While northeastern Colorado deals with unusually cold temperatures stubbornly dropping below freezing and even 0°, California has been seeing their own spell of “bitter cold” weather. Of course their definition of “cold” and ours are quite different as highlighted in a clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Somehow we here at ThorntonWeather.com aren’t feeling too much sympathy for those in the Golden State. 😉
Cold, snow and wind are expected this time of year in northeastern Colorado as we have seen many notable events with those conditions in our past. Notably in our look back at this week in Denver weather history we see that extreme versions of these can lead to injury and even death.
From the National Weather Service:
10-13
In 1963…an 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.
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.
12-13
In 1936…strong winds in Boulder blew roofs off homes. Wind gusts over 60 mph were recorded at the University of Colorado and a gust to 55 mph measured at Valmont.
In 2002…high winds developed in the foothills on the 12th and spread over the plains on the 13th. Winds gusted to 76 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa in Boulder on the 12th. Northwest winds gusted to 49 mph…the highest wind of the month…at Denver International Airport on the 13th. The strongest winds were north and northeast of metro Denver.
13
In 1875…the low temperature dipped to 20 degrees below zero… A record low for the date and climbed to a high of only 2 degrees below zero…a record low maximum for the date.
In 1880…the worst wind storm ever experienced in Boulder caused some damage and personal injuries.
In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph in the city.
In 1904…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 50 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees. The low temperature remained above freezing…dipping to only 34 degrees.
In 1919…snowfall was 1.8 inches in downtown Denver. Melted snow resulted in only 0.12 inch of precipitation. This was the only snowfall and precipitation for the month.
In 1932…snowfall totaled 3.4 inches in downtown Denver. North winds gusted to 22 mph.
In 1967…high winds in Boulder gusted to 70 mph downtown. Some damage occurred. Northwest winds gusting to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport produced some blowing dust.
In 1988…high winds occurred in Boulder with a wind gust to 70 mph at Table Mesa. In the foothills a wind gust to 82 mph was measured at Rollinsville. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
13-14
In 1960…snowfall totaled only 4.4 inches and northeast winds gusted to 28 mph at Stapleton Airport…while over southeast Colorado a near blizzard closed roads with drifts 3 to 6 feet deep.
Continue reading January 13 to January 19: This Week in Denver Weather History
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One of the great joys of winter in Colorado is an increase in appearances of bald eagles. The national bird of the United States is majestic to see and here in Thornton the birds routinely roost during the cold months.
Bald eagles can be found virtually anywhere in the United States and while Benjamin Franklin would have preferred the turkey, eagles won the right to become one of our nation’s most important symbols.
Here in Colorado there are some year-round nesting pairs, most notably for those in the north Denver metro area are some at Barr Lake. More common are eagles that come to Colorado seasonally and then return north when we start to warm up in the spring.
In recent years we have admired a number of these great birds on the South Platte River Greenway Trail between Colorado Blvd and McKay Road.
This year as many as four have been spotted in the area. While they don’t appear to have nested in the area, they do roost daily along the river.
Yesterday we went for a bike ride and were able to spot one of the eagles as well as a hawk, ducks and the ever-present geese. The slideshow below shows you some of the images we captured.
Extreme cold would be the first thing to come to your mind when you think of January. While there have been many such notable events of that nature, our look back at this week in Denver weather history actually is more remarkable for the damaging wind that has raked the area in the past.
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.
5-6
In 1940…snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver.
In 1975…high winds gusting to over 75 mph caused considerable damage in the Boulder area and minor damage in Jefferson County.
In Boulder…one home was unroofed… Several power lines were blown down…and a number of homes and commercial buildings were damaged. Northwest winds gusted to 36 mph on the 5th and 38 mph on the 6th at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1980…high winds in and near the foothills shattered windows…tore roofs from buildings…and caused many power outages. Much of the damage was in Boulder…where winds gusted to at least 82 mph. Wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph were common in the foothills. West winds gusted to only 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 6th.
In 1982…2 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Only 1.1 inches of snow were measured at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1983…high winds buffeted the foothills with gusts of 60 to 75 mph recorded in the Boulder area. West winds gusted to only 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 6th.
In 1998…heavy snow blanketed the Front Range foothills. Snowfall totals included: 15 inches 8 miles north of Blackhawk; 13 inches at Evergreen and 5 miles east of Nederland; 12 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 11 inches 8 miles west of Conifer; 10 inches in sunshine canyon northwest of Boulder; 10 inches 11 miles southwest of Morrison; 9 inches in south turkey canyon; and 8 inches at Eldora Ski Area. Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
6
In 1903…northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity of 48 mph. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 66 degrees…which was a record maximum for the date. The low temperature dipped to only 35 degrees.
In 1962…strong winds caused nearly 14 hundred dollars in damage 2 miles north of Boulder. West-northwest Chinook winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton Airport in advance of a cold front that produced northeast wind gusts to 43 mph along with some blowing dust and 0.1 inch of snow.
In 1972…a wind gust to 69 mph was recorded at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder. Only minor damage occurred. Northwest winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 2007…a large avalanche swept two vehicles off U.S. Highway 40…near Berthoud Pass…and partially buried them. The slide covered all three lanes of the highway. Eight people were in the vehicles…but only one person was seriously injured. He suffered several broken ribs. The slide was approximately 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep.
Continue reading January 6 to January 12: This Week in Denver Weather History
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