Weather History

March 22 to March 28: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 22 to March 28: This week in Denver weather history

This week in Denver weather history are a number of interesting events.  As March comes to a close we are not yet done with winter so snow is certainly still possible but we also start seeing more Spring-like weather.  Reminders of this include the coldest temperature ever recorded in March – 11 degrees below zero 123 years ago.  Conversely, 38 years ago the highest temperature ever recorded in March of 84 degrees was recorded.

From the National Weather Service:

20-22

In 1944…heavy snow fell over metro Denver for a total of 36 hours. The storm dumped 18.5 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver and 12.2 inches at Stapleton Airport. Fortunately…there were no strong winds with the storm. North winds to only 19 mph were recorded on the 21st.

21-22

In 1955…wind gusts to 98 mph were recorded at Rocky Flats south of Boulder. Some damage and a few minor injuries were reported in Boulder. Northwest winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 39 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 22nd.

In 1966…a vigorous cold front produced only 1.7 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport…but northeast winds gusted to 49 mph on the 21st. Temperatures cooled from a maximum of 66 degrees on the 21st to a minimum of 14 degrees on the 22nd. Strong winds occurred on both days.

In 1992…an arctic cold front produced upslope snow across metro Denver mainly west of I-25. Castle Rock reported 6 inches of snow with 3 inches at Evergreen. At Stapleton International Airport…only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured and northeast winds gusted to 18 mph on the 21st.

22

In 1905…apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 49 mph.

In 1922…a vigorous cold front with north winds sustained to 41 mph brought only 0.6 inch of snowfall to the city. These were the highest winds of the month.

In 1966…high winds caused extensive blowing snow that impeded traffic and closed highways over a wide area of eastern Colorado. Wind damage was widespread…but minor. North wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where visibility was reduced as low as 1/8 mile in blowing snow.

In 1975…a strong west wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport…while east of Denver the strong winds caused minor property damage and considerable blowing dust which closed several roads.

In 1979…near-blizzard conditions paralyzed the northeastern quarter of the state. Strong winds and drifting snow closed many roads…including I-25 and I-70. Power outages darkened sections of metro Denver. Snow accumulations of 4 to 12 inches were measured over the plains with drifts several feet deep. Only 3.5 inches of snow were recorded at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 39 mph causing some blowing snow.

In 1995…strong winds associated with a fast moving pacific cold front moved from the mountains into metro Denver. Winds estimated at 60 to 75 mph picked up rocks and shattered the windows of a car in Louisville. The strong winds blew down and partially destroyed two houses under construction just north of Thornton. West winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.

22-23

In 1936…heavy snowfall of 7.7 inches was measured in downtown Denver. The heavy wet snowfall formed a thick coating of snow on trees and shrubs…but caused little damage. North winds were sustained to 15 mph.

In 1984…around a half foot of new snow fell across metro Denver…causing flight delays at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 6.0 inches and north winds gusted to 31 mph. Up to a foot of snow fell in the foothills. Icy roads produced numerous traffic accidents.

In 2011…strong bora winds developed along the Front Range following the passage of a storm system. Peak wind gusts included: 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 82 mph…6 miles northwest of Boulder; 72 mph at Front Range airport in Broomfield; 71 mph at Longmont; and 64 mph…4 miles west of Lakewood. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust of 48 mph from the west was observed on the 22nd.

In 2013…a wet early spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to parts of the Front Range foothills and urban corridor. The heaviest snowfall occurred near the Front Range foothills and palmer divide. Near blizzard conditions forced the closure of interstate 70 east of Denver. In the foothills… Storm totals included: 14.5 inches near Conifer; 14 inches just southwest of Eldorado Springs and Intercanyon; 13 inches near Indian Hills; 12.5 inches near Pinecliffe; 11.5 inches near Golden; 11 inches near Jamestown and Roxborough; 10.5 inches near Brookvale and 10 inches at Genesee. Across the urban corridor and Palmer Divide… Storm totals included: 12.5 inches…8 miles southeast of Watkins; 10.5 inches in Boulder…Centennial and Northglenn; 9.5 inches…just south of Aurora; 9 inches in Westminster; 8 inches at Lafayette; 7.5 inches near Morrison; 7 inches in Arvada…Bennett…Brighton; 6 inches in Highlands Ranch… Longmont…Louisville and Thornton. Officially…11.6 inches of snow fell at DIA from the evening of the 22nd to the afternoon of the 23rd…which set a new two-day snowfall record in Denver for the date. In addition…a peak wind gust to 33 mph was observed from the east on the 22nd with a gust to 30 mph from the north on the 23rd.

