January 11 to January 17: This Week in Denver Weather History

January 12, 2015 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

January is not usually particularly snowy and as our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows, it is wind and extreme cold that are the most notable conditions during the period.

From the National Weather Service:

10-11 in 1948…strong winds were reported in Boulder and Lakewood. Winds of 50 to 60 mph were reported at Valmont…just east of Boulder. Only minor damage was reported.

In 1980…strong winds of 60 to 95 mph howled across metro Denver…causing some brief power outages and some broken windows. A wind gust to 111 mph was recorded at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 10th.

In 1999…high winds gusting to 100 mph blasted the foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 100 mph at central city…98 mph at Wondervu…82 mph at Aspen Springs and Golden Gate Canyon… 81 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab in Boulder and near Nederland… 78 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon…and 72 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. West winds gusted to 38 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-12

In 1997…heavy snow fell over the Front Range foothills. A foot of new snow was measured at Blackhawk with 7 inches recorded in Coal Creek Canyon. Only 3.3 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. East-northeast winds gusted to 18 mph at Denver International Airport on the 11th.

10-13

In 1963…a arctic cold wave plunged temperatures well below zero across metro Denver. Temperatures were below zero for a total of 64 consecutive hours. Low temperatures reached 25 degrees below zero on both the 11th and 12th. The high temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 11th was the coldest ever recorded at Stapleton Airport and equaled the record low maximum for the month first set on January 19…1883…in downtown Denver. The high temperature on the 12th reached only 1 degree below zero. On the 12th…an 18-year-old youth died of exposure from the extreme cold in Denver. There were many losses and damage to property from frozen water systems…stalled cars…and over-burdened heating systems. Light snow accompanied the arctic blast. At Stapleton Airport…2.3 inches of snow fell on the 10th and 11th.

In 1887…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph in the city.

In 1893…northwest winds to 48 mph were recorded in the city.

In 1901…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity of 47 mph.

In 1988…strong Chinook winds blew throughout the day along the eastern foothills. Winds peaked to 75 mph in Boulder… Breaking at least one window. West winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…2 to 3 inches of snow fell across metro Denver causing near gridlock conditions during the morning rush hour and two-hour delays at Stapleton International Airport. Two to 6 inches of snow whitened Boulder where many traffic accidents were reported. Snowfall measured 2.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 21 mph.

In 1995…high winds developed in the foothills. A gust to 67 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats in northern Jefferson County. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1996…very strong winds were reported in the Front Range foothills for a brief time. Wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded at Golden Gate Canyon…with 95 mph at Wondervu.

11-12

In 1972…high winds howled along the Front Range foothills. A wind gust to 144 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. A wind gust to 105 mph was recorded at the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder. Wind gusts to 90 mph were recorded in downtown Boulder. The greatest damage from the windstorm occurred in Boulder where 25 or more mobile homes were destroyed either by wind or the fires which resulted when they were overturned. Car windows were blown out; many buildings damaged; utility poles…power lines…trees…and traffic lights blown down. As many as 75 families were evacuated from a recently completed apartment building because of severe structural damage. Government and private office buildings and industrial plants were evacuated because of danger from flying glass and debris. Twelve people were treated at the hospital…mostly for cuts from flying glass. At least 15 small planes were seriously damaged and hangar doors were blown off at the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield. Wind damage in Boulder alone totaled 2 million dollars. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 53 mph on the 11th and to 47 mph on the 12th. The strong Chinook winds warmed temperatures into the mid 50’s on both days.

11-14

In 1997…cold arctic air plunged temperatures below zero across metro Denver. The temperature was below zero for 60 consecutive hours from the afternoon on the 11th to around daybreak on the 14th. The high temperature of only 1 degree below zero on the 12th equaled the record low maximum for the date last set in 1963. The low temperature dipped to 14 degrees below zero on the 12th.

Continue reading January 11 to January 17: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

2014 Thornton annual weather recap: Annual temps near normal, above average precipitation

January 9, 2015 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

2014 has come to a close and as we look back on the year, we can see that it was a relatively average year lacking too much drama.

