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NOUS45 KBOU 050045
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-052300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
645 PM MDT SAT APR 4 2020
..THIS WEEK IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
2-5 IN 1918...FROM THE 2ND TO THE 5TH...SNOWFALL TOTALED 12.4
INCHES OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER. MOST OF THE SNOW FELL ON THE
3RD AND 4TH. TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 20'S AND 30'S.
NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 24 MPH ON THE 2ND.
3-5 IN 1996...FROM THE 3RD TO THE 5TH...THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF
DENVER RECEIVED 6 TO 8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW. ONLY 0.8 INCH
OF SNOW FELL AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...ALONG WITH SOME FREEZING DRIZZLE ON
THE 4TH AND 5TH. NORTH-NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 30 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 3RD.
3-6 IN 1898...FROM THE 3RD TO THE 6TH...SNOWFALL TOTALED 8.7 INCHES
IN DOWNTOWN DENVER OVER THE 4 DAYS. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 48 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ON THE
3RD.
IN 1983...FROM THE 3RD TO THE 6TH...A PROLONGED HEAVY SNOWSTORM
BLANKETED THE AREA ALONG WITH VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE
GREATEST AMOUNTS OF SNOW FELL IN THE FOOTHILLS WHERE 24 TO
42 INCHES WERE MEASURED. A FOOT OF SNOW FELL IN BOULDER. SNOW
FELL FOR 50 CONSECUTIVE HOURS AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT ON THE 3RD THROUGH THE 5TH WITH A TOTAL SNOWFALL
OF 8.8 INCHES AND A MAXIMUM ACCUMULATION ON THE GROUND OF
6 INCHES ON THE 5TH. IN DENVER...THE MERCURY FAILED TO RISE
ABOVE FREEZING FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS...ON THE 4TH...5TH...AND
6TH...FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN APRIL. FIVE DAILY
TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET FROM THE 4TH THROUGH THE 6TH.
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OF 12 DEGREES OCCURRED ON THE 5TH
WITH 7 DEGREES ON THE 6TH. RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES
OF 25 DEGREES OCCURRED ON THE 4TH...27 DEGREES ON THE 5TH...
AND 28 DEGREES ON THE 6TH.
4-5 IN 1900...FROM THE 4TH TO THE 5TH...RAIN CHANGED TO HEAVY SNOW
AND TOTALED 7.8 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER OVERNIGHT. A
THUNDERSTORM ON THE 4TH PRODUCED HAIL. PRECIPITATION
TOTALED 1.50 INCHES.
IN 1911...NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH
ON THE 4TH AND TO 41 MPH ON THE 5TH.
IN 2002...FROM THE 4TH TO THE 5TH...A WHITISH-COLORED HAZE
ENGULFED METRO DENVER ON BOTH DAYS. THE HAZE WAS THE RESULT
OF A HUGE WINDSTORM THAT KICKED UP DUST AND SAND FROM THE
GOBI DESERT IN MONGOLIA AND CHINA DURING THE LATTER HALF
OF MARCH. WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT TRANSPORTED THE DUST CLOUD
ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND OVER THE WESTERN UNITED
STATES...DEPOSITING SOME OF IT ON COLORADO.
IN 2009...FROM THE 4TH TO THE 5TH...A BLIZZARD DEVELOPED OVER
THE NORTHEAST PLAINS OF COLORADO. MOST OF THE URBAN
CORRIDOR WAS SPARED FROM THE BLIZZARD...WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF EASTERN ADAMS AND EASTERN ARAPAHOE COUNTIES. THE
COMBINATION OF STRONG WIND AND HEAVY SNOW SNAPPED 14 POWER
LINES ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 36...NEAR STRASBURG. IN ARAPAHOE
COUNTY...7 POLES WERE SNAPPED IN BENNETT. INTERSTATE 70 WAS
CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS EAST OF DENVER. AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...A PEAK WIND GUST OF 63 MPH WAS
OBSERVED FROM THE NORTH...BREAKING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF
62 MPH ESTABLISHED IN 1986. OFFICIALLY...ONLY 0.3 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL WAS MEASURED AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
4-7 IN 1909...POST-FRONTAL RAIN CHANGED TO HEAVY SNOW ON THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 4TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH MID-MORNING OF
THE 7TH. TOTAL SNOWFALL WAS 18.7 INCHES...BUT MOST OF THE
SNOW...14.0 INCHES...FELL FROM 6:00 PM ON THE 4TH TO 6:00 PM
ON THE 5TH. NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO
32 MPH ON THE 4TH AND TO 30 MPH ON THE 7TH. TOTAL
PRECIPITATION FROM THE STORM WAS 1.78 INCHES.