Continue reading March 22 to March 28: This week in Denver weather history →

Thornton Weather

Denver sees second day in a row of record-setting warmth

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Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.Following on yesterday’s record high temperature, we repeated today with another, even warmer reading that broke the record for the date.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City topped out at 81 degrees. This crushes the old record high temperature for March 16 of 75 degrees set in 2012.

Here in Thornton we were actually a little bit warmer at 82.6 degrees.  That is the warmest temperature we have seen since way back on September 27 of last year.

Yesterday Denver saw a high of 79 degrees (80 degrees in Thornton) which broke the old record for that date of 76 degrees.

Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Weather History

March 15 to March 21: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 15 to March 21: This week in Denver weather history

This week is Denver and Thornton weather history is notable for many reasons.  2003 stands out as an extremely eventful year this week in weather history.  From March 17th to the 19th, six years ago, Denver was hit by one of its largest snowstorms in history.  Also, we see our first mention of a tornado for the year, also in 2003, on March 17th.  The twister hit near Strasburg but was short-lived and caused no damage.  These events serve as a reminder that winter is not over and severe weather can strike at any time.

From the National Weather Service:

9-19

In 1906…an extended cold and blustery period occurred with light snow totaling 14.4 inches over 11 consecutive days. The greatest amount of snow on a single day was 4.0 inches on the 15th. Only a trace of snow fell on the 12th and 17th. High temperatures were below freezing for the entire period. The coldest were 14 degrees on the 16th and 18 degrees on the 17th. Both readings were record low maximums for the dates. Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits. The coldest were 2 degrees below zero on the 16th and 5 degrees below zero on the 19th. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 36 mph on the 10th…32 mph on the 13th…and 22 mph on the 15th.

12-16

In 1880…a protracted cold spell resulted in 8 temperature records being set. Record low temperatures for the date were set when the temperature dipped to 10 degrees below zero on the 13th and 14th…8 degrees below zero on the 12th and 15th…and 4 degrees below zero on the 16th. Daily record low maximum temperatures were set with 11 degrees on the 12th…12 degrees on the 13th…and 19 degrees on the 15th.

13-15

In 1906…snowfall totaled 8.0 inches over downtown Denver.

14-16

In 1908…a warm spell resulted in daily record high minimum temperatures on 3 consecutive days: 54 degrees on the 14th…52 degrees on the 15th…and 56 degrees on the 16th… Also the all-time record high minimum for the month of March. High temperatures ranged from 65 degrees on the 14th to 72 degrees on the 16th.

In 1983…a heavy wet snowstorm buried metro Denver with the foothills receiving the most. Conifer recorded 34 inches of snow with 4 feet measured at Coal Creek Canyon in the foothills northwest of Denver. The storm left 6 to 10 inches of snow across metro Denver. Boulder received 12 to 18 inches. Flight operations at Stapleton International Airport were limited to one runway for a time. Some roads and schools were closed…and power outages occurred when wet snow downed lines. Snowfall on the 15th and 16th totaled 7.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph. Maximum snow depth on the ground was only 6 inches due to melting.

15

In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 54 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.

In 1920…southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph. The strong but cold downslope winds warmed the high temperature to only 35 degrees.

In 1935…strong winds howled across Boulder. At Valmont a wind gust to 60 mph was recorded. No damage was reported.

In 2006…strong winds ranging from 60 to 75 mph were reported in and near the foothills of Boulder County. In Longmont… Two trees toppled by the strong winds damaged a car. Winds gusted to 75 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory in Boulder. West winds gusted to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.

