![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/This-Week-in-Denver-Weather-History.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Overall our look back at this week in Denver weather history is shorter than most but it is not short on interesting weather events.<\/p>\n
From the National Weather Service:<\/p>\n
19-30<\/p>\n
In 1875\u2026grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms of grasshoppers were seen on each day. All gardens in the city were devastated\u2026and in the countryside the grasshoppers were very destructive to ripened grain. On the 30th the grasshoppers were so numerous as to almost darken the sun.<\/p>\n
24-26<\/p>\n
In 1910\u2026the lowest temperature ever recorded in August\u202640 degrees\u2026occurred on each of these days and on August 22\u2026 1904. The unusually cold weather for so early in the season brought sub-freezing minimum temperatures to much of the Colorado northeastern plains.<\/p>\n
25<\/p>\n
In 1951\u2026a microburst produced a southwest wind gust to 50 mph at Stapleton Airport. Only a trace of rain was observed.<\/p>\n
In 1964\u2026thunderstorm winds gusted to 59 mph and caused some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n
In 1994\u2026lightning struck a power pole in Louisville and caused a two-hour power outage.<\/p>\n
In 2008\u2026an unoccupied home was struck by lightning in Aurora\u2026 Causing 75 thousand dollars in damage to the roof.<\/p>\n
26<\/p>\n
In 1944\u2026one of the most destructive hailstorms in the city in a decade caused damage estimated at nearly one million dollars. The storm occurred within a period of 10 to 30 minutes\u2026between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The hail varied in size from very small to as large as 1 1\/2 inches in diameter. Hail covered the ground to a depth of 5 to 6 inches in some sections of the city. Several people were cut by broken glass. The hail and heavy rain flooded underpasses to a depth of 6 feet\u2026and the occupants of stalled autos had to be rescued. Sewers were unable to handle the sudden amount of water and water backed up and flooded a number of basements. A few first floors of buildings were flooded. The water department had a busy time replacing manhole covers that had been displaced by the water pressure. Trees were stripped\u2026one was severely broken\u2026and telephone lines were downed. Roofs\u2026windows\u2026 Automobiles\u2026awnings\u2026and gardens were severely damaged. Flowers and gardens in some sections of the city were a total loss. Greenhouses were extensively broken with an estimated 20 carloads of glass shattered. Vegetable and truck crops in and around the city were severely shredded. The next day the American Red Cross was designated by the war agency to grant any and all priorities needed to obtain materials and supplies to replace and repair the damage. In downtown Denver\u2026the thunderstorm produced 0.95 inch of rain and heavy hail along with sustained northwest winds to 25 mph.<\/p>\n
In 1961\u2026strong winds blew in the walls of a warehouse under construction in Denver. Two workmen suffered a fractured foot and body bruises.<\/p>\n
In 2014…two men in central Denver were struck by lightning as they sat under a tree to avoid a heavy downpour. One of the men was unconscious and had no pulse when emergency responders arrived. He was immediately taken to Denver Health was listed in critical condition. The other victim suffered less severe injuries. He was treated at the scene and hospitalized…then released a few hours later.<\/p>\n
26-27<\/p>\n
In 1980\u2026two heavy thunderstorms hit Arvada and Westminster\u2026 Dumping up to 1.50 inches of rain in less than an hour. At least two streets were washed out and a number of homes and cars were damaged when a creek flooded. Three homes in Arvada sustained minor lightning damage.<\/p>\n
27<\/p>\n
In 1910\u2026a thunderstorm produced south winds sustained to 40 mph.<\/p>\n
In 1961\u2026strong thunderstorm winds and heavy rain occurred at 79th and Federal Blvd. in Westminster. The strong winds blew the roofs off lumber sheds onto parked cars.<\/p>\n
In 1967\u2026a young woman was killed by lightning while horseback riding in the suburbs just west of Denver. Her horse died several hours after the incident. A young man and another young woman were also knocked from their horses by the impact of the lightning and required hospitalization.<\/p>\n
In 1991\u2026heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.91 inch at Stapleton International Airport\u2026where 1\/4 inch diameter hail was measured.<\/p>\n
In 1996\u2026localized street flooding occurred in the Fort Lupton area when 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. The roof of a community college began leaking\u2026which caused damage to ceiling tiles. The roof was under repair from hail damage which had occurred earlier in the summer. A weak tornado (F0) was sighted near Fort Lupton. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n
In 1999\u2026a slow moving thunderstorm dumped 5 inches of rain in 2 hours near Dacono. A severe thunderstorm produced 3\/4 inch diameter hail in Castle Rock.<\/p>\n
In 2002\u2026severe thunderstorms spread large hail over metro Denver. Hail as large as 2 inches in diameter fell in Jefferson County 5 to 11 miles northwest of Golden. Other large hail reports included: 1 1\/2 inches near Golden and in Lakewood; 1 1\/4 inches in Nederland; 1 inch hail near Elizabeth\u2026Louviers\u2026Rollinsville\u2026and Blackhawk; 7\/8 inch hail near Acequia in Douglas County. A thunderstorm produced a trace of rain and a microburst wind gust to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n
In 2003\u2026lightning struck a house and sparked a fire in Arvada. Damage to the roof and ceiling was extensive.<\/p>\n
In 2005\u2026lightning struck an unoccupied home in Parker. The resulting fire damaged the roof\u2026attic\u2026and second floor bedroom. Damage was estimated at 15 thousand dollars.<\/p>\n
27-28<\/p>\n