5 IN 1873...A HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL SHOWER IN THE AFTERNOON
CHANGED TO SNOW...AND ACCUMULATED TO 6 INCHES ON THE
STREETS AT 9:00 PM. PRECIPITATION (RAIN AND MELTED SNOW)
TOTALED 0.56 INCH.
IN 1925...SOUTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 46 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 50 MPH. THIS WAS THE STRONGEST WIND OF THE MONTH THAT
YEAR.
IN 1950...A WELL DEVELOPED DUST DEVIL WAS OBSERVED 4 TO 5
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF STAPLETON AIRPORT FOR ABOUT 8
MINUTES.
IN 1977...THE EARLIEST DATE OF THE LAST FREEZE OF THE SEASON
OCCURRED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO A LOW OF 31 DEGREES.
IN 1988...A WIND GUST TO 74 MPH WAS RECORDED AT ROLLINSVILLE.
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 35 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
IN 1990...A HEAVY...WET SNOW FELL IN MANY AREAS IN AND ALONG
THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 7
INCHES WERE COMMON AROUND THE BOULDER AREA WITH LESSER
AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE. ONLY 2.0 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED
TO 28 MPH. ICY ROADS CONTRIBUTED TO NUMEROUS FENDER-BENDERS
AND A 20-VEHICLE PILEUP NEAR THE JUNCTION OF I-70 AND I-25
IN THE CITY.
IN 2000...HIGH WINDS DEVELOPED IN THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS...
FROM ABOUT I-70 NORTHWARD. PEAK WIND GUSTS INCLUDED: 83
MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH IN
BOULDER...75 MPH NEAR LOUISVILLE...AND 70 MPH AT THE NATIONAL
WIND TECHNOLOGY CENTER...SOUTH OF BOULDER. WEST WINDS
GUSTED TO 41 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2005...A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CENTER DEEPENED OVER EASTERN
COLORADO AND PRODUCED DAMAGING HIGH WINDS ACROSS METRO
DENVER. THE STRONG WIND GUSTS RANGING FROM 50 TO 70 MPH
DAMAGED ROOFS AND FENCES. CROSS-WINDS BLEW SEVERAL EMPTY
SEMI-TRAILERS ON THEIR SIDES ALONG I-70 AND I-76 EAST OF
DENVER. PEAK NORTH WIND GUSTS INCLUDED: 60 MPH NEAR
BENNETT AND KEENESBURG...59 MPH NEAR BRIGHTON...AND 53 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE
SOUTH OF DENVER...THE HIGH WINDS COMBINED WITH HEAVY SNOW
TO PRODUCE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS
RANGED FROM 3 TO 8 INCHES OVER EASTERN DOUGLAS AND WESTERN
ELBERT COUNTIES. SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: 8 INCHES AT
SEDALIA...4 INCHES NEAR CASTLE ROCK...AND 3.5 INCHES NEAR
FRANKTOWN.
5-6 IN 1939...3.0 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTH
WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 34 MPH ON THE 5TH AND TO 26 MPH ON
THE 6TH. THE STRONG WINDS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DRIFTING OF
SNOW. SEVERAL HIGHWAYS LEADING INTO THE CITY WERE CLOSED
DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY.
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS BECAME COATED WITH ICE IN PLACES.
THE TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO 11 DEGREES EARLY ON THE 6TH.
THIS WAS THE COLDEST READING OF THE MONTH THAT YEAR.
MOST VEGETATION WAS NOT FAR ENOUGH ADVANCED TO BE INJURED
BY THE COLD TEMPERATURES...ALTHOUGH A FEW BUDS FROZE ON
EARLY SHRUBBERY.
IN 1949...STRONG WINDS IN BOULDER CAUSED LIMITED MINOR DAMAGE.
WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 24 MPH WITH SOME
HIGHER GUSTS AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
5-7 IN 1916...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON THE
5TH AND TOTALED 4.5 INCHES IN THE CITY. A THUNDERSTORM
PRODUCED SNOW ON THE 6TH. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO
35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 38 MPH ON THE 7TH.
6 IN 1904...NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 48 MPH.
IN 1919...POST-FRONTAL RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW BUT TOTALED ONLY
0.1 INCH. HOWEVER...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 44 MPH IN THE CITY.
IN 1954...A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT PRODUCED NORTHEAST WINDS AT 38
MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50 MPH. THE STRONG WINDS BRIEFLY
REDUCED VISIBILITY TO 1 1/2 MILES IN BLOWING DUST AT
STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1972...WIND GUSTS TO 68 MPH WERE RECORDED AT THE NATIONAL
BUREAU OF STANDARDS IN BOULDER. WINDS PEAKED TO 54 MPH IN
DOWNTOWN BOULDER. MINOR DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. NORTHWEST
WINDS GUSTED TO 44 MPH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WHERE THE STRONG CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE TEMPERATURE TO
A HIGH OF 80 DEGREES...EQUALING THE RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE
DATE.
