Tag Archives: May weather

May 1 to May 7: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

May can bring a variety of conditions from snow and cold to severe thunderstorms and flooding rains. Looking back at this week in Denver weather history we see where all of those events have made an appearance in our past.

From the National Weather Service:

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In 1954…a major storm dumped 10.1 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport. Most of the snow…7.5 inches…fell on the 29th and 30th. The maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches on the 30th due to melting. No strong winds accompanied the storm.

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In 1980…to the west of Denver…heavy rain changing to snow buried the foothills above 7 thousand feet in 4 to 8 inches of snow. Precipitation in the foothills ranged from 1 to 3 inches…which caused some local flooding. Rain fell at lower elevations. Rainfall at Stapleton International Airport totaled 1.05 inches from the storm.

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In 1902…northwest winds were sustained to 68 mph with gusts as high as 74 mph in the city during the early morning. The apparent very strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 78 degrees.

In 1912…south winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph. South to southwest winds were strong all afternoon.

In 1935…a moderate duststorm blew into the city at around 2:00 pm on northwest winds sustained to 17 mph with gusts to 19 mph. Later in the afternoon…the dust receded to the east in advance of a rainstorm from the west.

In 1988…very strong winds behind a vigorous cold front produced a blinding dust storm that closed I-70 east of Denver. Northeast winds over metro Denver peaked to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport…but only kicked up some blowing dust. The temperature plunged from a high of 76 degrees at midday to 36 degrees at midnight as light rain changed to light snow.

In 1991…3/4 inch diameter hail fell at Standley Lake in northwest metro Denver.

In 1999…heavy snow developed in the foothills above 7 thousand feet elevation. Snow totals included: 10 inches at Rollinsville…7 inches near conifer…and 6 inches atop Crow Hill. Rain fell across metro Denver.

In 2015…a teenager was critically injured when he struck by lightning near Town Center Mall in Aurora. He was standing on a hill in an open field. A severe thunderstorm produced hail up to quarter size near Evergreen.

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In 1903…post-frontal rain changed to light snow overnight… But totaled only 2.0 inches. This was the last snow of the season. Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph on the 1st.

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In 1898…snowfall totaled 15.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.2 inches…fell on the 3rd. Most of the snow melted as it fell. The greatest snow depth on the ground was only 2.5 inches on the 3rd at 8:00 pm. This was the only snowfall during the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 1st.

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In 1874…strong winds upset two railroad passenger coaches near Georgetown. The baggage was retrieved and placed in a heavy…large wagon. The passengers then seated themselves on top of the baggage. Another strong gust of wind upset the wagon. The driver’s shoulder was dislocated…and a passenger’s leg was badly injured. In Denver…northwest winds increased and blew in gusts and heavy winds were observed on the ridge tops. On the Kansas Pacific R.R. east of Denver…the wind was so strong that it blew the train back several lengths…which caused the train to be about 7 hours late arriving in the city.

In 1901…south winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts to 60 mph from an apparent thunderstorm with hail.

In 1944…snowfall of 8.3 inches was accompanied by a thunderstorm. This was the last snowfall of the season and the only snow of the month. Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph.

In 1955…southwest winds at speeds of 37 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1983…1 inch diameter hail fell a few miles south of Bennett.

In 1984…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Northglenn.

In 1988…I-70 east of Denver was closed for the second straight day…this time due to snow and blowing snow producing up to 2 foot drifts. While only 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across metro Denver…Strasburg…just east of Denver…received a foot of snow. North winds peaked to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.3 inches.

In 1995…lightning struck a house in Westminster sparking an attic fire.

In 2015…a sudden wind gust associated with a dissipating thunderstorm caught some flags attached to a lift and tipped it. Two men were injured when a lift at Civic Center Park in Denver fell on them during Cinco de Mayo festivities. Both men suffered from head injuries…one was in serious condition.

Continue reading May 1 to May 7: This week in Denver weather history

May 2021 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Ominous skies and a bolt of lightning as storms roll through. (Jessica Fey)
Ominous skies and a bolt of lightning as storms roll through. (Jessica Fey)

Colorado’s famously highly variable weather seems to showcase itself during the month of May when a variety of weather conditions can be seen.  This provides a prime opportunity for photos of everything weather to flora to fauna.

The month of May can bring extremes.  Snow is not entirely uncommon during the month but more common is severe weather, particularly in the latter half of the month.  Thunderstorms become more frequent and their associated hazards – lightning, wind, hail and tornadoes – are usual visitors.  Providing additional subjects for pictures are the emerging spring flowers and our abundant wildlife.

  • Slideshow updated May 31, 2021. 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.

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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!

May 30 to June 5: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

There are many notable events on our look back at the weather history books for this week but one in particular stands out. It was 30 years ago this week, on June 3, that the infamous Thornton tornado struck. This twister still stands as the most damaging tornado to have ever struck the Denver metro area.

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In 1995…a cool period with light morning showers and moderate to heavy afternoon showers and thunderstorms pushed rivers already swollen from mountain snow melt over their banks causing minor flooding. Streams and rivers such as the South Platte and Boulder creek flooded meadowlands…bike paths…roads near streams…and other low lying areas. No significant property damage was reported and crop damage was unknown. Rainfall totaled 1.79 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport and only 1.51 inches at Denver International Airport.

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In 1894…heavy rain combined with snowmelt runoff caused widespread flooding over the South Platte River basin. Rainfall was heaviest in the foothills where 5 to 8 inches were measured over the 4 days. Heavy rainfall west of Boulder flooded mining towns and damaged mining properties. In the canyons above Boulder…railroads and roads were washed out along with many bridges. The floodwaters spread into central Boulder and covered a wide area from University Hill north to near Mapleton Hill to a maximum depth of 8 feet. Many houses were swept away…and every bridge in Boulder was destroyed. A few people…trapped in their homes by the floodwaters… Had to be rescued. However…the gradual rise of the flood waters resulted in only one death. Boulder creek spread to a width of nearly one mile in the pasture land to the east of Boulder. Extensive flooding on left hand creek north of Boulder washed away railroad and wagon bridges. The heavy cloudbursts caused flooding on bear creek…which washed away bridges…railroad tracks…and structures and destroyed the canyon roadway. Morrison sustained the heaviest flood damage on bear creek. In Denver…rainfall totaled only 1.50 inches on the 30th and 31st…but the heavy rainfall on upstream tributaries of the South Platte River caused the river to rise as much as 10 feet above the low water mark in the city…which caused some flooding of pasture land downstream to a depth of 6 feet near Brighton.

