{"id":19844,"date":"2024-07-07T17:44:29","date_gmt":"2024-07-07T23:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=19844"},"modified":"2024-07-14T05:47:13","modified_gmt":"2024-07-14T11:47:13","slug":"july-7-to-july-13-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/weather-history\/july-7-to-july-13-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2\/","title":{"rendered":"July 7 to July 13: This Week in Denver Weather History"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"This<\/a><\/p>\n

Severe weather becomes a bit less common as we get further into summer but the threat is never gone as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Many notable events related to severe thunderstorms have occurred including flooding rain, tornadoes and damaging hail.<\/p>\n

From the National Weather Service:<\/p>\n

29-15<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026the 29th marked the beginning of a near record hot streak for metro Denver. The high temperatures\u2026as recorded at Denver International Airport\u2026exceeded the 90 degree mark for 17 consecutive days from June 29th through July 15th. The record of 24 consecutive 90 degree or above days was set from July 13th through August 5th\u20262008.<\/p>\n

1-18<\/p>\n

In 1874\u2026a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak that was later set in the summer of 1901. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.<\/p>\n

4-8<\/p>\n

In 1989\u2026one of the most intense heat waves on record roasted metro Denver. The temperature reached 100 degrees or more on 5 consecutive days. The city had previously never recorded more than 2 straight 100-degree days since records began in 1872. Water and electricity usage reached all-time highs. The heat wave created extremely dry weather conditions\u2026which contributed to a major forest fire in Boulder canyon on July 9th. The temperature reached 103 degrees on the 8th\u2026and the mercury climbed to 101 degrees on both the 4th and 5th\u2026and to 102 degrees on both the 6th and 7th. The low temperature of 68 degrees on the 8th equaled the record high minimum for the date.<\/p>\n

6-23<\/p>\n

In 1901\u2026a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak set in the summer of 1874. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

In 1905\u2026a thunderstorm produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph\u2026but only a trace of rain.<\/p>\n

In 1933\u2026heavy cloudbursts during the afternoon in the Idledale area and on Saw Mill Gulch caused flash flooding on bear creek resulting in 7 deaths. Flooding in Morrison was compounded when a wall of water as high as 15 feet swept down Mount Vernon Creek. The flooding caused extensive damage to the Bear Creek Canyon highway.<\/p>\n

In 1959\u2026wind gusts to 45 mph at Stapleton Airport\u2026but higher in other areas\u2026damaged power lines and buildings and caused widespread minor damage from falling trees and broken limbs. A field house under construction at Adams County high school in Commerce City sustained severe damage.<\/p>\n

In 1963\u2026farm buildings east of Boulder were possibly damaged by a small tornado as there were unconfirmed reports of a funnel cloud in the area.<\/p>\n

In 1967\u2026a storm of cloudburst proportion caused damage from flooding in southwest and south Denver. Unofficial reports indicated rainfall of 2.00 inches in 30 minutes and more than 3.00 inches total from the storm. Streets and buildings were flooded by the heavy run-off. Hail in some areas contributed to flooding by blocking storm drains. Water accumulated 12 to 14 feet deep in several underpasses and some street intersections. A young woman drowned when she tried to cross a flooded street and was swept off her feet and trapped under a parked car. Water reached a depth of 5 feet in the street. Police rescued numerous stranded motorists. The roof and wall of a flat roofed store building collapsed under the weight of deep water on the roof. Cars were washed over curbs in many areas. In southwest metro Denver\u2026100 to 150 homes were flooded. Hail caused damage in other areas of Denver and in Aurora. Wind toppled trees in several areas. Snowplows were called out to clear hail from some highways and runways at Stapleton International Airport. Lightning damaged trees and power lines and started a fire\u2026which extensively damaged an automobile dealership. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.83 inch at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1981\u2026severe thunderstorms produced 3\/4 inch hail over east Denver. About 1 1\/2 inches of rain fell in Littleton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026tennis ball size hail fell about 5 miles north of Boulder; it was soft and caused no damage.<\/p>\n

