The further we go into the cold season, the more we see significant winter-like events in our look back at Denver weather history. Many significant snowstorms have occurred this week in the past including one in 1946 that dumped more than 30 inches of snow on Denver.

From the National Weather Service:

28-30

In 1971…a vigorous cold front plunged temperatures from a high of 70 degrees on the 27th to record low levels on the 29th and 30th. Snowfall totaled 3.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph. Some freezing drizzle also fell on the 28th. Record daily low maximum temperatures of 32 degrees on the 28th and 25 degrees on the 29th were established along with a daily record minimum of 13 degrees on the 30th.

28-31

In 1929…rain changed to snow on the afternoon of the 28th and continued until midday on the 30th followed by intermittent light snow which continued through the 31st. Snowfall over the four days totaled 16.2 inches in the city. Most of the snow…8.5 inches…fell on the 29th with 6.1 inches on the 30th. Temperatures hovered in 20’s during most of the storm.

29-30

In 1905…heavy snowfall developed on the evening of the 29th and continued through the evening of the 30th. Snowfall totaled 11.0 inches in downtown Denver. Precipitation was 1.02 inches. Temperatures were generally in the 20’s.

In 1959…rain during most of the day on the 28th changed to snow early on the 29th and continued through most of the 30th. Heavy snowfall totaled 7.4 inches at Stapleton Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 30th. Some freezing drizzle also occurred on the 30th.

In 1981…4 to 8 inches of new snow were recorded in the foothills west of Denver. Snowfall totaled only 0.4 inch at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 25 mph.

In 2019…a strong storm system brought record breaking temperatures and up to a foot of new snow to parts of Denver…especially across the south and southeast portions of the metro area down to the Palmer Divide. In Denver… a record low maximum temperatures of 18 was set on the 29th… followed by a record low temperatures of 3 degrees on the 30th. The combination of snow and wind along the Interstate 70 corridor east of Denver forced its closure in both directions for several hours due to drifting snow and poor visibility. One weather related traffic fatality…occurred in the foothills west of Denver which closed State Highway 6. The official snowfall measurement at Denver International Airport was 7.7 inches. Numerous schools in and around the Denver area and to the east were closed due to heavy snow and hazardous road conditions. Cancellations and delayed flights at Denver International Airport left 800 passengers stranded at the airport overnight. Along the urban corridor and Palmer Divide storm totals included: Storm totals included: 12 inches at Ponderosa Park…10 inches near Foxfield; and Parker; 8.5 inches in southwest Aurora; near Buckley AFB…Cherry Creek…east Denver…and southwest Aurora; 8 inches in Boulder and near Elizabeth…Federal Heights…Louisville and Westminster; 7.5 inches near Castle Pines…7 inches in southwest Aurora and near Shamballa and Quincy Reservoir; 6.5 inches near Rocky Flats; 6 inches near Byers…Elbert…Greenwood and Lakewood.

29-31

In 1889…the first snowfall of the season totaled 14.0 inches over the three days in downtown Denver. Snowfall was 8.0 inches on the 29th and 5.0 inches on the 31st. North to northeast winds gusted to 30 mph on the 29th.

In 1950…a warm spell resulted in five daily temperature records. Record highs of 84…80…and 79 degrees occurred on the 29th…30th…and 31st…respectively. Low temperature of 49 degrees on the 30th was the record high minimum for the date.

In 1991…the second surge of cold arctic air in a matter of days plunged metro Denver into the deep freeze. While low temperatures remained above zero…high temperatures were only in the 20’s. Three temperature records were set: record lows of 7 degrees on the 30th and 10 degrees on the 31st and a record low maximum of only 21 degrees on the 30th. Snowfall was light with only 1.9 inches recorded at Stapleton International Airport where east winds gusted to 23 mph.

In 2002…snowfall totaled 4.3 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 32 mph on the 29th behind a cold front…which plunged temperatures well below seasonal normals. High temperatures of 18 degrees on the 30th and 19 degrees on the 31st were record low maximums for each date. Low temperatures dipped to 12 degrees on the 30th and 15 degrees on the 31st.

29-1

In 1972…heavy snowfall totaled 15.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport. However…the heaviest snow occurred on Halloween night when 7 inches fell on trick-or-treaters during a short 3-hour period. I-25 was closed south of Denver. North winds gusting to 29 mph caused some blowing snow on the 1st. The snow started late on the 29th and ended during the mid afternoon on the 1st. The greatest snow depth on the ground at Stapleton International Airport was 13 inches on the 1st.