15-16

In 2000…heavy upslope snowfall occurred in and near the Front Range foothills and over the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver. Snowfall totals from the storm included: 17 inches at Idaho Springs; 16 inches at Aspen Springs; 12 inches in Boulder; 11 inches at Bailey… Chief Hosa…Coal Creek Canyon…Eldorado Springs…Evergreen… And near Morrison; 10 inches at Intercanyon…Ken Caryl Ranch…and near Nederland; 9 inches near Sedalia and in Wheat Ridge; and 8 inches in Arvada. Snowfall totaled 5.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport on the 15th.

16

In 1902…north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1908…the low temperature dipped to only 56 degrees…the record high minimum for the month.

In 1963…high winds struck metro Denver causing heavy damage. Winds gusted at 90 to 100 mph in Boulder. Wind gusts to 98 mph were recorded at Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield where hangars and several light planes were severely damaged. Wind gusts to 87 mph were recorded southwest of Littleton. A west wind gust to 55 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport. Trees were uprooted…signs blown down…and utility lines disrupted. Damage totaled nearly 5 thousand dollars in Boulder alone.

In 1987…a storm dropped 3 to 6 inches of snow across metro Denver with higher amounts in the foothills. Most of the snow on the plains melted as it fell. Only 1.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where southeast winds gusted to 30 mph.

17

In 1966…high winds caused extensive minor damage across metro Denver. A light plane was overturned at Stapleton International Airport where northwest wind gusts to 55 mph were recorded. Winds gusted to 56 mph at Table Mesa in Boulder

In 1989…strong winds raked metro Denver. West wind gusts to 49 mph were clocked at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2003…the first tornado of the season was sighted near Strasburg. The small landspout touched down briefly…but caused no damage.

17-18

In 1923…4.2 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver. Northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 49 on the 17th. Low temperature of zero degrees on the 18th was the lowest of the month that year.

In 1944…heavy snow fell across metro Denver. The storm started as rain on the 17th…but soon turned to snow. Snowfall amounts totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver and 11.0 inches at Stapleton Airport. The highest wind recorded during the storm was 23 mph on the 17th.

In 1961…a major winter storm dumped 10.7 inches of snow at Stapleton Airport. Most of the snow…9.7 inches…fell on the 18th. Winds were light.

In 1994…strong winds buffeted metro Denver. West winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 17th. Other significant wind gusts included 85 mph atop Squaw Mountain south of Idaho Springs…and 82 mph at Rollinsville southwest of Boulder…both on the 18th.

In 1996…a second storm in less than 3 days dumped heavy snow in the mountains and foothills again…but snowfall amounts across metro Denver ranged from only 2 to 4 inches. The heavy snowfall resulted in several traffic accidents along I-25 and I-70…south and west of Denver respectively. The major accidents involved at least 30 cars and resulted in several minor injuries. The accidents closed both highways for a time. Snowfall totals included 13 inches at Evergreen and 10 inches at Conifer. Snowfall totaled only 0.7 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. At Denver International Airport… North winds gusted to 28 mph on the 17th and 39 mph on the 18th.

Continue reading March 15 to March 21: This week in Denver weather history →

Thornton Weather

Denver sets record high temperature for March 15

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Record setting high temperatures in Thornton.Spring may officially be five days away but you wouldn’t know it from today’s weather.  The mercury climbed steadily under sunny skies and Denver set a high temperature record.

As measured at Denver International Airport, the Mile High City topped out at 79 degrees.  This easily bested the old mark of 76 degrees set in 2013.

Here in Thornton we were one degree warmer reaching 80 degrees.  This was Thornton’s warmest temperature reading since October 25 of last year.

Another high temperature record is in danger of falling tomorrow as well.  The record high for March 16 is 75 degrees set in 2012.  Forecast highs for the day are right at that same mark.

Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Colorado Weather, Thornton Weather

National Weather Service announces storm spotter training dates for 2015

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On June 3, 1981 a tornado struck Thornton in what is the worst twister to have struck the Denver metro area. Are you ready should disaster strike again? Image courtesy the City of Thornton archives.

