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Mother Nature can be a factor in Inauguration Day events and the swearing in of a new president
On a cold, wet and blustery day, the new President of the United States prepared to take office. He rode a horse to and from the Capitol that day and spoke on the steps of the building for nearly two hours – all without an overcoat or so much as a hat.
William Henry Harrison’s refusal to acknowledge the realities of the harsh weather on March 4, 1841 would be his demise. Our nation’s newest president would also have the shortest presidency, a mere 30 days, as he caught a chill that day which then turned to pneumonia and would claim his life.
Weather in the winter can be a wildcard to say the least and it has been a point of consternation for inauguration festivities. In President Harrison’s day, we inaugurated our new leader in March but since 1937 Inauguration Day has been held on January 20th, a day which puts it right in the potentially coldest part of winter.
‘Normal’ weather for January 20th in Washington D.C. actually isn’t all that bad. The city usually reaches a high temperature in the low 40’s. At noon, the appointed time for the inaugural address, the normal temperature is 37 degrees with partly cloudy skies and a 10 mph wind. According to the National Weather Service there is historically a 1 in 20 chance of snowfall on the date itself. Not too bad at all.
Like President Harrison, some other presidents weren’t very lucky when it came to the weather on inauguration day.
100 years ago President William Howard Taft famously said, “I knew it would be a cold day when I made president,” and he was absolutely right. On that March day ten inches of snow fell and wind downed trees and power poles as streets became clogged and trains stalled. President Taft’s ceremony was moved indoors due to poor weather and historians consider the day the worst inaugural weather ever.
President Taft had it rough but his inauguration wasn’t the coldest. For his second inauguration President Ronald Reagan saw truly Arctic cold temperatures impact his ceremony. At noon in 1985 it was a mere 7 degrees and the wind chill dropped that to between -10 and -20 degrees. Like Taft, President Reagan’s inauguration was moved indoors.
In 1873 when Ulysses S. Grant prepared to take office for his second term, the temperature was a mere 16 degrees at noon. The wind was so bad it made his inaugural address inaudible to everyone including those on the platform with him.
In 1961 on the eve of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, eight inches of snow fell causing the worst inaugural traffic jam as hundred of cars were stuck and thousands abandoned. The temperature only reached 22 degrees that day and the new president was forced to cancel dinner plans as travel was so difficult.
As for rain, that too can intrude on one of our nation’s most revered occasions. 1.77 inches of rain fell on January 20, 1937 – a record for the date that still stands today. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt rode in a convertible back to the White House after the inauguration which had a half-inch of water on the floor by the time he arrived.
How are things looking for Inauguration Day 2017 and President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing in? Rain looks to be a virtual certainty for much of the morning right through the swearing in at 12:00 noon EST / 10:00am MST. The actual volume of precipitation though does not look like it will be all that great. Temperatures will be topping out a bit warmer than normal for the date with an expected high of 48 degrees. Click here for the latest forecast for Washington DC from the National Weather Service.
2016 Thornton annual weather recap: A warmer, drier than normal year
Another year in the books for us and as we look back on our overall weather for 2016, we see overall temperatures were warmer than normal while precipitation fell a good bit short of normal. The year did seem to lack any major drama in terms of severe weather or winter storms which is likely a good thing.
We started out with above normal temperatures for the first quarter of the year. March, as usual, was our snowiest month and also became our wettest month of the year. April followed with some snow and a good bit of rain to be our second wettest and May the third.
May also saw much cooler than normal temperatures with the biggest departure from normal. From there, drier conditions reigned through November with each month registering below normal precipitation.
October and November saw our biggest deviations from normal temperatures as high pressure dominated and we saw extraordinarily warm conditions. This changed in December as Arctic air infiltrated the region leading to well below normal temperatures.
Overall, Thornton’s annual temperature came in at 51.6 degrees. This was 1.1 degrees above Denver’s 30 year average (1981 to 2010) of 50.5 degrees. We saw readings ranging from a high of 100.4 degrees down to a low of 10.7 degrees below zero. Fifty days saw 90 degrees or higher while at the opposite end we saw 169 days with readings at or below freezing.
Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official measurements are kept, it was warmer with an annual average of 52.3 degrees. For Denver, that ranks as the 14th warmest year in its 145 year temperature history.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 14.3 inches per calendar year. Both Thornton and Denver fell well short of that mark with 12.98 inches and 11.85 inches respectively. For Denver, that is the 37th driest year on record.