In 2004\u2026a brief chilly spell resulted in three temperature records. The high temperature of 55 degrees on the 27th was a record low maximum for the date. The low temperature of 48 degrees on the 27th equaled the record minimum for the date. The low temperature of 42 degrees on the 28th was a record minimum for the date.<\/p>\n
<\/span>28<\/p>\n In 1887\u2026a dry thunderstorm produced north winds to 48 mph but only a trace of rainfall.<\/p>\n In 1968\u2026one man was seriously injured by lightning while riding on a roller coaster at a Denver amusement park. An airline employee was injured when lightning struck a jetliner he was servicing at Stapleton International Airport. A lightning-caused fire did extensive damage to one house and minor damage to several others in the city of Denver.<\/p>\n In 1970\u2026a microburst wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n In 2002\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced 3\/4 inch diameter hail near Parker.<\/p>\n In 2005\u2026lightning sparked a small fire near Jamestown. The blaze was quickly contained and consumed less than an acre.<\/p>\n 29<\/p>\n In 1876\u2026after the passage of a gentle rain shower to the east during the late evening hours\u2026the moon shone brightly and a remarkably bright lunar rainbow appeared.<\/p>\n In 1910\u2026an apparent cold front produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph.<\/p>\n In 1946\u2026the high temperature warmed to only 55 degrees\u2026the record low maximum for the month.<\/p>\n In 1989\u2026a spectacular lightning display knocked out power to 300 blocks in southeast Denver. One bolt started a fire in a lumber yard in the northeast part of the city\u2026and the attic of a home in the same area was set ablaze by a lightning bolt.<\/p>\n In 1996\u20263\/4 inch diameter hail was measured in Parker.<\/p>\n In 2000\u2026lightning struck two homes in Thornton. The extent of damage was unknown.<\/p>\n In 2002\u2026two small tornadoes caused damage in southeast metro Denver. The first tornado\u2026associated with a multi-vortex storm\u2026touched down briefly near E-470 and South Jordan Road. Some fences were damaged\u2026and a few trees were blown down. A few of the homes also sustained minor roof damage. Damage from this storm totaled 100 thousand dollars. The second tornado associated with the storm touched down in a subdivision that was under construction at Gartrell and Arapahoe roads. Four large condominiums under construction were destroyed. The most heavily damaged portions of the structures were still in the framing stages. Adjacent sections where enclosed walls were in place were not destroyed. A man suffered 4 broken ribs and several cuts and bruises when the trailer he sought shelter in was flipped three times and torn apart by the twister. Damage from this storm totaled 6 million dollars. A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch diameter hail near Evergreen.<\/p>\n In 2006\u2026severe thunderstorms produced large hail in the foothills west of Denver. Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Blackhawk. Hail as large as 7\/8 inch was measured near Idaho Springs\u2026along with 3\/4 inch hail near Nederland and Conifer.<\/p>\n 30<\/p>\n In 1981\u202660 mph winds were reported in Boulder.<\/p>\n In 2004\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 1 inch in diameter in south Aurora near Cherry Creek.<\/p>\n In 2016…an intense thunderstorm produced very heavy rain and hail in Westminster…where radar estimated up to 3.6 inches of rainfall. Several vehicles were stranded in 2 to 3 feet of moving water at the intersection of 72nd Ave. and Pecos St. Street flooding was also reported on U.S. 36 at Pecos St.<\/p>\n 31<\/p>\n In 1951\u2026hail as large as 1 3\/4 inches in diameter caused an estimated 300 thousand dollars damage in metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1\/2 inches in diameter was measured at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n In 1978\u2026strong thunderstorm winds tore the roof off an apartment building in Aurora\u2026downed trees\u2026and damaged windows in Denver. A microburst wind gust to 58 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n In 1985\u2026a thunderstorm wind gust to 60 mph was clocked at Buckley Field in Aurora.<\/p>\n In 1997\u2026hail to 1 1\/4 inches in diameter was measured in Aurora.<\/p>\n In 2006\u2026a female postal worker was struck and injured by lightning while delivering mail in Westminster.<\/p>\n In 2008\u2026lightning struck a home in Brighton\u2026damaging the roof and a bedroom. The damaged totaled 20 thousand dollars.<\/p>\n In 2020…a worsening drought that started in the spring of 2020…continued through August. The month of August tied with 2011 for the warmest August on record. It also occurred in the middle of the second warmest summer on record. The combination of hot and dry conditions…in addition to critically dry fuels from years of beetle kill…resulted massive wildfires. The Cameron Peak fire…which became the largest wildfire in the state`s history started on August 13th and continued to burn into October. Smoke from this wildfire in addition to several other large wildfires in Colorado and the West resulted in multiple days of extremely poor air quality. In addition…the air quality in Denver and the entire Front Range had deteriorated severely due to the very warm temperatures and high ozone content… which had spiked significantly. In August…26 days in the month equaled or exceeded 90 degrees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Overall our look back at this week in Denver weather history is shorter than most but it is not short on interesting weather events. From the National Weather Service: 19-30 In 1875\u2026grasshoppers appeared in great numbers at 10:00 am on the 19th. Thousands landed on the ground. The streets were literally covered with them. Swarms … Continue reading August 25 to August 31: This Week in Denver Weather History<\/span>