NORTHERLY WINDS GUSTED FROM
40 TO 60 MPH BEHIND THE FRONT. DOZENS OF ACCIDENTS
OCCURRED AS ROADS AND HIGHWAYS QUICKLY TURNED TO A GLAZE
OF ICE. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS RANGED FROM 4 TO 6 INCHES ACROSS
METRO DENVER AND IN THE FOOTHILLS. THE EXCEPTION WAS AT
ELDORADO SPRINGS SOUTH OF BOULDER WHERE 8 INCHES OF NEW
SNOW WERE MEASURED. SNOWFALL TOTALED ONLY 1.8 INCHES AT
THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
OFFICIALLY...THIS WAS THE ONLY MEASURABLE SNOW OF THE MONTH
IN DENVER. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...NORTH WINDS
GUSTED TO 34 MPH.
IN 1999...ANOTHER BRIEF ROUND OF HIGH WINDS DEVELOPED IN AND
NEAR THE FOOTHILLS OF BOULDER COUNTY. PEAK WIND GUSTS
INCLUDED 83 MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC
RESEARCH NEAR BOULDER AND 74 MPH ATOP NIWOT RIDGE AND
AT THE NATIONAL WIND TECHNOLOGY CENTER ON ROCKY FLATS
SOUTH OF BOULDER. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY 33 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE THE TEMPERATURE WARMED
TO A HIGH OF 54 DEGREES.
IN 2000...HIGH WINDS IN THE MOUNTAINS SPREAD INTO THE
FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER. WINDS GUSTED TO 87 MPH AT
GEORGETOWN LAKE AND AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH IN BOULDER. WINDS GUSTED TO
72 MPH AT THE NATIONAL WIND TECHNOLOGY CENTER SOUTH
OF BOULDER.
16-17 IN 1908...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 7.9 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN
DENVER WHERE NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 20 MPH ON
THE 17TH. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE TEENS AND 20'S.
IN 1939...LOW TEMPERATURES OF 49 DEGREES ON THE 16TH AND
43 DEGREES ON THE 17TH WERE RECORD HIGH MINIMUMS FOR
THE DATES. HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 65 ON THE 16TH AND 72
ON THE 17TH WERE NOT RECORDS.
IN 1980...CHINOOK WINDS BLEW THROUGH THE NIGHT IN BOULDER WITH
A PEAK REPORTED GUST TO 75 MPH. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO
30 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 17TH.
THE STRONG CHINOOK WINDS WARMED TEMPERATURES TO RECORD
DAILY HIGHS OF 70 DEGREES ON THE 16TH AND 73 DEGREES ON
THE 17TH.
IN 2016...THE PRESENCE OF A WARM AND MOIST SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW
ALOFT...OVERRUNNING AN ARCTIC AIRMASS WITH SHALLOW POST
FRONTAL UPSLOPE PRODUCED A BAND OF VERY HEAVY SNOWFALL
ACROSS THE DENVER METRO AREA. THE ENHANCED BAND OF HEAVY
SNOW EXTENDED WEST INTO THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS AND
FOOTHILLS WITH SNOWFALL RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR.
MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING THE EVENING HOURS OF
THE 16TH AS THE SNOW QUICKLY PILED UP. THREE HUNDRED
FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AS THE WINTER STORM MOVED THROUGH THE DENVER METRO AREA
EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THE 17TH. STORM TOTALS IN THE
FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS INCLUDED: 16 INCHES
AT LOVELAND SKI AREA; 12 INCHES NEAR CONIFER...11 INCHES
AT WINTER PARK SKI AREA...10.5 INCHES AT BERGEN PARK...
10 INCHES AT ECHO LAKE...WITH 9.5 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS
AND EVERGREEN. IN AND AROUND METRO DENVER...STORM TOTALS
INCLUDED: 11.5 INCHES IN WHEAT RIDGE...11 INCHES IN ARVADA...
9 INCHES NEAR MORRISON...8 INCHES AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...DENVER/STAPLETON...MARSTON RESERVOIR AND RALSTON
RESERVOIR; 7.5 INCHES IN WESTMINSTER; 6.5 INCHES...5 MILES
NORTHEAST OF WESTMINSTER; 6 INCHES IN AURORA...5 MILES
WEST-NORTHWEST OF BRIGHTON...ENGLEWOOD AND NEAR LOUISVILLE.