Thornton saw a very respectable 68.1 inches for the calendar year. At the airport Denver saw less with 61.6 inches. Both were well above the annual average of 53.8 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s 2016 climate summary report.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
1010 AM MST SUN JAN 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2016...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2016
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 105 06/26/2012 06/25/2012
07/20/2005 08/08/1878
LOW -29 01/09/1875
HIGHEST 102 07/10/2016 98 08/15
LOWEST -15 12/17/2016 -10 01/04
AVG. MAXIMUM 66.7 64.7 2.0 65.4
AVG. MINIMUM 38.0 36.3 1.7 38.6
MEAN 52.3 50.5 1.8 52.0
DAYS MAX >= 90 55 39.6 15.4 48
DAYS MAX <= 32 14 20.0 -6.0 29
DAYS MIN <= 32 138 156.9 -18.9 126
DAYS MIN <= 0 4 5.8 -1.8 7 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 23.31 1967 MINIMUM 7.29 2008 TOTALS 11.85 14.30 -2.45 18.31 DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.05 DAYS >= .01 71 79.7 -8.7 107
DAYS >= .10 32 34.9 -2.9 49
DAYS >= .50 5 7.6 -2.6 10
DAYS >= 1.00 2 2.3 -0.3 2
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 1.38 2016 5/26 TO 5/27
1.22 2016 4/15 TO 4/16
0.77 2016 3/23 TO 3/23
SNOWFALL RECORDS JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER TOTALS
MAXIMUM MINIMUM
115.9 1913 18.9 1887
112.0 1959 21.5 1888
99.2 1929 21.8 1890
24 HR TOTAL 23.6 12/24/1982 TO 12/24/1982
TOTALS 61.6 53.8 7.8 64.4
LIQUID EQUIV 6.16 5.40 0.76 6.44
SINCE 7/1 11.4 22.5 -11.1 22.6
LIQUID 7/1 1.14 2.20 -1.06 2.26
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 MM MM 0
DAYS >= TRACE 37 33.3 3.7 51
DAYS >= 1.0 13 16.3 -3.3 25
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 10 03/24 9 02/23
24 HR TOTAL 13.1 03/23
11.8 04/16
6.9 02/01
STORM TOTAL 13.1 03/23
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 5415 6059 -644 5479
SINCE 7/1 2042 2468 -426 5575
COOLING TOTAL 878 769 109 877
SINCE 1/1 878 769 109 877
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962
LATEST 06/08/2007
EARLIEST 10/07
LATEST 05/05
..................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 10.0
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 2/194
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 54/340 DATE 07/24
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 74/340 DATE 07/24
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 94
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 210
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 62
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 50
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 3 RAIN 13
LIGHT RAIN 72 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 4
HEAVY SNOW 5 SNOW 17
LIGHT SNOW 39 SLEET 0
FOG 80 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 26
HAZE 33
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
..........2016 CLIMATE YEAR IN REVIEW...........
THE YEAR OF 2016 IN DENVER, THE FRONT RANGE AND NORTHERN COLORADO,
WAS A TRANSITION FROM STRONG EL NINO CONDITIONS OVER TO WEAK LA NINA
AND INTO THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS ENSO NEUTRAL. AS EL NINO
CONDITIONS WEAKENED FROM MID-WINTER THROUGH LATE SPRING 2016,
TEMPERATURES CAME IN WARMER THAN AVERAGE FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH
ALONG WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE THREE
MONTHS. DENVER`S WETTEST MONTH OF 2016 ARRIVED IN APRIL WITH 2.56
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION ALONG WITH 18.4 INCHES OF SNOW. TEMPERATURES
FOR THEN COOLED TO NEAR AVERAGE FOR APRIL AHEAD OF ABOVE AVERAGE
PRECIPITATION AND FURTHER COOLING INTO MAY. MAY WAS THE SECOND
WETTEST MONTH OF 2016 AND ALSO HAD THE COLDEST MONTHLY DEPARTURE
FROM AVERAGE FOR THE YEAR AT 2.7 DEGREES BELOW DENVER`S MONTHLY MAY
NORMAL.
WITH WATER TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS RAPIDLY CHANGING IN THE EQUATORIAL
PACIFIC REGION IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2016, NORTHERN COLORADO AND THE
HIGH PLAINS STATES TRANSITIONED INTO A DIFFERENT PATTERN AS WELL.
THE FIVE MONTHS OF JUNE THROUGH OCTOBER ALL REGISTERED PRECIPITATION
TOTALS BELOW THEIR MONTHLY AVERAGE. AUGUST RECEIVED A MERE 0.22
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION IN DENVER WHICH WAS 1.47 INCHES BELOW
AVERAGE AND WAS THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL OF ALL MONTHS OF
2016 AT 13 PERCENT.
AS A LARGE AND STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE PERSISTED ACROSS THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ROCKIES FROM MID SUMMER INTO MID FALL,
TEMPERATURES REFLECTED THIS WITH OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER LANDING WELL
ABOVE THEIR MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. BOTH OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER
IN DENVER CAME IN WITH MONTHLY TEMPERATURE DEPARTURES OF 6.9 AND 6.8
DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE RESPECTIVELY. PRECIPITATION ALSO HELD BELOW
NORMAL FOR THESE TWO MONTHS AS WELL WITH 0.26 INCHES IN OCTOBER AND
0.52 INCHES IN NOVEMBER. HOWEVER, WITH TWO MOIST AND WINTER-LIKE
PACIFIC DISTURBANCES IN MID NOVEMBER, THE DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL IN
NOVEMBER WAS ONLY -0.09 OR 85 PERCENT OF AVERAGE.
