Another day with very mild temperatures in store. Mercury readings will be about 20 degrees above average with blue skies above.
Sunny skies start us off and will be with us most of the day. A few clouds will be seen in the afternoon but nothing intrusive. Conditions will be dry with some breezy winds later in the day. High temperatures will top out in the low to mid-80s.
Tonight, it will be a little bit breezy with increasing cloud cover. Lows will dip to the mid-50s.
April can be a tricky month weather-wise with everything from mild temperatures to snow to severe weather being possible. The good thing about that is that it provides plenty of chances for great photos!
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather.
The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver. Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen!
Throw in our usual wildlife plus the wide variety of birds that return to the Centennial State for the spring and summer and there is a lot going on.
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.
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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!
This week in Denver weather history is one to truly showcase the incredible variety of weather Colorado can receive. Major snow storms, high winds, warm temperatures in the 80’s and even three reports of tornadoes – one near Thornton 21 years ago – have all been seen this time of year.
From the National Weather Service:
17-19
In 1920…snow fell across the city continuously for 57 hours… From the early morning of the 17th until 11:40 am on the 19th. The heavy wet snowfall totaled 18.2 inches with the greatest accumulation on the ground of 12 inches. Winds during the storm were strong with sustained speeds in excess of 27 mph for over 40 consecutive hours…which created near-blizzard conditions. The highest recorded wind speeds were 44 mph with gusts to 50 mph from the north on the 17th and 39 mph with gusts to 48 mph from the northwest on the 18th. The strong winds piled the snow into high drifts which stopped all Denver traffic. Railroads were blocked with only one train entering the city on the 19th. All interurban trains were blocked…as were the 13 trolley lines. Thus…many workers were unable to get home at night and filled all of the downtown hotels to capacity. No grocery or fuel deliveries were possible… Except milk and coal to hospitals and to families with babies. No lives were lost in the city…but several people perished in surrounding districts. Stock losses were heavy on the plains. Temperatures during the storm were in the 20`s.
18-19
In 1884…a major storm dumped 13.8 inches of snowfall on downtown Denver. Most of the snow…10.0 inches… Fell on the 18th. Light rain on the early morning of the 18th changed to heavy snow at 8:00 am and became light after 2:00 pm but continued until 4:00 am on the 19th. The snow melted nearly as fast as it fell. There were only 3 inches on the ground early on the morning of the 19th.
In 1941…heavy snowfall totaled 8.4 inches over downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 17 mph.
In 1993…sporadic high winds occurred across metro Denver. Significant wind gusts included 97 mph at Rollinsville… 80 mph in southwest Boulder…and 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The strong winds snapped a pine tree top…about 15 feet long and 8 inches in diameter… Which crashed through the roof of a church in Evergreen…causing one thousand dollars in damage. Wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph caused structural damage to 3 homes under construction in Broomfield. Northwest winds gusted to 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1995…the second spring storm of the month dumped heavy snow in the foothills. The upslope flow along with areas of thunder snow dropped 6 to 12 inches of snow in the foothills west of Denver and Boulder. Snowfall totaled 4.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport…but most of the snow melted as it fell. East winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport on the 18th.
18-20
In 1966…sub-freezing temperatures caused thousands of dollars in damage to fruit trees across metro Denver. Minimum temperatures were in the teens each morning and failed to reach above freezing on the 19th. The low temperature of 13 on the 20th set a new record minimum for the date. Snowfall totaled 5.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport during the period.
19
In 1899…northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph in the city.
In 1941…the last snow of the season…0.4 inch…occurred… Marking the end of the shortest snow season…167 days. The first snow of the season…a trace… Occurred on November 4…1940.
In 1954…strong gusty winds raked metro Denver for most of the day producing some blowing dust. At midday…a severe dust devil was sighted in the Westwood area of southwest Denver.
In 1955…cold west winds at 52 mph with gusts as high as 69 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport where blowing dust reduced the visibility to 1/2 mile.
In 1960…the second wind storm in 3 days produced sustained west winds up to 44 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph at Stapleton Airport. Winds were strong and gusty most of the day…but no damage was reported.
In 1963…the second windy day in a row produced west- northwest wind gusts to 52 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1971…a tornado occurred in the southwest corner of Weld County about 10 miles west-northwest of Brighton. The storm moved through a farm yard damaging equipment and structures. The strong tornadic winds lifted a stock tank over 2 fences into a corral 150 feet away. Later…a tornado touched down briefly west-southwest of Buckley Field…8 miles southeast of Stapleton International Airport. No damage was reported.