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In 1875…a windstorm lasting almost all day produced sustained winds to 42 mph.

In 1935…southeast winds sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 34 mph produced a moderate duststorm during the afternoon.

In 1938…heavy thunderstorm rain and hail pummeled downtown Denver during the evening hours. Rainfall accumulated to 1.63 inches. Hail accumulated to a depth of 18 inches.

In 1948…a localized thunderstorm caused flooding on sand creek in Aurora and northeast Denver. Rainfall was only 0.49 inch in downtown Denver where light hail also fell.

In 1963…a golfer died of injuries received when struck by lightning on a golf course southwest of Denver. A warehouse in Denver was damaged and its contents destroyed by a lightning-caused fire.

In 1967…up to 4.00 inches of rain in Lakewood and wheat ridge caused flooding of roads and basements. Water was several feet deep in some yards. Many streets were temporarily closed. Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter fell in Wheat Ridge. Hail piled up to 2 feet deep in some low lying areas of east and southeast Denver. Snowplows were employed to remove the hail. Stapleton International Airport…where west winds gusted to 39 mph…received 1.51 inches of rain and hail…which forced the closure of the runways for an hour. Hail stones to 3/4 inch in diameter were measured at Buckley Field. A funnel cloud was sighted near south Wadsworth Blvd and Bear Creek. A tornado touched down briefly in the vicinity of 60th and 62nd avenues near north Washington Street. The storm uprooted trees and damaged one building. Doors were ripped from a business house…widely scattering irrigation pipe. In addition…a total of 3 funnel clouds were sighted in that area.

In 1970…hail up to 1 inch in diameter fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1976…a single thunderstorm crossed south metro Denver producing a funnel cloud 2 miles south of Arapahoe road and Broadway. The storm moved over Buckley Field producing a funnel cloud and 1/2 inch diameter hail. As the storm moved northeast of the city…a large tornado touched down near east 59th Ave and tower road and was on the ground for 20 minutes. It demolished a 60-foot-long cinderblock cow shed…tore a wall from a machinery shed…tore shingles off the roof of a farmhouse nearby…and felled 12 trees on one farm. A boy in a feed shed 20 feet from a destroyed building was not injured.

In 1977…3/4 to 1 inch diameter hail fell at or near Stapleton International Airport. One inch to baseball size hail fell in south Denver…damaging some homes and extensively damaging some airplanes at Arapahoe County airport…now centennial airport. Hail covered highways to a depth of 6 to 8 inches in south Denver.

In 1978…two funnel clouds were sighted 5 miles south of Stapleton International Airport. Hail up to 1 1/4 inches in diameter was reported in wheat ridge and northwest Denver. Only 1/2 inch diameter hail fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1989…golf ball size hail fell at the junction of I-25 and I-225. One inch diameter hail fell in Littleton.

In 1990…a line of severe thunderstorms crossed metro Denver… Producing wind gusts to 60 mph and scattered areas of pea to marble size hail. Small trees and branches were blown down by the strong thunderstorm winds…which also caused minor power outages across southern and eastern sections of metro Denver. The strong winds uprooted a 25- to 30-foot tree in the acres green subdivision of northern Douglas County. The tree blocked a busy street for several hours. A pilot reported hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter covering the ground near the north end of a runway at Stapleton International Airport. Heavy rain caused a rock and mud slide that partially closed the Boulder canyon highway 10 miles west of Boulder. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 2001…lightning ignited a fire which destroyed a luxury home on bear mountain near Evergreen. Estimated damage was set at 1 million dollars.

In 2003…flash flooding occurred in the Hayman Fire burn area after as much as 1 inch of rain fell in 30 minutes. The heavy rainfall washed out many access roads and closed State Highway 67 between Deckers and west creek. A 3-foot wall of water ran down Fourmile Creek from the YMCA camp at Shady Brook…damaging one building in the camp and flooding roads. Hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell near Roggen in weld County.

In 2005…lightning struck as least 20 homes in Westminster. Only minor damage was reported. Severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as 1.25 inches in and near Fort Lupton and hail to 3/4 inch near Indian Hills in Jefferson County.

In 2014…heavy rainfall…nearly 1.2 inches in 30 minutes… produced localized street flooding in Boulder. The heavy rain coupled with the already swollen creeks from the spring runoff along Boulder Creek resulted in the flooding. Street flooding was reported at 6th St and Canyon Blvd and at Baseline Road. Some cars were stranded in the high water in low lying areas and one person reported being trapped in his vehicle.

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In 1935…heavy thunderstorm rains overnight caused flash flooding east of the city on both Kiowa and Bijou Creeks… Resulting in a total of 9 deaths. Most of the damage was on Kiowa Creek where there were more structures. The water rose rapidly during the storm…ripping houses and stores from their foundations and sweeping them downstream. Precipitation in Denver totaled only 0.01 inch. Hail fell in the city for a short time. The hail was very small and caused no damage.

In 1983…a late storm of rain and snow hit the Front Range. Over an inch of rain fell at some spots…and above 7 thousand feet…1 to 5 inches of snow whitened the ground. Some snowflakes even fell in the western suburbs of metro Denver on the night of the 30th.

In 2002…unseasonably warm weather at the end of the month resulted in 3 temperature records. High temperature of 91 degrees on the 30th equaled the record maximum for the date. Low temperature of 61 degrees on the 31st was a record high minimum for the date. High temperature of 93 degrees on the 31st was a record maximum for the date.

31 Continue reading May 30 to June 5: This week in Denver weather history

May 23 to May 29: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

We are getting closer to Colorado’s severe weather season and see how dangerous it can be when we look back in Denver weather history.  Many occurrences of dangerous lightning, large hail, flooding and tornadoes have been the hallmark of this week in Denver weather history.