AS METEOROLOGISTS OBSERVED THE DEVELOPING NORTHERN HEMISPHERIC
PATTERN FROM LATE NOVEMBER INTO EARLY DECEMBER, IT WAS CLEAR THAT A
CHANGE FOR THE COLDER WAS COMING TO MUCH OF THE UNITED STATES,
INCLUDING DENVER. IN EARLY DECEMBER, WINDS ALOFT BROADLY EXTENDED
LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE ARCTIC REGION NORTH OF SIBERIA, ACROSS THE
NORTH POLE REGION AND INTO SOUTHERN CANADA. FRIGID ARCTIC AIR WAS
BROUGHT SOUTHWARD INTO CANADA AND ACROSS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL UNITED
STATES AS A RESULT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER PATTERN OF
PERSISTENT NORTHERLY WINDS ALOFT ACROSS NORTHERN LATITUDES WHICH
USHERED IN ANOTHER PERIOD OF COLD AND SNOWFALL AHEAD OF THE
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. THESE TWO SYSTEMS WERE ENOUGH TO BRING DECEMBER`S
AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE DOWN TO -2.2 BELOW NORMAL ALONG WITH
ABOVE AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL.
WHEN 2016 ENDED, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE FOR DENVER FINALIZED
AT 52.3 DEGREES, WHICH IS 1.8 DEGREES ABOVE THE 1981-2010 ANNUAL
AVERAGE OF 50.5 DEGREES. THIS RANKS AS 14TH WARMEST IN DENVER`S 145
YEAR TEMPERATURE HISTORY. THE WARMEST YEAR IN DENVER`S WEATHER
HISTORY WAS IN 1934 WITH AN AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE OF 54.8
DEGREES. THE COLDEST YEAR WAS 1912 WITH AN ANNUAL AVERAGE OF 47.6
DEGREES.
FOR THE PRECIPITATION CATEGORY, 2016 IN DENVER WAS ON THE DRY SIDE
OF THE 1981-2010 ANNUAL AVERAGE. THE YEAR ENDED WITH 11.85 INCHES OF
PRECIPITATION WHICH WAS 2.45 INCHES BELOW THE ANNUAL NORMAL OF 14.30
INCHES, OR 83 PERCENT OF NORMAL. THE ANNUAL TOTAL OF 11.85 INCHES
RANKS AS 37TH DRIEST IN DENVER`S 145 YEAR WEATHER HISTORY. THE
WETTEST YEAR IN DENVER`S WEATHER HISTORY WAS IN 1967 WHEN 23.31
INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FELL. DENVER`S DRIEST YEAR OCCURRED IN 2002
WHEN ONLY 7.48 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION WAS RECORDED.
January 15 to January 21: This week in Denver weather history
January’s reputation of being dry and windy is evidenced in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. While there are some notable events involving snow, high winds have been the most frequent event worthy of mention.
From the National Weather Service:
13-16
In 1888…a cold air mass settled over the city and caused temperatures to plunge well below zero on four consecutive days…but only one temperature record was set. Minimum temperatures dipped to 4 degrees below zero on the 13th… 19 degrees below zero on the 14th…20 degrees below zero on the 15th…and 11 degrees below zero on the 16th. The maximum temperature of only 4 degrees below zero on the 14th was a record low maximum for the date. North winds were sustained to 30 mph on the 13th.
14-15
In 1908…heavy post-frontal snowfall totaled 6.5 inches overnight. North winds were sustained to 32 mph. The temperature dropped 41 degrees in 24 hours from a reading of 48 degrees at 8:00 pm on the 14th to only 7 degrees at 8:00 pm on the 15th.
In 1950…strong winds occurred in Boulder and Louisville. Winds in excess of 60 mph were recorded at Valmont. Minor damage was reported. Southwest winds gusted to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1959…a total of 5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton Airport.
In 1992…snow spread from the mountains across metro Denver. The heaviest snow was across the northern portion of the area where 7 inches fell at Thornton. At Stapleton International Airport…only 3.4 inches of snowfall were recorded and northeast winds gusting to 37 mph caused some blowing snow on the 14th.
In 1999…high winds howled across metro Denver. In Commerce City…strong winds toppled 3 utility poles resulting in a power outage to 600 homes. High wind reports included: 108 mph at Wondervu…80 mph at the Hiwan Golf Course in Evergreen…76 mph at Aspen Springs…75 mph at the Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield…74 mph in Boulder…and 70 mph at Georgetown. West to northwest winds gusted to 48 mph…the highest wind gust of the month…and warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees at Denver International Airport on the 15th.
14-21
In 1930…a protracted cold spell occurred when low temperatures plunged below zero on 8 consecutive days. The coldest low temperatures of 20 degrees below zero on the 17th and 19 degrees below zero on the 16th were record minimums for the dates. High temperatures during the period ranged from 18 on the 18th to zero on the 20th. Two degrees on the 15th was a record low maximum temperature for the date.
15
In 1875…the wind backed from the southwest to the northeast before noon. The temperature fell 48 degrees in one hour… From a high of 52 degrees to only 4 degrees between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm…as cold arctic air surged back over the city.
In 1888…the low temperature dipped to 20 degrees below zero.
In 1906…southwest winds were sustained to 44 mph.
In 1921…south winds were sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The winds warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees. The low temperature of only 47 degrees was a record high minimum for the date.
In 1943…strong Chinook winds struck the Front Range foothills. Wind gusts to 96 mph were recorded at Valmont in east Boulder…with 90 mph measured at Boulder airport. Some damage occurred.
