Overall our look back at this week in Denver weather history is shorter than most but it is not short on interesting weather events.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day. All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain. On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

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In 1910…the lowest temperature ever recorded in August…40 degrees…occurred on each of these days and on August 22… 1904. The unusually cold weather for so early in the season brought sub-freezing minimum temperatures to much of the Colorado northeastern plains.

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In 1951…a microburst produced a southwest wind gust to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport. Only a trace of rain was observed.

In 1964…thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph and caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1994…lightning struck a power pole in Louisville and caused a two-hour power outage.

In 2008…an unoccupied home was struck by lightning in Aurora… Causing 75 thousand dollars in damage to the roof.

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In 1944…one of the most destructive hailstorms in the city in a decade caused damage estimated at nearly one million dollars. The storm occurred within a period of 10 to 30 minutes…between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The hail varied in size from very small to as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Hail covered the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches in some sections of the city. Several people were cut by broken glass. The hail and heavy rain flooded underpasses to a depth of 6 feet…and the occupants of stalled autos had to be rescued. Sewers were unable to handle the sudden amount of water and water backed up and flooded a number of basements. A few first floors of buildings were flooded. The water department had a busy time replacing manhole covers that had been displaced by the water pressure. Trees were stripped…one was severely broken…and telephone lines were downed. Roofs…windows… Automobiles…awnings…and gardens were severely damaged. Flowers and gardens in some sections of the city were a total loss. Greenhouses were extensively broken with an estimated 20 carloads of glass shattered. Vegetable and truck crops in and around the city were severely shredded. The next day the American Red Cross was designated by the war agency to grant any and all priorities needed to obtain materials and supplies to replace and repair the damage. In downtown Denver…the thunderstorm produced 0.95 inch of rain and heavy hail along with sustained northwest winds to 25 mph.

In 1961…strong winds blew in the walls of a warehouse under construction in Denver. Two workmen suffered a fractured foot and body bruises.

In 2014…two men in central Denver were struck by lightning as they sat under a tree to avoid a heavy downpour. One of the men was unconscious and had no pulse when emergency responders arrived. He was immediately taken to Denver Health was listed in critical condition. The other victim suffered less severe injuries. He was treated at the scene and hospitalized…then released a few hours later.

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In 1980…two heavy thunderstorms hit Arvada and Westminster… Dumping up to 1.50 inches of rain in less than an hour. At least two streets were washed out and a number of homes and cars were damaged when a creek flooded. Three homes in Arvada sustained minor lightning damage.

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In 1910…a thunderstorm produced south winds sustained to 40 mph.

In 1961…strong thunderstorm winds and heavy rain occurred at 79th and Federal Blvd. in Westminster. The strong winds blew the roofs off lumber sheds onto parked cars.

In 1967…a young woman was killed by lightning while horseback riding in the suburbs just west of Denver. Her horse died several hours after the incident. A young man and another young woman were also knocked from their horses by the impact of the lightning and required hospitalization.

In 1991…heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.91 inch at Stapleton International Airport…where 1/4 inch diameter hail was measured.

In 1996…localized street flooding occurred in the Fort Lupton area when 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. The roof of a community college began leaking…which caused damage to ceiling tiles. The roof was under repair from hail damage which had occurred earlier in the summer. A weak tornado (F0) was sighted near Fort Lupton. No damage was reported.

In 1999…a slow moving thunderstorm dumped 5 inches of rain in 2 hours near Dacono. A severe thunderstorm produced 3/4 inch diameter hail in Castle Rock.

In 2002…severe thunderstorms spread large hail over metro Denver. Hail as large as 2 inches in diameter fell in Jefferson County 5 to 11 miles northwest of Golden. Other large hail reports included: 1 1/2 inches near Golden and in Lakewood; 1 1/4 inches in Nederland; 1 inch hail near Elizabeth…Louviers…Rollinsville…and Blackhawk; 7/8 inch hail near Acequia in Douglas County. A thunderstorm produced a trace of rain and a microburst wind gust to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2003…lightning struck a house and sparked a fire in Arvada. Damage to the roof and ceiling was extensive.