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In 2002…lightning sparked a wildfire near Deckers.  Extremely dry conditions and very strong winds the following day allowed the fire…known as the schoonover…to consume 3850 acres before it could be contained.  Thirteen structures were destroyed…including 4 homes…resulting in 2.2 million dollars in damage.

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In 1876…snow changed to heavy rain over the city…resulting in widespread flooding along Cherry Creek and the South Platte River…nearly as great as the flash flood of May 19-20…1864.  However…damage was greater because the city had grown much larger and there were more bridges for the flood waters to destroy.  Precipitation in the city totaled 6.70 inches from 10:00 pm on the 21st through 3:00 am on the 23rd.  The greatest precipitation ever recorded in Denver in 24 hours…6.53 inches…occurred on the 21st and 22nd.  Small buildings and bridges along Cherry Creek were washed away by the flood waters.  Bridges over the South Platte River were damaged.  The city irrigation ditch was damaged and rendered unfit for service.  Strong winds at speeds of 30 to 40 mph drove the heavy rain through brick walls 12 to 16 inches thick.  Many sheep and cattle were either killed by lightning or drowned…including some 100 head of cattle in Jefferson County alone.  There was immense damage to railroad tracks…especially the Kansas Pacific line to the east of the city.  The Colorado Central suffered estimated damage of 10 to 15 thousand dollars.  In addition…the heavy rain caused extensive flooding on soda and bear creeks in the foothills.  Flooding along Boulder creek inundated farm and pasture land in the Boulder valley and damaged a few bridges.  Rail travel had to be suspended in the area for several days.

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In 1933…high winds and gales overnight caused considerable damage in and near the city.  Much greenhouse glass was broken…which caused damage to sheltered plants.  Great numbers of plants growing in the open were damaged or killed by wind-driven sand and soil.  Fields were eroded by the wind and a few trees were uprooted.  West winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts as high as 65 mph in downtown Denver on the 22nd.

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In 1916…southeast winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph.  The winds were strong for several hours during the afternoon.

In 1965…thunderstorm outflow wind gusts to 59 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1987…slow moving thunderstorms bombarded metro Denver. One inch diameter hail was reported in south central Denver.  Torrential rain caused widespread street flooding… Stalling traffic throughout the area.  Rainfall totaled 2.10 inches in just 25 minutes in extreme southeast Aurora. Many other locations in Aurora and east Denver reported 1 to 1 1/2 inches of rain in about 30 minutes.  Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.33 inches at Stapleton International Airport where 1/4 inch diameter hail was measured and north winds gusted to 40 mph.  A man was slightly injured by lightning near Stapleton International Airport.  Lightning also started a fire that severely damaged a house in Aurora.

In 1990…a microburst wind gust to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport produced some blowing dust.

In 1991…thunderstorms moving from southwestern sections of metro Denver to the east of Denver produced large hail up to golf ball size.  An estimated 5 thousand homes and 8 thousand cars received considerable damage.  Early estimates placed damage costs around 60 million dollars. Three funnel clouds were also reported…two by personnel at Buckley Field and the other by a storm spotter.  Heavy rain produced street flooding in Aurora where hail accumulated to a depth of 6 inches.  As the storms moved to the east…golf ball size hail was reported at Strasburg.

In 1997…hail to 3/4 inch diameter fell in Broomfield.

In 2002…a very strong microburst near Strasburg swept a woman into a swirl of dirt and carried her about 150 feet. The woman was in an open field…corralling a yearling horse… When the incident occurred.  Fortunately…she received only minor injuries.

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In 2002…a pacific storm system brought much needed snow to the mountains and foothills with a mix of rain and snow on the plains.  The most snow fell from central Jefferson County northward.  Snow totals included:  13 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…11 inches near Evergreen and atop gold hill… 10 inches near Blackhawk and conifer and atop Crow Hill… 9 inches near Rollinsville…and 8 inches near Genesee and Golden.  Rain was mixed with snow across the city. Precipitation totaled 0.61 inch at Denver International Airport.  Snowfall was less than an inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  The storm brought unseasonably cold air to metro Denver.  Three temperature records were set.  Low temperature of 31 degrees on the 23rd was a record minimum for the date…as was the low of 32 degrees on the 24th.  The high temperature of only 48 degrees equaled the record low maximum for the date.

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In 1953…a microburst caused a brief wind gust to 55 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1957…walnut size hail…1 1/2 inches in diameter…fell in east Denver.  Only 1/4 inch hail was measured at Stapleton Airport.

In 1958…rainfall totaled 1 to 2 inches across metro Denver. Rainfall was only 0.37 inches at Stapleton Airport.

In 1974…a tornado was observed briefly near Watkins.  No damage was reported.

In 1980…strong gusty winds of at least 60 mph damaged buildings in parts of Denver.  Several buildings were unroofed in Sheridan.  The flying debris damaged other structures.  Strong microburst winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1991…a tornado touched down briefly in open country near Bennett.  No damage was reported.

In 1994…weather spotters reported 2 funnel clouds over Aurora and a short-lived waterspout on Cheery Creek Reservoir.

In 1997…hail to 1 inch in diameter fell in Broomfield with 3/4 inch hail measured in Boulder.

In 1998…a tornado struck a wooden hangar at the Aurora airpark.  The hangar collapsed…damaging a car and a single engine plane parked inside.  An adjacent steel hangar sustained only minor damage.  The tornado moved northeast…hopped I-70…and touched down again in an open field.  Earlier…a weak tornado touched down briefly in an open field 10 miles southeast of Buckley Field.

In 2003…severe thunderstorms produced large hail over northern and southern metro Denver.  Hail as large as 2 3/4 inches in diameter was measured 10 miles northwest of Hudson and to 2 inches in diameter 10 miles northeast of Fort Lupton.  One inch diameter hail fell in Fort Lupton.  Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Parker and to 3/4 inch near Franktown.

In 2004…severe thunderstorms moved across northwest and north metro Denver.  Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter fell in Broomfield and Thornton with 3/4 inch hail measured near Arvada and Hudson and in the city of Denver.

In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter in Arvada and the city of Denver.

In 2014…a severe thunderstorm in Lakewood produced hail… up to 1 inch in diameter.

