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NOUS45 KBOU 070859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-072300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
259 AM MDT TUE JUL 7 2026
..TODAY IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
29-15 IN 2000...THE 29TH MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A NEAR RECORD HOT
STREAK FOR METRO DENVER. THE HIGH TEMPERATURES...AS RECORDED
AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...EXCEEDED THE 90 DEGREE MARK
FOR 17 CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM JUNE 29TH THROUGH JULY 15TH.
THE RECORD OF 24 CONSECUTIVE 90 DEGREE OR ABOVE DAYS WAS
SET FROM JULY 13TH THROUGH AUGUST 5TH...2008.
1-18 IN 1874...A STREAK OF 18 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 90 DEGREES...FROM
THE 1ST TO THE 18TH...TIED FOR SECOND WITH ANOTHER STREAK
THAT WAS LATER SET IN THE SUMMER OF 1901. THE RECORD OF 24
CONSECUTIVE DAYS WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE SUMMER OF 2008.
4-8 IN 1989...ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE HEAT WAVES ON RECORD ROASTED
METRO DENVER. THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 100 DEGREES OR MORE
ON 5 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THE CITY HAD PREVIOUSLY NEVER
RECORDED MORE THAN 2 STRAIGHT 100-DEGREE DAYS SINCE RECORDS
BEGAN IN 1872. WATER AND ELECTRICITY USAGE REACHED ALL TIME
HIGHS. THE HEAT WAVE CREATED EXTREMELY DRY WEATHER
CONDITIONS...WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A MAJOR FOREST FIRE IN
BOULDER CANYON ON JULY 9TH. THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 103
DEGREES ON THE 8TH...AND THE MERCURY CLIMBED TO 101 DEGREES
ON BOTH THE 4TH AND 5TH...AND TO 102 DEGREES ON BOTH THE
6TH AND 7TH. THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 68 DEGREES ON THE 8TH
EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM FOR THE DATE.
6-23 IN 1901...FROM THE 6TH TO THE 23RD...A STREAK OF 18 CONSECUTIVE
DAYS OF 90 DEGREES TIED FOR SECOND WITH ANOTHER STREAK SET
IN THE SUMMER OF 1874. THE RECORD OF 24 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WAS
ESTABLISHED IN THE SUMMER OF 2008.
7 IN 1905...A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED SUSTAINED NORTHEAST WINDS
TO 40 MPH...BUT ONLY A TRACE OF RAIN.
IN 1933...HEAVY CLOUDBURSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON IN THE
IDLEDALE AREA AND ON SAW MILL GULCH CAUSED FLASH FLOODING
ON BEAR CREEK RESULTING IN 7 DEATHS. FLOODING IN MORRISON
WAS COMPOUNDED WHEN A WALL OF WATER AS HIGH AS 15 FEET
SWEPT DOWN MOUNT VERNON CREEK. THE FLOODING CAUSED
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BEAR CREEK CANYON HIGHWAY.
IN 1959...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AT STAPLETON AIRPORT...BUT HIGHER
IN OTHER AREAS...DAMAGED POWER LINES AND BUILDINGS AND CAUSED
WIDESPREAD MINOR DAMAGE FROM FALLING TREES AND BROKEN LIMBS.
A FIELD HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT ADAMS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
IN COMMERCE CITY SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE.
IN 1963...FARM BUILDINGS EAST OF BOULDER WERE POSSIBLY DAMAGED
BY A SMALL TORNADO AS THERE WERE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF A
FUNNEL CLOUD IN THE AREA.
IN 1967...A STORM OF CLOUDBURST PROPORTION CAUSED DAMAGE FROM
FLOODING IN SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH DENVER. UNOFFICIAL REPORTS
INDICATED RAINFALL OF 2.00 INCHES IN 30 MINUTES AND MORE
THAN 3.00 INCHES TOTAL FROM THE STORM. STREETS AND
BUILDINGS WERE FLOODED BY THE HEAVY RUN-OFF. HAIL IN SOME
AREAS CONTRIBUTED TO FLOODING BY BLOCKING STORM DRAINS.
WATER ACCUMULATED 12 TO 14 FEET DEEP IN SEVERAL UNDERPASSES
AND SOME STREET INTERSECTIONS. A YOUNG WOMAN DROWNED WHEN
SHE TRIED TO CROSS A FLOODED STREET AND WAS SWEPT OFF HER
FEET AND TRAPPED UNDER A PARKED CAR. WATER REACHED A DEPTH
OF 5 FEET IN THE STREET. POLICE RESCUED NUMEROUS STRANDED
MOTORISTS. THE ROOF AND WALL OF A FLAT ROOFED STORE
BUILDING COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF DEEP WATER ON THE
ROOF. CARS WERE WASHED OVER CURBS IN MANY AREAS. IN
SOUTHWEST METRO DENVER...100 TO 150 HOMES WERE FLOODED.