6-7 IN 1872...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW OVERNIGHT. SNOW WITH HIGH
NORTH WINDS CONTINUED ALL DAY ON THE 7TH. PRECIPITATION
(RAIN AND MELTED SNOW) TOTALED 0.50 INCH. DUE TO PROBLEMS
ON THE LINES...THE MORNING WEATHER REPORT WAS NOT SENT BY
TELEGRAPH UNTIL 3:10 PM AND THE MIDNIGHT REPORT WAS NOT
SENT AT ALL.
IN 1957...FROM THE 6TH TO THE 7TH...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED
6.6 INCHES AT STAPLETON AIRPORT WHERE NORTH WINDS GUSTED
TO 46 MPH. THIS WAS THE SECOND HEAVY SNOW EVENT IN LESS
THAN 4 DAYS.
IN 1969...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 50 TO 60 MPH CAUSED ONLY
LIGHT DAMAGE ALONG THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS. THE STRONG
WINDS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SPREAD OF A FOREST FIRE NEAR
BOULDER. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 53 MPH
WERE RECORDED IN BOULDER. SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 38
MPH ON THE 6TH AND 44 MPH ON THE 7TH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1980...FROM THE 6TH TO THE 7TH...HIGH WINDS HOWLED ALONG
THE FOOTHILLS EACH DAY. A WIND GUST TO 72 MPH WAS RECORDED
IN LAKEWOOD. THE STRONG WINDS BLEW A CAMPER TOP OFF A
PICKUP TRUCK IN DENVER. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 41 MPH ON BOTH DAYS.
IN 1998...FROM THE 6TH TO THE 7TH...A SPRING STORM BROUGHT A
MIX OF SNOW AND THUNDER TO METRO DENVER...THE FOOTHILLS...AND
PALMER DIVIDE. CONIFER AND ELIZABETH BOTH MEASURED 4
INCHES OF NEW SNOW. ON THE 6TH...ONLY 0.1 INCH OF SNOW FELL
AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
WHERE THUNDER WAS HEARD ON BOTH DAYS. PRECIPITATION
TOTALED 0.60 INCH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE
WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 43 MPH ON THE 6TH.
6-8 IN 1973...FROM THE 6TH TO THE 8TH...A MAJOR SPRING SNOWSTORM
DUMPED 11.6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL OVER METRO DENVER. NORTH
WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 MPH PRODUCED SOME BLOWING SNOW.
MOST OF THE HEAVY WET SNOW...10.1 INCHES...FELL ON THE 7TH
WHEN TEMPERATURES REMAINED IN THE 20'S. SNOW ACCUMULATED
ON THE GROUND TO A MAXIMUM DEPTH OF 9 INCHES. LOW
TEMPERATURE OF 5 DEGREES ON THE 8TH WAS A NEW RECORD MINIMUM
FOR THE DATE AND THE LOWEST FOR SO LATE IN THE SEASON.
7 IN 1906...NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 48 MPH IN THE CITY.
IN 1958...STRONG SOUTH WINDS BLEW MOST OF THE DAY ACROSS METRO
DENVER. A WIND GUST TO 52 MPH WAS RECORDED AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT.
IN 1962...STRONG GUSTY WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT
CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO POWER LINES...SIGNS...
BUILDINGS...AND TREES ACROSS METRO DENVER. IN BOULDER...AN
OUTDOOR MOVIE SCREEN...VALUED AT 10 THOUSAND DOLLARS...WAS
WRECKED. IN DENVER...A YOUTH WAS INJURED WHEN A CAR WAS
BLOWN OFF A JACK...PINNING HIM UNDERNEATH. WIND GUSTS TO
61 MPH WERE RECORDED AT STAPLETON AIRPORT WHERE VISIBILITY
WAS REDUCED TO 1/2 MILE IN BLOWING DUST. SNOWFALL TOTALED
2.6 INCHES AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1971...WIND GUSTS TO 69 MPH WERE RECORDED AT THE NATIONAL
BUREAU OF STANDARDS IN BOULDER. IN DOWNTOWN BOULDER...WINDS
PEAKED TO 54 MPH. WEST WINDS GUSTED TO 31 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1989...HIGH WINDS OCCURRED IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER.
AT NEDERLAND WEST OF BOULDER...HIGH WINDS DAMAGED ROOFS...