In 2005…lightning struck an unoccupied home in Parker. The resulting fire damaged the roof…attic…and second floor bedroom. Damage was estimated at 15 thousand dollars.

Continue reading August 25 to August 31: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Our look back at this week in Denver weather history highlights the extreme weather that can be visited upon us this time of year. Many of the events showcase severe weather more associated with spring than the latter half of summer.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1979…heavy thunderstorm rains on each of 4 consecutive days dumped a total of 2.62 inches of rain on Stapleton International Airport. The heaviest rain…1.05 inches… On the 19th was accompanied by 1/4 inch diameter hail.

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In 1965…heavy rain in areas south and east of Denver caused some flooding in Littleton and Englewood. Clear creek was running near bankfull…and heavy rain in southwest Denver flooded intersections.

In 1966…a brief very heavy thunderstorm dumped 0.61 inch of rain in just 5 minutes at Stapleton International Airport. Total rainfall from the storm…0.64 inch…fell in just 10 minutes. Half inch diameter hail also fell at Stapleton International Airport. The public sighted funnel clouds 10 to 15 miles south of the airport.

In 1967…hail struck in a strip along the eastern foothills and caused minor damage in Boulder. Hail accumulated to a depth of 4 to 6 inches in Jefferson County just southwest of Denver.

In 1983…one inch to hen egg size hail was reported in Broomfield with golf ball size hail at Northglenn.

In 1990…dime size hail and thunderstorm wind gusts to 50 mph were reported by storm spotters just east of Aurora near the intersection of Mississippi Avenue and Gun Club Road. The hail and strong winds damaged a number of windows in the area.

In 1991…very heavy rain from slow moving thunderstorms dumped up to 3 inches of rain in 20 minutes in the vicinity of Idaho Springs and Central City. Flooding in Idaho Springs forced the closure of the Virginia Gulch Road…which runs from Idaho Springs to Central City. Dirt roads above Central City were damaged or destroyed with the mud being swept onto streets in town. High water in Clear Creek…up to 3 feet above flood stage…washed out a bridge in Idaho Springs. Rock and mud slides forced the closure of I-70 about 1 mile east of Idaho Springs.

In 1997…dry microbursts produced two peak wind gusts to an estimated 60 mph east of Buckley Field.

In 2000…hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter was measured 5 miles west of Sedalia.

In 2003…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 2.75 inches in diameter at Highlands Ranch. Hail to 3/4 inch was reported in Aurora near Cherry Creek and in Arapahoe County 9 miles southeast of Aurora.

In 2004…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding across central and southern metro Denver. A rain gage at City Park recorded 4.37 inches of rainfall from the deluge. Several roads in and around the city had to be closed due to floodwaters…stranding many vehicles. The Denver fire department conducted at least 15 water rescues. One driver nearly drowned when he made a wrong turn into a retaining pond. Four men who witnessed the accident were able to save the man before his car was completely submerged. Widespread street flooding was reported in the Denver Stapleton area where rainfall totaled 3.81 inches. Standing water over 6 inches deep was reported near I-70 and Quebec…I-225 south of I-70…and I-25 near 6th Avenue. Flood waters reached 8 feet deep in some low lying areas as sewers became clogged and the storm runoff pipes were unable to handle the heavy flow of water. Heavy rainfall caused additional flash flooding south of Denver. Several street intersections in Centennial and southern Aurora became impassable due to high water. Two feet of water covered portions of the roadway near Park Meadows Mall. One person had to be rescued near the intersection of Arapahoe Road and Liverpool. Floodwaters forced the closure of Stonegate Parkway near Jordan Road and Lincoln Avenue. Flooding was also reported on Meridian Blvd. near I-25. Rainfall was 1.62 inches at Denver International Airport.

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In 1875…nearly 0.75 inch of rainfall in the city overnight… Possibly assisted by heavier rainfall upstream…produced a decided and rapid rise in Cherry Creek…which washed out some bridges. Other small creeks and streams were filled to overflowing.