HAIL CAUSED DAMAGE IN OTHER AREAS OF DENVER AND IN AURORA.
WIND TOPPLED TREES IN SEVERAL AREAS. SNOWPLOWS WERE CALLED
OUT TO CLEAR HAIL FROM SOME HIGHWAYS AND RUNWAYS AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. LIGHTNING DAMAGED TREES
AND POWER LINES AND STARTED A FIRE...WHICH EXTENSIVELY
DAMAGED AN AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP. THUNDERSTORM RAINFALL
TOTALED 0.83 INCH AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1981...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED 3/4 INCH HAIL OVER
EAST DENVER. ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN
LITTLETON. THUNDERSTORM WINDS GUSTED TO 45 MPH AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
IN 1983...TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL FELL ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF
BOULDER; IT WAS SOFT AND CAUSED NO DAMAGE.
IN 1987...A WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN CASTLE ROCK. SEVERAL
WEAK TORNADOES WERE OBSERVED IN THE AREA. NO DAMAGE WAS
REPORTED.
IN 1988...LIGHTNING STRUCK A SIGN AT A BANK NEAR LOUISVILLE...
DAMAGING IT AND CAUSING A SMOLDERING FIRE THAT RESULTED IN
SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE BANK AND AN ADJACENT BUILDING. HEAVY
THUNDERSTORM RAIN...ACCOMPANIED BY 1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL AT
STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...BRIEFLY REDUCED THE
VISIBILITY TO 1/4 MILE. RAINFALL TOTALED 1.41 INCHES...
BUT 1.12 INCHES FELL IN 32 MINUTES.
IN 2001...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DUMPED LARGE HAIL ACROSS NORTH
METRO DENVER. HAIL TO 1 3/4 INCHES IN DIAMETER FELL NEAR
ERIE WITH 7/8 INCH HAIL MEASURED IN THORNTON.
IN 2004...A 9-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE AT
A PLAYGROUND IN ARVADA. THE UMPIRE AT A NEARBY BASEBALL
GAME...ALONG WITH 2 PASSERS-BY...ADMINISTRATED CPR AND
RESUSCITATED THE BOY WHO HAD QUIT BREATHING. THE BOY
SUFFERED FIRST AND SECOND DEGREE BURNS...BUT WAS RELEASED
FROM THE HOSPITAL IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. A DRY MICROBURST
OVER DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PRODUCED A PEAK WIND GUST
TO 61 MPH.
IN 2006...UP TO 3 INCHES OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINFALL IN
THE HAYMAN WILDFIRE BURN AREA PRODUCED DESTRUCTIVE FLASH
FLOODING ALONG WEST CREEK BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF DECKERS AND
WESTCREEK IN SOUTHWEST DOUGLAS COUNTY. HORSE CREEK...WHICH
DRAINS INTO WEST CREEK...SWELLED FROM A NORMALLY SMALL CREEK
INTO A RAGING TORRENT...25 TO 30 FEET DEEP AND 300 FEET WIDE.
THE WALL OF WATER DAMAGED OR DESTROYED ABOUT 30 SECTIONS OF
A 5 MILE STRETCH OF STATE HIGHWAY 67...WHICH PARALLELS WEST
CREEK. SEVERAL HOMES WERE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED...BUT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD TO BE
RESCUED...DUE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ACCESS ROADS AND BRIDGES
IN THE AREA. RECONSTRUCTION WAS ESTIMATED AT 13.3 MILLION
DOLLARS.
IN 2011...HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH A WET MICROBURSTS PRODUCED
OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN 90 MINUTES ACROSS SOUTHEAST DENVER.