30

In 1974…a rare thunderstorm for so late in October produced hail to 3/8 inch in diameter and 0.10 inch of rain at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1991…the high temperature warmed to only 21 degrees…the all-time record low maximum for the month of October. The same temperature also occurred on October 25…1997.

30-31

In 2018…a storm system brought a brief period of moderate to heavy snowfall to the Front Range mountains…foothills… and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 11 inches near Allenspark; 7.5 inches…6 miles northwest of Lyons; 7 inches at Bear Lake; 6.5 inches near Bailey; 6 inches near Aspen Springs…Copeland Lake…Franktown…Lake Eldora and Larkspur; with 5 inches near Elizabeth. A trace of snowfall was observed at Denver International Airport.

31

In 1997…high winds buffeted the foothills and adjacent areas of metro Denver. West winds gusted to 70 mph in Broomfield and to 40 mph at Denver International Airport. The strongest winds occurred in the mountains west of Denver and in the foothills north of Denver.

In 2001…high winds developed in the foothills. Peak wind gusts were measured to 74 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa in Boulder and to 72 mph near Rollinsville. West winds gusting as high as 53 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 71 degrees at Denver International Airport.

In 2020…extreme drought conditions continued in October. The first half of the month remained unseasonably warm… dry and windy. These conditions allowed the fires to the west and northwest of Denver to explode and double in size. The Cameron Peak wildfire become the largest in the state`s history. The Calwood wildfire in Boulder County started near Jamestown…and consumed 8788 acres within a 24-hr period on the 17th. It consumed a total of 10105 acres by the end of the month. The Calwood wildfire also became the largest wildfire in Boulder County history. The fire damaged or destroyed a total of 26 homes with preliminary damage estimates of nearly 37 million dollars. Extremely poor air quality continued to plague Denver and the entire Front Range. » Click here to read the rest of October 30 to November 5: This Week in Denver Weather History

As we flip the calendar to November, we continue the mild weather we ended October with. We once again enjoy a mild day and lots of blue above.

This morning will feature sunny skies and then the afternoon will see just a few clouds. High temperatures will top out right near the 70-degree mark. Overall, conditions will be calm and dry.

Tonight, we will see cloud cover increase some with overnight lows in the low 40s.

Looking ahead, Wednesday will be another mild one, similar to today. Then, Mother Nature brings a decent looking storm system our way Thursday and Friday. Temperatures will cool considerably and we will stand a chance for snow. See more in our extended forecast here.

The little ghouls and goblins won’t find Mother Nature delivering anything frightful for them today or tonight. We will enjoy a pleasant fall day with the evening being cool and calm.

Sunny skies start us off and will continue throughout. Overall, conditions will be calm and dry. Look for daytime highs to top out in the mid-60s, a good bit above average.

Tonight, temperatures will slowly decrease down toward a low in the mid-30s. Skies will be mostly clear.

A pretty good looking fall weekend in store for us. We will enjoy a good bit of sun and mercury readings will be right near what we expect this time of year.

For Friday, we start out cold but then will warm up nicely. Sunny skies will be above as we top out near the 60 degree mark. Tonight, skies remain clear and lows will dip to below freezing.

Saturday continues the calm conditions and will again see highs near 60 degrees. We will be sunny in the morning then the afternoon will see some clouds arrive. Saturday night, partly clear skies will be above with overnight lows in the mid-30s.

Sunday will see some clouds early but those will dissipate pretty quickly. Look for highs again around 60 degrees.

Enjoy!

A trail of golden aspen in the Colorado high country. (Patrick Martin Photography)

October in Thornton can bring a wide variety of weather conditions, perfect for the photographer in all of us.

The month brings the changing of the colors at Colorado’s lower elevations and it is also is typically when we see our first freeze and first snow.

Couple those facts with our usual widely varying landscapes and wildlife and we have a month that is sure to bring in plenty of photo opportunities.

• Slideshow updated October 28, 2022
• To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather-related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted in images captured from yours and our cameras.

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

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Overnight did not bring any precipitation but we are seeing shower activity pickup to our northwest and some of that will move over yet this morning. After it passes, skies will begin to clear and we will dry out.

Cloudy skies start us off and will be with us through much of the morning. We do stand a decent chance to see a bit of rain, perhaps with some snow mixed in, through the morning hours. Little to no accumulation of snow is expected.

Breezy north winds will be seen for much of the day. After noon, skies will begin to clear and winds will gradually ease. High temperatures today will top out in the upper 40s.

Tonight, with clearing skies, temperatures will drop. Look for lows in the mid to upper 20s. A Freeze Watch has been issued so if you still have any sensitive vegetation outside, you will need to cover it or bring it inside.