In 1987\u2026a weak tornado touched down in Castle Rock. Several weak tornadoes were observed in the area. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1988\u2026lightning struck a sign at a bank near Louisville\u2026 Damaging it and causing a smoldering fire that resulted in smoke damage to the bank and an adjacent building. Heavy thunderstorm rain\u2026accompanied by 1\/2 inch diameter hail at Stapleton International Airport\u2026briefly reduced the visibility to 1\/4 mile. Rainfall totaled 1.41 inches\u2026 But 1.12 inches fell in 32 minutes.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026severe thunderstorms dumped large hail across north metro Denver. Hail to 1 3\/4 inches in diameter fell near Erie with 7\/8 inch hail measured in Thornton.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026a 9-year-old boy was struck by lightning while at a playground in Arvada. The umpire at a nearby baseball game\u2026along with 2 passers-by\u2026administrated CPR and resuscitated the boy who had quit breathing. The boy suffered first and second degree burns\u2026but was released from the hospital in less than 24 hours. A dry microburst over Denver International Airport produced a peak wind gust to 61 mph.<\/p>\n

In 2006\u2026up to 3 inches of heavy thunderstorm rainfall in the Hayman wildfire burn area produced destructive flash flooding along west creek between the towns of Deckers and Westcreek in southwest Douglas County. Horse Creek\u2026which drains into West Creek\u2026swelled from a normally small creek into a raging torrent\u202625 to 30 feet deep and 300 feet wide. The wall of water damaged or destroyed about 30 sections of a 5 mile stretch of State Highway 67\u2026which parallels West Creek. Several homes were extensively damaged or destroyed. No injuries were reported\u2026but several people had to be rescued\u2026due to extensive damage to access roads and bridges in the area. Reconstruction was estimated at 13.3 million dollars.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026heavy rain associated with a wet microbursts produced over 3 inches of rain in 90 minutes across southeast Denver. In Denver\u2026some underpasses were flooded with several feet of water which stranded motorists. As a result\u2026the fire department conducted at least 10 water rescues. Some basements were inundated with up to 4 feet of water which caused extensive flood damage. The Platte Valley and Western Model Railroad Club\u2019s model train display in Union Station was also damaged when 3 to 4 inches of mud and water spilled over some of the command and control systems. Several display modules and scenery pieces in a storage room were also damaged. The entire display spanned more than one thousand feet of track in a room that was once used as the jail at union station in the 1900s. Urban and small stream flooding was reported across the surrounding Denver suburbs. The storm left about 28000 Xcel customers without power when the storm snapped trees and power lines. In addition\u2026heavy rain produced flash flooding in the Four Mile Canyon burn scar. Four debris slides occurred along Four Mile Canyon Drive\u2026including one that was 100 yards wide and 4 feet deep. Several rockslides were reported in Lefthand and Boulder canyons. At Denver International Airport\u20261.04 inches of rain was observed. A peak wind gust of 46 mph from the southeast was also observed.<\/p>\n

In 2014…an Arvada resident was injured by a nearby lightning strike while he recorded a video of a thunderstorm with his cell phone. He was standing in his garage…when a nearby lightning bolt knocked him out. He suffered overall body aches and had a ringing sensation in one of his ears. In Denver… lightning caused a power outage that affected the RTD light rail lines for a short time. In Castle Pines…lightning sparked a small attic fire. Severe thunderstorms produced large hail…from quarter to golfball size…and damaging winds across Arapahoe…Boulder and Jefferson Counties including: northwest Arvada…Littleton and Louisville. Flash flooding was reported near Evergreen in central Jefferson County. Heavy rain…up to 2 inches in one hour…flooded several residences and washed out several bridges along Forest Estate Road. Heavy rainfall also produced street flooding in Denver along with some basement flooding. The strong winds…estimated to 60 mph… downed trees and power lines in southwest Littleton. At Denver International Airport…0.15 inches of rainfall was observed along with a peak wind gust to 42 mph from the southeast.<\/p>\n

In 2020…a thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 63 mph near Bennett.<\/p>\n

<\/span>7-25<\/p>\n

In 1934\u2026a streak of 15 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 5th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.<\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

In 1905\u2026a thunderstorm produced 0.82 inch of rainfall and northeast winds sustained to 48 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1977\u2026strong winds turned over 2 light aircraft at Arapahoe County airport\u2026now Centennial Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1987\u2026a weak tornado was observed near Bennett.<\/p>\n

In 1988\u2026three separate tornadoes were sighted near Bennett. No damage was reported. One inch diameter hail was also reported.<\/p>\n