IN DENVER...SOME UNDERPASSES WERE FLOODED WITH SEVERAL FEET
OF WATER WHICH STRANDED MOTORISTS. AS A RESULT...THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED AT LEAST 10 WATER RESCUES. SOME
BASEMENTS WERE INUNDATED WITH UP TO 4 FEET OF WATER WHICH
CAUSED EXTENSIVE FLOOD DAMAGE. THE PLATTE VALLEY AND
WESTERN MODEL RAILROAD CLUB'S MODEL TRAIN DISPLAY IN UNION
STATION WAS ALSO DAMAGED WHEN 3 TO 4 INCHES OF MUD AND WATER
SPILLED OVER SOME OF THE COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. SEVERAL
DISPLAY MODULES AND SCENERY PIECES IN A STORAGE ROOM WERE
ALSO DAMAGED. THE ENTIRE DISPLAY SPANNED MORE THAN ONE
THOUSAND FEET OF TRACK IN A ROOM THAT WAS ONCE USED AS THE
JAIL AT UNION STATION IN THE 1900S. URBAN AND SMALL STREAM
FLOODING WAS REPORTED ACROSS THE SURROUNDING DENVER SUBURBS.
THE STORM LEFT ABOUT 28000 XCEL CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER WHEN
THE STORM SNAPPED TREES AND POWER LINES. IN ADDITION...HEAVY
RAIN PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING IN THE FOUR MILE CANYON BURN
SCAR. FOUR DEBRIS SLIDES OCCURRED ALONG FOUR MILE CANYON
DRIVE...INCLUDING ONE THAT WAS 100 YARDS WIDE AND 4 FEET DEEP.
SEVERAL ROCKSLIDES WERE REPORTED IN LEFTHAND AND BOULDER
CANYONS. AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...1.04 INCHES OF
RAIN WAS OBSERVED. A PEAK WIND GUST OF 46 MPH FROM THE
SOUTHEAST WAS ALSO OBSERVED.
IN 2012...HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING IN BOULDER COUNTY
NEAR JAMESTOWN. JAMES CANYON DRIVE WAS CLOSED AFTER HEAVY
RAIN WASHED OUT A SECTION OF THE ROADWAY. HEAVY RAIN WASHED
OUT A SECTION OF MAGNOLIA ROAD...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF NEDERLAND.
NEARBY...A TRAINED SPOTTER 4 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF NEDERLAND...
MEASURED 2.20 INCHES OF RAINFALL. FLASH FLOODING WAS ALSO
REPORTED IN THE FOURMILE BURN AREA ALONG SUMMERVILLE ROAD.
IN DACONO...IN SOUTHERN WELD COUNTY...THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION USED SNOWPLOWS TO CLEAR STANDING WATER...UP
TO 6 INCHES DEEP...FROM A SECTION OF INTERSTATE 25. THE
INTERSTATE WAS CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS.
SOUTH OF THE DENVER...IN CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY...FLASH
FLOODING WAS REPORTED NEAR PERRY PARK...WHERE 2.5 INCHES OF
RAIN FELL IN ONE HOUR.
IN 2014...AN ARVADA RESIDENT WAS INJURED BY A NEARBY LIGHTNING
STRIKE WHILE HE RECORDED A VIDEO OF A THUNDERSTORM WITH HIS
CELL PHONE. HE WAS STANDING IN HIS GARAGE...WHEN A NEARBY
LIGHTNING BOLT KNOCKED HIM OUT. HE SUFFERED OVERALL BODY ACHES
AND HAD A RINGING SENSATION IN ONE OF HIS EARS. IN DENVER...
LIGHTNING CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE THAT AFFECTED THE RTD LIGHT
RAIL LINES FOR A SHORT TIME. IN CASTLE PINES...LIGHTNING
SPARKED A SMALL ATTIC FIRE. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED
LARGE HAIL FROM 1 TO 1 3/4 INCHES IN DIAMETER...ALONG WITH
DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS ARAPAHOE...BOULDER AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES INCLUDING: NORTHWEST ARVADA...LITTLETON AND
LOUISVILLE. FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED NEAR EVERGREEN IN
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY. HEAVY RAIN...UP TO 2 INCHES IN ONE
HOUR...FLOODED SEVERAL RESIDENCES AND WASHED OUT SEVERAL
BRIDGES ALONG FOREST ESTATE ROAD. HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO
PRODUCED STREET FLOODING IN DENVER ALONG WITH SOME BASEMENT
FLOODING. THE STRONG WINDS...ESTIMATED TO 60 MPH...DOWNED
TREES AND POWER LINES IN SOUTHWEST LITTLETON. AT DENVER
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...0.15 INCHES OF RAINFALL WAS OBSERVED
ALONG WITH A PEAK WIND GUST TO 42 MPH FROM THE SOUTHEAST.
IN 2020...A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A PEAK WIND GUST TO 63 MPH
NEAR BENNETT.
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.
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