In terms of temperatures, Thornton saw an average overall annual temperature of 49.4 degrees. Out at Denver International Airport where the Mile High City’s official records are kept, the average was warmer at 50.5 degrees. By comparison, Denver’s 1981 to 2010 annual average temperature is 50.4 degrees.

Thornton recorded 29 days of high temperature readings at or above 90 degrees. On average Denver sees 40 of them. Denver matched our number with 29 as well.

The hottest reading of the year was 98.2 degrees which came on July 7. Denver’s highest reading of 100 degrees came on the same date.

At the other end of the spectrum, our coldest temperature was -12.6 degrees on February 5th. Denver bested us with two -19 degree readings, one on February 5th and another on December 30th.

In all, Thornton saw 155 days with readings below freezing. Denver recorded 150. Both were near the average of 156.9 days.

Precipitation for 2014 came in a good ways above average, largely due to a wet May and July. Thornton took 19.54 inches into the rain bucket while Denver received slightly less with 18.77 inches. Both were well above the annual average of 14.30 inches.

Snowfall for the calendar year lagged behind average in both Thornton and Denver. Thornton saw 46.2 inches of the white stuff, Denver a nearly identical 46.3 inches. On average we expect to see 53.8 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s 2014 climate summary report.

Thornton, Colorado 2014 Annual Temperature Summary.

Thornton, Colorado 2014 Annual Precipitation Summary.

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
200 AM MST THU JAN 1 2015

...................................

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2014...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014

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           100   07/07        64      36      100  07/11
                                                          06/11
LOWEST            -19   12/30        36     -55      -15  12/05
                        02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM     64.6              64.7    -0.1     63.9
AVG. MINIMUM     36.5              36.3     0.2     36.3
MEAN             50.5              50.5     0.0     50.1
DAYS MAX >= 90     29              39.6   -10.6       54
DAYS MAX <= 32     24              20.0     4.0       29
DAYS MIN <= 32    150             156.9    -6.9      169
DAYS MIN <= 0      14               5.8     8.2       11

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM        23.31   1967
 MINIMUM         7.29   2008
TOTALS          18.77             14.30    4.47    17.60
DAILY AVG.       0.05              0.03    0.02     0.05
DAYS >= .01        98              79.7    18.3       82
DAYS >= .10        44              34.9     9.1       42
DAYS >= .50        10               7.6     2.4        8
DAYS >= 1.00        4               2.3     1.7        3
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    2.85   07/29 TO 07/30             09/13 TO 09/14

 STORM TOTAL       2.93                             4.65
 (MM/DD(HH))      07/29(00) TO 07/30(00)   09/09(00) TO 09/15(00)

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL          115.9   1913
                        0
                        0
 24 HR TOTAL     23.6   12/24/1982 TO 12/24/1982
 SNOW DEPTH        MM   MM
TOTALS           46.3              53.8    -7.5     72.1
 LIQUID EQUIV     MM                MM      MM       MM
SINCE 7/1        16.0              22.5    -6.5      8.1
 LIQUID 7/1       MM                MM      MM       MM
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      0                MM      MM        0
DAYS >= TRACE      55              33.3    21.7       60
DAYS >= 1.0        17              16.3     0.7       20
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH         6   12/31                          9  02/25
                        12/30
 24 HR TOTAL      5.4   12/29                    02/24 TO 02/24

 STORM TOTAL      5.9                               11.7
 (MM/DD(HH))      12/29(00) 12/30(00)        03/22(00) TO 03/24(00)

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    5844              6059    -215     6302
 SINCE 7/1       2291              2468    -207     2451
COOLING TOTAL     701               769     -68      999
 SINCE 1/1        701               769     -68      999

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
.....................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              10.2
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/214
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    51/310    DATE  07/11
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    66/340    DATE  04/29

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR           72
NUMBER OF DAYS PC            226
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY         67

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     54

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               1
HEAVY RAIN               15     RAIN                      35
LIGHT RAIN               91     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          2     HAIL                       6
HEAVY SNOW                6     SNOW                      24
LIGHT SNOW               56     SLEET                      1
FOG                     115     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE     32
HAZE                     57

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

Weather History

January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History

January 7, 2015 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows the period has been a very eventful one. There have of course been some significant snow events as you would expect in January. However, perhaps most notable are the number of high wind events that have caused extensive damage and in one case, death. Extreme cold has been another hallmark of the period including Denver’s all-time coldest temperature reading.