TOPPLED TREES...AND CAUSED POWER OUTAGES. WINDS ESTIMATED
AS HIGH AS 90 MPH IN GEORGETOWN OVERTURNED CAMPERS AND EVEN
SEMI-TRAILERS ON I-70 AND DAMAGED ROAD SIGNS. THREE TRAILER
HOMES WERE BLOWN OFF THEIR FOUNDATIONS AND A 50-FOOT TREE
TOPPLED ONTO THE ROOF OF A HOME...CAUSING CONSIDERABLE
DAMAGE. WINDS REACHED 94 MPH AT ROLLINSVILLE SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 43 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
7-9 IN 1913...FROM THE 7TH TO THE 9TH...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 10.9
INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER BEHIND A COLD FRONT. MOST OF THE
SNOW FELL ON THE 8TH. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 35 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 38 MPH ON THE 9TH.
IN 1935...MODERATE DUST BLEW INTO THE CITY AROUND 9:00 PM ON
THE 7TH AND PERSISTED UNTIL EARLY AFTERNOON ON THE 9TH.
SOUTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO AROUND 20 MPH ON THE 7TH
AND 8TH. WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST AT SUSTAINED SPEEDS
TO 20 MPH CLEARED THE DUST FROM THE AIR ON THE 9TH.
7-12 IN 1959...SNOW FALLING OVER A 5-DAY PERIOD TOTALED 20 TO 30
INCHES JUST EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS...WHILE OVER THE PLAINS
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS CLOSED SCHOOLS AND BLOCKED HIGHWAYS.
THE SECOND BIG STORM IN TWO WEEKS DUMPED 16.4 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL ON STAPLETON AIRPORT WITH THE MOST...11.6 INCHES...
OCCURRING ON THE 8TH. EAST WINDS GUSTED TO 37 MPH ON THE
9TH. TEMPERATURES DIPPED INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS ON THE
MORNINGS OF THE 7TH AND 12TH WHEN 7 DEGREES WERE
REGISTERED. THE COLD TEMPERATURES CAUSED STREETS TO
GLAZE WITH ICE...RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF A PEDESTRIAN
WHO WAS STRUCK BY A CAR IN DENVER. THREE PEOPLE DIED FROM
HEART ATTACKS WHILE SHOVELING THE HEAVY...WET SNOW.
8 IN 1885...DENSE SMOKE POLLUTED THE AIR UNTIL NOON.
IN 1887...SOUTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 42 MPH.
IN 1890...NORTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 48 MPH WITH
GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH.
IN 2005...A MIXTURE OF STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT WINDS COUPLED
WITH THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW WINDS PRODUCED HIGH WINDS ACROSS
METRO DENVER. THE HIGH WINDS DOWNED POWER LINES AND
KNOCKED OUT ELECTRICITY TO ABOUT 19 THOUSAND CUSTOMERS
ON THE EAST SIDE OF METRO DENVER. HIGH WIND REPORTS
INCLUDED GUSTS TO 68 MPH IN LONGMONT...61 MPH NEAR CASTLE
ROCK...59 MPH AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT...AND 54 MPH AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
8-9 IN 2013...FROM THE 8TH TO THE 9TH...HEAVY SNOW DEVELOPED IN
AND NEAR THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND PALMER DIVIDE AS AN
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MADE ITS WAY ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO.
SNOWFALL WAS ENHANCED LOCALLY WITH THE PRESENCE OF AN UPPER
LEVEL JET. STORM TOTALS INCLUDED: 23 INCHES NEAR ELDORADO
SPRINGS...18 INCHES JUST WEST OF BOULDER...16.5 INCHES NEAR
ORODELL...15 INCHES...4 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF BOULDER; 13
INCHES AT GOLD HILL; 12 INCHES AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN BOULDER...11 INCHES IN KEN CARYL; 8.5
INCHES NEAR MORRISON; 8 INCHES AT GENESEE AND ROXBOROUGH PARK;
7.5 INCHES NEAR ARAPAHOE PARK; WITH 6.5 INCHES AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
8-10 IN 1999...FROM THE 8TH TO THE 10TH...A WINDSTORM CAUSED 20
MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE ALONG THE FRONT RANGE URBAN
CORRIDOR FROM FORT COLLINS SOUTH TO PUEBLO AND TO THE EAST
OVER THE PLAINS...MAKING THE STORM EQUAL TO THE COSTLIEST
WINDSTORM EVER...WHICH OCCURRED IN BOULDER ON JANUARY 17...1982.