In 2016…a long-lived supercell formed over south Denver and tracked across northeast Adams and continued to produce severe weather as into moved into Yuma County. The length of its path was approximately 121 miles. The storm produced hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter in southeast Denver. As it moved across northeast Adams County…several power poles were sheared off at the base by straight-line winds to 80 mph southwest of Leader. The damage path became more extensive as the storm moved into the northeast plains of Colorado. At Denver International Airport…1.15 inches of precipitation fell which set a new daily precipitation record. The storm produced heavier rainfall on one to two inches east of Denver…with over 4 inches in central Arapahoe County.

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In 1996…a late spring snowstorm dumped 4 to 10 inches of snow over the Front Range foothills.  Conifer picked up 10 inches of new snow; Aspen Springs…9 inches; and central city…8 inches.  The sticky…heavy snow clung to power lines and pulled tree branches down…causing power outages to about 1200 homes in the conifer area.  It took up to 6 hours to restore power to some residences. Lightning struck a telephone data cabinet in conifer on the 25th…which knocked out phone service to about 1500 customers.  Widespread rain fell across metro Denver… Where rainfall totaled 2.07 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport and 1.66 inches at Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to 24 mph on the 26th.

In 2010…from the 24th to the 26th…high winds preceding a cold front…swept across the Front Range Foothills and Urban Corridor.  In Aurora…the wind damaged the roof of Rangeview High School.  In Conifer and Denver…the wind downed trees and power lines and caused several brief outages.  The downed power lines also caused several cars to catch fire in the vicinity of 1590 Cook St. in Denver. Peak wind gusts included:  82 mph at Highlands Ranch…67 mph…4 miles east of Franktown and Longmont; 65 mph in Boulder…64 mph in Centennial and Denver International Airport…62 mph near Parker and 60 mph in Arvada.

Continue reading May 23 to May 29: This week in Denver weather history

Thornton sees more precipitation so far in 2021 than in all of 2020

Thornton, Colorado's 2021 precipitation summary through May 24. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado’s 2021 precipitation summary through May 24. Click for larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)

Certainly we are all keenly aware of how wet this year has seemed so far and the numbers back up that feeling.

Every month so far this year has seen above average precipitation (based on 16-year running average) and we have in fact received more precipitation so far this year than in all of last year.

Our current total for 2021 is at 9.86 inches. This is in comparison to the 9.73 inches we received in ALL of last year. This also is nearly 3 inches above our January through May average of 6.94 inches.

These numbers certainly help to ease drought and wildfire concerns. However, Mother Nature can be very fickle and turn off the spout at any moment. We will need consistent, solid numbers throughout the rest of spring and summer to truly put any fears to rest.

May 16 to May 22: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

Late spring typically brings some of the most eventful weather Denver sees throughout the year and our look back at this week in Denver weather history shows that.  There are many typical events we would expect to see such as hail, heavy rain and flooding, and even tornadoes.  Most notably, this week marks the two year anniversary of the Windsor tornado.  And, for those that think the snow is done, we can see that in 1983 a snowstorm struck the city forcing the closure of Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1996…a period of unusually warm weather resulted in 4 record maximum temperatures in 5 days.  The record high temperatures were 87 degrees on the 14th…89 degrees on the 15th…and 93 degrees on both the 16th and 18th.  The temperature climbed to only 81 degrees on the 17th which was not a record.

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In 1957…heavy snowfall totaled 8.8 inches at Stapleton Airport. The greatest amount on the ground was 3 inches.

In 1986…a spring storm dumped 1 to 2 inches of rain over metro Denver…but 2.71 inches fell at Buckley Field in Aurora.  Rainfall only totaled 0.84 inch at Stapleton International Airport.  Snow fell in the foothills with 7 inches recorded in Coal Creek Canyon southwest of Boulder.

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In 1875…a heavy hail storm turned into heavy rain during the afternoon.  Rainfall totaled 0.86 inch in just 37 minutes…while the temperature dropped 22 degrees in 22 minutes.  Precipitation totaled 0.90 inch.

In 1894…west winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 56 mph.

In 1949…a tornado was observed for 16 minutes…20 miles to the southeast of Stapleton Airport.  The tornado moved 5 miles to the northeast before dissipating.  No damage was reported.

In 1963…intense lightning started several forest fires in the foothills southwest of Denver near Deckers and Cheeseman Lake.  Little precipitation fell from the storms to alleviate the unusual dry conditions so early in the season.

In 1978…thunderstorm winds caused damage in southeast Aurora.  Winds of 60 to 80 mph blew down numerous fences and damaged several homes under construction.  High winds tore docks loose at Cheery Creek Reservoir…sinking 3 or 4 boats and damaging about 15 others.  At Stapleton International Airport where winds gusted to 60 mph…a 727 jet suffered 15 hundred dollars damage when wind toppled a runway light onto it.  The public reported an unconfirmed tornado 7 miles south-southwest of Stapleton International Airport.

In 1990…a line of thunderstorms moving across metro Denver uprooted a large ash tree…which fell and blocked the outside doors to a Denver elementary school…briefly trapping the students inside.  Thunderstorm wind gusts to 69 mph were reported at Jefferson County Airport. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1991…two tornadoes touched down briefly in Castle Rock… But no injuries or damage were recorded.  Heavy thunderstorm rains of 0.50 to 1.10 inches in a couple of hours caused Lena Gulch near Golden to flood.  No damage was reported.

In 1996…dry microburst winds of unknown strength overturned a trailer and damaged storage sheds in Strasburg east of Denver.

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In 1981…a heavy rain storm dumped 1 to 2 1/2 inches of rain across metro Denver.  Rainfall totaled 1.27 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 38 mph on 17th.

In 1983…a very strong late spring storm dumped heavy snow over the Front Range.  Strong winds with the storm produced blizzard conditions at times.  Sustained winds were 20 to 40 mph with a peak gust to 55 mph at Stapleton International Airport.  The foothills received 1 to 2 feet of snow with 4 to 12 inches along the foothills.  Howling winds whipped the snow into drifts several feet deep…closing schools and highways.  Stapleton International Airport was forced to reduce flight operations…closing 2 of 4 runways and stranding hundreds of travelers.  Most of the damage and inconvenience caused by the storm was in power outages… Which occurred when wind and heavy wet snow caused hundreds of power poles to snap and topple.  About 20 square miles of Denver were blacked out.  Precipitation from the storm totaled 1 to 3 inches.  At Stapleton International Airport… Snowfall totaled 7.1 inches with a maximum snow depth on the ground of only 2 inches due to melting.  The high temperature of 40 degrees on the 17th was a record low maximum for the date.  Due to the heavy moisture content of the storm…widespread street flooding occurred on the 18th when much of the snow melted under the warm May sun and temperatures climbed to a high of 57 degrees.