Severe weather is a fact of life in Colorado – from blizzards to tornadoes we can and do see it all.  Each year the weather is responsible for claiming lives in our state and across the nation and the threat is very real.  Storm spotter training allows you to learn how to protect yourself and your family while providing a public service.

Education is key to knowing how to protect you and your family.  Whether you want to be an official storm spotter or maybe just want to learn more about severe weather, storm spotter training can provide you an incredible opportunity to learn.

The National Weather Service Denver / Boulder office has announced a series of Skywarn storm spotter training dates for Colorado for the 2015 season.

The storm spotter program is a nationwide program with more than 280,000 trained spotters.  These volunteers report weather hazards to their local National Weather Service office providing vital information when severe strikes.  Data from spotters include severe wind, rain, snow measurements, thunderstorms and hail and of course tornadoes.

Storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

By completing one of these training classes you can become an official storm spotter.  When severe weather strikes, you can report it by calling a special toll free number or submit your report via the National Weather Service’s website.

These are great sessions for anyone wanting to learn more about the severe weather we experience in Colorado, whether you want to be an official spotter or not.  All training is free.  Topics include:

  • Basics of thunderstorm development
  • Fundamentals of storm structure
  • Identifying potential severe weather features
  • Information to report
  • How to report information
  • Basic severe weather safety

To learn more about the program, see here: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/bou/awebphp/spotter.php

Below are the dates, times and locations announced thus far with the first occurring on Sunday, February 16.  We will try to keep this updated but you can click here for any new dates on the National Weather Service website.

Schedule updated 3/8/15:

March, 2015 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
10 Denver, CO(Denver County) 7:00pm MDT Denver Police District #3
1625 South University Blvd
Denver, CO
Contact Information: DenverCERT@Denvergov.org
16 Holyoke, CO(Phillips County) 1:00pm MDT Phillips County Events Center
22505 US Highway 385, Holyoke, CO 80734
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
16 Holyoke , CO(Phillips County) 6:30pm MDT Phillips County Events Center
22505 US Highway 385, Holyoke, CO 80734
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
17 Haxtun, CO(Phillips County) 6:30pm MDT Haxtun Volunteer Fire Dept
101 North Colorado Haxtun, CO 80731
Contact Information: Bob.Heldenbrand@phillipscounty.co
19 Highlands Ranch, CO(Douglas County) 7:00pm MDT annual Douglas County ARES spotter training Douglas County Sheriff Substation
9250 Zotos Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Contact Information: W0RDR@live.com
26 Frederick, CO(Weld County) 6:00pm MDT 8426 Kosmerl Place, Frederick, CO 80504
Contact Information: sstair@fffd.us
26 Parker, CO 6:30pm MDT Rattlesnake Fire Department 46220 Coal Creek Drive, Parker, CO 80138
Contact Information: brandon.lenderink@elbertcounty-co.gov
28 Fort Collins, CO(Larimer County) 8:00am MDT note: annual ARES spotter training…Fort Collins Police Community Room 2221 South Timberline Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Contact Information: w0mbh@hotmail.com
30 Akron, CO(Washington County) 6:30pm MDT Washington County Event Center, 551 West 2nd, Akron, CO 80720.
Contact Information: mmccaleb@co.washington.co.us
31 Greeley, CO(Weld County) 6:30pm MDT (Weld County Administration building 1150 “O” Street Greeley, CO 80632
Contact Information: gmarquez@co.weld.co.us
April, 2015 – Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
02 Hugo, CO(Lincoln County) 2:00pm MDT 103 3rd Avenue
Hugo, CO 80821
United States
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
02 Hugo, CO(Lincoln County) 6:30pm MDT Lincoln County Courthouse
103 3rd Avenue
Hugo, CO 80821
Contact Information: lclanduse@lincolncountyco.us
06 loveland, CO(Larimer County) 9:00am MDT Police Institute Room – 810 E. 10th street Loveland, CO
Contact Information: Pat.Mialy@cityofloveland.org
06 Fort Collins, CO(Larimer County) 7:00pm MDT Fort Collins Police Community Room 2221 South Timberline Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Contact Information: migavin@poudre-fire.org
07 Fort Morgan, CO(Morgan County) 6:30pm MDT ***NOTE*** date change
American Legion Building, 16913 Morgan County Road
17.10 (Nelson Road)
Fort Morgan Co.
Contact Information: senfante@co.morgan.co.us
09 Aurora, CO(Arapahoe County) 6:30pm MDT Cherry Creek Schools Education Support Facility, 5416 South Rivera Way, Centennial, CO
Contact Information: training@arapahoeares.org
11 Longmont, CO(Boulder County) 10:00am MDT LifeBridge Christian Church
10345 Ute Highway, Longmont, CO
Contact Information: http://www.longmontcolorado.gov/departments/depar
13 Sterling, CO(Logan County) 6:30pm MDT Sterling Public Library community room, 420 North 5th St. in Sterling.
Contact Information: donaldson@logancountyco.gov
20 Aurora, CO(Aurora County) 6:00pm MDT Aurora Central Library
14949 E Alameda Pkwy, Aurora, CO 80012.
Contact Information: acox@auroragov.org
21 Kiowa, CO(Elbert County) 6:30pm MDT Kiowa County Building
215 Comanche Street, Kiowa, CO 80117.
Contact Information: brandon.lenderink@elbertcounty-co.gov
23 Westminister, CO(Adams County) 3:30pm MDT 3645 West 112th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80031 room TBA
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
23 Westminister, CO(Adams County) 7:00pm MDT 3645 West 112th Avenue
Westminster, CO 80031 room TBA
Contact Information: rachel.humphrey@frontrange.edu
25 Commerce City, CO(Adams County) 10:00am MDT 4201 east 72nd, Commerce City.
Contact Information: r1@rampartsar.com
28 Parker , CO(Parker County) 6:30pm MDT Parker Police Station
18600 Lincoln Meadows Pkwy
Parker, CO 80134
Contact Information: gjones@parkeronline.org