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In 1983…heavy rain fell across the northern metro Denver suburbs with 1.50 to 1.80 inches of rain in Broomfield… Arvada…and Thornton.

In 1989…lightning killed a 31-year-old man and injured his 10 year old nephew when it hit a tree they were walking under in the foothills about 5 miles west of Boulder. The boy received mouth to mouth resuscitation on the scene and recovered after being hospitalized overnight. Three other people were knocked to the ground by the bolt…but were uninjured.

In 1990…3/4 inch diameter hail was reported in Wheat Ridge. A thunderstorm over west Denver dumped an inch of rain in 20 minutes…causing minor street flooding. One inch diameter hail was reported over east Denver. Ping pong to golf ball size hail was reported 14 miles northeast of Denver at the intersection of 122nd Ave. and Brighton Blvd. The hail stones knocked out windows and did an unspecified amount of damage to the roof of a house. Close by…heavy thunderstorm rains caused gullies…irrigation ditches…and small streams to overflow their banks near the intersection of 120th Avenue and Riverdale Road. Flood waters 1 to 2 feet deep covered the river bottom land along the South Platte River. However…no structures were threatened by the flood waters.

In 1999…heavy rain…up to 5 inches in two hours…caused east tollgate creek to jump its banks. The bike path adjacent to the creek was underwater at several locations. Several underpasses were also flooded…halting traffic. In addition…an unfinished playground at a local elementary school was completely flooded. Lightning struck a vehicle at East Evans Avenue and Tower Road. The woman inside the vehicle was not injured.

In 2016…a severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 64 mph near Commerce City.

19-30

In 1875…grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day. All gardens in the city were devastated…and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain. On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.

20

In 1980…winds to 55 to 60 mph were recorded in south Boulder.

In 1982…strong thunderstorm winds blasted the Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield…causing an estimated 3 million dollars in damage. At least 5 hangars and 15 airplanes were damaged…many seriously; one hangar was completely destroyed. Torrential rains accompanied the winds. Heavy rains also dumped on Boulder where 1.65 inches fell in just 15 minutes…causing street flooding. Wind gusts to 72 mph were recorded in Boulder. Over half an inch of rain fell in just 5 minutes in Littleton where two homes were struck by lightning. Lightning also struck a house in Arvada where over an inch of rain sent Ralston Creek over its banks. Strong winds accompanied the storms.

In 1984…slow moving thunderstorms dumped 1.25 inches of rain in Evergreen…causing street flooding. A half inch of rain fell in just 18 minutes in southeast Denver. Littleton and Boulder were also drenched with about an inch of rain. Rainfall totaled 0.92 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2001…severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and large hail across metro Denver. Hail as large 1 inch in diameter fell in Aurora near Cherry Creek. Strong thunderstorm winds gusting as high as 58 mph blew the roof from a building between Thornton and Denver and toppled several trees in Denver. One tree landed on a mail truck. Other thunderstorm winds were clocked to 60 mph near Parker… 62 mph in Broomfield…and 61 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2006…a tornado (f0) touched down near Bennett…but caused no reported damage.

In 2013…severe thunderstorms pounded the southern Denver suburbs and other parts of the Front Range. In Jefferson County…water rescues were reported for some people in stranded cars. In the Ken Caryl area…large hail from one inch to 1 3/4 inches in diameter was reported. On West Chatfield Avenue in Jefferson County…hail runoff gathered six inches deep in spots and “hail plows” were sent out to clear some streets. Hail up to one inch in diameter was also reported near Castle Rock.

Continue reading August 18 to August 24: This Week in Denver Weather History →

Colorado’s unofficial severe weather season may be over but August holds a wide variety of related weather hazards that can be damaging and deadly. Looking back at this week in Denver weather history, flooding, large hail and even tornadoes have made appearances in our past.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1875…clouds of grasshoppers were seen flying through the air on the prevailing winds during each day.

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In 1872…fog was very dense until about 8:00 am. There was water dripping from the roofs of houses as if it had rained. The rain gage showed 0.01 inch of moisture…even though there had been no rainfall.