In 1995…significant moisture and upslope flow caused flooding across metro Denver.  Moderate to heavy rains… Which began on the evening of the 16th…developed in the foothills and spread eastward over metro Denver throughout the night.  The heavy rains brought many creeks and small streams to bankfull or slightly over.  Locations along the foothills received between 3 and 4 inches of rainfall from the storm.  Boulder received 3.60 inches of rainfall for the 24-hour period…causing minor street flooding near small streams.  To the northwest of Boulder…a bridge which crossed Fourmile Creek was washed out.  Numerous rock and mudslides occurred in foothills canyons…closing portions of U.S. Highways 6 and 40 and State Highway 119 for a few hours at a time.  Rocks were piled 6 feet deep on a stretch of State Highway 119 along with Boulders as large as cars on U.S. Highway 6.  A parking lot near a creek in Golden caved in leaving a hole the size of an 18-wheeler.  Rushing water washed out a 50-foot stretch of a road in Westminster. Rainfall totaled 1.75 inches at Denver International Airport…but only 1.42 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

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In 1903…southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 45 mph from an apparent microburst which produced only a trace of rain.

In 1960…hail to 3/4 inch diameter was measured in Thornton. Golf ball size hail fell in Arvada.

In 1972…microburst winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1975…hail 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter fell over western metro Denver.

In 1978…a small tornado touched down in south Aurora damaging 40 homes…6 to a considerable extent.  One garage was demolished and blown across the street.  Parts of roofs were completely blown away.  Several 2×4-inch boards were blown into the sides of houses.  Another small tornado in Parker damaged two airplanes.  Other funnel clouds were sighted over Northglenn and near Golden.

In 1985…a thunderstorm produced a total of 1.50 inches of rain in Brighton where 0.72 inches fell in 40 minutes. Small hail covered the ground…and there was some street and basement flooding.

In 1987…small hail piled up 4 inches deep in southwest Aurora.  There was also widespread street flooding and a few power outages.  Hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell at Castle Rock.

In 2000…high winds occurred along and east of the Front Range foothills…as a deep surface low pressure center formed over the northeast plains of Colorado.  An amusement park in north Boulder received about 25 thousand dollars in property damage.  Peak wind reports included:  88 mph at the national wind technology center…84 mph in Boulder…and 80 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory. A powder keg of severe weather…including tornadoes and thunderstorms producing large hail…damaging winds and heavy rain…occurred over the plains to the northeast of Denver.  The only severe weather reported across metro Denver was 1 inch diameter hail in Littleton.

17-19

In 2017…a strong spring storm dropped across the Great Basin… and then moved eastward across Colorado. Isolated but strong thunderstorms preceded the system on the 17th with hail up to nickel size near Boulder Airport and Brighton. Significant snow fell across the Front Range mountains and foothills over the next couple of days. Along the Interstate 25 Corridor… rain turned to snow on the morning of the 18th…heaviest from around Broomfield northward. The heavy wet snow snapped the limbs of fully leaved trees and caused scattered power outages. A barns collapsed in northeast Loveland. Fifty-five head of cattle were inside the collapsed barn; three were injured and later euthanized. Numerous branches and trees snapped in the foothills. Elsewhere…several scattered smaller power outages were reported. Three to nearly five inches of liquid precipitation occurred…as rain or a mix of rain and snow…fell around Greeley. Storm totals in the Front Range mountains and foothills included: 42.0 inches near Allenspark…41.5 inches near Ward…36 inches at Estes Park… 32 inches near Pinecliffe…30.5 inches northwest of Golden… 30 inches near Nederland…26 inches near Breckenridge…25 inches near Aspen Springs and Bear Lake State Park…14 inches at Aspen Springs…with 9.5 inches near Evergreen. On the west side of the Interstate 25 Corridor…storm totals included: 10 inches near Superior and Louisville…6 to 8 inches in and around Fort Collins…6 inches in Lafayette… 5 inches in Broomfield and Loveland…and 4 inches near Niwot.

18

In 1864…heavy rains combined with melting snow to cause much flooding on north clear creek in Blackhawk.  Many bridges on the road to Denver were washed away by the high water on clear creek.

In 1893…northwest winds were sustained to 56 mph with an extreme velocity to 60 mph.

In 1960…large hail to 1 inch in diameter damaged roofs and cars in metro Denver.  Heavy snow and rain in the foothills caused rock and landslides…which blocked some highways. There was widespread minor damage from lightning. Hail as large as 1 1/8 inch in diameter was measured at Stapleton Airport where winds gusted to 44 mph.

In 1975…a tornado touched down briefly just south of Buckley Field in Aurora.  A few minutes later the same tornado touched down in open country 8 miles northeast of Stapleton International Airport.  No damage was reported.

In 1985…3/4 inch hail fell just southeast of Aurora.

In 1988…lightning started a fire at a home in the foothills west of Boulder…causing 50 thousand dollars in damage.

In 1995…strong thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver dropping mainly pea to marble size hail.  However…hail stones as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter fell in Wheat Ridge and downtown Denver.  Hail piled up to 2 inches deep in Wheat Ridge and northwest Denver.

In 1996…the buffalo creek wildfire started and spread rapidly on strong southwest winds at 20 to 30 mph.  Dry weather conditions contributed to the spread of the fire… Which burned nearly 12 thousand acres and destroyed 12 structures including some houses.

In 2001…a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by lightning as he was walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 36 in Westminster.

In 2003…hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured at Denver International Airport.

In 2010…a small tornado touched down near Firestone but did no damage.

Continue reading May 16 to May 22: This week in Denver weather history

May 9 to May 15: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

As we get further into spring our look back at Denver weather history begins to show more typical severe weather.  This week in Denver weather history we see plenty of hail, heavy rainfall, a tornado or two and lightning that caused serious injuries.