In 1991\u2026lightning started three house fires in Castle Rock. Damage totaled 13 thousand dollars. No injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

In 1993\u2026a dry thunderstorm microburst wind gust to 55 mph briefly reduced the surface visibility to 3 miles at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1997\u2026one construction worker was killed and two others injured when a strong thunderstorm wind gust caused the scaffolding they were standing on to collapse near Parker. A dry microburst produced a wind gust to 54 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026heavy thunderstorm rain forced the closure of Hampden Avenue between I-25 and Havana Street in southeast Denver. The high water made 2 or 3 lanes of the street impassable.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026severe thunderstorms produced large hail\u2026damaging winds\u2026and heavy rain across south metro Denver. Two people received minor injuries when a severe thunderstorm wind gust to 58 mph blew over several tents at the Cherry Creek arts festival. The same storm caused the roof of a hardware store in Tamarac Square to collapse. One employee received minor injuries when she was struck in the head by falling debris. The combination of intense rain and wind downed trees and power lines. Electrical power outages affected 35 thousand homes and businesses. At least 50 trees in city parks across south Denver were damaged. Up to 4.50 inches of thunderstorm rain fell across portions of southeast metro Denver. The underpass at I-25 and Parker road was inundated with 5 feet of water. Several other streets and underpasses in Aurora were also closed due to high water. Heavy rain caused extensive damage to several exhibits at the Cherry Creek arts festival. Flash flooding occurred when heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused toll gate creek to jump its banks. Several underpasses across south Denver had to be closed due to high water. A man received minor injuries when lightning struck a nearby tree at the Wellshire Golf Course. Hail as large as 1 1\/4 inches in diameter fell in Englewood with 1 inch hail in the city of Denver\u2026and 3\/4 inch hail in Littleton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 63 mph at Denver International Airport and to 62 mph in Englewood.<\/p>\n

In 2005\u2026a tornado touched down briefly near Brighton\u2026but caused no damage.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026severe thunderstorms produced hail\u2026up to 1 inch in diameter\u2026and wind gusts to 60 mph across parts of Adams\u2026Broomfield and Denver counties. At Denver International Airport\u2026a peak wind gust to 59 mph from the west.<\/p>\n

In 2017…a strong thunderstorm produced hail up to 7\/8 inch in diameter in southwest Denver.<\/p>\n

In 2019…a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to 1 inch in diameter near Dacono.<\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

In 1872\u2026a very brisk wind between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm spread a cloud of dust and sand into the city.<\/p>\n

In 1874\u2026northeast winds at sustained speeds up to 36 mph blew immense clouds of dust from the prairie through the streets of the city around mid-morning. The houses across the street from the weather station were not visible at the peak of the storm.<\/p>\n

In 1875\u2026heavy thunderstorm rains caused stream flooding\u2026 Which damaged nearly all railroads into the city. Rainfall in the city was only 0.14 inch.<\/p>\n

In 1953\u2026heavy thunderstorm rains caused an estimated 2 million dollars damage from flooded stores and basements across metro Denver. The flood waters reached a depth of 3 feet on streets in some sections of the city\u2026damaging streets and automobiles. The heavy rainfall at Lowry Air Force Base totaled 3.90 inches. At Stapleton Airport where the heavy rain briefly reduced the surface visibility to 1\/2 mile\u2026only 1.05 inches of rain were measured. North winds gusting to 52 mph caused some damage in east Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u2026two small tornadoes were spotted east of Rocky Flats\u2026 And a tornado touched down briefly 5 miles east of Brighton. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1984\u2026heavy rain fell over southern sections of metro Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.50 inches in just 15 minutes between Littleton and Sedalia.<\/p>\n