It’s not quite Halloween but leading up to the holiday we see plenty of  ‘scary’ weather in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. High winds are relatively commonplace and so too are major snowstorms. One recent event in 1997 dumped 14 to 31 inches of the white stuff on the metro area.

From the National Weather Service:

18-23

In 2003…an extended warm spell resulted in 5 new temperature records. The high temperature of 84 degrees on the 18th equaled the record high for the date. High temperatures of 86 degrees on the 19th…83 degrees on the 21st…and 84 degrees on the 22nd were record highs for the dates. Low temperature of 49 degrees on the 23rd was a record high minimum for the date. Low temperatures during the period were in the 40’s and lower 50’s.

19-23

In 1906…heavy snowfall totaled 22.7 inches in the city over the 5 days. Rain changed to snow on the evening of the 19th…and snow continued through the late afternoon of the 23rd. The heaviest amount of snowfall…16.0 inches…fell from 8:00 pm on the 20th to 8:00 pm on the 22nd. The most snow on the ground was 13.3 inches on the evening of the 23rd. This was the first snow of the season and the only snow of the month. Winds during the storm were from the north at sustained speeds of 20 to 30 mph each day. Temperatures during the storm were generally in the 20’s.

22-23

In 1914…post-frontal rain changed to snow. Precipitation totaled 2.72 inches…most of which was in the form of moist snow which melted as it fell in the business section of the city. About 3 inches of snow was measured on lawns in the residential areas on the morning of the 24th. Official snowfall totaled only 0.4 inch downtown… But an estimated 8.0 inches of snow melted as it fell. North to northeast winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 30 mph on both days.

In 1975…a vigorous cold front moving across metro Denver followed by strong northeast winds gusting to 52 mph produced billows of blowing dust and plunged the temperature 21 degrees in an hour. The surface visibility was reduced to 1/4 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport. The temperature cooled from a daily record high of 81 degrees to a low of 38 degrees by day’s end. The first snowfall of the season totaled 2.7 inches on the 23rd. This was the only measurable snow of the month at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1995…heavy snow fell on the Palmer Ridge south of Denver and in the foothills west of Denver where snow amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches. Sedalia…south of Denver… Received 8 inches of snow. Winds strengthened on the plains and produced blizzard conditions…reducing surface visibilities to less than 1/4 mile. I-70 was closed from just east of Denver at Gun Club Road to the Kansas border. Ten inches of snow fell at Strasburg east of Denver where north winds at sustained speeds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph produced 2 to 4 foot drifts. Snowfall totaled only 2.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 51 mph at Denver International Airport.

23

In 1876…skies were fair…but winds were sustained to 48 mph.

In 1942…a major storm dumped 10.2 inches of snow over downtown Denver. Post-frontal northeast winds were sustained to only 13 mph.

In 1955…the first snowfall of the season and the only measurable snow of the month dumped 4.1 inches of snow on Stapleton Airport. This was the single heaviest October snowfall in 13 years since 1942. The storm also brought the first sub-freezing temperatures of the season when the temperature dipped to a low of 25 degrees.

In 1956…southwest winds gusted to 53 mph and produced some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1967…a northwest wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. In downtown Boulder… Winds were sustained at 20 mph with gusts in excess of 40 mph.

In 1981…strong winds occurred in the foothills. Wind gusts to 70 mph were reported at Wondervu.

23-24

In 1887…the first measurable snowfall of the season totaled 3.1 inches. North winds to 20 mph were recorded on the 23rd. This was the only measurable snow of the month.

In 1932…post-frontal snowfall from the late evening of the 23rd continued through the late afternoon of the 24th and totaled 6.2 inches. Southeast winds were sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 26 mph on the 23rd. Temperatures cooled from a high of 68 degrees on the 23rd to a low of 25 degrees on the 24th…the coldest reading of the month that year. Many trees that had not shed their leaves became heavily laden by the wet snow. Many branches were broken… And a few trees toppled under the weight of the snow. The landscape became one of rare beauty.

23-25

In 2021…after several weeks of warm…windy and dry weather that fueled the two largest wildfires in the state`s history; a powerful storm system brought welcome relief as it produced heavy snow and frigid temperatures Denver and the Front Range. In the Front Range mountains and foothills… storm totals ranged from 10 to 20 inches. Along the urban corridor…storm totals from 4 to 12 inches were observed… with the heaviest amounts along and generally west of I-25 and over Weld County…where localized bands of heavy snow Some storm totals included 14.3 inches near Allenspark; and 12.9 inches in southeast Boulder and Nederland…with 12.8 inches near Loveland. At Denver International Airport…4.0 inches of snowfall was observed.