8-9

In 1957…intense heavy rain caused flash flooding on toll gate creek in Aurora where 3 people were killed in a car. Up to 4 inches of rain fell in 5 hours in the Toll Gate Creek basin.  The rain also caused flash flooding on Sand Creek in Aurora and Denver.  Rainfall totaled 3.29 inches at Stapleton Airport with most of the rain…2.34 inches… Occurring on the 9th.

8-10

In 1979…4.3 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 8th. Most of the snowfall…2.3 inches…occurred on the 9th. High temperature of only 35 degrees on the 9th equaled the record low maximum for the date.

9

In 1875…a heavy windstorm swept across the city for most of the day.  West-northwest winds averaged a sustained speed of 31 mph between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm.  The peak wind was sustained to 45 mph at 9:50 am.

In 1918…post-frontal winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts as high as 43 mph.  Only a trace of rain fell.

In 1941…a tornado was noted at 2:20 pm to the northeast of downtown and was followed by another similar shaped cloud or dust roll estimated 3 miles behind.  Thick dust followed with heavy gusts of wind.  The temperature fell 15 degrees in 10 minutes following the twister.  The mild tornado did little damage except to unprotected frame structures.  Winds were sustained to 50 mph with the passing of the tornado at Stapleton Airport.  It was visible to observers for 10 minutes and was lost from sight as it traveled east into huge rolls of dust.  Hail and rain followed with a few hailstones as large as 1/2 inch in diameter downtown.  No damage was reported from the hail.  Thunderstorm winds sustained to 31 mph produced blowing dust downtown.  Precipitation was only 0.07 inch.

In 1983…streams swollen by recent rain and snowmelt caused an earthen dam to collapse…washing out portions of State Highway 67 near Deckers in southern Douglas County.

In 1992…three boys…ages 11…12…and 16…were struck by lightning while taking cover under a large tree during a thunderstorm in Jefferson County…just 7 miles northwest of Denver.  The three were seriously injured.

9-10

In 1889…heavy rainfall totaled 2.15 inches in downtown Denver.  The cold rain was mixed with snow at times overnight.  Temperatures on the 10th ranged from a high of 38 degrees to a low of 32 degrees with north winds sustained to 22 mph.

In 2003…a late spring snowstorm hammered the mountains… Eastern foothills…and urban corridor.  The heaviest snowfall occurred north of interstate 70.  The heavy wet snow caused damage to trees throughout metro Denver and downed power lines.  About 40 thousand people along the urban corridor were without power.  Storm total snowfall amounts included:  11.5 inches in Louisville… 8 inches in Boulder and Broomfield; 7 inches in Thornton…Broomfield…at Denver International Airport… And at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport; and 6 inches 4 miles east of Denver.  Snowfall ranged from 4 to 9 inches across extreme southern weld County.  In the foothills…15 inches of snow fell near Jamestown…9 inches at Rollinsville and Rawah…with 8 inches at Chief Hosa and atop Lookout Mountain. The snow was accompanied by thunder on the afternoon of the 9th at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 25 mph on the 9th and north winds gusted to 22 mph on the 10th.

In 2015…from the 9th to the 10th…a strong storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and around Denver. Moderate to heavy rain showers transitioned over to snow by early in the evening on the 9th. Heavy wet snow overnight caused many trees to break under the pressure of the sudden weight. Tree damage ranged from minor to significant…with old growth trees losing large limbs and new trees sustaining fatal damage. Power outages affected about 43350 Xcel Energy customers in metro Denver. The Intermountain Rural Electric Association also reported about 1000 power outages in the Strasburg areas. In the high country…CDOT shut down Interstate 70 between the Eisenhower Tunnel and Silverthorne due to multiple crashes.

10

In 1875…a windstorm sand-blasted the city from 10:00 am until midnight.  Northwest winds sustained to 60 mph brought clouds of sand…which caused high damage to unfinished buildings.

In 1912…a vigorous cold front produced strong north winds and rain.  North winds were sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.  Rainfall totaled 1.10 inch.

In 1935…no precipitation occurred…making this one of only two days without precipitation during the entire month.  The other day was the 21st.  Precipitation totaled 4.95 inches for the month.

In 1956…northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton Airport where the visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.

In 1974…strong winds caused 30 thousand dollars in damage to a building under construction in Lakewood.  Microburst winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1988…lightning struck a house in Boulder…setting it afire.  The house…valued at 170 thousand dollars…was a total loss.

In 1989…golf ball size hail fell over southeast Denver near the junction of I-25 and I-225.  Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell over southeast Aurora.  Only 3/8 inch hail fell at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1991…high winds up to 63 mph raked the eastern foothills. Winds estimated to 50 mph tore a roof from a home in Lafayette.  A tower at Jefferson County stadium in west metro Denver was blown over by the high winds.  No injuries were reported.  Southeast winds gusting to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport produced some blowing dust.  The temperature climbed to a high of 86 degrees… Equaling the record maximum for the date.

In 2005…severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as 2 inches in diameter in and near Longmont.

10-11

In 1918…post-frontal snowfall totaled 4.7 inches in downtown Denver.  Northwest winds gusted to 19 mph on the 10th.

In 1923…winds were strong and gusty on both days.  Northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 44 mph on the 10th.  North winds were sustained to 39 mph with gusts to 46 mph behind an apparent cold front on the 11th.

10-12

In 2011…from the 10th to the 12th…a spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to the Front Range Foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 18 inches…4 miles south-southeast of Pinecliffe; 16 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 15 inches…4 miles west-southwest of Eldorado Springs; 13 inches at Gold Hill…12 inches…4 miles west-southwest of Conifer and 4 miles northwest of Elizabeth; 11.5 inches…6 miles southwest of Evergreen and 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland; 11 inches…3 miles east of Jamestown and 10.5 inches…3 miles east of Franktown and 3 miles south of Golden and 10 inches…10 miles north of Elizabeth. At Denver International Airport… 1 inch of snowfall was observed.