In 1976…strong Chinook winds with peak gusts of 70 to 80 mph were recorded along the foothills. Northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1982…a vigorous cold front plunged temperatures 22 degrees in an hour from 39 to 17 degrees. Strong northeast winds at 30 mph with gusts to 46 mph…along with some snow flurries…reduced the visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…heavy snow hit metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 10.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport…but amounts across the area ranged from 3 inches in southeast Aurora to 18 inches in the western and southwestern suburbs. Only an inch of snow was measured at Castle Rock. A half foot to a foot of snow fell in the foothills west of Denver and Boulder. Some schools were closed due to the storm. Temperatures hovered in the teens most of the day at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph.
In 1988…high winds were clocked in Boulder with a gust to 70 mph recorded at Table Mesa.
In 1998…strong winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills. Winds gusted to 71 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. South-southwest winds gusted to only 25 mph at Denver International Airport.
15-16
In 1967…a major windstorm struck Boulder. The storm was described at the time as the worst single windstorm in the history of Boulder in terms of damage. Winds reached 125 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and at Boulder airport. Winds gusted to 84 mph downtown. Damage totaled a half million dollars in Boulder where some minor injuries were reported. At the Boulder Municipal Airport… 14 light airplanes were severely damaged. The second floor of a warehouse was blown down…damaging two nearby moving vans. A mobile home was blown over south of Boulder… Injuring one woman. The roof of a department store was blown in. There was widespread damage to houses…autos… And power lines from wind and flying debris. Strong winds also occurred in Denver and Golden…but damage was only minor. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 43 mph on the 15th and to 45 mph on the 16th.
In 1981…heavy snow of 6 to 10 inches accumulated across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where east winds gusted to 21 mph on the 15th.
In 1991…a pacific storm system moved across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3 to 7 inches with 3 inches in Aurora… Denver…and Castle Rock…4 inches in Arvada…and 7 inches at South Platte station just southwest of Denver. Snowfall totaled only 2.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph on the 16th.
In 2001…heavy snow fell across the Front Range foothills and urban corridor. The combination of careless driving and snowpacked highways resulted in 3 multi-vehicle accidents involving 30 vehicles…along I-25 in Douglas County. Eleven people were injured and one was killed. Snow amounts included: 11 inches in Evergreen; 10 inches at Eldorado Springs and Genesee; 8 inches at Broomfield… Ken Caryl Ranch…and Thornton; and 5 to 7 inches in Arvada…Bailey…Crow Hill…Gross Reservoir…Lakewood… Louisville…Westminster…and near Loveland. Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
15-23
In 1962…a protracted cold spell kept metro Denver in the deep freeze for more than a week. From the 15th thru the 23rd…low temperatures were zero or below for 9 consecutive days…but a daily record low was set only on the 22nd when the temperature dipped to 14 degrees below zero. A record low maximum for the date was also set on the 22nd when the temperature climbed to only 11 degrees. The coldest high temperature was 3 degrees above zero on the 21st…which did not break the record. The protracted cold was broken for only a few hours on the afternoon of the 20th when Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 38 degrees before another surge of cold arctic air plunged temperatures back into the deep freeze that evening. The severe cold caused much damage to water systems. A woman was frozen to death at Morrison. There were other deaths attributable to the weather…including traffic deaths and heart attacks from overexertion.
16
In 1911…a trace of rain fell…a rare event in January.
In 1935…rainfall was 0.01 inch during the afternoon…a rare event in January.
In 1989…wind gusts to 80 mph were reported in southwest Boulder. Winds reached 100 mph at Rollinsville in the foothills southwest of Boulder. In Golden…the wind blew a 25-foot trailer through a fence and flipped it over. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 49 degrees.
16-17
In 1886…a brief cold spell resulted in two temperature records. High temperatures of zero degrees on the 16th and 2 degrees below zero on the 17th were both record low maximums for the dates. Low temperatures of 8 degrees below zero on the 16th and 16 degrees below zero on the 17th were not records.
In 1930…temperatures plunging well below zero resulted in two records. Low temperatures of 19 degrees below zero on the 16th and 20 degrees below zero on the 17th were record low temperatures for the dates. High temperatures were 4 degrees on the 16th and 15 degrees on the 17th. Light snowfall totaled 4.0 inches. North winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 16th.
In 1964…high winds struck the eastern foothills. Gale velocity winds were recorded in Boulder with gusts to 83 mph measured at Rocky Flats. Several airplanes were damaged at the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Roofs…walls…and parts of buildings were blown away at various locations. Power poles and trees were blown over.
16-18
In 1943…light snowfall totaled 3.2 inches over the 3 days. This was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 16th.
In 2011…very strong winds associated with an upper level jetstream over Colorado produced blizzard conditions in the mountains above timberline. Peak wind gusts included: 99 mph atop Loveland pass…94 mph…2 miles southwest of Mary Jane…80 mph atop Berthoud Pass and 79 mph atop Niwot Ridge. Storm totals in the ski areas west of Denver ranged from 8 to 14 inches.
Continue reading January 15 to January 21: This week in Denver weather history
January 8 to January 14: This Week in Denver Weather History
January in Colorado is known for two main weather conditions – cold and wind. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows why this reputation is well earned.