Stay up to date with Thornton’s weather: Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us to your Google+ circles.

Weather History

March 8 to March 14: This week in Denver weather history

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This Week In Denver Weather History
March 8 to March 14: This week in Denver weather history

Our look back at Denver weather history for the week reminds us that although the calendar says it is March, it is still very much winter.  Numerous mentions of snow, blizzards and related winter conditions are quite prevelant and we are reminded that March after all is our snowiest month.

From the National Weather Service:

6-8

In 1932…snowfall totaled 6.3 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…5.2 inches…fell on the 8th. Northeast winds gusted to 20 mph on the 6th.

7-8

In 1878…snow from the evening of the 7th until noon of the 8th totaled only 5 inches in downtown Denver. Apparent heavier snow over the plains along with strong winds drifted the snow into high drifts…which delayed trains for several days and caused a great loss of livestock. Melting of the snow caused a rise in Cherry Creek…which resulted in much damage. Precipitation from the storm totaled only 0.50 inch in Denver.

In 2000…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills…as well as parts of the northeast Colorado plains as another pacific storm system moved across the area. Several trees and power lines were downed near Blackhawk…Boulder…and in Coal Creek Canyon. About 30 homes in the Pinebrook Hills subdivision in Boulder were evacuated when downed power lines sparked a grassfire. The winds eventually shifted the fire onto itself…thus allowing firefighters to contain the two acre blaze. Several roofs were blown off barns…sheds… And garages. Two semi-trailers were blown over…one along c-470 between Golden and Morrison and another north of Denver on I-25. Wind gusts reached 101 mph on Rocky Flats…100 mph at the nearby National Wind Technology Center…90 mph at Blackhawk and atop Blue Mountain…92 mph in south Boulder…73 mph in Coal Creek Canyon…72 mph in Golden…and 70 mph at Louisville. Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph on the 7th and to 49 mph on the 8th at Denver International Airport.

8

In 1878…winds started to increase at 4:00 am and blew steadily at sustained speeds of 36 to 40 mph with a maximum sustained speed of 60 mph around 11:00 am. Snowfall of 5.0 inches occurred in the city…but much more snow fell on the plains…which blockaded trains bound for the city for several days.

In 1898…northwest winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.