From the National Weather Service:

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.

1-5

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.

2-4

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.

3-4

In 1982…wind gusting to 85 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder caused a few power failures. West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2000…high winds buffeted the foothills of Boulder County. Wind gusts were reported to 91 mph at Nederland and 81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa southwest of Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

In 1893…the low temperature dipped to only 52 degrees…the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in January. The high temperature was 64 degrees. The spring-like weather was the result of northwest Chinook winds sustained to 20 mph with gusts as high as 38 mph.

4-5

In 1996…snow began falling across the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver on the 4th. Most snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches. Icy roads and blowing snow caused a 22 car accident on I-25 north of Denver… Resulting in an 8-mile traffic back-up for several hours. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North-northeast winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.

In 1871…a heavy gale in Boulder caused 500 dollars damage.

In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph in the city.

In 1899…strong winds occurred in Boulder…but caused only minor damage.

In 1911…northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph in downtown Denver.

In 1915…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph behind a cold front…which produced only 1.0 inch of snowfall.

In 1972…warm Chinook wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded in Boulder at the National Bureau of Standards and to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. The high winds caused severe blowing snow in and near the foothills… Completely blocking traffic in some areas…closing schools and industrial plants. Houses under construction were damaged…and falling trees damaged cars in Boulder. An apartment building under construction was blown down in the Denver area. Northwest wind gusts reached 58 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…during the early morning hours with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30’s…0.25 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport

In 1994…occasional high winds blew across the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 84 mph were recorded in southwest Boulder and 74 mph in north Boulder. There were also reports of 70 to 80 mph winds along Colorado highway 93 in Jefferson County from Golden to Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport. No significant damage was reported.

In 1999…strong downslope winds developed in the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu… Southwest of Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to only 37 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2007…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas along the Front Range. The most snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Storm totals included: 17 inches 8 miles northwest of Evergreen…16 inches near Conifer…15 inches southwest of Boulder and at Eldorado Springs…14.5 inches near Genesee…12 inches near aspen and Estes Parks…11.5 inches in Boulder…11 inches at Perry park… 9.5 inches near Blackhawk…9 inches in Louisville…7.5 inches in Arvada…7 inches near Erie…6.5 inches near Longmont…and 6 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Littleton. Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

Continue reading January 4 to January 10: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Climatology, Thornton Weather

December 2014 weather recap: Temperatures near normal, a bit more than average snow

January 3, 2015 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

The month of December started out quiet and quite dry. Those mild days however gave way to much colder temperatures during the latter half as well as some nice shots of snow.

For the first 13 days of December 2014, Thornton and the Denver area saw temperatures above normal for the most part. Conditions were dry and calm. On the 14th, our first storm system came in and delivered a quick, light snowfall.

December 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

We then entered a calm period that lasted up until Christmas. Temperatures got much colder and some cold temperatures records fell. We also recorded snow on five out of the last seven days of the month.

It was a white Christmas although it wasn’t until late in the day that the white stuff began falling. Denver’s 3.4 inches on the 25th made it the third snowiest Christmas Day on record. Thornton recorded 3.1 inches on the day.

The average temperature for the month in Thornton was 29.2 degrees. Out at the airport, Denver’s official average was a good bit higher at 31.2 degrees. The long term December average is 30.0 degrees.

Thornton’s temperatures ranged from a high of 64.0 degrees on the 12th down to a bone chilling low of -12.1 degrees on the 30th. Denver saw a high mark of 66 degrees and a low of -19 degrees on those days.