In 1985…high winds occurred in the foothills. Winds gusted to 97 mph atop Squaw Mountain in the foothills west of Denver. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…a powerful cold front produced high winds and engulfed metro Denver in huge clouds of blowing dust that lowered the visibility to as little as 100 yards. The cold front generated winds as high as 72 mph at Brighton…67 mph in Thornton…and 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Winds of 50 to 70 mph were common along the Front Range from Denver north. The high wind gusts flipped a light plane taxiing at Stapleton International Airport…slightly injuring two people on board. The cold front dropped the temperature from a high of 80 degrees at 3:00 pm to a low of 33 degrees at midnight. Nearly an inch of snow…0.8 inch… Fell at Stapleton International Airport before midnight.
In 1988…a tornado touched down in Fort Lupton… Following a path 50 to 75 yards wide for 2 1/2 blocks. The twister damaged roofs on 2 schools and broke numerous windows; about 10 houses were damaged and several cars had windows blown out. Several trees were downed.
In 1989…winds were clocked to 68 mph in Wheat Ridge. Microburst winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996…high winds gusting from 70 to near 100 mph developed in the Front Range foothills and adjacent plains. Numerous power outages were reported as power lines and poles were downed. The high winds blew the chimney off the roof of a house in Westminster. Numerous homes received minor shingle damage. Some of the stronger wind gusts included: 98 mph at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield…91 mph atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver…and 75 mph atop Table Mesa near Boulder. West northwest winds gusted to 45 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2001…westerly Chinook winds… Gusting as high as 40 mph at Denver International Airport…prevented the low temperature from dropping below 51 degrees…setting a new record high minimum for the date. The high temperature of 77 degrees was not a record.
In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced large hail across metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in Arvada. Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell in Westminster…Northglenn… And Thornton. Hail to 7/8 inch was reported near Brighton…Barr Lake… And Castle Rock. Hail to 3/4 inch fell in Elizabeth and Broomfield and near Golden…Brighton… And Fort Lupton.
19-20
In 1892…rain on the 18th changed to snow on the 19th and totaled 6.0 inches over downtown Denver into the 20th. Total precipitation was 1.56 inches. North winds were sustained to 26 mph on the 19th.
In 1907…a major storm dumped 18.0 inches of snowfall in downtown Denver. Much of the heavy wet snow melted as it fell. The most snow on the ground was 7.0 inches at 6:00 pm on the 19th. North to northeast winds were sustained to 42 mph on the 19th and to 21 mph on the 20th. High temperatures were in the low to mid 30`s with low readings around 20.
In 2021…moderate to heavy snow occurred in and near the Front Range Foothills…with the heaviest amounts in and near the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties. Storm totals ranged from 8 to 16 inches in those areas…with 2 to 7 inches across the rest of the I-25 Corridor. The National Weather Service Office in Boulder measured 8.9 inches…with a measurement of 3.1 inches of snowfall at Denver International Airport.
Continue reading April 19 to April 25: This week in Denver weather history
The City of Thornton has announced that it has replaced the old CodeRed emergency alert system with a new one called “ThorntonReady Emergency Alerts.” We highly recommend all residents sign up for the new system immediately.
With the system you can choose exactly which types of events you want to be notified about – civic alerts, weather advisories, weather warnings, etc. Additionally, you control how you want to be notified whether by phone call, text, email or all of them.
We found that they wanted to alert users with an entire gamut of alerts, many which don’t really warrant a middle-of-the-night phone call. However, the ability to be notified about the more common advisories is a nice touch and helps to keep you informed.
For us, we opted out of calls for advisories although being geeks we don’t mind the texts or emails. For calls, we chose only tornado warnings. If you are in an area where appropriate, we would suggest also opting in for calls for flash flood warnings. See attached screenshot of our choices.
Should you desire, you can also add information about your household that could be seen my emergency responders should an emergency arise. These include other members of the household, special health requirements, pets and more.
We chose not to add the personal information at this time as we are somewhat suspicious of what that information could be used for and who it may be shared with beyond first responders.
This service is crucial to ensuing you are notified about dangerous conditions at your home. Please do sign up.
Click here to learn more and sign up for ThorntonReady Emergency Alerts.
A look back at this week in Denver weather history shows quite the variety of weather conditions. We have seen everything from high winds and snowstorms to hail, thunderstorms and sub-freezing temperatures.
From the National Weather Service:
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.
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.
10-12
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.
11-12
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.
11-13
In 2020…a cold northerly flow…associated with a strong upper level jet stream…combined with low level upslope to produce a period of moderate to heavy snowfall in and near the foothills. The heaviest snowfall focused over Boulder County where 19.3 inches was observed near Eldorado Springs…with 18 inches in northwest Boulder. Storm totals elsewhere included: 16.5 inches at the National Weather Service in southwest Boulder…15.5 inches near Genesee…14 inches near Louisville…13 inches…2 miles southwest of Golden and Westminster; 11.5 inches in Kittredge and Lyons…and 10 inches near Crescent Village…Erie…and Lafayette. At Denver International Airport…only 1.0 inch of snowfall was observed.