17 IN 2000...HIGH WINDS GUSTING FROM 60 TO 74 MPH HOWLED ACROSS
THE NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO. IN PARKER WHERE WINDS
GUSTED TO 60 MPH...A 20-FOOT BY 40-FOOT PIECE OF ROOF WAS
RIPPED FROM A BUILDING. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 53 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS WAS THE HIGHEST WIND
GUST OF THE MONTH AT THE AIRPORT. AN INTENSE...BUT VERY
LOCALIZED WIND GUST TO 112 MPH WAS MEASURED NEAR
GEORGETOWN LAKE IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER.
17-24 IN 1924...A PROLONGED COLD SPELL OCCURRED AFTER MILD
TEMPERATURES DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH. MOST
LOW TEMPERATURES DIPPED BELOW ZERO WITH THE COLDEST
READING OF 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OCCURRING ON THE 24TH.
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 5 DEGREES ON THE 18TH WAS
A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
18 IN 1901...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 52 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
58 MPH BEHIND AN APPARENT COLD FRONT.
IN 1973...A BRIEF BLIZZARD DUMPED HEAVY SNOW ACROSS METRO
DENVER. SNOWFALL TOTALED 9.2 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO
53 MPH PRODUCED MUCH BLOWING SNOW. THE STORM FORCED
MANY SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES TO CLOSE.
IN 1996...A HOMELESS MAN IN DENVER WAS FOUND UNCONSCIOUS IN
HIS CAR SUFFERING FROM EXPOSURE. THE MAN'S BODY TEMPERATURE
WAS ONLY 85 DEGREES WHEN HE WAS DISCOVERED. HE DIED SEVERAL
HOURS LATER. EARLY MORNING TEMPERATURES HAD DIPPED TO
9 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
IN 1999...HIGH WINDS WERE REPORTED FOR A BRIEF TIME IN THE
FOOTHILLS. WINDS GUSTED TO 72 MPH IN GOLDEN GATE CANYON
AND TO 71 MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC
RESEARCH IN THE FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST OF BOULDER. WEST WINDS
GUSTED TO ONLY 39 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE
THE TEMPERATURE WARMED TO A HIGH OF 53 DEGREES.
IN 2002...ONLY A TRACE OF SNOW FELL AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS...ALONG WITH THE TRACE
OF SNOW ON THE 5TH...WAS THE ONLY SNOW OF THE MONTH...RANKING
THE MONTH THE 2ND LEAST SNOWIEST ON RECORD.
18-19 IN 2012...A STORM SYSTEM BROUGHT MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW TO THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS WEST OF METROPOLITAN DENVER AND
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO PLAINS EAST OF DENVER METRO AREA. THE
COMBINATION OF SNOW AND WIND REPORTEDLY REDUCED VISIBILITY
TO JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET AT TIMES...AND RESULTED IN SEVERAL
ROAD CLOSURES INCLUDING INTERSTATE 70 EAST OF AURORA. EAST
OF DENVER GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS RANGED FROM 35 TO 55 MPH
PRODUCED EXTENSIVE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...RANGING FROM 1
TO 4 FEET IN DEPTH. STORM TOTALS RANGED FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES.
IN THE MOUNTAIN AND FOOTHILLS...THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL
OCCURRED ALONG AND NORTH OF I-70 AND INCLUDED: 12 INCHES AT
GENESEE...9 INCHES NEAR ELDORADO SPRINGS; 8.5 INCHES AT COAL
CREEK CANYON...8 INCHES NEAR EVERGREEN...WITH 6 INCHES AT
ELDORA SKI AREA...IDAHO SPRINGS...GROSS RESERVOIR AND
NEDERLAND. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...1.7 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL WAS OBSERVED. IN ADDITION...A PEAK WIND GUST TO 35
MPH WAS OBSERVED FROM THE NORTH ON THE 19TH.
18-21 IN 2010...A WINTER STORM PRODUCED A 4-DAY PERIOD OF MODERATE TO
HEAVY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WIND
AND HEAVY SNOW FORCED THE CLOSURE OF SEVERAL MOUNTAIN PASSES
DUE TO THE THREAT OF AVALANCHES. THE AMTRACK TRAIN ROUTE...
WHICH RUNS FROM DENVER TO CALIFORNIA...WAS REROUTED THROUGH
WYOMING WHEN UNION PACIFIC CLOSED ITS TRACKS ALONG
INTERSTATE 70. NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS FORCED THE CLOSURE OF
I-70 AT TIMES. THE WIND GUSTED TO 60 MPH OVER THE HIGHER
MOUNTAIN PASSES. STORM TOTALS IN THE SKI AREAS WEST OF
DENVER RANGED FROM 16 TO 32 INCHES.