Two temperature records were set during the month, both on December 30. A new record low maximum for the date of 1 degree was recorded (old record was 8 degrees set in 1915). Additionally, Denver’s -19 degrees that day was a new record low (old record was -11 degrees set in 1898).

In terms of precipitation, Thornton recorded 0.48 inches of liquid precipitation. Denver was a bit wetter with 0.59 inches. Both readings were above Denver’s December average of 0.35 inches.

On average the Mile High City records 8.5 inches of snowfall during December. In 2014 the month brought 8.8 inches to Thornton while at the airport Denver recorded 12.0 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s December 2014 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado December 2014 Temperature Summary.

Thornton, Colorado December 2014 Precipitation Summary.

From the National Weather Service:

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
1041 PM MST THU JAN 1 2015
 
...................................
 
...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2014...
 
CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2014
 
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            66   12/12        62       4       68  12/18
LOWEST            -19   12/30        -4     -13      -15  12/05
AVG. MAXIMUM     44.1              42.8     1.3     42.9
AVG. MINIMUM     18.5              17.1     1.4     14.0
MEAN             31.3              30.0     1.3     28.4
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      5               5.8    -0.8        8
DAYS MIN <= 32     31              29.4     1.6       29
DAYS MIN <= 0       2               2.0     0.0        6   
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) 
RECORD
  MAXIMUM         5.21   1913
  MINIMUM         0.00   1881 
TOTALS           0.59              0.35    0.24     0.25 
DAILY AVG.       0.02              0.01    0.01     0.01 
DAYS >= .01         7               4.1     2.9        7
DAYS >= .10         2               1.1     0.9        1
DAYS >= .50         0               0.1    -0.1        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.18   12/29 TO 12/30           12/03 TO 12/04
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           57.4   1913
TOTALS           12.0               8.5
 
DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    1037              1086     -49     1128
 SINCE 7/1       2291              2468    -177     2451
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1        701               769     -68      999
 
FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/08/1962
 LATEST       06/08/2007
EARLIEST                        10/07
LATEST                          05/05
.....................................................
 
WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              8.7
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/218
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    41/340    DATE  12/23
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    52/330    DATE  12/23
 
SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            4
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             19
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          8
 
AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     59
 
WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       1
LIGHT RAIN                1     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          0     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                1     SNOW                       4
LIGHT SNOW                8     SLEET                      0
FOG                      12     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      3
HAZE                      4
 
-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

Thornton Weather

Thornton’s January weather preview: Normally cold but not always snowy

January 1, 2015 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Denver's January weather and climatology preview for 2013. 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 2013 hold for us? Indications are that we may very well continue the recent pattern of below normal temperatures and relatively dry conditions.

For the complete January preview including a look at historical averages and extremes, click here.

Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather

Denver smashes two low temperature records for December 30

December 30, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Record Cold Temperatures Our recent blast of Arctic air sent the mercury tumbling and in the process broke two daily records for December 30th.

The official “high” temperature in Denver, as measured at DIA, reached only 1 degree at 1:23pm. This easily bested the record low high for the date of 8 degrees set in 1915. Thornton was slightly warmer than the airport with a high temperature of 2.4 degrees.

Additionally, at 9:23pm, the mercury plummeted to -19 degrees at DIA. This crushes the old record low temperature for December 30 of -11 degrees set in 1898. Here in Thornton we did not get quite as cold with a low temperature reading of -12.1 degrees occurring at 10:50pm.

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Thornton Weather

December 2014 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

December 30, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

December 14, 2014 - Ducks and geese seek high ground in Thornton. (Tony's Takes) — December 14, 2014 – Ducks and geese seek high ground in Thornton. (Tony’s Takes)

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 29, 2014
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=”72157649883515106″]

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!

Email: info@ThorntonWeather.com
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Twitter: @ThorntonWeather (https://twitter.com/thorntonweather)

Weather History

December 28 to January 3: This Week in Denver Weather History

December 28, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Powerful, damaging wind, bitter cold and major snowstorms mark our look back at this week in Denver weather history.