IN METRO DENVER...SEVERAL HOMES WERE DAMAGED AS SHINGLES WERE
BLOWN OFF ROOFS. LARGE PIECES OF A ROOF TORN OFF A STRIP
MALL IN LAKEWOOD DAMAGED SEVERAL CARS IN A PARKING LOT. MOST
OF THE DAMAGE TO HOMES CONSISTED OF BROKEN FENCES...AWNINGS...
DOORS...AND WINDOWS. SCORES OF AUTOMOBILES SUFFERED BROKEN
OR CRACKED WINDSHIELDS AND PAINT DAMAGE FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS WERE TRIGGERED AS SEVERAL TRACTOR-TRAILER
RIGS WERE BLOWN ON THEIR SIDES BY THE STRONG CROSS-WINDS.
BLOWING DUST AND DIRT CAUSED NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES AT
TIMES. BOTH I-25 AND I-76 WERE CLOSED NORTH AND NORTHEAST
OF DENVER. STATE HIGHWAY 93 WAS CLOSED BETWEEN GOLDEN AND
BOULDER. SEVERAL TREES...POWER POLES...AND POWER LINES WERE
DOWNED...CAUSING A NUMBER OF OUTAGES AS WELL AS SPARKING A
FEW SMALL GRASS FIRES. HIGHEST WIND GUSTS REACHED 112 MPH
ATOP NIWOT RIDGE NEAR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WEST OF
BOULDER...102 MPH AT WONDERVU...100 MPH AT THE NATIONAL CENTER
FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH MESA LAB IN BOULDER...98 MPH AT THE
NATIONAL WIND TECHNOLOGY CENTER NEAR BROOMFIELD...96 MPH ON
ROCKY FLATS...92 MPH AT JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT NEAR
BROOMFIELD AND ON THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO CAMPUS IN
BOULDER...AND 90 MPH AT HIGHLANDS RANCH IN SOUTHWEST METRO
DENVER. WINDS GUSTED TO 48 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
9 IN 1950...STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 58 MPH REDUCED THE
VISIBILITY TO 1 MILE IN BLOWING DUST AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
SCATTERED MINOR WIND DAMAGE...CONSISTING OF FALLING TREE
BRANCHES AND DAMAGE TO SIGNS...OCCURRED ACROSS METRO DENVER.
IN 1989...6 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT MANY LOCATIONS IN THE
FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS. BOULDER RECEIVED 6 TO 8 INCHES.
FIVE INCHES (5.0 INCHES) OF SNOW FELL AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...CAUSING 2 HOUR FLIGHT DELAYS.
I-25 SOUTH OF DENVER WAS CLOSED FOR 4 HOURS DUE TO A 100-
CAR TRAFFIC PILEUP. NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO 33 MPH AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE THE MAXIMUM SNOW
DEPTH ON THE GROUND WAS ONLY 3 INCHES DUE TO MELTING.
9-10 IN 1900...RAIN CHANGED TO HEAVY SNOW AND TOTALED 6.8 INCHES
IN DOWNTOWN DENVER OVERNIGHT. A THUNDERSTORM OCCURRED ON
THE 9TH. NORTH WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 32 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 38 MPH ON THE 10TH. PRECIPITATION TOTALED
1.39 INCHES.
IN 1933...FROM THE 9TH TO THE 10TH...POST-FRONTAL HEAVY
SNOWFALL TOTALED 9.4 INCHES IN DOWNTOWN DENVER. EAST
WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 21 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 22 MPH ON
THE 9TH.
IN 1944...FROM THE 9TH TO THE 10TH...7.0 INCHES OF SNOW FELL
ON DOWNTOWN DENVER. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 24
MPH ON THE 9TH.
IN 1977...THE TWO WARMEST DAYS OF THE MONTH RESULTED IN TWO
TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEING SET. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 81
DEGREES ON THE 9TH SET A NEW RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 80 DEGREES ON THE 10TH EQUALED THE
RECORD MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE. THE UNUSUALLY WARM WEATHER
FOR SO EARLY IN APRIL PRODUCED A LATE AFTERNOON
THUNDERSTORM ON THE 10TH.