In 1927…an apparent dry microburst produced only a trace of rain and brief northwest winds sustained to 34 mph with gusts to 44 mph.

In 1980…hail up to golf ball size caused some roof and car damage in the southern part of Aurora.

In 1990…lightning ignited a storage tank filled with 10 thousand gallons of crude oil in a farmer’s field near Dacono…25 miles north of Denver. Flames shot to 40 feet high for nearly 2 hours before being extinguished. A lightning bolt also struck 21 miles north of Denver at an Erie fire station…causing extensive damage to the gas meter and electrical system. The sudden power surge blew out the station’s television set…a refrigerator…and a pop machine. Small fires spread throughout the structure… Totally destroying the building’s electrical wiring. The fires were quickly extinguished by the in-resident fire fighters. Golf ball size hail was reported in Denver near the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and I-25.

In 2012…a severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at rocky mountain metropolitan airport.

In 1992…dime size hail fell in Westminster.

In 1994…strong thunderstorms produced large hail across northwest and north metro Denver. One inch diameter hail fell in Brighton with 3/4 inch hail reported in Westminster and at Indian Hills in the foothills west of Denver. Lightning struck a house in Arvada. The resulting fire destroyed one-third of the house. Funnel clouds were sighted over Westminster.

In 1997…large hail…strong winds…and torrential rains hammered portions of Lakewood and south Denver. Nearly 1 inch of rain fell in the span of 10 minutes in south Denver with a storm total of 1.81 inches. Street flooding was extensive as gutters and other drainage systems in the area were clogged by hail…piled several inches deep…and other debris. Strong thunderstorm winds to 50 mph and large hail accompanied by heavy rain caused extensive damage to cars…homes…and businesses. Several trees were downed by the strong winds…and trees were stripped of their leaves by hail. A water lily exhibition on display at the Denver botanic gardens was heavily damaged. Final estimates of the damage included 60 million dollars to automobiles and an additional 68 million dollars to homes and businesses. Hail to 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell in south Denver with 3/4 to 1 inch hail in Lakewood. A man received minor injuries in Aurora when he was struck by lightning while talking on the telephone.

In 2003…hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured in Aurora near Cherry Creek.

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In 1876…the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1941…excessive thunderstorm rainfall flooded streets and delayed traffic for a few hours in some sections of the city. The basements of a considerable number of homes and commercial buildings were flooded. The total value of the damage was unknown. Only 0.94 inch of thunderstorm rainfall was recorded downtown.

In 1969…a man and a 9-year old boy were injured…when lightning struck a tree near where they were standing. Both were revived after treatment…but the boy later died of respiratory failure due to electrical shock.

In 1984…heavy thunderstorm rains drenched southern metro Denver. Rural roads in Douglas County received minor washouts. Hail…as large as 3/4 inch in diameter…was reported in southeast Aurora with one inch diameter hail reported near Parker. Rainfall totaled 1.00 inch at Stapleton International Airport.
12-13 in 1975…heavy rains caused flash flooding along the foothills from Denver north. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2004…a brief cool spell resulted in two daily temperature records. The low temperature of 49 degrees was a record minimum for the 12th…as was the low temperature of 48 degrees on the 13th.

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In 1959…thunderstorm winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1983…thunderstorms dumped torrential rain in Northglenn… Thornton…and Broomfield. Northglenn was drenched with 1.72 inches in 30 minutes. Street flooding was widespread. Hail…as large as 3/4 inch in diameter…was reported 7 miles northeast of Boulder along with heavy rain which caused some street flooding.

In 2000…lightning sparked 3 small grass fires near Golden. The fires were quickly contained. Hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Castle Rock.

In 2019…Hail up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter was observed 4 miles west of Frederick…with hail up to one inch in diameter near Dacono.

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In 1960…a bolt of lightning struck a man in Henderson… Causing serious burns.

In 1962…the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees at Stapleton Airport.