From the National Weather Service:
7-8
In 1911…gale force winds occurred in Boulder causing minor injuries.
In 1937…cold arctic air plunged temperatures below zero for an estimated 56 consecutive hours. Two temperature records were set. High temperatures of 8 degrees below zero on the 7th and 3 degrees on the 8th were record low maximum readings for those dates. Low temperatures plunged to 12 degrees below zero on the 7th and 11 degrees below zero on the 8th. Snowfall was 1.4 inches in downtown Denver.
In 1969…a violent evening windstorm struck Boulder and the adjacent foothills. A wind gust to 130 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Winds reached 96 mph in downtown Boulder. The Boulder airport wind recorder was blown away after measuring a wind gust to 80 mph. The windstorm caused over one million dollars in damage and one fatality in Boulder. About 25 homes in south Boulder had roofs blown off or were severely damaged. Roofs were blown off buildings housing scientific laboratories and offices of the Environmental Science Services Administration…now NOAA…in Boulder…and installations of several scientific measuring sites near Boulder received heavy damage. Grass fires driven by the high winds endangered many areas…but were controlled by volunteer firemen. One man died from injuries received when he was blown from a fire truck. One man was killed and another injured when the truck camper in which they were riding was blown off I-25 about 10 miles north of Denver. In the same area a mobile home and a truck trailer were blown off the highway and demolished. At least 20 people in the Boulder area received light to serious injuries from flying debris or from being blown into obstructions. Power lines and trees were downed over a wide area. Damage was relatively light in the city of Denver…where northwest winds gusted to 62 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 8th. Many windows were broken in Arvada…Englewood…and Littleton. A 27-year-old fire lookout tower on Squaw Mountain…west of Denver…was blown away…and several radio relay towers at that location were toppled. Trucks were overturned near Georgetown. Mobile homes were overturned in several areas with occupants receiving injuries in some cases. The strong Chinook winds also brought warm weather. The maximum temperature of 69 degrees on the 7th broke the old record of 65 degrees set in 1948. The temperature also reached 65 degrees on the 8th…but was not a record.
In 1992…an intense blizzard buried eastern parts of metro Denver. At times snow fell at rates of 2 to 3 inches an hour. Winds increased from the north at speeds of 25 to 45 mph. Drifts of 4 to 8 feet were common. I-70 was closed east of Denver…and I-25 was closed from Denver south. Snowfall totals ranged from a couple of inches in the foothills west of Denver to as much as 2 feet on the east side of metro Denver. The heaviest snow fell on the 7th in a band from the northern suburbs of Westminster and Thornton through Aurora and east Denver to southeast of Parker. Snowfall totals included: 22 inches in southeast Aurora…14.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport…13 inches in Northglenn…10 inches in Parker…and 9 inches in Westminster. The 14.5 inches of snowfall measured on the 7th into the 8th is the greatest 24 hour snowfall ever recorded in the city during the month of January. North winds gusting to 46 mph caused much blowing snow at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2000…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills. The strongest winds were generally confined to foothills areas north of I-70. A wind gust to 76 mph was reported in Golden Gate Canyon. West winds gusted to 37 mph at Denver International Airport on the 8th.
7-10
In 1962…a major winter storm dumped 13.5 inches of snow on metro Denver. A foot of the snow fell on the 8th when northeast winds gusted to 30 mph. The storm was followed by an intense blast of very cold arctic air. Minimum temperature readings of 24 degrees below zero occurred on both the 9th and 10th. The temperature never reached above zero on the 9th when a maximum reading of 1 degree below zero was recorded. Temperatures were below zero for 37 consecutive hours.
8
In 1912…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 45 mph in downtown Denver.
In 1971…wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded in downtown Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1990…high winds gusting from 50 to 90 mph along the Front Range produced much damage from blowing dust and gravel throughout the day. Wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded in the Table Mesa area of southwest Boulder. The winds caused sporadic power outages. Clouds of dust and gravel whipped by 70 to 90 mph gusts blinded commuters on the Denver-Boulder Turnpike near Broomfield during the morning rush hour. Flying gravel shattered windows on 50 vehicles parked near a Boulder high school. High winds were also blamed for partially dismantling a house under construction in Boulder…as well as toppling a number of fences…billboards…signs…and power poles. The strong cross-winds jack-knifed and overturned semi-tractor trailers on I-70 near Golden and just south of Boulder on State Highway 93. Several county airports were closed due to strong winds and blowing dust reducing visibilities. Wind delays up to 30 minutes occurred at Stapleton International Airport where west winds gusted to 48 mph. Eighty mph winds in Georgetown…Empire…and Idaho Springs were blamed for power and telephone outages. Windows were blown out of a sheriff’s car along I-70 east of Georgetown. The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees in Denver.