Continue reading May 9 to May 15: This week in Denver weather history

May 2 to May 8: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

As we enter the month of May, our weather history calendar is as eventful as ever however we start to see a transition with fewer snow events and more typical spring events.  Of note are many events that caused flooding, severe winds, tornadoes, and lightning.

29-2

In 1954…a major storm dumped 10.1 inches of snowfall at Stapleton Airport.  Most of the snow…7.5 inches…fell on the 29th and 30th.  The maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches on the 30th due to melting.  No strong winds accompanied the storm.

1-2

In 1903…post-frontal rain changed to light snow overnight… But totaled only 2.0 inches.  This was the last snow of the season.  Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 48 mph on the 1st.

1-5

In 1898…snowfall totaled 15.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…6.2 inches…fell on the 3rd.  Most of the snow melted as it fell.  The greatest snow depth on the ground was only 2.5 inches on the 3rd at 8:00 pm. This was the only snowfall during the month.  Northeast winds were sustained to 22 mph on the 1st.

2

In 1874…strong winds upset two railroad passenger coaches near Georgetown.  The baggage was retrieved and placed in a heavy…large wagon.  The passengers then seated themselves on top of the baggage.  Another strong gust of wind upset the wagon.  The driver’s shoulder was dislocated…and a passenger’s leg was badly injured. In Denver…northwest winds increased and blew in gusts and heavy winds were observed on the ridge tops.  On the Kansas Pacific R.R. east of Denver…the wind was so strong that it blew the train back several lengths…which caused the train to be about 7 hours late arriving in the city.

In 1901…south winds were sustained to 50 mph with gusts to 60 mph from an apparent thunderstorm with hail.

In 1944…snowfall of 8.3 inches was accompanied by a thunderstorm.  This was the last snowfall of the season and the only snow of the month.  Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph.

In 1955…southwest winds at speeds of 37 mph with gusts as high as 58 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1983…1 inch diameter hail fell a few miles south of Bennett.

In 1984…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Northglenn.

In 1988…I-70 east of Denver was closed for the second straight day…this time due to snow and blowing snow producing up to 2 foot drifts.  While only 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across metro Denver…Strasburg…just east of Denver…received a foot of snow.  North winds peaked to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled only 1.3 inches.

In 1995…lightning struck a house in Westminster sparking an attic fire.

In 2015…a sudden wind gust associated with a dissipating thunderstorm caught some flags attached to a lift and tipped it. Two men were injured when a lift at Civic Center Park in Denver fell on them during Cinco de Mayo festivities. Both men suffered from head injuries…one was in serious condition.

2-3

In 1979…heavy rain changed to snow on the 2nd.  Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport… Where northwest winds gusted to 26 mph.  The greatest depth of snow on the ground was only 1 inch at midday on the 2nd due to melting.  Total precipitation for the 2 days was 1.65 inches.

2-4

In 1987…a slow moving storm brought rain…wind…and snow to metro Denver.  Rainfall totaled 1.04 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 48 mph on the 3rd.  The foothills received 5 to 10 inches of snow.

2-5

In 2001…a very slow moving pacific storm system became parked near the Four Corners region…which allowed heavy snow to develop above 6500 feet in the foothills with a mix of rain and snow over lower elevations of metro Denver.  Snowfall totals included:  21 inches atop Crow Hill and at Idaho Springs; 19 inches near Blackhawk; and 18 inches in Coal Creek Canyon…Genesee…and 11 miles southwest of Morrison. Snowfall totaled 6.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  Precipitation (rain and melted snow) totaled 2.09 inches at Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to 30 mph on the 2nd.

3

In 1898…heavy snowfall of 6.2 inches fell over downtown Denver.  Most of the snow melted as it fell.  The greatest snow depth on the ground was 2.5 inches during the evening.

In 1907…the all-time lowest recorded temperature in the month of May…19 degrees…occurred.

In 1925…an apparent microburst produced sustained northeast winds to 44 mph with gusts to 52 mph.  Rainfall was only 0.01 inch in downtown Denver.

In 1981…lightning struck 9 golfers at the south suburban golf course.  None were injured seriously.

In 1983…hail 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell at Green Mountain west of Lakewood…with 3/4 inch stones reported in Lakewood.

In 1986…a thunderstorm wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

3-5

In 1908…rain changed to snow on the evening of the 3rd and continued through the early evening of the 5th. Snowfall totaled 10.0 inches over downtown Denver. This was the last measurable snow of the season. Precipitation totaled 1.51 inches.  North winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 3rd…33 mph on the 4th…and 21 mph on the 5th.  Three temperature records were set. High temperatures of 30 degrees on the 4th and 38 degrees on the 5th were record low maximum temperatures for the dates.  The reading on the 4th was also the all-time record low maximum for the month of May.

In 2007…a slow moving pacific storm system…from the desert southwest…brought a period of unsettled weather to the region.  During the 3-day period…locally heavy snow was reported over parts of the Front Range foothills. Storm totals included:  15 inches near Conifer…14.5 inches west of Jamestown…13.5 inches; 6 miles southwest of Evergreen…and 12.5 inches at Pine Junction.  Severe thunderstorms…producing large hail…up to one inch in diameter were observed in the vicinity of Boulder and Hudson.  Lightning struck a residence in Jefferson County. The roof was hit…causing the attic to catch fire. At Denver International Airport…lightning struck a United Airlines jet as it was pushing away from the gate.  The passengers were taken off the jet and put on another plane.

Continue reading May 2 to May 8: This week in Denver weather history

Thornton’s May 2021 preview: From snow to severe storms

Thornton, Colorado May 2013 weather preview.
Thornton, Colorado May 2013 weather preview.

Colorado’s famously highly variable weather seems to showcase itself during the month of May when a variety of weather conditions can be seen.

Winter-like temperatures and snow are possible as are mid-summer like temperatures or the more typical spring severe weather.

As the month starts out in 2021 we are going to enjoy unseasonably warm conditions for the first of the month then begin a period of cool, wet weather conditions. Long range forecasts portend an overall warmer than normal month with equal chances of below, at or above normal precipitation.

The month can certainly bring extremes.  Snow is not entirely uncommon during the month, oftentimes causing damage to newly bloomed trees.  More common however is severe weather, particularly in the latter half of the month.  Thunderstorms become more frequent and their associated hazards – lightning, wind, hail and tornadoes – are usual visitors.