18-24 IN 1998...A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT WITH NORTH WINDS GUSTING AS
HIGH AS 38 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 18TH
DROPPED TEMPERATURES FROM A HIGH OF 51 DEGREES TO A LOW OF
JUST 6 DEGREES BEFORE MIDNIGHT. THE ARCTIC AIR MASS THAT
SETTLED OVER METRO DENVER PRODUCED INTERMITTENT LIGHT SNOW
AND A WEEK-LONG PROTRACTED COLD SPELL THAT CAUSED LOW
TEMPERATURES TO PLUNGE WELL BELOW ZERO FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE
NIGHTS. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE WAS 19 DEGREES BELOW ZERO
ON THE MORNING OF THE 22ND. HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBED ONLY
INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ON 4 CONSECUTIVE DAYS...FROM THE 19TH
THROUGH THE 22ND. AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE...MOSTLY HOMELESS...
WERE TREATED FOR HYPOTHERMIA AT AREA HOSPITALS. THE BITTER
COLD WEATHER WAS RESPONSIBLE...EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY...
FOR AT LEAST 5 FATALITIES. THREE OF THE VICTIMS DIED
DIRECTLY FROM EXPOSURE. THE COLD WEATHER ALSO CAUSED
INTERMITTENT POWER OUTAGES. FOLLOWING THE COLD SNAP...
THAWING WATER PIPES CRACKED AND BURST IN SEVERAL HOMES AND
BUSINESSES...CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. ONLY ONE TEMPERATURE
RECORD WAS SET. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 7 DEGREES ON
THE 19TH SET A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
19 IN 1913...POST-FRONTAL HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 8.5 INCHES OVER
DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO ONLY 16 MPH.
IN 1994...AN INTENSE PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD
FRONT MOVED ACROSS COLORADO EARLY IN THE DAY. STRONG
DOWNSLOPE WINDS BUFFETED THE FRONT RANGE EASTERN FOOTHILLS.
THE HIGHEST WIND GUST RECORDED WAS 92 MPH AT ROCKY FLATS IN
NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY. MOST OF THE WIND GUSTS DURING
THE DAY RANGED FROM 63 TO 86 MPH WITH LIGHTER GUSTS OF 40
TO 58 MPH ON THE NORTHEAST PLAINS. THE STRONG WINDS DOWNED
POWER LINES AND POLES IN SOUTH LAKEWOOD...CAUSING POWER
OUTAGES TO 2400 HOMES. OTHER SMALL POWER OUTAGES AND
SURGES OCCURRED ACROSS METRO DENVER. NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 43 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
19-20 IN 1982...HIGH WINDS BUFFETED THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. AT
MIDDAY ON THE 19TH...GUSTS OF 75 TO 80 MPH WERE RECORDED IN
THE TABLE MESA AREA OF BOULDER. A GUST TO 62 MPH WAS
CLOCKED IN BOULDER ON THE EVENING OF THE 20TH.
IN 1989...STRONG WINDS HOWLED AT MOUNTAIN TOP LEVEL IN CLEAR
CREEK AND GILPIN COUNTIES. SPEEDS REACHED 97 MPH ON THE
SUMMIT OF SQUAW MOUNTAIN AND 84 MPH ONE MILE SOUTH OF
ROLLINSVILLE. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED 35 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 20TH.
19-23 IN 1990...A SURGE OF VERY COLD ARCTIC AIR INVADED METRO
DENVER. MANY TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE BROKEN AS THE
MERCURY REMAINED AT OR BELOW ZERO FOR 85.5 HOURS AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...MAKING IT THE THIRD
LONGEST PERIOD OF SUBZERO READINGS IN 118 YEARS OF RECORD
KEEPING. ON THE MORNING OF THE 22ND...THE MERCURY PLUNGED
TO 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO...WHICH EQUALED THE ALL TIME RECORD
LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH SET ON DECEMBER 24...1876.