From the National Weather Service:

25-31

In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s. Four temperature records were set. Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees. A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.

26-28

In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder. Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph. Most of the snow… 4.8 inches…fell on the 27th.

27-28

In 1997…high winds combined with fresh snow from a previous storm caused highways to become slick from drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in localized ground blizzards. Strong winds blew snow across the runways at Centennial Airport…which glazed over and formed areas of ice. Two planes were damaged when they slid off the runway while landing. No injuries were reported. Numerous accidents also occurred on I-25 and I-70 as ice formed under the same conditions. A rollover accident which injured 4 people on State Highway 93 near the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility was also attributed to the high winds. The high winds caused an office building and showroom under construction in Golden to collapse. The largest wall was 180 feet long and 28 feet high. Some high wind reports included: 86 mph at Golden Gate Canyon…72 mph near Conifer…and 70 mph at Jefferson County Airport and the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa near Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport on the 27th.

In 1998…damaging downslope winds formed in and near the foothills. Peak wind gusts ranged from 71 to 114 mph. Numerous trees were blown down in Coal Creek Canyon and near Gross Reservoir. Power lines were blown down… Resulting in scattered outages. Peak wind reports included: 114 mph at Wondervu…92 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…88 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…and 79 mph 8 miles west of Conifer. West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.

27-29

In 1983…a second surge of bitter cold air in less than a week was less intense. Record breaking low temperatures of 12 degrees below zero on the 28th and 15 degrees below zero on the 29th were accompanied by 3.7 inches of snowfall and northeast winds gusting to 23 mph.

In 2001…brief high winds developed in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 86 mph on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. West to northwest winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the temperature climbed to a high of 51 degrees.

28-29

In 1906…a trace of snow fell on both days…which along with a trace of snow on the 5th…was the only snow of the month…ranking the month the second least snowiest December on record.

In 1970…wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Winds gusted to only 46 mph in downtown Boulder. Damage was minor.

In 2006…while metro Denver residents were still digging out from the heavy snowfall and blizzard that occurred on December 20-21…the second major winter storm in a week buried the city and the eastern foothills again in more deep snow. Heavy snowfall ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet in the foothills and from 6 to 18 inches across the city. Another slow moving storm system centered over the Texas panhandle produced deep upslope flow over the high plains and against the Front Range mountains. The storm produced blizzard conditions over the plains mainly south of interstate 76. Interstate 70 as well as other roads and highways was closed from Denver to the Kansas line due to snow and blizzard conditions. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. The heaviest snow fell in and near the foothills and south of Denver over the Palmer Divide…where north winds sustained at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph piled the snow into drifts 4 to 14 feet deep. In the city…the heavy snowfall persisted for a total of 29 hours. Snowfall totals across metro Denver included: 17.5 inches at Ken Caryl; 15 inches 3 miles south-southeast of Morrison; 14 inches in Boulder and lone tree; 12 inches in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Wheat Ridge; 10.5 inches in Littleton; 10 inches in Arvada…Broomfield…and Louviers; and 8.5 inches in Lakewood and Thornton. Officially…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Denver Stapleton. North winds sustained to 25 mph with gusts to 32 mph produced some blowing snow at Denver International Airport. In the city…this second storm increased the total snowfall for the month to 29.4 inches…making the month the third snowiest on record. In the foothills the snow fell at a rate of 3 to 4 inches an hour at times. Total snowfall in the foothills included: 30 inches near Genesee; 29.5 inches 12 miles northwest of Golden; 25 inches in Evergreen and near Bergen Park; 24 inches near Conifer; 23.5 inches 3 miles southwest of Golden and near gold hill; 23 inches near Jamestown; 22.5 inches in Rollinsville; 19.5 inches in Aspen Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; 18.5 inches at Nederland; 16 inches in Indian Hills…at Intercanyon…and in Eldora; 15.5 inches at Echo Lake; and 12 inches near Ralston Reservoir. The total cost of snow removal just at Denver International Airport from this storm and the previous storm was in tens of millions of dollars. The airport estimated up to 6.7 million dollars in extra costs for contractors…overtime…equipment…de-icing chemicals…and other expenses. The two storms cost the airport 4.6 million dollars in loss concession revenues. United airlines reported lost revenue of over 25 million dollars from the two storms…while frontier airlines lost an estimated 12.1 million dollars.