In 2007…strong winds associated with an intense upper level jet…and a very strong surface pressure gradient…developed in and near the Front Range foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged from 77 mph to 115 mph. The strong winds coupled with freshly fallen snow resulted in whiteout conditions and several highway closures due to blowing and drifting snow. Road closures included: State Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder; State Highway 128 from Wadsworth Boulevard to State Highway 93; U.S. Highway 36…the Denver Boulder Turnpike from Broomfield to South Boulder Road; and State Highway 74 near Evergreen…between County Road 65 and Lewis Ridge Road. More than 100 people were stranded in their cars between Golden and Boulder as blowing and drifting snow made the highway impassable. Snow drifts along State Highway 93 were over 6 feet in depth. As a result… The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Arvada West High School for the stranded commuters. Up to twenty cars were also abandoned along the Diagonal Highway…between Boulder and Longmont. Thirty vehicles were stranded along State Highway 128. The high winds also caused intermittent power outages in Boulder. West winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport
8-9
In 1891…heavy dry snowfall totaled 9.7 inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.5 inches…occurred on the 8th when north winds were sustained to 12 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
In 1939…heavy snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver. The snowfall was the heaviest overnight…particularly during the early morning hours. The moist snow adhered to the north side of the instrument shelter and other objects to a depth of 2 inches. Snow accumulated on fences and trees to several inches. This was the greatest snowfall of the month that year. The greatest depth on the ground was 6.5 inches. North to northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 8th and to 27 mph on the 9th.
8-10
In 1983…winds of 70 to 90 mph howled through Boulder. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. A tree blown down by the wind damaged a house in eastern Boulder County. The strong winds developed behind a cold front late on the 8th and continued through the 10th. At Stapleton International Airport…west to northwest winds gusted to 49 mph on the 8th…to 45 mph on the 9th…and to 48 mph on the 10th.
9
In 1875…the all time lowest recorded official temperature in Denver…29 degrees below zero…occurred between 3:00 am and 4:00 am under clear skies with calm winds. The temperature climbed to zero at noon and to a high of 8 degrees at 3:00 pm.
In 1916…Chinook winds from the southwest sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 57 degrees.
In 1917…Chinook winds…southwesterly in direction…sustained at 43 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees. The low temperature was only 43 degrees.
In 1950…strong west winds to 50 mph produced blowing dust… Which briefly reduced visibility to 3/4 mile at Stapleton Airport.
In 1957…west-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1988…a wind gust to 61 mph was recorded at Echo Lake. West winds gusted to only 16 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…strong Chinook winds howled along the eastern foothills. A peak gust to 115 mph was recorded at the Boulder airport where a light plane was severely damaged when the wind flipped it over. Gusts reached 103 mph at Table Mesa in south Boulder. Homes in the city suffered damage to roofs…gutters…and siding. Fences were blown down…and windows in both homes and cars were broken. A radio station was off the air for 2 1/2 hours when the winds blew the top 80 feet off its 180-foot transmission tower. A school roof was partially torn off…and a few traffic signals were downed. Winds 60 to 80 mph were reported at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. West winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1990…high winds buffeted the Front Range foothills for a second straight day. Wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded at Rollinsville. Wind gusts of 65 to 90 mph were noted in the Denver-Boulder area. No significant damage occurred. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum temperature reached 63 degrees.
9-10
In 1962…the low temperature plunged to 24 degrees below zero on both days.
In 1972…a west wind gust to 60 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport…while in Boulder a wind gust to 86 mph was recorded at the National Bureau of Standards. The roof of a house was blown off…and trees were blown down in Boulder. The high winds contributed to the damage from a building fire in Boulder.
In 2000…heavy snow and strong winds in the mountains spilled into the Front Range foothills. Ward…northwest of Boulder…received 9 inches of new snow. Wind gusts to 91 mph were measured in Golden Gate Canyon…with gusts to 77 mph at Loveland Ski Area and to 73 mph along State Highway 93 north of Golden. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.
In 2011…a winter storm brought moderate to heavy snowfall to areas in and near the Front Range foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 13 inches…3 miles south of Golden; 11.5 inches near Eldorado Springs…10.5 inches… 2 miles southwest of Boulder; 10 inches…3 miles southwest of Roxbourough State Park; 9 inches at Genesee…8.5 inches in Arvada…4 miles south-southeast of Bennett and Greenwood Village…8 inches…8 miles south of Elizabeth; 7 inches at Commerce City and 6.5 inches near Louisville and at Denver International Airport. Gusty winds produced snow drifts up to 2 feet deep over the Palmer Divide.
Continue reading January 8 to January 14: This Week in Denver Weather History
Time lapse video: Thornton’s first snowstorm of 2017
Mother Nature seems intent on starting out 2017 the way she ended 2016 – cold. A deep trough coupled with successive, reinforcing cold fronts sent Thornton’s mercury plunging and delivered a healthy shot of snow over the last couple of days.
Below is a time lapse video from our east webcam covering the majority of the event. It begins at 6:00am on Wednesday, January 4 when we were only seeing flurries. From there you see the varying intensities of snow over the next 24 hours or so and end with some hints of blue sky but the afternoon of the 5th. In all, the video covers 36 hours in about 83 second.
Thornton ended with 7.1 inches of snow over the two-day period, our biggest snowfall of the season thus far.
December 2016 weather recap: A colder, wetter month finally arrives
For the three previous months we had seen warmer and drier than normal conditions. December finally brought an end to that streak with temperatures well below normal and precipitation almost doubt the average for the month.
The month was largely an unsettled one as a series of storm systems moved across the region. Two significant blasts of Arctic air sent the mercury plummeting. The first, from the 6th to the 8th, brought little snowfall but the second from the 16th to the 18th was quite generous. The balance of the month saw things warm up with 10 of the last 13 days seeing above normal mercury readings.