IN THE FOOTHILLS SOUTHWEST OF DENVER AT TINY TOWN...THE
MERCURY PLUNGED TO 33 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE MORNING
OF THE 21ST. ON THE SAME MORNING AT CASTLE ROCK THE
TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO 26 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. DURING
THE PERIOD...OTHER DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET AT
DENVER...INCLUDING: RECORD LOW MAXIMUM OF 3 DEGREES BELOW
ZERO ON THE 20TH AND A RECORD LOW OF 17 DEGREES BELOW ZERO
ON THE 23RD. THE RECORD LOW WAS EQUALED WITH 16 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO ON THE 20TH AND 21 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE
21ST. SNOWFALL TOTALED 2.7 INCHES AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM THE 19TH THROUGH THE 21ST.
20 IN 1894...SOUTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 48 MPH. THE CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE
TEMPERATURE TO A MAXIMUM OF 69 DEGREES...WHICH WAS A
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE. THE MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO ONLY 33 DEGREES.
IN 1903...NORTHWEST CHINOOK WINDS SUSTAINED TO 54 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 60 MPH WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 58
DEGREES.
IN 1948...STRONG WINDS OCCURRED ALONG THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS
FROM BOULDER NORTH. WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH WERE RECORDED AT
VALMONT WITH A GUST TO 30 MPH AT BOULDER AIRPORT. SOME
DAMAGE OCCURRED. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH CAUSED SOME BLOWING
DUST AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1957...STRONG CHINOOK WINDS...GUSTING TO 51 MPH FROM THE
NORTHWEST...WARMED THE AFTERNOON TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF
54 DEGREES.
IN 1981 HIGH WINDS WERE REPORTED IN THE FOOTHILLS WITH A
PEAK GUST OF 87 MPH RECORDED AT WONDERVU.
IN 1992...STRONG CHINOOK WINDS RAKED THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS
WITH 69 MPH RECORDED AT TABLE MESA IN SOUTH BOULDER.
SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY 21 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1996...FIVE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE INJURED...TWO
SERIOUSLY...WHEN A SUDDEN WIND GUST BLEW OVER A 30-FOOT-
HIGH RETAINING WALL THEY WERE WORKING ON IN WESTERN
LAKEWOOD. THE SCAFFOLDING THEY WERE STANDING ON
COLLAPSED...AND SOME WERE PINNED UNDER THE RUBBLE FOR
15 MINUTES. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 75 MPH WERE REPORTED
IN THE AREA. SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO ONLY 24 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2004...STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS DEVELOPED OVER THE EASTERN
MOUNTAIN SLOPES AND SPREAD OVER METRO DENVER. PEAK WIND
GUSTS APPROACHED 100 MPH ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF BOULDER
COUNTY. IN SUPERIOR...A 1200-SQUARE-FOOT SECTION OF ROOF
WAS PEELED OFF THE GYMNASIUM AT MONARCH HIGH SCHOOL.
TWO SEMI-TRAILERS WERE TOPPLED ON COLORADO HIGHWAY 58
AT MCINTYRE STREET AND ANOTHER AT C-470 AND WEST BOWLES
AVENUE. TWO AIRPLANES WERE DAMAGED BY WIND-BLOWN DEBRIS
AT JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT. THE HIGH WINDS FORCED THE
CLOSURE OF STATE HIGHWAY 93 BETWEEN GOLDEN AND BOULDER
FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS. INSURANCE AGENTS ESTIMATED
650 TO 850 HOMES SUFFERED WIND DAMAGE IN THE BOULDER AND
LOUISVILLE AREAS. IN ADDITION...DOWNED TREES AND POWER
LINES LEFT ABOUT 1000 RESIDENTS...MAINLY IN THE BOULDER
AREA...WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE
SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES IN THE STORM. PEAK WIND REPORTS
INCLUDED: 95 MPH IN SUPERIOR...92 MPH AT JEFFERSON COUNTY
AIRPORT...85 MPH IN GOLDEN...81 MPH IN BOULDER...80 MPH IN
BROOMFIELD AND EVERGREEN...AND 79 MPH IN LOUISVILLE. WEST
NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 59 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
20-21 IN 1969...HIGH WINDS CAUSED WIDESPREAD...BUT MOSTLY MINOR
DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND POWER LINES AND OVERTURNED
SOME HOUSE TRAILERS IN AREAS ALONG AND JUST EAST OF THE
FOOTHILLS. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WERE REPORTED IN
BOULDER AND SOUTH OF BOULDER AT ROCKY FLATS. A WIND GUST
TO 115 MPH WAS MEASURED IN BOULDER AT THE NATIONAL CENTER
FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 44 MPH ON THE 20TH AND
TO 45 MPH ON THE 21ST. THE WARM CHINOOK WINDS WARMED
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE TO 56 DEGREES ON THE 20TH AND
TO 65 DEGREES ON THE 21ST.