In 1997…high winds persisted mainly in and near the foothills. Strong cross winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph blew a rental truck off the roadway in northern Jefferson County near the Coal Creek Canyon road. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2005…high winds were recorded across metro Denver. Peak wind gusts included 75 mph near Chatfield Reservoir and 64 mph at Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.

29-30

In 1898…heavy snowfall totaled 6.2 inches in downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 35 mph with gusts to 40 mph on the 29th.

In 1912…strong winds buffeted Boulder…causing hundreds of dollars damage. The winds were described as one of the most terrific in the history of the city.

In 1923…a cold wave caused temperatures to plunge 58 degrees in 24 hours. The temperature was 54 degrees at 2:00 pm on the 29th and only 4 degrees below zero at the same time on the 30th. The low temperature of 14 degrees on the 29th was the high temperature on the 30th. The low temperature on the 30th dipped to 10 degrees below zero. Light snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch. Northeast winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 29th.

In 2008…very strong Chinook winds blasted areas in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties. The wind blew down trees and power poles…downed electrical lines and fences…and damaged homes and vehicles. Scattered power outages were reported along the Front Range. In metropolitan Denver alone…24000 Xcel customers were affected by the outages. Four planed were damaged at the Vance Brand Municipal Airport in Longmont…one was heavily damaged. Insurance companies estimated up to 7 million dollars in damage. Peak wind gusts included 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center…86 mph…2 miles north of Longmont; 77 mph at Erie…and 75 mph at Lafayette. On the 30th…a peak wind gust to 47 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport. .

In 1875…snow fell from the early morning into the early evening. While the amount of snowfall was not recorded… Precipitation from melted snow totaled 0.53 inch. Good sleighing was reported…so snowfall must have been 5 inches or more.

In 1895…northwest winds were sustained to 60 mph in the city.

In 1897…west winds sustained to 52 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.

In 1912…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 52 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 50 degrees.

In 1928…snowfall was 0.1 inch in downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month…ranking the month the third least snowiest on record in the city.

In 1990…strong downslope winds buffeted the eastern foothills. Wind gusts to 91 mph were recorded atop Table Mesa in southwest Boulder…while a gust to 94 mph was clocked at Rollinsville. The high winds caused whiteout conditions due to blowing snow along some highways south and north of Boulder. The high winds downed power lines near the Rocky Flats plant south of Boulder.

In 1998…high winds continued to buffet areas in and near the foothills. Near Evergreen…a 100-foot-high blue spruce crashed down on the roof of a home…splitting the corrugated metal roof in half. Fortunately…the tree… Which measured 10 feet in circumference…only penetrated the home’s interior in a few places. Peak wind reports included: 90 mph at Wondervu…88 mph at the Rocky Flats test facility…83 mph near Conifer…and 82 mph atop Blue Mountain near Coal Creek Canyon. West winds gusted to 39 mph at Denver International Airport.

Continue reading December 28 to January 3: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Site News

Santa Claus begins annual journey – Track him live

December 24, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Santa Claus begins his whirlwind trip around the globe tonight to deliver toys to all the good little boys and girls! For more than 50 years the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has tracked Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve and helped to ensure he completes his journey safely.

ThorntonWeather.com is pleased to be able to provide live Santa tracking from NORAD right here on our site!

Click here to check it out and be sure to come back often to see where Kris Kringle is at!

Below is the official 2014 NORAD Tracks Santa trailer.

Weather History

December 21 to December 27: This Week in Denver Weather History

December 23, 2014 Thornton Weather Leave a comment

Powerful, damaging winds and monstrous snowstorms are the big highlights of this week in Denver weather history. Two storms are more memorable than most including the pre-Christmas blizzard of 2006 and of course the infamous 1982 Christmas Eve blizzard.