In 1987\u2026a thunderstorm microburst produced a wind gust of 58 mph at Erie north of Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1988\u2026hail to 3\/4 inch in diameter piled up 2 to 4 inches deep in Idaho Springs. Some basements were flooded and several thousand gallons of fuel were contaminated when water flooded a gasoline storage tank. A tornado sighted near Manilla 5 miles west of Bennett remained on the ground for 9 minutes. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced a tornado and heavy rain over northeast metro Denver. As much as 4 inches of rain fell in just 20 minutes in Commerce City\u2026causing the South Platte River to rise quickly and flood lowland areas. The raging flood waters caused extensive damage to a 30-foot stretch of railroad track embankment\u2026destroyed a railroad trestle and a nearby garage\u2026and washed away a vintage 1960\u2019s show car near east 58th Avenue and York Street. The car was found a couple of miles downstream in a pool of deep mud and murky water. Rainfall totaled 1.34 inches at Stapleton International Airport where 1\/2 inch diameter hail fell. The same thunderstorm produced a brief tornado in a vacant field near 64th Avenue and Tower Road just east of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. No damage was reported from the twister. Lightning from the storm caused power outages to as many as 7 thousand homes and businesses.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026a tornado (F0) was reported 5 miles south of Hudson. No damage was reported. Twin weak tornadoes (F0) formed for a short time near the northeast runways at Denver International Airport. Less than 15 minutes later\u2026a weak tornado (F0) touched down in the employee parking lot at DIA. Several car windows were blown out\u2026and a few vehicles sustained minor body damage from flying debris. Several signs were also blown down. Later\u2026twin weak tornadoes (f0) touched down again in open country between DIA and Watkins.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026severe thunderstorms produced hail to 3\/4 inch in diameter near tiny town and wind gusts to 66 mph in Bennett. A thunderstorm wind gust to 56 mph was measured at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2005\u2026a thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 54 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2020…severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and large hail over parts of Adams…Arapahoe…and Weld counties. The hail generally ranged from 1 to 1 3\/4 inches. The largest reports included 2 inch hail in Watkins…with 2 1\/2 inch hail…11 miles east of Arapahoe Park. Near Brighton and Henderson…thunderstorm wind gusts up to 60 mph caused minor tree damage. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust to 36 mph was observed from the northwest. In addition…0.03 inches of rainfall was reported.<\/p>\n

9-10<\/p>\n

In 1980\u2026a series of severe thunderstorms hit metro Denver\u2026 Dumping heavy rain and producing a spectacular lightning display lasting for several hours. A number of homes were damaged by lightning. Winds gusted to 60 mph at Stapleton International Airport where about half an inch of rain fell in just 10 minutes along with 1\/4 inch diameter hail. The evening thunderstorms continued into the early morning hours with total rainfall of 1.35 inches at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.04 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

10<\/p>\n

In 1878\u2026a lunar rainbow was observed during a light mist and fog.<\/p>\n

In 1895\u2026the temperature warmed to a high of only 53 degrees\u2026 The all-time record lowest maximum temperature for the month of July.<\/p>\n

In 1967\u2026golf ball size hail damaged aircraft at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026two people were injured when struck by lightning just southwest of Morrison. A man was injured when he was swept downstream by a flash flood on a tributary of Clear Creek in the canyon 8 miles west of Golden. Heavy thunderstorm rains caused mudslides which closed several roads. Rainfall amounts included: 1.75 inches in 20 minutes in southeast Denver\u20261.26 inches in 35 minutes in Boulder\u20262.14 inches in 2 hours in Lakewood\u20261.70 inches in 45 minutes in Aurora\u2026and 1.25 inches in 30 minutes atop Floyd Hill in the foothills west of Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1992\u2026storm spotters reported 3\/4 inch diameter hail near the construction site of the new Denver airport just northeast of the city.<\/p>\n

In 1995\u2026microburst winds toppled a pine tree 60 feet high and 2 feet in diameter in Denver. The tree fell and injured a man nearby. Microburst winds to 59 mph broke the glass on a door at the national weather service forecast office at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.35 inches at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026three children were injured\u2026one critically\u2026when lightning hit a nearby tree at panorama point atop flagstaff mountain just west of Boulder. Lightning hit the tree\u2026entered the ground\u2026then struck the children. Lightning sparked a grassfire that burned about 50 acres at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility. Also\u2026 Lightning sparked at least 6 fires in the Hudson and Keenesburg areas as thunderstorms\u2026accompanied with heavy rain\u2026large hail\u2026and tornadoes\u2026moved through southern Weld County. Over 2 inches of very heavy rain caused flooding along an I-76 exit ramp near Keenesburg. The fire department rescued 15 stranded motorists as high water inundated sections of the exit ramp and adjacent highway. Basements were also flooded in Keenesburg. One home reportedly had 7 feet of standing water in the basement before the rain subsided. A weak tornado (F0) touched down briefly near Brighton\u2026but caused no damage.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026a severe thunderstorm dumped 7\/8 inch diameter hail in Wheat Ridge.<\/p>\n

