078
NOUS45 KBOU 090859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-092300-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
259 AM MDT WED SEP 9 2026
..TODAY IN METRO DENVER WEATHER HISTORY
1-30 IN 2020...A WORSENING DROUGHT THAT STARTED IN THE SPRING AND
CONTINUED THROUGH SEPTEMBER. OUTSIDE OF AN EARLY SEASON
SNOW ON THE 8TH...THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WAS ANOTHER
UNSEASONABLY WARM AND DRY PERIOD. THE COMBINATION
OF HOT...MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS...AND CRITICALLY DRY FUELS...
RESULTED IN A CONTINUATION AND RAPID EXPANSION OF SEVERAL
MASSIVE WILDFIRES. THE CAMERON PEAK FIRE...WHICH BECAME THE
LARGEST IN THE STATE'S HISTORY STARTED ON AUGUST 13TH...AND
CONTINUED THROUGH SEPTEMBER. AS A RESULT...VERY POOR AIR
QUALITY CONTINUED TO IMPACT DENVER AND THE ENTIRE FRONT
RANGE. DENVER RECORDED THE MOST DAYS EVER WITH A HIGH
TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES OR BETTER; 75 DAYS. THE LAST
OF WHICH WAS 91 DEGREES ON THE 24TH. THE PREVIOUS
RECORD WAS 73 DAYS SET IN 2012.
5-9 IN 1988...LAYERS OF SMOKE ALOFT FROM LARGE FOREST FIRES IN
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK COMPLETELY OBLITERATED THE SUN
AT TIMES. AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...SURFACE
VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED AT TIMES TO 5 AND 6 MILES IN SMOKE.
5-13 IN 2010...THE FOURMILE CANYON WILDFIRE...NORTHWEST OF BOULDER...
BROKE OUT ON THE MORNING OF THE 5TH. IT ORIGINATED FROM
AN UNATTENDED FIRE PIT AT A LOCAL RESIDENCE. THE WILDFIRE
QUICKLY CONSUMED 5 1/2 SQUARE MILES OR 3500 ACRES THE
FIRST DAY...AND FORCED THE EVACUATION OF OVER THREE
THOUSAND RESIDENTS. ERRATIC 45-MPH GUSTS SENT THE FIRE IN
TWO DIRECTIONS AT TIMES. VERY DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS
PRECEDED THE FIRE. THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS ALLOWED THE WILDFIRE
SPREAD RAPIDLY THROUGH THE STEEP...HEAVILY FORESTED TERRAIN.
THE FLAMES WERE REPORTEDLY 20 TO 50 FEET IN LENGTH. TOWNS
WITHIN THE BURN AREA INCLUDED SALINA...WALLSTREET AND GOLD
HILL. THE DRY CONDITIONS COUPLED WITH GUSTY WINDS RANGING
FROM 45 TO 64 MPH PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. FIRE
MANAGERS USED AS MANY AS 700 FIREFIGHTERS AND SUPPORT
PERSONNEL FROM 35 AGENCIES AND SEVEN AIR TANKERS TO BATTLE
THE WILDFIRE. A TOTAL OF 6181 SQUARE ACRES OR
APPROXIMATELY 10 SQUARE MILES WERE BURNED. THE FOURMILE
CANYON WILDFIRE WAS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN COLORADO
HISTORY IN TERMS OF THE DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY. IT
DESTROYED 171 HOMES WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF 217 MILLION
DOLLARS.
9 IN 1933...HEAVY RAIN IN THE FOOTHILLS OVER THE CLEAR CREEK
AND GOLDEN GATE CANYON WATERSHEDS CAUSED FLOODING IN
GOLDEN AND DAMAGED THE ROADWAY IN GOLDEN GATE CANYON...
WHICH RESULTED IN ITS CLOSURE.
IN 1969...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SIGHTED IN SOUTHEAST DENVER.
THERE WAS ALSO CONSIDERABLE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND
LOCAL HEAVY RAIN ACROSS METRO DENVER. RAINFALL TOTALED
1.30 INCHES AT STAPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHERE SMALL
HAIL ALSO FELL.
IN 1973...HAIL FROM 3/4 INCH TO 1 3/4 INCHES IN DIAMETER FELL
IN WESTMINSTER AND SOUTH OF BROOMFIELD.
IN 2009...A MAN WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING WHILE RIDING HIS BICYCLE. HE WAS NEARING A
PARAMEDIC VAN WHEN HE WAS HIT. HIS HEART STOPPED BUT
PARAMEDICS QUICKLY RESPONDED AND WERE ABLE TO RESUSCITATE
HIM.
IN 2011...A MAN WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AT THE ADAMS COUNTY
FAIRGROUNDS. HE WAS LEANING AGAINST A TREE WHILE WATCHING
A CROSS COUNTRY MEET WHEN THE TREE WAS HIT. THE LIGHTNING
TRAVELED DOWN THE TREE AND UP THROUGH THE GROUND...USING
HIM AS A CONDUCTOR. THE VICTIM RECEIVED SECOND AND THIRD
DEGREE BURNS.
9-10 IN 1933...HEAVY RAIN OVER THE CHERRY CREEK...PLUM CREEK...BIG
DRY CREEK...AND LITTLE DRY CREEK WATERSHEDS CAUSED FLOODING
ON THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER IN DENVER OVERNIGHT. NEARLY AN
INCH OF RAIN...0.98 INCH...FELL IN THE CITY.
IN 1944...A TRACE OF RAIN FELL ON EACH DAY. THIS TOGETHER
WITH A TRACE OF RAIN ON THE 4TH AND 30TH WAS THE ONLY
PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH. THE TOTAL OF A TRACE OF
PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH EQUALED THE DRIEST SEPTEMBER
ON RECORD FIRST SET IN 1892.
IN 1994...UNUSUALLY VERY WARM WEATHER RESULTED IN THREE
TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEING EQUALED. HIGH TEMPERATURES
OF 94 DEGREES ON THE 9TH AND 93 DEGREES ON THE 10TH
EQUALED RECORD MAXIMUMS FOR THE DATES. LOW TEMPERATURE
OF 63 DEGREES ON THE 9TH EQUALED THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM
FOR THE DATE.
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