Overall, Thornton saw an average monthly temperature of 28.1 degrees. This was well below Denver’s 30 year average (1981 – 2000) for the month of December of 30.0 degrees. Out at DIA where the Mile High City’s official measurements are taken, the month averaged 27.8 degrees.
Temperatures ranged from a high of 65.7 degrees on the 30th down to a bone-chilling low of 10.7 degrees below zero on the morning of the 17th. Denver saw its warmest temperature of 65 degrees and coldest of 15 degrees below zero on the same dates.
That low reading in Denver on the 17th was also a record low for the date. Additionally, the airport saw a high temperature of only 3 degrees that day setting a new record low maximum for the 17th.
In all, Thornton saw five days where the high temperatures failed to climb above freezing and four days with temperatures below zero. Denver recorded six and four respectively.
In terms of precipitation, Denver averages 0.35 inches of liquid precipitation during December. Thornton easily bested the average with 0.64 inches for the month while Denver fared better with 0.78 inches.
Both Thornton and Denver saw above average levels of snowfall. The Mile High City averages 8.5 inches in December. In 2016, Thornton saw 8.9 inches while DIA recorded 9.7 inches.
Click here to view Thornton’s December 2016 climate report.
From the National Weather Service:
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
718 AM MST SUN JAN 1 2017
...................................
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2016...
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2016
WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 79 12/05/1939
LOW -25 12/22/1990
12/24/1876
HIGHEST 65 12/30 43 22 69 12/09
LOWEST -15 12/17 17 -28 0 12/28
12/17
AVG. MAXIMUM 42.7 42.8 -0.1 40.9
AVG. MINIMUM 12.9 17.1 -4.2 17.9
MEAN 27.8 30.0 -2.2 29.4
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.0 0.0 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 6 5.8 0.2 10
DAYS MIN <= 32 30 29.4 0.6 28
DAYS MIN <= 0 4 2.0 2.0 2 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) RECORD MAXIMUM 5.21 1913 MINIMUM 0.00 1881 TOTALS 0.78 0.35 0.43 0.71 DAILY AVG. 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.02 DAYS >= .01 6 4.1 1.9 5
DAYS >= .10 2 1.1 0.9 3
DAYS >= .50 0 0.1 -0.1 0
DAYS >= 1.00 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 0.63 12/16 TO 12/17
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTALS 9.7 2016 8.5 NORMAL
RECORDS 57.4 1913
T 1905 1906 2002
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 1146 1086 60 1097
SINCE 7/1 2042 2468 -426 2187
COOLING TOTAL 0 0 0 0
SINCE 1/1 878 769 109 877
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
EARLIEST 09/08/1962 10/07
LATEST 06/08/2007 05/05
...............................................................
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 9.2
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 3/167
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 37/260 DATE 12/05
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 46/260 DATE 12/05
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 7
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 18
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 6
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 57
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 0 MIXED PRECIP 0
HEAVY RAIN 0 RAIN 0
LIGHT RAIN 1 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 2 SNOW 3
LIGHT SNOW 7 SLEET 0
FOG 11 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 3
HAZE 6
- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.
Thornton’s January 2017 preview: Usually a relatively cold, dry month
As we begin the new year the winter chill begins to set in. While January can see its share of extremes, the month historically sees stable temperatures and is usually relatively dry.
January ranks as the second coldest month in Denver next to December with average temperatures remaining virtually the same from the start to the end of the month.
In terms of snowfall, the month only ranks as the fourth snowiest and it is not uncommon for it to be quite dry.
What does January 2017 hold for us? Follow the link to find out.
For the complete January preview including a look at historical averages and extremes, click here.
January 1 to January 7: This Week in Denver Weather History
One of our coldest and driest months, January is not normally known for its weather extremes. However just like any in Colorado, significant events can occur as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.
From the National Weather Service:
31-1
In 1900…low temperatures dipped to 19 degrees below zero on both days to establish daily record minimum temperatures.
In 1975…only 4.2 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport…while north of Denver a major blizzard raged. All roads north of Denver into Wyoming were closed when strong winds whipped snow into 5 to 6 foot drifts. North winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 31st…causing some blowing snow. Freezing drizzle also fell on the 31st.
In 1984…heavy snow fell in the foothills with 8 inches at Boulder and 6 inches in southern and western metro Denver. Only 1.5 inches of snow fell overnight at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991…a New Year’s Eve snow storm dumped 2 to 8 inches of snow across northeastern Colorado. Snowfall totaled 3.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport. The 1.9 inches of snow that fell on the 31st was the only measurable snowfall of the month.
In 2008…another brief period of high winds occurred in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. In Nederland…the strong wind snapped a blue spruce which landed on a nearby propane tank. Some roofs in the immediate area were damaged and power lines were downed; which left 126 residences without electricity for six hours. Peak wind gusts included 90 mph at the national wind technology center…and 89 mph; 6 miles northwest of Boulder. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust of 23 mph was measured from the southwest.
31-6
In 1973…the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days. Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.
31-7
In 1941…a protracted cold spell through January 7…1942… Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero. The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero…the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero…and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.