For a complete look at what lies ahead for the month of May, check out our full preview here.

April 25 to May 1: This week in Denver weather history

This Week in Denver Weather History

Snow continues to be a big part of the weather we can expect this time of year as we peer back in the Denver weather history books.  However, we also see more and more occurrences of spring severe weather including hail, damaging winds, dangerous lightning and even a tornado.

23-25

In 1935…heavy wet snow fell across metro Denver.  The storm started as rain on the 23rd and changed to snow early on the morning of the 24th.  There was continuous precipitation for a period of 48 hours.  Snowfall totaled 19.0 inches over the city and 20.0 inches at Denver municipal airport.  However… Due to warm temperatures in the 30’s…much of the snow melted as it fell and did not seriously disrupt traffic. The greatest snow accumulation on the ground downtown was 12 inches…but it quickly melted.  The highest sustained wind speed recorded during the storm was 28 mph from the north on the 23rd.  The storm contained 3.16 inches of moisture.

24-25

In 1890…rain changed to snow and totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.

In 1931…heavy snowfall totaled 9.3 inches over downtown Denver.  Winds were light during the storm.

In 1996…the second wind storm in less than a week developed east of the continental divide and spread over metro Denver.  High winds gusted from 60 to 90 mph.  Several power lines and poles were downed.  Some of the stronger wind gusts included:  91 mph atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver…90 mph atop Table Mesa near Boulder…85 mph in Golden Gate Canyon…and 82 mph at Wondervu.  Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport on the 25th.

24-26

In 1924…post-frontal rain changed to snow…which became heavy and totaled 10.2 inches over downtown Denver.  The greatest amount of snow on the ground was 6.0 inches on the 25th due to melting.  North winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to 42 mph on the 24th.

25

In 1902…northeast winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1908…north winds were sustained to 40 mph behind an apparent cold front.  Snowfall was 0.5 inch.

In 1928…rain changed to snow…which became heavy and totaled 7.4 inches in downtown Denver.  Due to melting…the maximum snow depth on the ground was 4.0 inches at 6:00 pm.  This was the last snow of the season.  Southeast winds were sustained to 19 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

In 1976…a south wind gust to 54 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.  The high winds toppled a 70-foot high cottonwood tree onto the rear of house and a neighboring residence in central Denver.

In 1989…lightning caused heavy damage to a radio transmitter in Parker…knocking a Denver area radio station off the air for 3 hours.

In 1994…weather spotters reported dime-size hail at the intersection of U.S. Highway 287 and C470 in Jefferson County.  Marble-size hail covered the ground near Golden to a depth of 1 inch.  Pea-size hail was reported covering the ground to a depth of 3 inches in Arvada.

In 2016…a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to one inch in diameter near Castle Rock.

25-26

In 1985…a spring storm brought much rain and snow to metro Denver.  The foothills were buried with 15 inches of snow at conifer and 12 inches at Evergreen.  At lower elevations… An inch or more of rain fell in Denver and Boulder.  The heavy precipitation caused brief power outages in the Denver area.  Precipitation totaled 1.06 inches at Stapleton International Airport…including only 0.7 inch of snowfall.

25-27

In 1877…snow ended around 7:00 am on the morning of the 27th… After falling continuously for 48 hours and totaling an estimated 13 inches in the city.  The storm…likely accompanied by strong winds…caused trains to be delayed for 2 to 3 days.  One or two roofs of small buildings were crushed by the weight of the snow…and many tree branches were broken in the city.  There were a number of reports of livestock losses.  One stockman lost 17 horses and several cattle from the snow and cold.  Precipitation totaled 1.30 inches from the storm.

26

In 1965…while only 0.40 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport…some communities in the foothills west of Denver reported over 30 inches of snow from the storm.

In 1972…a spring snow storm accompanied by thunder dumped 15.8 inches of heavy wet snow on metro Denver.  Strong northwest winds gusting to 35 mph produced blowing snow. The storm was quite intense and greatly hampered travel. High winds caused drifts 10 to 15 feet deep in some areas… Blocking roads and stranding hundreds of motorists.  An estimated 500 to 600 people were stranded in the Castle Rock area.  Rescue service was provided by heavy army equipment from Fort Carson.  Power lines were downed…power poles were toppled…and a number of steel towers carrying high voltage power lines were downed.  Some areas northeast of Denver were without power for a week.  A large number of cattle and sheep were killed by the storm.  The greatest snow depth on the ground at Stapleton International Airport was 12 inches.  Warm temperatures following the storm quickly melted the snow.

In 1995…the third major snow storm of the month dumped heavy snow in and near the Front Range foothills.  Six to 12 inches of heavy wet snow fell in the western metro suburbs with the heaviest amounts above 6 thousand feet.  Both Boulder and Golden measured 10 inches of snow.  Only 2.4 inches of snowfall were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  North winds gusted 28 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 1998…the last in a series of April storms blanketed the foothills with heavy snow.  Snowfall amounts included:  17 inches near Blackhawk…15 inches at Idaho Springs…14 inches at Georgetown…11 inches near Conifer and Morrison. Only a trace of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.  North winds gusted to 28 mph at Denver International Airport.

26-27

In 1906…rain changed to heavy snow overnight and totaled 7.0 inches over downtown Denver.  North winds were sustained to 16 mph on both days.  Precipitation totaled 2.16 inches.

In 1932…the temperature remained below freezing for more than 30 consecutive hours.  For about 4 of those hours the temperature hovered around 24 to 25 degrees.  At this time some early cherry trees were in bloom and apple and lilac blossoms were beginning to open.  The leaves of many plants were partly unfurled and vegetation in general was correspondingly advanced due to the warm weather from the 11th to the 22nd.  However…there was little apparent injury to foliage and blossoms…but some of the early cherry and apple blossoms were injured.  Rain changed to snow on the 26th and continued intermittently through the 27th.  Snowfall totaled only 2.0 inches and northeast winds gusted to 22 mph on the 26th.

In 1964…strong winds caused damage to buildings…trees…and power lines.  Sustained winds of 37 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph were recorded in metro Denver.  West-northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 26th.

Continue reading April 25 to May 1: This week in Denver weather history