IN 1993...FROM THE 9TH TO THE 10TH...STRONG DOWNSLOPE WINDS
OCCURRED ALONG THE FRONT RANGE. WHILE THE STRONGEST WINDS
WERE IN THE FOOTHILLS NORTH OF DENVER...WIND GUSTS TO 69
MPH WERE RECORDED AT JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT IN
BROOMFIELD. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 39 MPH AT STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2004...FROM THE 9TH TO THE 10TH...A SPRING STORM BROUGHT
HEAVY SNOW TO METRO DENVER. THE HEAVIEST SNOW FELL IN THE
FOOTHILLS AND OVER AND NEAR HIGHER TERRAIN. SNOWFALL
TOTALS INCLUDED: 20 INCHES NEAR JAMESTOWN; 18 INCHES ATOP
GOLD HILL; 17 INCHES NEAR EVERGREEN; 15 INCHES AT NEDERLAND
AND ELDORA; 13 INCHES AT BLACKHAWK; 11 INCHES AT ASPEN
SPRINGS; 9 INCHES IN LOUISVILLE; 8 INCHES AT KEN CARYL; 6
INCHES AT NIWOT...NEAR SEDALIA...AND IN THORNTON; 5 INCHES IN
LAKEWOOD...LYONS...AND WESTMINSTER. SNOWFALL WAS 4.4 INCHES
AT DENVER STAPLETON. NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO 21 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 2008...FROM THE 9TH TO THE 10TH...A VERY MOIST STORM BROUGHT
HEAVY SNOW TO PARTS OF THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS. STORM
TOTALS INCLUDED: 12.5 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS...11 INCHES
JUST SOUTHWEST OF CONIFER; WITH 10.5 INCHES NEAR CENTRAL
CITY AND 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EVERGREEN. LESSER AMOUNTS OF
5 TO 9 INCHES WERE OBSERVED ELSEWHERE. NORTH WINDS
GUSTED TO 43 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE
10TH...AND 1.8 INCHES OF SNOW FELL AT THE FORMER STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
9-11 IN 1951...HEAVY SNOWFALL TOTALED 9.4 INCHES AT STAPLETON
AIRPORT. THE STORM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG NORTHEAST
WINDS GUSTING TO 43 MPH.
IN 1953...HEAVY SNOWFALL OCCURRED AT STAPLETON AIRPORT WHERE
7.9 INCHES OF SNOW WERE MEASURED. NORTH WINDS GUSTED TO
29 MPH.
IN 1994...6 TO 14 INCHES OF HEAVY SNOW BURIED MUCH OF EASTERN
COLORADO...CLOSING MANY SCHOOLS AND I-70 FROM EAST OF DENVER
TO THE KANSAS BORDER. RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW ON THE 9TH...AND
SNOW CONTINUED THROUGH THE 11TH. SNOWFALL TOTALED 5.7
INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...BUT MAXIMUM
SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND WAS ONLY 3 INCHES ON THE 10TH DUE
TO MELTING. EAST WINDS GUSTED TO 26 MPH ON THE 9TH.
IN 1995...A MAJOR SPRING STORM DUMPED 8 TO 16 INCHES OF SNOW
IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST OF DENVER. SNOWFALL TOTALED 8.3
INCHES AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...BUT MOST OF THE SNOW MELTED AS IT FELL WITH THE
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH ON THE GROUND OF ONLY 2 INCHES. FIVE-TO
6-INCH SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OCCURRED OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS
OF METRO DENVER AND EASTWARD ONTO THE PLAINS. NORTHEAST
WINDS GUSTED TO 36 MPH AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON
THE 10TH. I-70 WAS CLOSED FOR SEVERAL HOURS EAST OF
WATKINS TO THE KANSAS BORDER DUE TO DRIFTING SNOW AND NEAR
WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 29 DEGREES
ON THE 10TH WAS A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM FOR THE DATE.
9-12 IN 1901...RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW AND TOTALED 10.8 INCHES IN
DOWNTOWN DENVER OVER THE 4 DAYS. NORTHEAST WINDS WERE
SUSTAINED TO 28 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 31 MPH ON THE 11TH.
TEMPERATURES HOVERED IN THE 30'S.
10 IN 1896...SOUTHWEST WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 40 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 60 MPH. THE APPARENT CHINOOK WINDS WARMED THE
TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 76 DEGREES.
IN 1899...NORTHWEST CHINOOK WINDS WERE SUSTAINED TO 45 MPH
WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH. THE DOWNSLOPE WINDS WARMED
THE TEMPERATURE TO A HIGH OF 73 DEGREES IN THE CITY.
10-11 IN 1979...A HEAVY SNOW STORM PRODUCED NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO WITH 10 TO 20 INCHES IN THE
FOOTHILLS AND 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER THE PLAINS. WINDS TO
35 MPH COMBINED WITH THE SNOW TO PRODUCE DRIFTS AT LEAST
3 FEET DEEP...CLOSING MANY ROADS AND CAUSING POWER OUTAGES.
TRAVEL WAS INTERRUPTED SOUTH OF DENVER WHEN THE STORM
CLOSED BOTH I-25 AND STATE HIGHWAY 83. SNOWFALL TOTALED
ONLY 3.8 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE
NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED 37 MPH...CAUSING SOME BLOWING SNOW ON
THE 11TH.