1
In 1875…the temperature fell 27 degrees between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. The high for the day was 43 degrees…and the low was 8 degrees. Occasional snow flurries fell during the day…but not enough to cover the ground.
In 1885…dense smoke choked the skies over downtown Denver until midday.
In 1910…a rare trace of light rain fell during the morning.
In 1911…post-frontal northeast winds were sustained to 40 mph. Only a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver.
In 1952…snowfall of 0.03 inch was the only measurable snowfall of the month and resulted in 0.01 inch of melted snow…the only precipitation of the month.
In 1956…west-northwest winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1996…the first snow storm of the new year dumped more than a foot of snow in the Front Range foothills with 4 to 9 inches across the western and southern sections of metro Denver. Snow totals included: 14 inches at conifer; 11 inches at Evergreen; and 10 inches at Eldora Ski Resort… West of Boulder. Snowfall totaled only 1.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North- northeast winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2003…only a trace of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. This…along with a trace of snow on the 22nd…was the only snow of the month…which equaled the 1934 record for the least snowiest January.
1-2
In 1896…warm Chinook winds on the 1st became cold bora winds on the 2nd. Southwest winds sustained to 60 mph with gusts as high as 66 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees on the 1st. Northwest winds sustained to 54 mph with gusts to 60 mph resulted in snowfall of 0.3 inch and a high temperature of only 31 degrees on the 2nd.
1-5
In 1940…the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle…light snow…and fog. Fog occurred on each day. On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle. All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side. This resulted in very slippery streets…which caused several minor traffic accidents. The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.
2
In 1972…strong northwest Chinook winds in advance of a cold front gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport and caused temperatures to warm to a high of 55 degrees.
In 1986…high winds occurred along the Front Range foothills. The strongest recorded gust was 82 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder. Other places in Boulder reported gusts from 68 to 80 mph. West winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1989…high winds between 60 and 70 mph were recorded in Boulder and along the eastern foothills. No damage was reported. West winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
2-3
In 1971…a major storm dumped a total of 8.4 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph.
In 1972…a strong cold front late on the 2nd produced north wind gusts to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Snow…heavy at times on the 3rd…totaled 6.4 inches as temperatures hovered only in the single digits.
In 2000…heavy snow fell over the higher terrain of the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 7 inches 5 miles southwest of Sedalia. Only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
2-4
In 1949…the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado. The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits. This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero. Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm… While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches. The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown. Numerous lives were lost…and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.
2-5
In 1959…very cold temperatures…to near zero and below…caused power and gas lines…water pipes…and automatic sprinkler systems to break. In Boulder… Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store…flooding three floors. The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd…3rd…and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.
3
In 1874…heavy snowfall totaled 6 inches with 5 inches falling in 3 hours. Melted snow totaled 0.40 inches of precipitation. Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph.
In 1887…west winds were sustained to 44 mph in the city.
In 1913…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 52 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees. The low temperature was only 40 degrees.
In 1951…northwest winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1967…a strong Chinook wind reached 90 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. In downtown Boulder winds only gusted to 35 mph. Northwest winds gusting to 49 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1986…winds gusted to 63 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield and reached 73 mph at Echo Lake in the foothills west of Denver. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994…high winds raked the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 99 mph were recorded on Squaw Mountain…south of Idaho Springs…and gusts to 85 mph occurred at the Rocky Flats facility in northwest Jefferson County. Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.
In 1996…very strong Chinook winds gusting to 104 mph blasted the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver. Three people were injured in separate incidents. One man was injured when strong crosswinds toppled his moving van into oncoming traffic along Colorado 93 south of Boulder. Two other people received minor injuries from flying debris. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…eleven hazardous waste storage facilities received at least 100 thousand dollars in damage. In addition…several power lines were downed leaving 3 thousand homes and stores without power. Hundreds of car windows were shattered…and several signs were toppled from buildings. Some of the strongest wind gusts included: 104 mph at Boulder Municipal Airport…98 mph in south Boulder…96 mph at Jefferson County Airport…94 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research southwest of Boulder…91 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility…and 90 mph at Wondervu southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.
In 2004…bands of heavy snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totals included 6.5 inches in Broomfield and 6 inches in Westminster…Arvada…and near Hudson. Only 0.5 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. More snow fell in the foothills with 9 inches recorded near Jamestown. Southeast winds gusted to 25 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2006…locally high winds developed in northern Jefferson County over and near Rocky Flats. Peak wind gusts from 75 to 91 mph were recorded during the afternoon. A semi-trailer truck was blown onto its side on State Highway 93 atop Rocky Flats. Strong winds also spread across metro Denver. West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.
Continue reading January 1 to January 7: This Week in Denver Weather History
December 2016 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow
The month of December can offer everything from bone dry conditions to bone chilling cold and monstrous snowstorms. The weather and wildlife all afford an abundance of photo opportunities as our December photo slideshow shows.
Leaves have fallen from trees now and the landscape can sometimes look quite stark. However it only takes a quick shot of snow to change that picture greatly. Throw in gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, plenty of wildlife big and small, kids playing and much more and the month can be quite colorful and eventful.
- Slideshow updated December 31, 2016
- 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.
| [flickr_set id=”72157673879579814″] |
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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