In depth: Looking back at an unforgettable holiday – Denver’s Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982

From the National Weather Service:

17-24

In 1924…a prolonged cold spell occurred after mild temperatures during the first half of the month. Most low temperatures dipped below zero with the coldest reading of 15 degrees below zero occurring on the 24th. The high temperature of only 5 degrees on the 18th was a record low maximum for the date.

18-21

In 2010…a winter storm produced a 4-day period of moderate to heavy snow in the mountains. The combination of strong wind and heavy snow forced the closure of several mountain passes due to the threat of avalanches. The Amtrak train route… Which runs from Denver to California…was rerouted through Wyoming when Union Pacific closed its tracks along Interstate 70. Numerous accidents forced the closure of I-70 at times. The wind gusted to 60 mph over the higher mountain passes. Storm totals in the ski areas west of Denver ranged from 16 to 32 inches.

18-24

In 1998…a vigorous cold front with north winds gusting as high as 38 mph at Denver International Airport on the 18th dropped temperatures from a high of 51 degrees to a low of just 6 degrees before midnight. The arctic air mass that settled over metro Denver produced intermittent light snow and a week-long protracted cold spell that caused low temperatures to plunge well below zero for 6 consecutive nights. The coldest temperature was 19 degrees below zero on the morning of the 22nd. High temperatures climbed only into the single digits on 4 consecutive days…from the 19th through the 22nd. At least 15 people…mostly homeless… Were treated for hypothermia at area hospitals. The bitter cold weather was responsible…either directly or indirectly… For at least 5 fatalities. Three of the victims died directly from exposure. The cold weather also caused intermittent power outages. Following the cold snap… Thawing water pipes cracked and burst in several homes and businesses…causing extensive damage. Only one temperature record was set. The high temperature of only 7 degrees on the 19th set a record low maximum for the date.

19-23

In 1990…a surge of very cold arctic air invaded metro Denver. Many temperature records were broken as the mercury remained at or below zero for 85.5 hours at Stapleton International Airport…making it the third longest period of subzero readings in 118 years of record keeping. On the morning of the 22nd…the mercury plunged to 25 degrees below zero…which equaled the all-time record low temperature for the month set on December 24…1876. In the foothills southwest of Denver at tiny town…the mercury plunged to 33 degrees below zero on the morning of the 21st. On the same morning at Castle Rock the temperature dipped to 26 degrees below zero. During the period…other daily temperature records were set at Denver…including: record low maximum of 3 degrees below zero on the 20th and a record low of 17 degrees below zero on the 23rd. The record low was equaled with 16 degrees below zero on the 20th and 21 degrees below zero on the 21st. Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport from the 19th through the 21st.

20-21

In 1969…high winds caused widespread…but mostly minor damage to roofs…windows…and power lines and overturned some house trailers in areas along and just east of the foothills. Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported in Boulder and south of Boulder at Rocky Flats. A wind gust to 115 mph was measured in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 44 mph on the 20th and to 45 mph on the 21st. The warm Chinook winds warmed the high temperature to 56 degrees on the 20th and to 65 degrees on the 21st.