In 1968…a young man on a golf course in Denver was injured when lightning struck a tree under which he was standing. Lightning caused minor damage to a house in Denver. Heavy thunderstorm rain caused local street flooding. One inch diameter hail fell at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.

In 1973…winds as high as 85 mph damaged 20 aircraft at the Arapahoe County airport…now Centennial Airport.

In 1977…three tornadoes were sighted in Bennett. A man suffered a broken leg when hit by a flying board. He was outside his camper home…which was destroyed. All windows were broken in a near-by farmhouse where some shingles were ripped off and a 2 car garage was knocked down. Several vehicles were damaged and a cat…some rabbits…and chickens were killed. A broken oar from a boat was driven into the side of a house. A mobile home was overturned. One old barn was destroyed. Half a dozen homes and several agricultural buildings were damaged just west of State Highway 79.

In 1978…high winds produced much blowing dust…causing many traffic accidents in the Denver-Boulder area. Winds gusts of 70 to 101 mph were recorded. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1980…lightning hit two power poles in Littleton…causing 400 dollars in damage. Rainfall of 1.23 inches in a short time caused minor flooding…which included damage to a ground floor apartment and partially submerging a few vehicles in water. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.98 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1983…2.10 inches of rain drenched Golden in an hour with similar amounts in Lakewood and Boulder. Over ten thousand dollars’ worth of plants were washed away at a nursery in Lakewood.

In 1997…twelve motorists were injured in a multi-car accident when strong microburst winds estimated to 50 mph blew blinding dust across I-70 near Bennett.

In 1998…lightning struck a hydro-electric plant in Nederland… Causing a power outage. Residents in the foothills west of Boulder…including Nederland…Ward…Eldora…Jamestown… and Gold Hill…were without power for about an hour.

In 2006…heavy thunderstorm rainfall near Deckers washed away some the banks along State Highway 67 between Deckers and Westcreek. Several driveways on both sides of the highway were also damaged.

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

The beginning of August typically continues our monsoon season. This leads to increased chances for thunderstorms with heavy rain and the associated hazards that come with it. Our look back at this week in Denver weather history highlights the dangers of flooding, hail and lightning and even includes reference to grasshopper swarms being blown into the city.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1988…two inches of rain fell in 3 hours at both Morrison and Wheat Ridge. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch overnight at Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1889…southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with an extreme velocity to 52 mph.

In 1924…0.01 inch of rain fell over downtown Denver. This along with the 0.01 inch of rainfall on the 10th was the only rainfall of the month…the driest August on record.

In 1963…heavy rains in the foothills above Idaho Springs caused mud and rock slides which closed U.S. Highways 6 and 40 for a time.

In 1976…hail to 1 inch diameter was reported 12 miles southwest of Denver. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported in Lakewood. Small hail…1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter…fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1982…heavy rain poured through the roof of a clothing store in Aurora…causing widespread water damage. The roof was being repaired when the storm hit.

In 1983…hail up to one inch in diameter fell in Aurora where heavy rain produced street flooding.

In 1984…a Colorado state trooper was struck and injured by lightning in Northglenn.

In 1989…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1997…lightning sparked a small fire in a home in Arvada… Causing minor damage. Several intersections in both Arvada and Westminster were flooded by thunderstorms producing heavy rain. Several cars were damaged by the high waters… And a number of businesses were flooded.

In 1999…flooding and flash flooding problems developed over metro Denver as slow moving thunderstorms dumped from 2 to 3.5 inches of rainfall in about 3 hours. Near the junction of I-25 and U.S. Highway 36…up to 4 feet of water flooded an auto dealership. About 45 cars were ruined. Damage estimates to the dealership alone totaled nearly a half million dollars. Sections of I-25 and U.S. 36 near the interchange were closed due to floodwaters. Floodwaters… Up to 5 feet deep…forced the evacuation of two mobile home parks in federal heights. Railroad tracks were washed out near Federal Blvd. and 64th avenue. Numerous power outages caused widespread blackouts in Thornton and Littleton. Along Massey Draw near Carr St. and Chatfield Reservoir…4 homes were flood damaged and portions of their backyards washed out. Widespread street flooding was also reported in Boulder where several buildings were flood damaged…including the University of Colorado Memorial Center.