IN 2006...A MAJOR BLIZZARD BURIED GREATER METRO DENVER AND
THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS IN DEEP SNOW. A SLOW MOVING UPPER
LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER PRODUCED DEEP MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW
OVER THE HIGH PLAINS AND AGAINST THE EASTERN SLOPES OF
THE MOUNTAINS...ALLOWING HEAVY SNOWFALL TO PERSIST FOR
34 HOURS ACROSS METRO DENVER. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
RANGED FROM 1 TO 2 1/2 FEET ACROSS THE CITY AND FROM 2 TO
NEARLY 4 FEET IN THE FOOTHILLS. ADDING TO THE MISERY...
STRONG NORTH WINDS SUSTAINED AT 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS
FROM 45 TO NEARLY 60 MPH PRODUCED MUCH BLOWING SNOW AND
PILED THE SNOW INTO DRIFTS FROM 6 TO 12 FEET HIGH...CLOSING
BUSINESSES AND BRINGING ALL TRANSPORTATION TO A HALT. THE
STORM FORCED THE CLOSURE OF DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
FOR A TOTAL OF 45 HOURS WHICH SNARLED THE NATION'S AIR
TRAFFIC SYSTEM. THIS WAS THE LONGEST CLOSURE IN THE
AIRPORT'S 12 YEAR HISTORY. THE CLOSURE STRANDED NEARLY
5000 TRAVELERS WHEN 2000 FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED. MANY
INBOUND FLIGHTS WERE DIVERTED TO OTHER AIRPORTS...STRANDING
EVEN MORE PASSENGERS. MANY OF THE STRANDED TRAVELERS
FAILED TO REACH THEIR FINAL DESTINATIONS UNTIL DAYS AFTER
THE AIRPORT RE-OPENED DUE TO FULLY BOOKED FLIGHTS DURING
THE HOLIDAY SEASON. POLICE AND NATIONAL GUARDSMEN RESCUED
HUNDREDS OF COMMUTERS STUCK IN THEIR CARS...AND SENT THEM TO
TEMPORARY SHELTERS SET UP BY THE RED CROSS. ALL INTERSTATES
AND OTHER MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN AND OUT OF DENVER WERE CLOSED.
GREYHOUND WAS FORCED TO CANCEL ALL BUS TRIPS FROM DENVER.
MAIL DELIVERY WAS SUSPENDED. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
DISTRICT SUSPENDED ALL METRO DENVER BUS SERVICE FOR THE
FIRST TIME SINCE THE MARCH 2003 BLIZZARD. THE ROOF OF A
DISCOUNT STORE IN AURORA COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE
HEAVY SNOW. IN LAKEWOOD...A POWER OUTAGE LEFT 5600 RESIDENTS
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY FOR A BRIEF TIME. METRO DENVER SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 34 INCHES 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BUCKLEY
AFB...32 INCHES IN LITTLETON...30 INCHES IN THORNTON AND NEAR
CASTLE ROCK...29.5 INCHES NEAR PARKER...28 INCHES IN WHEAT
RIDGE...25.5 INCHES AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT...25 INCHES AT
NIWOT...24 INCHES IN AURORA...22.5 INCHES AT GREENWOOD VILLAGE...
22 INCHES IN ARVADA...21.5 INCHES IN LAKEWOOD...20 INCHES IN
LONGMONT...AND 15.5 INCHES IN BOULDER. SNOWFALL MEASURED 20.7
INCHES OFFICIALLY IN THE DENVER STAPLETON AREA. THIS RANKED
THE SNOWFALL AS THE 7TH GREATEST IN THE CITY SINCE 1946.
NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 37 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. IN THE FOOTHILLS SNOWFALL
TOTALED: 42 INCHES AT CONIFER AND 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER...40 INCHES AT EVERGREEN...39 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS...
37.5 INCHES 8 MILES NORTH OF BLACKHAWK...33 INCHES NEAR
NEDERLAND...31 INCHES AT INTERCANYON AND NEAR TINY TOWN...30.5
INCHES ATOP BUCKHORN MOUNTAIN...30 INCHES NEAR INDIAN HILLS...