24

In 1956…southwest winds gusted to 56 mph and produced some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport. A cold front produced a thunderstorm with 1/8 inch hail. Rain later changed to snow. Precipitation totaled only 0.11 inch and snowfall only 0.3 inch.

In 1973…strong winds raked the eastern foothills…causing damage in Boulder and Jefferson counties. The heaviest damage occurred in the Boulder area where 20 to 25 mobile homes were hit…some power and telephone lines were blown down…and a store was damaged. A wind gust to 76 mph was recorded in Boulder at the National Bureau of Standards. Northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

24-25

In 1921…rainfall totaled 0.35 inch overnight behind an apparent cold front. North winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 46 mph on the 25th. Temperatures plunged from a high of 73 degrees on the 24th to a low of 39 degrees on the 25th.

In 1923…rain overnight changed to snow during the morning. The heavy snowfall accumulated to 12.0 inches before ending on the morning of the 25th. Post-frontal north winds were sustained to 22 mph with gusts to 23 mph on the 24th.

In 1997…one of the worst and deadliest blizzards of the decade developed over eastern Colorado as deep east to northeast flow associated with a vigorous upper level low pressure system over the Four Corners…combined with a strong arctic air mass over the central great plains. Snowfall totals across metro Denver ranged from 14 to 31 inches. The heaviest snowfall occurred in the foothills west and southwest of Denver where 2 to 4 feet of snow were measured. Sustained winds to 40 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph produced zero visibilities and extremely cold wind chill temperatures from 25 below to 40 below zero. Winds whipped the snow into drifts 4 to 10 feet deep. Several major and interstate highways were closed as travel became impossible. Red Cross shelters were set up for hundreds of travelers who became stranded when they had to abandon their vehicles. Four people died in northeastern Colorado as a result of the blizzard. None of the deaths were in metro Denver. At Denver International Airport…4 thousand travelers were stranded when the airport was forced to shut down. At least 120 cars were abandoned along Pena Blvd….the only arterial leading into and out of dia. The blizzard cost air carriers at least 20 million dollars. Thousands of cattle died in the storm over northeastern Colorado…resulting in losses totaling 1.5 million dollars. Some of the more impressive snowfall totals included: 51 inches at Coal Creek Canyon; 48 inches at Silver Spruce Ranch…near Ward; 42 inches at Intercanyon…in the foothills southwest of Denver; 37 inches at Sedalia; 35 inches at Aspen Springs and Conifer in the foothills west of Denver; 31 inches at Eldorado Springs… Southeast Aurora…and Englewood; and 30 inches on Table Mesa in Boulder. Snowfall totaled 21.9 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport…setting a new 24-hour snowfall record of 19.1 inches for the month. Snowfall totaled only 14 inches at Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph on the 24th. High temperature of only 21 degrees on the 25th equaled the record low maximum for the date first set in 1873. Low temperature of only 3 degrees on the 26th set a new record minimum for the date. » Click here to read the rest of October 23 to October 29: This Week in Denver Weather History

A relatively nice day ahead for Thornton, albeit with temps a bit below normal. Tonight, we stand a pretty good chance to see a little bit of precipitation (and yes, that s-word).

We start out with a good bit of cloud cover early but then coverage will gradually decrease through the morning. This afternoon should see some Colorado blue above. High temperatures will top out in the mid-50s.

Tonight, another trough will move through, mixing things up. Cloud cover and moisture will increase. This will bring a chance to see some rain showers overnight, possibly some snow in the few hours before dawn tomorrow when it is coldest. If we do see snow, it will be minimal, from a trace to an inch at most.

Today’s weather looks much like we saw yesterday but with the mercury climbing a bit further. There will also be just a bit of a chance for a shower overnight.

Mostly sunny skies will be with us this morning then a few more clouds in the afternoon and evening. Like yesterday, winds will be a bit breezy in the afternoon. High temperatures will top out right near the average high for he date of 61 degrees.

Tonight, a cold front will be moving through and that will increase the cloud cover. We see just a slight chance for some rain showers. At this time, it doesn’t look like it will be cold enough for snow. Lows will dip to the mid-30s.

Yesterday’s system didn’t really offer much in the way of weather excitement beyond some light showers. Today, the system is moving out and in its wake we will be left a bit cool  but dry.

Mostly sunny skies start us off and will continue throughout the day. Conditions will be calm and dry although the afternoon may see some slightly breezy winds. Early this morning is seeing temps a bit below freezing, our coldest readings of the season so far. We will warm up to a high in the low 50s, about 10 degrees below average for the date.

Tonight, skies remain mostly clear with overnight lows dipping to close to freezing.