In 2004…two golfers were shocked when lightning struck the eighth green of the golf course at Castle Pines north of Castle Rock. The two men suffered only minor injuries. Heavy thunderstorm rain from the same storm caused flash flooding. Floodwaters rushed across parts of U.S. Highway 85 near the entrance to the Castle Pines Golf Club. The traffic lanes were covered with up to 6 inches of running water.

In 2008…lightning sparked a grassfire that consumed 300 acres on the northern edge of Green Mountain…in Jefferson County. Gusty winds and very dry conditions allowed the wildfire to quickly spread and threaten several houses. Fortunately…only minor damage was reported to homes due to smoke and melted siding.

In 2018 a severe thunderstorm produced strong winds in and around Denver. A peak wind gust to 60 mph was observed near Firestone with a gust to 59 mph near Buckley Air Force Base. A peak wind gust to 40 mph from the southwest was observed at Denver International Airport.

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In 1881…the low temperature cooled to only 76 degrees…the record high minimum temperature for the month.

In 1889…southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1918…hail pelted the city…but was light and caused no damage. Precipitation totaled 0.25 inch. Northwest winds were sustained to 31 mph.

In 1964…lightning struck two boys in Denver while playing ball. One was treated and released from the hospital…but the other boy suffered second degree electrical shock and cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in critical condition for several days.

In 1969…two tornadoes touched down briefly in an open field southeast of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.

In 1970…heavy rain in the Indian Hills area in the foothills west of Denver caused flash flooding…which washed out roads and damaged other property. Hail accumulated to a 3 inch depth with stones up to golf ball size; however…most of the damage was from flooding.

In 1982…2.38 inches of rain fell in an hour in Arvada… Causing minor flooding on Ralston Creek. In Westminster… 1 1/2 inches of rain fell…causing damage to streets and culverts. In addition…lightning caused some minor power outages across metro Denver.

In 1983…very heavy thunderstorms hit the southern portion of metro Denver. Heavy rainfall…as much as 2.89 inches in 38 minutes…caused widespread street flooding in southeast Denver. Two feet of water covered a section of I-25. Hail up to golf ball size accompanied the storm in Littleton and Englewood…along with 60 mph winds.

In 1984…a heavy thunderstorm drenched Littleton with up to 2.35 inches of rain in an hour…along with small hail that piled up to 2 inches deep. Flood waters were up to 4 feet deep in parts of town with many basements flooded. There were some power outages caused by lightning.

In 1990…a thunderstorm dumped 1.25 inches of rain in 12 minutes near tower and smoky hill roads in southeast Aurora. Minor street flooding was reported in the area.

In 1992…a pilot reported two funnel clouds near Cheery Creek Reservoir. Both dissipated quickly. Dime size hail fell near Franktown.

In 1994…one inch diameter hail fell near Strasburg. No damage was reported.

In 1999…a dog kennel east of Denver International Airport… Was flooded when a small dam…upstream in Elbert County… Was breached. The floodwaters…up to 4 feet deep…washed away some 6-foot fences and other small buildings. Ten of the 70 dogs boarded at the kennel drowned.

In 2002…a mail carrier was struck by lightning as he inserted a key into a multi-unit mailbox in Bailey. The shock knocked the man back against the mail truck. He suffered minor injuries. Lightning struck a residence in Commerce City. The resulting fire destroyed the roof of a detached garage and damaged much of its contents. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter pelted Pine. One inch diameter hail fell in Arvada and southwest Denver. Heavy rain triggered a mudslide along U.S. Highway 285 near Bailey. Both lanes of traffic had to be closed until debris could be removed from the highway. Several residences in the Bailey and Glenisle areas were also flooded.

In 2004…heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused localized flash flooding in Virginia Canyon near Idaho Springs. Sections of the Virginia Canyon Road had to be closed due to the floodwaters.

In 2008…a severe thunderstorm produced large hail…up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter…northeast of Parker. Several automobiles were damaged.

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