In 2006…a major blizzard buried greater metro Denver and the adjacent foothills in deep snow. A slow moving upper level low pressure center produced deep moist upslope flow over the high plains and against the eastern slopes of the mountains…allowing heavy snowfall to persist for 34 hours across metro Denver. Total snow accumulations ranged from 1 to 2 1/2 feet across the city and from 2 to nearly 4 feet in the foothills. Adding to the misery… Strong north winds sustained at 20 to 35 mph with gusts from 45 to nearly 60 mph produced much blowing snow and piled the snow into drifts from 6 to 12 feet high…closing businesses and bringing all transportation to a halt. The storm forced the closure of Denver International Airport for a total of 45 hours which snarled the nation’s air traffic system. This was the longest closure in the airport’s 12 year history. The closure stranded nearly 5000 travelers when 2000 flights were canceled. Many inbound flights were diverted to other airports…stranding even more passengers. Many of the stranded travelers failed to reach their final destinations until days after the airport re-opened due to fully booked flights during the holiday season. Police and national guardsmen rescued hundreds of commuters stuck in their cars…and sent them to temporary shelters set up by the Red Cross. All interstates and other major highways in and out of Denver were closed. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. Mail delivery was suspended. The Regional Transportation District suspended all metro Denver bus service for the first time since the March 2003 blizzard. The roof of a discount store in Aurora collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow. In Lakewood…a power outage left 5600 residents without electricity for a brief time. Metro Denver snowfall amounts included: 34 inches 10 miles southeast of Buckley AFB…32 inches in Littleton…30 inches in Thornton and near Castle Rock…29.5 inches near Parker…28 inches in Wheat Ridge…25.5 inches at Centennial Airport…25 inches at Niwot…24 inches in Aurora…22.5 inches at Greenwood Village… 22 inches in Arvada…21.5 inches in Lakewood…20 inches in Longmont…and 15.5 inches in Boulder. Snowfall measured 20.7 inches officially in the Denver Stapleton area. This ranked the snowfall as the 7th greatest in the city since 1946. North winds were sustained to 37 mph with gusts to 55 mph at Denver International Airport. In the foothills snowfall totaled: 42 inches at Conifer and 11 miles southwest of Boulder…40 inches at Evergreen…39 inches at Aspen Springs… 37.5 inches 8 miles north of Blackhawk…33 inches near Nederland…31 inches at Intercanyon and near Tiny Town…30.5 inches atop buckhorn mountain…30 inches near Indian Hills… 29 inches at Rollinsville…24 inches near Gross Reservoir and Ralston Reservoir…22.4 inches atop Crow Hill…and 20 inches near Georgetown. Snowpacked and rutted streets and parking lots persisted for a month or more after the storm and subsequent storms. The heavy snowfall created a snow removal controversy when many citizens complained that residential streets were not cleared in a timely manner in the city and in some suburban areas. This was in spite of the fact that tens of millions of dollars were spent on snow removal. In the city of Denver…snow cover of an inch or more from this storm and subsequent storms persisted for 61 consecutive days…through February 19…2007. This is the second longest period of snow cover on record in the city. Many homeowners who had extensive Christmas lights and decorations in their yards were not able to remove the lights because the wires were buried in deep snow and ice until the end of February or later.

20-22

In 1933…strong downslope winds produced a warm spell. Low temperatures of 43 degrees on both the 20th and 21st and 41 degrees on the 22nd were record high minimums for those dates. High temperature of 67 degrees on the 21st was a record maximum for the date. High temperatures of 56 degrees on the 20th and 69 degrees on the 22nd were not records; however…the 69 degrees was the warmest of the month. West to northwest winds were sustained to 20 and 24 mph on the 21st and 22nd respectively.

20-23

In 1918…light snowfall on each day totaled 12.0 inches over downtown Denver. Northeast winds were sustained to 16 mph on the 21st.

20-25

In 1983…an extremely bitter cold spell occurred. The temperature remained below zero for 115 hours in Denver… The longest sub-zero period on record. The mercury dipped to 21 degrees below zero on the 21st…the coldest recorded temperature in over 20 years. The cold was accompanied by winds that plunged chill factors to 50 to 70 degrees below zero. Two people froze to death in Denver; both were found outside dead of exposure. Numerous cases of frostbite were reported. Hundreds of water pipes broke from the intense cold…water mains and natural gas lines also fractured…and electricity consumption reached record levels. Light snow totaling 5.8 inches fell at times…and holiday traffic was delayed at Stapleton International Airport for several hours. Eight daily temperature records were set at the time. The all-time record low maximum temperature for the month of 8 degrees below zero on the 21st still stands today. Other temperature records still standing include record low maximum temperatures of 5 degrees below zero on both the 22nd and 23rd and 4 degrees below zero on the 24th.

Continue reading December 21 to December 27: This Week in Denver Weather History →

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