12
In 1906…north winds were sustained to 52 mph in the city.
In 1916…post-frontal north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph. Light rain also occurred.
In 1964…strong gusty winds raked metro Denver. Wind gusts estimated to 60 mph or higher caused widespread damage to buildings and power lines. Blowing dust closed some roads. A wind gust to 46 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1967…microburst winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1982…wind gusts to 60 mph were reported in and near the foothills. Wind gusts to 44 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…snow fell over metro Denver… Causing traffic tie-ups on the roads and at Stapleton International Airport where some flights were delayed for 90 minutes. I-25 south of Denver was closed for a time due to numerous traffic accidents. While only 4.2 inches of snow fell in Denver… Foothills to the southwest received 6 to 12 inches of snow. North winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 2 inches due to melting.
12-13
In 1922…post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow… Which totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver. This was the second snow in 3 days. North winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 31 mph on the 12th.
In 1993…heavy snow occurred in the foothills northwest of Denver with 21 inches recorded at the Eldora Ski Area. Only 1.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 13th. Most of the precipitation from the storm fell as rain across the city with 0.62 inch of precipitation measured at Stapleton International Airport.
12-14
In 1933…heavy snowfall of 5.6 inches occurred in downtown Denver on the 12th and 13th behind a vigorous cold front… Which presented an awe-inspiring spectacle as it approached the station during the late afternoon of the 12th. Brilliant white wind-torn cumulus clouds were sandwiched by a brownish- tan dust cloud at the surface and dark blue cumulus clouds above. The dust cloud storm rapidly enveloped the station with northeast winds sustained to 38 mph and gusts to 44 mph producing much blowing dust…which was accompanied by rapidly falling temperatures and rising pressure. Moist snowfall started in about an hour and continued to midday on the 13th. Record low temperatures of 17 and 15 degrees occurred on the 13th and 14th respectively. The high temperature of only 27 degrees on the 13th was a record low maximum for the date.
12-15
In 1927…snowfall totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 14th. Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph during the storm.
13
In 1873…heavy snow started with fresh and brisk north winds around 9:00 am…and continued heavy until 2:00 pm and lightly until 7:00 pm. Temperatures were below freezing for most of the day…but the snow melted almost as fast as it fell. Precipitation from the melted snow totaled 0.70 inches. This would be around 7.0 inches of estimated snowfall.
In 1912…a severe wind and dust storm struck the city. West winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph.
In 1967…a late season snow storm affected areas along the eastern foothills from Denver south. Snowfall between 2 and 3 feet closed I-25 between Denver and Colorado springs. In Denver…snowfall was only 3.6 inches… But precipitation from the storm totaled 3.25 inches…the greatest 24-hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of April. North winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Temperatures across the city were in the 30`s most of the day.
In 1974…a major spring snow storm dumped 8.5 inches of heavy wet snow at Stapleton International Airport where north wind gusts to 38 mph produced some blowing snow. The storm caused minor damage to public utilities.
In 1986…strong winds howled across metro Denver. Boulder reported a peak gust of 79 mph. Wind gusts of 55 to 60 mph were common across all of metro Denver. There were power outages. The wind toppled a brick wall under construction in Arvada…and also damaged luxury sky boxes under construction atop Mile High Stadium in Denver. Road signs in Arvada were damaged. West winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2014…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range foothills. Storm totals included: 13 inches near Conifer; 12.5 inches near Ward; 11.5 inches near Nederland; 10 inches near Allenspark…Golden and Gold Hill; with 8.5 inches at Roxborough State Park.
13-14
In 1968…high winds struck Boulder. Sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts as high as 102 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research…while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 73 mph. The winds damaged a building under construction and some homes in south Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 13th.
In 1996…a potent spring storm strengthened just east of Denver. Blizzard conditions developed over eastern Adams and eastern Arapahoe counties. Strong northerly winds ranging from 25 to 50 mph…cold temperatures… And heavy snowfall combined to create very hazardous conditions. The strong winds whipped snow in drifts 3 to 4 feet high. High winds and heavy wet snow downed power lines and caused traffic accidents. Some roads were closed. Snowfall totaled 15 inches at Strasburg…while only 2.1 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.
In 2011…a potent spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to Front Range mountains and foothills. Storm totals included: 16.5 inches near Blackhawk; 16 inches at Nederland; 15.5 inches at Coal Creek Canyon and 5 miles northeast of Ward; 15 inches at Allenspark; 12.5 inches… 5 miles northwest of Idaho Springs; 12 inches at Echo Mountain ski area; and 10.5 inches near Georgetown.