29 INCHES AT ROLLINSVILLE...24 INCHES NEAR GROSS RESERVOIR
AND RALSTON RESERVOIR...22.4 INCHES ATOP CROW HILL...AND 20
INCHES NEAR GEORGETOWN. SNOWPACKED AND RUTTED STREETS
AND PARKING LOTS PERSISTED FOR A MONTH OR MORE AFTER THE
STORM AND SUBSEQUENT STORMS. THE HEAVY SNOWFALL CREATED A
SNOW REMOVAL CONTROVERSY WHEN MANY CITIZENS COMPLAINED THAT
RESIDENTIAL STREETS WERE NOT CLEARED IN A TIMELY MANNER IN
THE CITY AND IN SOME SUBURBAN AREAS. THIS WAS IN SPITE OF
THE FACT THAT TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE SPENT ON SNOW
REMOVAL. IN THE CITY OF DENVER...SNOW COVER OF AN INCH OR
MORE FROM THIS STORM AND SUBSEQUENT STORMS PERSISTED FOR 61
CONSECUTIVE DAYS...THROUGH FEBRUARY 19...2007. THIS IS THE
SECOND LONGEST PERIOD OF SNOW COVER ON RECORD IN THE CITY.
MANY HOMEOWNERS WHO HAD EXTENSIVE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND
DECORATIONS IN THEIR YARDS WERE NOT ABLE TO REMOVE THE
LIGHTS BECAUSE THE WIRES WERE BURIED IN DEEP SNOW AND ICE
UNTIL THE END OF FEBRUARY OR LATER.
IN 2020...VERY STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS DEVELOPED ALONG THE
FRONT RANGE. PEAK WIND GUSTS REACHED 95 MPH NEAR CARIBOU...
WITH A GUST OF 93 MPH NEAR BERTHOUD PASS. PEAK GUSTS
ELSEWHERE INCLUDED: 87 MPH NEAR TOLLAND...83 MPH NEAR WHITE
RANCH OPEN SPACE...82 MPH NEAR ROCKY FLATS...81 MPH NEAR
NEDERLAND...80 MPH NEAR GEORGETOWN...78 MPH NEAR WARD...AND
77 MPH NEAR CRISMAN.
20-22 IN 1933...STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS PRODUCED A WARM SPELL.
LOW TEMPERATURES OF 43 DEGREES ON BOTH THE 20TH AND 21ST
AND 41 DEGREES ON THE 22ND WERE RECORD HIGH MINIMUMS FOR
THOSE DATES. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 67 DEGREES ON THE 21ST
WAS A RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE. HIGH TEMPERATURES OF
56 DEGREES ON THE 20TH AND 69 DEGREES ON THE 22ND WERE
NOT RECORDS; HOWEVER...THE 69 DEGREES WAS THE WARMEST OF
THE MONTH. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO
20 AND 24 MPH ON THE 21ST AND 22ND RESPECTIVELY.
20-23 IN 1918...LIGHT SNOWFALL ON EACH DAY TOTALED 12.0 INCHES
OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED
TO 16 MPH ON THE 21ST.
20-25 IN 1983...AN EXTREMELY BITTER COLD SPELL OCCURRED. THE
TEMPERATURE REMAINED BELOW ZERO FOR 115 HOURS IN DENVER...
THE LONGEST SUB-ZERO PERIOD ON RECORD. THE MERCURY DIPPED
TO 21 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE 21ST...THE COLDEST RECORDED
TEMPERATURE IN OVER 20 YEARS. THE COLD WAS ACCOMPANIED
BY WINDS THAT PLUNGED CHILL FACTORS TO 50 TO 70 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO. TWO PEOPLE FROZE TO DEATH IN DENVER; BOTH
WERE FOUND OUTSIDE DEAD OF EXPOSURE. NUMEROUS CASES OF
FROSTBITE WERE REPORTED. HUNDREDS OF WATER PIPES BROKE
FROM THE INTENSE COLD...WATER MAINS AND NATURAL GAS LINES
ALSO FRACTURED...AND ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION REACHED RECORD
LEVELS. LIGHT SNOW TOTALING 5.8 INCHES FELL AT TIMES...AND
HOLIDAY TRAFFIC WAS DELAYED AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. EIGHT DAILY TEMPERATURE RECORDS
WERE SET AT THE TIME. THE ALL-TIME RECORD LOW MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF 8 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON THE
21ST STILL STANDS TODAY. OTHER TEMPERATURE RECORDS STILL
STANDING INCLUDE RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES OF 5
DEGREES BELOW ZERO ON BOTH THE 22ND AND 23RD AND 4 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO ON THE 24TH.
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