IN 2001...A POTENT SPRING STORM DUMPED HEAVY SNOW OVER METRO
DENVER AND THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...WHILE A BLIZZARD ROARED
ACROSS THE PLAINS TO THE EAST OF DENVER. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
RANGED UP TO A FOOT AND A HALF ACROSS METRO DENVER AND IN
THE FOOTHILLS. NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS AT SUSTAINED SPEEDS
OF 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH PILED THE
SNOW INTO DRIFTS OF 3 TO 6 FEET DEEP. I-25 SOUTHBOUND WAS
CLOSED AT LINCOLN AVENUE. I-70 TO THE EAST WAS CLOSED AT
GUN CLUB ROAD. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY WET SNOW AND
DAMAGING WINDS RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD ELECTRICAL OUTAGES.
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN ITS BRIEF 6-YEAR HISTORY. POWER SURGES
AND OUTAGES CRIPPLED THE AIRPORT'S MASSIVE COMPUTER SYSTEMS.
THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED AT 5:00 AM AND DID NOT RE-OPEN UNTIL
MID-AFTERNOON ON THE 11TH. THE POWER OUTAGES RESULTED IN
BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS CLOSING. OVER ALL OF NORTHEASTERN
COLORADO...THERE WERE 220 THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER...
THE WORST OUTAGE IN XCEL ENERGY'S HISTORY. REPAIRS TOTALED
1.6 MILLION DOLLARS. ACROSS METRO DENVER...SNOW TOTALS
INCLUDED: 18 INCHES IN SOUTHEAST AURORA...16 INCHES AT
CENTENNIAL AIRPORT AND PARKER...14 INCHES AT BROOMFIELD...
13 INCHES IN LOUISVILLE...12 INCHES AT LAKEWOOD AND MORRISON...
11 INCHES AT KEN CARYL AND THORNTON...10 INCHES AT THE SITE
OF THE FORMER STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND IN WHEAT
RIDGE...9 INCHES IN WESTMINSTER...AND 8 INCHES IN LITTLETON.
THUNDERSTORMS PRECEDED THE START OF THE SNOW ON THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 10TH AND WERE EMBEDDED IN THE SNOW STORM
DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THE 11TH AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTED TO
60 MPH ON THE 11TH. SNOW STORM TOTALS IN THE FOOTHILLS
INCLUDED: 17 INCHES AT GENESEE...16 INCHES AT ROLLINSVILLE...
14 INCHES AT INTERCANYON...13 INCHES IN COAL CREEK CANYON
AND NEAR EVERGREEN...11 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS AND CHIEF
HOSA...10 INCHES AT BLACKHAWK...AND 9 INCHES ATOP CROW HILL.
IN 2005...A STRONG SPRING STORM PRODUCED BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
IN AREAS TO THE EAST OF DENVER AND SOUTH OF I-76 AND NEAR-
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS METRO DENVER. THE COMBINATION
OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS FORCED THE CLOSURE OF DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...STRANDING THOUSANDS OF TRAVELERS.
LONG STRETCHES OF I-25...I-70...AND I-76 WERE ALSO CLOSED
DUE TO EXTENSIVE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. SNOW AMOUNTS
RANGED FROM 1 TO 2.5 FEET IN AND NEAR THE EASTERN FOOTHILLS
AND OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE. DRIFTS WERE 2 TO 5 FEET IN
DEPTH. DOWNED POWER LINES CAUSED SCATTERED ELECTRICAL
OUTAGES. STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS IN AND NEAR THE
FOOTHILLS INCLUDED: 31 INCHES NEAR CONIFER; 27.5 INCHES IN
ASPEN SPRINGS; 25.5 INCHES NEAR SEDALIA AND BLACKHAWK; 25
INCHES NEAR BERGEN PARK AND AROUND GENESEE; 24.5 INCHES AT
PINE JUNCTION AND ROXBOROUGH PARK; 24 INCHES SOUTHWEST OF
BOULDER; 23.5 INCHES AT KEN CARYL; 23 INCHES ATOP CROW
HILL AND NEAR LARKSPUR...EVERGREEN...AND NEDERLAND; 21 INCHES
AT ELDORA SKI AREA; 18 INCHES AT ELDORADO SPRINGS AND NEAR
CASTLE ROCK; 17 INCHES NEAR CHATFIELD RESERVOIR AND PERRY
PARK; AND 16 INCHES NEAR JAMESTOWN. ACROSS THE CITY STORM
TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS WERE: 22.5 INCHES IN AURORA; 22 INCHES
AT BENNETT; 20 INCHES NEAR ARAPAHOE PARK AND IN CENTENNIAL...