In 2002\u2026severe thunderstorms pelted the southern suburbs of metro Denver with large hail. Hail as large as 3 inches in diameter fell 6 miles southeast of Parker. Other large hail reports included 2 inch diameter hail around Centennial Airport and 3\/4 inch hail near Sedalia and Deckers. Hail as large as 3\/4 inch was also reported in Broomfield. Runoff from heavy thunderstorm rainfall in the Hayman fire burn area flooded Lost Creek Ranch with up to 18 inches of water just off State Highway 126. Floodwaters damaged a very expensive rug in the lodge. A driveway to a residence was washed away. In Douglas County\u2026runoff damaged forest access roads in the turkey creek drainage.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced intense microburst winds in southeast Boulder County. A peak wind gust to 75 mph was recorded in superior with gust to 58 mph\u20262 miles south of Lafayette. At Denver International Airport\u2026a peak wind gust of 31 mph was recorded.<\/p>\n

11<\/p>\n

In 1872\u2026heavy rainfall started at 4:00 pm and continued into the night. The heavy rainfall damaged homes and buildings in all parts of the city. Rainfall totaled 1.64 inches.<\/p>\n

In 1888\u2026the temperature reached 100 degrees in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1954\u2026the high temperature climbed to 102 degrees at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1970\u2026a girl walking in a park in southeast Denver received eye and facial injuries when lightning struck nearby. Lightning also caused numerous power outages and heavy rainfall produced local flooding at several locations across metro Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1974\u2026large hail up to 1 1\/2 inches in diameter fell in Thornton.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026the worst hailstorm in American history in terms of dollar damage at the time battered metro Denver. Storm damage totaled 605 million dollars\u2026as it cut a 5-to 10-mile wide swath from just southeast of Estes Park to northeast of Colorado springs. Hail as large as baseballs (2.75 inches) pounded metro Denver. Hardest hit areas were southeast Boulder County\u2026the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield\u2026 Arvada\u2026east Wheat Ridge\u2026southwest and south-central Westminster\u2026west Thornton\u2026northwest\u2026west-central and downtown Denver\u2026northeast and east-central Lakewood\u2026just east of Littleton\u2026portions of Arapahoe County west of I-25\u2026 And northern and central Douglas County near Castle Rock and Franktown. Golf ball to baseball size hail severely damaged roofs on thousands of homes and buildings\u2026battered tens of thousands of automobiles\u2026windows\u2026signs\u2026street lights\u2026and traffic signals\u2026stripped paint\u2026awnings\u2026and trim from buildings\u2026punched holes in the roofs of two homes in Arvada\u2026knocked out power and telephone service to thousands of homes and businesses\u2026defoliated thousands of trees\u2026ripped up greens and fairways on a number of golf courses\u2026and severely damaged several aircraft tied down at Jefferson County Airport. Hail the size of baseballs fell for several minutes in old town Arvada. Later\u2026golf ball size hail and heavy rain pummeled two northwest Denver amusement parks. Hardest hit was Elitch Gardens amusement park where 47 people were injured and received treatment for bumps\u2026cuts\u2026and bruises at local hospitals. Many of the injured were stranded on rides during the storm when power failed. Hail clogged storm sewers\u2026causing rain water to back up 3 to 6 feet deep on some roads and intersections in Arvada. Several basements were flooded. In some places hail was washed into drifts several feet deep.\u00a0In addition\u2026 The storm spawned 2 small tornadoes. One touched down briefly in Lakewood near 6th Avenue and Kipling Blvd\u2026.but did no damage. In Castle Rock\u2026a tornado (F1) did heavy damage to some homes and vehicles in the Founders Village development near ridge road.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026lightning struck two homes in Thornton. Most of the damage was confined to the attics of both homes. Hail as large as 3\/4 inch in diameter fell in Keenesburg\u2026Longmont\u2026 And near Boulder.<\/p>\n

In 2015…a peak wind gust to 55 mph was measured from the northwest at Denver International Airport. A trace of rainfall was also observed.<\/p>\n

11-12<\/p>\n

In 1872\u2026heavy rain from 4:00 pm until 2:00 am caused much damage. Rainfall totaled 1.76 inches.<\/p>\n