In 1908…light snowfall of 0.8 inch produced only 0.01 inch of precipitation. This along with the 0.10 inch of precipitation on the 21st resulted in the driest March on record with a total of 0.11 inch of precipitation.

In 1986…temperatures climbed from a record high minimum of 45 degrees to a record maximum of 72 degrees for the day.

In 2005…a vigorous cold front moved a wall of blowing dust across metro Denver during the mid-morning. At Denver International Airport…north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph…along with very light rain which changed to snow…briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1 mile. A thunderstorm formed over Arvada. With the passage of the cold front…the temperature plunged 11 degrees in just 16 minutes at Denver International Airport where precipitation was only 0.01 inch along with 0.1 inch of snow.

8-9

In 1992…a major blizzard struck metro Denver. The storm was preceded by thunderstorms with small hail during the afternoon of the 8th. By evening…with the passage of a strong arctic cold front…snow began falling. Strong north to northeast winds at 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 52 mph produced near zero visibilities in blizzard conditions across metro Denver. By the morning of the 9th…snowfall amounts up to a foot and a half were reported with drifts of 2 to 4 feet. Many roads were closed including I-70 east of Denver and I-25 both north and south of Denver. Many homes and stores were temporarily without power. Snowfall amounts included: 18 inches at Conifer…13 inches in Boulder and Denver…12 inches at Brighton and Morrison…and 10 inches at Aurora. Snowfall totaled 12.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting as high as 52 mph reduced the visibility to zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.

In 2002…high winds occurred in the foothills west of Denver. Winds gusted to 95 mph near Fritz Peak and to 73 mph near Nederland.

8-10

In 1989…unusually warm weather set four daily temperature records in Denver. The high temperature of 74 degrees on the 8th exceeded the record. Records were equaled on the 9th with a high of 77 degrees and the 10th with a high of 79 degrees. The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 10th set a new record high minimum for the date.

9

In 1918…northwest winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph occurred during the early morning hours.

In 1960…west-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1980…high winds were recorded in the foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph at Wondervu. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1982…strong Chinook winds buffeted the foothills in Boulder. Wind gusts of 60 to 90 mph toppled a microwave dish antenna and blew the shell off a camper. West winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1986…high winds in the foothills with gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported at Golden Gate Canyon and in Boulder. Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

9-10

In 1904…strong Chinook winds raked the city for 2 days. On the 9th…west winds sustained to 53 mph with gusts to 62 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees. On the 10th…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 54 mph. The high temperature was 58 degrees.

In 2013…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range mountains and foothills where storm totals included: 13 inches at Berthoud Pass SNOTEL…12 inches at Arapahoe Ridge; 11 inches…5 miles southwest of Golden; 10.5 inches near Kittridge; 10 inches at Lake Eldora and Pine Junction; 9.5 inches near Conifer…9 inches…near Bailey and 9 miles east-northeast of Nederland…Joe Wright and Strontia Springs. Along the urban corridor…some storm totals included: 8.5 inches at Highlands Ranch and near Morrison; 8 inches in Arvada; 7 inches…5 miles northeast of Westminster; 6.5 inches at Centennial…lone tree and Wheat Ridge; 6 inches in west Denver…Hygiene…Lyons and Thornton…5.5 inches in Broomfield; with 5 inches in Aurora and the former Stapleton International Airport. Across the Palmer Divide and northeast plains of Colorado…storm totals ranged anywhere from 2 to 10 inches. The combination of snow and strong wind produced blizzard conditions and forced the closure of Interstate 70 east of Denver. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph produced near zero visibilities at times and snowpacked roads. Snowdrifts from 2 to 4 feet deep were reported. As a result…many of the roadways became impassable. Officially…Denver international recorded 5.4 inches of snowfall on the 9th. In addition…a peak wind gust to 38 mph was observed from the north.

9-11

In 1927…rain changed to heavy snow behind a cold front and totaled 7.7 inches over downtown Denver. North winds were sustained to 37 mph with an extreme velocity to 38 mph on the 11th.