13-15
In 1945…heavy snowfall totaled 9.8 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…4.8 inches… Fell on the 14th. Snow fell for a total of 53 consecutive hours. This was the second big snow in less than 2 weeks. The air mass was very cold for April. High temperatures of 21 degrees on the 14th and 32 degrees on the 15th were record low maximums for those dates.
13-17
In 2001…a huge dust storm over southern and Inner Mongolia during April 3rd through the 6th lifted desert dust into the jet stream. This dust cloud moved over metro Denver on the 13th and persisted through the 17th. The cloud created widespread haze…giving the sky a milkish cast due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation.
Continue reading April 12 to April 18: This week in Denver weather history
The month of March 2026 is one which went into the history books but we would like to forget. The ridiculously warm and dry weather that has plagued us all winter continued with a vengeance.
Overall, Thornton saw its warmest March of the past 20 years. It also went into the books as the fourth driest March over the same period. Officially, Denver saw similar records fall.
Four of the first five days of the month saw well above normal temperatures. Finally, on the sixth day of the month, we got a break. Temperatures chilled and we received a nice shot of snow.
It did not take long though and the mild temperatures returned and dry conditions stayed until the 15th of the month. We then got another light bit of snow. That, however, would be the end of the precipitation for the month.
The final half of March 2026 saw us record seven days with 80+ degree temperatures and two days with 90+ degrees. The earliest we have ever seen those types of readings.
Thornton saw an average monthly temperature for March 2026 of 53.9 degrees. This was far above the 20-year running average for the month of 42.8 degrees. It also easily displaced March 2012 (49.6 degrees) as the warmest March over the same period.
Officially, as measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City saw record-setting temperatures as well. Their average reading for the month was 51.6 degrees. This easily bested the previous warmest March of 50.4 degrees set in 1910.
In terms of precipitation, Thornton recorded 0.63 inches in its bucket for the month. Most of that came with the snow on the 6th. This was well below the March 20 year average of 0.83 inches and put the month in the books as the 4th driest March over the period.
Denver was similarly dry recording 0.66 inches in their rain bucket. This was 0.20 inches below the long term March average for Denver.
Snow was reasonable for the month with Thornton receiving 6.8 inches during March 2026. That was, however, a good bit below the 10.5 inches we averaged over the past 20 years.
Out at DIA, Denver fared better with the white stuff with 10.1 inches being recorded. That was actually 1.7 inches above their long term average for snowfall in March.
Click here to view Thornton’s complete March 2026 climate summary report.
Weather records for Denver, Colorado set in March 2026
An incredibly busy week on the Denver weather history calendar as we see below. Thunderstorms, blizzards, tornadoes, hurricane force winds and more have all been seen during this week in Denver weather history.
From the National Weather Service:
2-5
In 1918…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…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…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…a prolonged heavy snow storm 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…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…a whitish-colored haze engulfed metro Denver on both days. The haze was the result of a huge wind storm 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…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.
In 2022…a storm system brought strong winds to Denver the surrounding metro area. A peak gust to 60 mph occurred 3 miles north of Denver…with a gust to 58 mph at Denver International Airport from the northwest.
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…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…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…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…a major spring snow storm 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.
Continue reading April 5 to April 11: This week in Denver weather history
For the first time in more than 50 years, humans are traveling to the moon. Yesterday, NASA’s Artemis II launched into space in a long overdue continuation of the Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s.
With four astronauts onboard, Artemis II will spend a day circling the Earth then set themselves on a trajectory to circle the moon Thursday evening. If all goes well, they will travel farther from Earth than any humans have before.
NASA is live streaming the entire 10 day mission and you can watch it below.
April marks a transition between winter and summer for most of the country but for Denver it is especially true as we can see a stunning variety of weather.
The proverbial April showers are certainly a possibility for Denver. Snow? Tornadoes? Thunderstorms? You bet – all can happen!
For good measure throw in a chance for hail and even dust storms and April gives every type of weather condition you could like – or hate.
The month of March is the start of meteorological spring and while conditions do begin warming, winter weather is certainly out of the question. From hot to cold, snow to rain, the conditions can be very conducive to great pictures as we see in our slideshow.
March in Denver typically means frequent and rapid weather changes. The days grow longer and we start enjoying more sunshine and sometimes summer-like weather. However, on occasion arctic air masses can still force their way south into Colorado dropping temperatures quickly and markedly.
With the active wildlife, increased outdoor activities by us humans, and of course the weather, March imagery contains a wide variety of subjects and extremes.
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.
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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!