LITTLETON...AND SOUTH DENVER; 17.5 INCHES NEAR BENNETT; 16
INCHES IN THORNTON; 15 INCHES IN LAKEWOOD; 14.5 INCHES IN
WHEAT RIDGE AND NEAR ENGLEWOOD; 14 INCHES AT LONE TREE AND
IN ARVADA; AND 9.9 INCHES AT DENVER STAPLETON. NORTH WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED FROM 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 46 MPH AT
DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON THE 10TH.
10-12 IN 1997...A PACIFIC STORM PRODUCED HEAVY SNOW ON THE 10TH AND
THE 11TH IN AND NEAR THE FOOTHILLS WITH 6 TO 8 INCHES AT
LOUISVILLE AND TURKEY CREEK CANYON...5 INCHES AT MORRISON...
AND ONLY 3.5 INCHES AT THE SITE OF THE FORMER STAPLETON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 24 MPH
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE STORM ALSO BROUGHT
UNSEASONABLY COLD WEATHER WITH 5 NEW TEMPERATURE RECORDS
EQUALED OR BROKEN. RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES OF 8 AND
6 OCCURRED ON THE 11TH AND 12TH. RECORD LOW MAXIMUM
TEMPERATURES OF 20...19...AND 30 OCCURRED ON THE 10TH...11TH...
AND 12TH RESPECTIVELY. THIS WAS ALSO ONLY THE SECOND
TIME ON RECORD THAT THE TEMPERATURE HAD FAILED TO REACH
THE FREEZING MARK FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN APRIL.
10-14 IN 1927...POST-FRONTAL RAIN ON THE 10TH CHANGED TO SNOW ON
THE 11TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE 14TH. SNOWFALL TOTALED
8.5 INCHES FROM PRECIPITATION OF 1.28 INCHES. NORTH WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 26 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 29 MPH ON THE 13TH.
11 IN 1954...STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHEAST WINDS BLEW ALL DAY.
WINDS AS HIGH AS 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH PRODUCED SOME
BLOWING DUST AT STAPLETON AIRPORT.
IN 1966...A TORNADO WAS SIGHTED IN AN OPEN AREA OF SOUTHEAST
DENVER. SLIGHT WIND DAMAGE IN THE AREA WAS NOT DIRECTLY
ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE TORNADO. LATER IN THE DAY...A PILOT
REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENVER.
HAIL TO 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER FELL AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
IN 1984...STRONG CHINOOK WINDS GUSTED TO 72 MPH AT ROCKY
FLATS SOUTH OF BOULDER; SPEEDS REACHED 70 MPH IN BOTH
LAKEWOOD AND BOULDER. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...
NORTHWEST WIND GUSTS TO 52 MPH WERE RECORDED.
IN 2004...AN AFTERNOON COLD FRONT PRODUCED NORTH WINDS
SUSTAINED TO 36 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 53 MPH AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. LIGHT SNOWFALL WAS 1.1 INCHES
AT DENVER STAPLETON THROUGH THE EVENING.
11-12 IN 1876...HEAVY SNOW BEGAN DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON OF THE
11TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE NIGHT. LIGHT SNOW ENDED
AROUND MID-MORNING OF THE 12TH. THE AMOUNT OF SNOW WAS
NOT MEASURED...BUT PRECIPITATION TOTALED 0.70 INCH...WHICH
WOULD BE AROUND 7 INCHES OF ESTIMATED SNOWFALL. STRONG
WINDS ACCOMPANIED THE HEAVY SNOWFALL.
IN 1896...POST-FRONTAL LIGHT RAIN CHANGED TO LIGHT SNOW
OVERNIGHT...BUT TOTALED ONLY A TRACE. NORTHEAST WINDS
WERE SUSTAINED TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 62 MPH
ON THE 12TH.
IN 1991...A STRONG PACIFIC STORM DUMPED HEAVY SNOW ACROSS
METRO DENVER WITH AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 15 INCHES AT LOWER
ELEVATIONS AND UP TO ALMOST 2 FEET IN THE FOOTHILLS WEST
OF DENVER. SNOWFALL REPORTS INCLUDED: 21 INCHES AT IDAHO
SPRINGS...19 INCHES AT ASPEN SPRINGS...15 INCHES IN ARVADA...
14 INCHES AT ROLLINSVILLE...10 INCHES IN BOULDER...8 INCHES
IN AURORA...AND 7.3 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT WHERE NORTHEAST WINDS GUSTED TO 24 MPH ON THE 11TH.
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