In 1955…a strong windstorm raked the eastern foothills. A wind gust to 95 mph was recorded at Rocky Flats with a gust to 60 mph measured at Valmont. Damage in Boulder totaled 10 thousand dollars. Minor injuries also occurred. The strong winds were associated with a vigorous cold front that produced northwest winds at 40 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 3/4 mile in blowing dust on the 10th.

In 1968…5.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 10th.

Continue reading March 8 to March 14: This week in Denver weather history →

Thornton Weather

Spring forward: Daylight Saving Time to begin

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The United States begins Daylight Savings Time at 2:00am on Sunday, March 8, 2015.
The United States begins Daylight Savings Time at 2:00am on Sunday, March 8, 2015.

The biannual ritual of changing our clocks to adjust for Daylight Savings Time occurs this Saturday night providing yet another signal of the changing of seasons.  The United States will ‘spring forward’ one hour at 2:00am Sunday morning as we begin Daylight Savings Time.

The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock.  The start of Daylight Savings Time can be particularly problematic given the one hour less sleep people receive on the night of the change.

However, longer days as we head into the milder months are a very real benefit and for many worth the inconvenience of a lost hour of sleep.  The time change definitely has big effects on how much daylight we enjoy during our normal waking hours.

On Saturday, prior to the change, sunset will occur at 5:56pm but on Sunday the sun won’t disappear over the horizon until 6:57pm.  This affords folks more time in the evening to get started on those spring-time chores and allows us to get outside and enjoy the warming weather.

The March Equinox is also on the horizon.  Spring officially begins at 4:45pm on March 20.

This year Daylight Savings Time will come to an end on November 1.

Some of the recent history of Daylight Savings Time (from Wikipedia):

Daylight saving time in the United States was first observed in 1918. Most areas of the United States currently observe daylight saving time, with the exceptions being the states of Arizona and Hawaii along with the territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

From 1987 to 2006, daylight saving time in the United States began on the first Sunday of April and ended on the last Sunday of October. The time was adjusted at 2:00 AM (0200) local time (as it still is done now).

Since 2007, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November, with all time changes taking place at 2:00 AM (0200) local time. In 2011, daylight saving time began on March 13 and will end on November 6.

Daylight Savings Time Schedule

Year DST Begins 2 a.m.
(Second Sunday in March)		 DST Ends 2 a.m.
(First Sunday in November)
2015 8 March 2015 1 November 2015
2016 13 March 2016 6 November 2016
2017 12 March 2017 5 November 2017
2018 11 March 2018 4 November 2018
2019 10 March 2019 3 November 2019
2020 8 March 2020 1 November 2020
Climatology, Thornton Weather

March preview: Snowiest month also typically brings much warmer temperatures

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The month of February was quite generous in terms of snowfall pushing our seasonal total thus far above normal.  The month of March usually offers healthy snowfall giving us an opportunity to add to those numbers.  While there is good snow potential in March, the month also typically brings much warmer temperatures.

March is historically Denver’s snowiest month and brings about 20% of our annual snowfall.  Heavy, wet spring snow storms can oftentimes bring the entire month’s snowfall total in one monstrous snow.

We also start the transition to spring and severe weather season and the month typically brings our first thunderstorms of the year.  Temperatures climb throughout the month and by the end our average daytime highs are near 60 degrees.

For a complete look at what lies ahead in March 2014, click here.

Climatology, Thornton Weather

February 2015 weather recap: Temps above normal, record-setting snowfall

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The month of February was quite an interesting one in terms of its weather.  Overall temperatures for the first half of the month were well above normal but the latter half saw the bottom fall out and as it did, significant snowfall accumulated.

The first day of February brought a healthy shot of snowfall and cold temperatures.  From there, things dried out and warmed up considerably.  Thirteen consecutive days were then seen with above normal mercury readings.  Only one of those thirteen saw precipitation in the form of a light snow on the 4th of the month.

From the 15th through the end of the month, the mercury plunged and only two temperature readings were at or above normal – all the rest were below, some significantly so.  Additionally, Thornton saw 8 days in the last two weeks of the month with measureable snowfall.  Out at the airport, Denver saw similarly snowy conditions and set a record for snowfall during the month of February.