12<\/p>\n

In 1881\u2026during the early evening\u2026a brisk rain fell for 30 minutes from a nearly clear sky containing not one tenth of clouds with the sun shining brightly. Rainfall was 0.16 inch.<\/p>\n

In 1885\u2026thunderstorms produced widespread lightning across the city during the evening. Several people were injured when their homes were struck by lightning.<\/p>\n

In 1954\u2026the high temperature reached 101 degrees at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1962\u2026lightning struck and killed a Denver man\u2026while he was assisting a co-worker with his car.<\/p>\n

In 1971\u2026the temperature climbed to a high of 101 degrees at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1974\u2026hail to 3\/4 inch in diameter fell in Castle Rock.<\/p>\n

In 1991\u2026hail to 2 inches in diameter fell in Thornton with golf ball size hail in Brighton. Dime size hail was recorded in the city of Denver. Very heavy rain caused flooding across metro Denver. Water was up to 2 feet deep in parts of Golden where one foot of water was reported in the lot of a mobile home park. Flood water washed away part of a parking lot at the Colorado school of mines in Golden. Heavy rain caused a rock slide and flooding along I-70 in the foothills just west of Denver. Flood waters were a foot deep at the intersection of I-70 and I-25 just north of downtown Denver. A funnel cloud was sighted just east of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026very heavy rainfall from a fast moving thunderstorm dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain within an hour over southern Jefferson County. Two people were killed near the town of Buffalo Creek when a 20-foot wall of water flooded the area. Utility poles and trees were uprooted; cars\u2026 Propane tanks\u2026and bridges were destroyed in the flood\u2019s path. Entire buildings were moved from their foundations and heavily damaged by the floodwaters. The first fatality occurred along State Highway 126 when the driver of a pick-up truck was washed off the road by the deadly wall of water. The second death occurred farther upstream when a man in a 5th-wheel trailer was washed away. This was the second disaster to strike the area in the last couple of months. The community was already recovering from a wildfire which burned about 12 thousand acres of forest land in late May. With the forest burned by fire\u2026very little vegetation was available to slow the storm\u2019s runoff\u2026which resulted in the flash flood. Power\u2026water\u2026and sewer service were heavily damaged in the flood and\u2026in some cases\u2026beyond repair. The cost of repairing the roads and water system in the area was estimated at around a half million dollars. Elsewhere across metro Denver\u2026severe thunderstorms produced hail\u2026damaging winds\u2026and small tornadoes. Weak tornadoes (F0) were reported in Broomfield\u2026 3 miles east of Englewood\u2026and in Dacono. No damage was reported\u2026except a trampoline was blown into a window and several trees were downed in Broomfield. Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated as high as 60 mph blew a fence down in Louisville where winds also toppled a tree near a house. The house received only minor damage. Large hail\u2026strong winds and heavy rain caused substantial property damage in portions of southeastern Boulder and northern Jefferson counties. Damage estimates in the Broomfield area alone were about 1 million dollars. Winds gusted to 81 mph in Broomfield. Large hail\u20263\/4 to 1 1\/2 inches in diameter fell in Evergreen\u2026Lakewood\u2026Englewood\u2026Broomfield\u2026near Morrison\u2026northeast of Boulder\u2026and just east of Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026heavy rain fell across a portion of the Hi Meadow fire burn area near Buffalo Creek\u2026causing localized flooding. About 3\/4 inch of rain fell in 30 minutes over Miller Gulch. Some culverts become plugged by debris from the fire. As a result\u2026small sections of a U.S. Forest Service road along Miller Creek were washed out. Lightning struck a home in Castle Rock\u2026causing extensive damage to the roof\u2026attic\u2026and second floor.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026severe thunderstorms developed over parts of Adams and Denver counties. At Denver International Airport\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 66 mph\u2026 With another gust to 59 mph measured in Denver. In Commerce City\u2026the intense winds blew down a large tree.<\/p>\n

13<\/p>\n

In 1902\u2026west winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 48 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1910\u2026an apparent dry microburst produced northeast winds sustained to 41 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1961\u2026hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was reported near Commerce City.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u2026a tornado touched down briefly south of Parker. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1985\u2026thunderstorms drenched the Highlands Ranch area of northern Douglas County with 1.50 inches of rain in just 30 minutes. Half an inch of rain fell in 15 minutes in Littleton.<\/p>\n

In 1986\u2026a lightning bolt struck a church steeple in Littleton\u2026toppling it to the ground.<\/p>\n

In 1989\u2026thunderstorm winds blew down trees and bent a metal basketball fixture just north of Castle Rock in the surrey ridge area.<\/p>\n

In 1993\u20261 inch diameter hail was measured in Lakewood.<\/p>\n

In 1995\u2026lightning struck and injured an assistant coach during a baseball game at Highlands Ranch south of Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u20263\/4 inch diameter hail fell in Lochbuie with 1 1\/2 inch hail measured in Brighton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 69 mph at Bennett. The strong winds were responsible for flipping three semi-trailer trucks onto their sides along I-70\u20263 miles east of Bennett. A few cars were also overturned.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026heavy thunderstorm rain caused flash flooding over south metro Denver. Three inches of rain reportedly fell near the greenwood village police department in the span of 15 minutes. The heavy rain caused toll gate creek to overflow\u2026flooding low lying areas along Parker road. Heavy rainfall also caused local flooding along streets near the Denver technology center. A severe thunderstorm dumped hail to 1 3\/4 inches in diameter near Castle Rock.<\/p>\n

In 2003\u2026maximum temperature of 100 degrees was a record high for the date.<\/p>\n

In 2009\u2026severe thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 70 mph near Parker and Strasburg. At Denver International Airport\u2026west-northwest winds gusted to 40 mph.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026severe thunderstorms produced extensive damage as they moved across the urban corridor. At Denver International Airport alone\u2026large hail up to golf ball size\u2026very heavy rain and wind gusts to 59 mph caused substantial damage to 40 planes and stranded approximately 1500 passengers overnight. Frontier and United airlines were hardest hit as dozens of planes were taken out of service for repairs; forcing the cancellation of at least 220 flights over the next several days. Damage to the aircrafts alone was nearly five million dollars. In addition\u202683 cars in airport parking lots were damaged\u2026 Along with some police cars and maintenance vehicles. In Watkins\u2026two people suffered minor injuries and 35 to 40 homes were damaged. As many as two hundred residents in a mobile home park were left homeless by the storm\u2026forcing the Red Cross to open a shelter at Bennett High School. The trailer park contained 52 mobile homes\u202614 recreational vehicles\u20263 houses and a commercial building. Hailstones the size of softballs cratered the north sides of the mobile homes. Some farmers in the area said they lost as much as 85 percent of their total wheat crop. Power lines were also damaged which affected about 1200 customers in Watkins. The strong winds also flipped over a tractor-trailer rig on I-70 near Watkins Road. Insurance claims for the Watkins\u2026Bennett and Brighton areas was estimated to be seventeen million dollars. The total damage estimate across the entire urban corridor\u2026was near one hundred sixty five million dollars\u2026and included 17200 automobile claims and 12600 homeowner claims. In addition\u2026thunderstorms producing very heavy rainfall\u2026caused flash flooding in the four mile canyon burn scar west of Boulder. Three homes reportedly had water up to the windows with water flowing into structures at Fourmile Canyon road and gold run road. The heavy rain caused a 4-ft surge along Fourmile Creek through Orodell and into the entry of Boulder Creek. Several roads were affected which restricted access to the area. Roads were closed due to water and debris. Private bridges and drives were washed out and several residents were stranded and later rescued. Numerous cars were damaged in debris flows and several structures suffered flood damage but were not destroyed.<\/p>\n

In 2019…a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to 1.0 inch in diameter in Broomfield…with 7\/8 inch size hail reported in Arapahoe County near Buckley AFB.<\/p>\n

13-5<\/p>\n

In 2008\u2026a streak of 24 consecutive days of 90 degrees shattered the previous record of 18 consecutive days established in 1901 and 1874. Ironically\u2026no new single day record high temperatures were set in the month of July. In August however\u2026a record of 104 degrees was set on the 1st\u2026and another record of 103 degrees was set on the 2nd. In addition\u2026a record low min of 70 degrees was set on August 2nd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Severe weather becomes a bit less common as we get further into summer but the threat is never gone as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Many notable events related to severe thunderstorms have occurred including flooding rain, tornadoes and damaging hail. From the National Weather Service: 29-15 … Continue reading July 7 to July 13: This Week in Denver Weather History<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[81,62,34,741],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19844"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19844"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24273,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19844\/revisions\/24273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}