Despite the cold close to the month, overall the month of February saw warmer than average temperatures.  Thornton’s month averaged 34.3 degrees, just a bit above the long term Denver average for the month of 32.5.  The Mile High City was warmer than normal as well with an average reading of 33.8 degrees for the month.

Temperatures in Thornton ranged from a spring-like high of 75.9 degrees on the 7th of the month down to a low of 0 degrees on the morning of the 27th.  Denver’s warmest and coldest readings came on those same dates with 74 degrees and -6 degrees.

Denver set or tied four temperature records for the month.  On February 6th a maximum reading of 70 degrees was a record for the date.  That same day a low temperature of 46 degrees set a record high minimum for the date.  The next day, the 7th, a record high of 74 degrees was set as was a record high minimum of 41 degrees.

In terms of precipitation, the month was quite generous.  On average Denver receives 0.37 inch of liquid precipitation during February.  Thornton saw 1.81 inches while Denver tallied 1.25 inches.

Snowfall was a big part of the month’s story.  We did not receive any large storms but rather prolonged ones that delivered steady, healthy doses.  Thornton totaled 26.7 inches during the month.  Out at Denver International Airport, they lagged the totals in the rest of the metro area with a reading of 22.4 inches.

Denver’s reading of 22.4 inches, while lower than ours, allowed February 2015 to go into the weather history books as the snowiest February on record in the Mile High City.  This just eased out the now number two, February 1912, which recorded 22.1 inches.

Click here to view Thornton’s February 2015 climate report.

Thornton, Colorado February 2015 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado February 2015 Temperature Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado February 2015 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado February 2015 Precipitation Summary. (ThorntonWeather.com)
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOULDER, CO
1124 AM MST MON MAR 2 2015

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

...THE DENVER CO CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2015... 

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1872 TO 2015

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................ 
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              77   02/28/2006
                        02/04/1890
 LOW              -25   02/01/1951
                        02/08/1936
HIGHEST            74   02/07        66       8       68  02/16
LOWEST             -6   02/27        -2      -4      -19  02/05
AVG. MAXIMUM     46.6              46.2     0.4     42.3
AVG. MINIMUM     21.0              18.9     2.1     14.1
MEAN             33.8              32.5     1.3     28.2
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      7               3.9     3.1        8
DAYS MIN <= 32     24              26.9    -2.9       26
DAYS MIN <= 0       2               1.3     0.7        5 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) 
RECORD  
MAXIMUM         2.01   1934  
MINIMUM         0.01   1970 
TOTALS           1.25              0.37    0.88     0.19 
DAILY AVG.       0.04              0.01    0.03     0.01 
DAYS >= .01        10               5.3     4.7        4
DAYS >= .10         5               0.7     4.3        1
DAYS >= .50         0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.0     0.0        0
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    0.40   02/15 TO 02/16           02/04 TO 02/04

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           22.4   2015
TOTALS           22.4               5.7

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     864               908     -44     1022
 SINCE 7/1       4113              4439    -326     4519
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0

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

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              9.4
RESULTANT WIND SPEED/DIRECTION   2/205
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    44/010    DATE  02/21
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    43/040    DATE  02/04

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.60
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            5
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             15
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          8

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     60

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                4     SNOW                       8
LIGHT SNOW               13     SLEET                      0
FOG                      12     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      8
HAZE                      9

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

February 2015 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

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February 5, 2015 - The day ends with a gorgeous sunset. (Michelle Jones)
February 5, 2015 – The day ends with a gorgeous sunset. (Michelle Jones)

February signifies the start of the climb toward warmer temperatures for the year.  Cold and snow though do intrude but, coupled with milder conditions, there are lots of photo opportunities as can be seen in our monthly slideshow.

The month is one of our least snowiest of the year but it isn’t unusual to see the landscape blanketed in white.  Warming temperatures through the month can bring the onset of spring fever and gives residents the opportunity to enjoy some prolonged time outdoors on the mild days.  Cold or mild, snowy or dry, our scenery is almost always gorgeous.

  • Slideshow updated February 28, 2015
  • 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=”72157650674219772″]

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!

Weather, natural disasters & climate news and information.