{"id":21238,"date":"2021-01-03T17:13:35","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T00:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=21238"},"modified":"2021-01-03T17:13:35","modified_gmt":"2021-01-04T00:13:35","slug":"january-3-to-january-9-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/weather-history\/january-3-to-january-9-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-3\/","title":{"rendered":"January 3 to January 9: This week in Denver weather history"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

January weather in Colorado can be as varied as during any month of the year.\u00a0 Temperatures bordering on spring-like to bone chilling Arctic cold can be seen.\u00a0 Snow of course plays a big part and while not always recognized as a big danger, high speed damaging winds are not unusual.<\/p>\n

31-6<\/p>\n

In 1973\u2026the 31st marked the start of a protracted cold spell that extended into January of 1974 when temperatures dipped below zero on 7 consecutive days.\u00a0 Record daily minimum readings occurred on the 3rd and 5th when the temperature plunged to 17 degrees below zero on both days. A record low daily maximum temperature of only 4 degrees occurred on the 5th.<\/p>\n

31-7<\/p>\n

In 1941\u2026a protracted cold spell through January 7\u20261942\u2026 Produced below zero low temperatures on 7 of the 8 days. A low temperature of 2 degrees on the 3rd prevented a string of 8 days below zero.\u00a0 The coldest days during the period were the 1st with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 9 degrees below zero\u2026the 4th with a high of 2 degrees and a low of 11 degrees below zero\u2026and the 5th with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 12 degrees below zero.<\/p>\n

1-5<\/p>\n

In 1940\u2026the first days of the month were characterized by a mixture of drizzle\u2026light snow\u2026and fog.\u00a0 Fog occurred on each day.\u00a0 On the 4th and 5th considerable glazing resulted from freezing drizzle.\u00a0 All objects were coated with a glaze on the windward side.\u00a0 This resulted in very slippery streets\u2026which caused several minor traffic accidents.\u00a0 The glaze was not heavy enough to damage wires and cables.<\/p>\n

2-3<\/p>\n

In 1971\u2026a major storm dumped a total of 8.4 inches of snow at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 23 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026a strong cold front late on the 2nd produced north wind gusts to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Snow\u2026heavy at times on the 3rd\u2026totaled 6.4 inches as temperatures hovered only in the single digits.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026heavy snow fell over the higher terrain of the palmer divide to the south of metro Denver.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 7 inches 5 miles southwest of Sedalia.\u00a0 Only 1.5 inches of snowfall were measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

2-4<\/p>\n

In 1949\u2026the worst blizzard in many years struck metro Denver and all of northern Colorado.\u00a0 The storm produced blizzard conditions with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph all day on the 3rd when temperatures were only in the single digits.\u00a0 This resulted in extremely cold wind chill temperatures of 40 to 55 degrees below zero.\u00a0 Stapleton Airport received 13.3 inches of snow from the storm\u2026 While downtown Denver received 11.8 inches.\u00a0 The snow fell for 51 consecutive hours downtown.\u00a0 Numerous lives were lost\u2026and livestock losses were high across the northeastern plains of Colorado where extensive airlift operations were needed to bring supplies and food to isolated communities.<\/p>\n

<\/span>2-5<\/p>\n

In 1959\u2026very cold temperatures\u2026to near zero and below\u2026caused power and gas lines\u2026water pipes\u2026and automatic sprinkler systems to break.\u00a0 In Boulder\u2026 Merchandise and furnishings were water damaged when pipes burst in a department store\u2026flooding three floors.\u00a0 The temperature was below zero for 38 consecutive hours at Stapleton Airport on the 2nd\u20263rd\u2026and 4th and plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 4th.<\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

In 1874\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 6 inches with 5 inches falling in 3 hours.\u00a0 Melted snow totaled 0.40 inches of precipitation.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 24 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1887\u2026west winds were sustained to 44 mph in the city.<\/p>\n

In 1913\u2026northwest Chinook winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 52 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.\u00a0 The low temperature was only 40 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1951\u2026northwest winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1967\u2026a strong Chinook wind reached 90 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.\u00a0 In downtown Boulder winds only gusted to 35 mph.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusting to 49 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1986\u2026winds gusted to 63 mph at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield and reached 73 mph at Echo Lake in the foothills west of Denver.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1994\u2026high winds raked the eastern foothills.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 99 mph were recorded on Squaw Mountain\u2026south of Idaho Springs\u2026and gusts to 85 mph occurred at the rocky flats facility in northwest Jefferson County.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 No significant damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026very strong Chinook winds gusting to 104 mph blasted the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver. Three people were injured in separate incidents.\u00a0 One man was injured when strong crosswinds toppled his moving van into oncoming traffic along Colorado 93 south of Boulder. Two other people received minor injuries from flying debris. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility\u2026eleven hazardous waste storage facilities received at least 100 thousand dollars in damage.\u00a0 In addition\u2026several power lines were downed leaving 3 thousand homes and stores without power.\u00a0 Hundreds of car windows were shattered\u2026and several signs were toppled from buildings.\u00a0 Some of the strongest wind gusts included:\u00a0 104 mph at Boulder municipal airport\u202698 mph in south Boulder\u202696 mph at Jefferson County airport\u202694 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research southwest of Boulder\u202691 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility\u2026and 90 mph at Wondervu southwest of Boulder.\u00a0 West-northwest winds gusted to only 39 mph at Denver International Airport where the Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026bands of heavy snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totals included 6.5 inches in Broomfield and 6 inches in Westminster\u2026Arvada\u2026and near Hudson.\u00a0 Only 0.5 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 More snow fell in the foothills with 9 inches recorded near Jamestown.\u00a0 Southeast winds gusted to 25 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2006\u2026locally high winds developed in northern Jefferson County over and near rocky flats.\u00a0 Peak wind gusts from 75 to 91 mph were recorded during the afternoon.\u00a0 A semi-trailer truck was blown onto its side on State Highway 93 atop rocky flats.\u00a0 Strong winds also spread across metro Denver.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

<\/span>3-4<\/p>\n

In 1982\u2026wind gusting to 85 mph in the Table Mesa area of Boulder caused a few power failures.\u00a0 West winds gusted to only 32 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026high winds buffeted the foothills of Boulder County. Wind gusts were reported to 91 mph at Nederland and 81 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa southwest of Boulder.\u00a0 Southwest winds gusted to only 31 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.<\/p>\n

3-5<\/p>\n

In 2017…the first in a series of powerful winter storms brought a period of heavy snow to the north central mountains… Front Range Foothills and Urban Corridor. In the mountains and foothills…the heaviest snowfall occurred along and north of the Interstate 70 corridor. Storm totals ranged from one to around three feet. Eastbound I-70 was closed at Vail and Silverthorne because of poor conditions and several spun-out vehicles. Across the Interstate 25 corridor…heavy snow fell over northern parts of metro Denver north to Loveland. At Denver International Airport…145 flights were canceled. Storm totals in the mountains and foothills included: 19.7 inches 5 miles northeast of Ward…18 inches…17 inches near Brainard Lake and Copeland Lakes; 16 inches…5 miles east-northeast of Nederland and Niwot Ridge SNOTEL; 15.7 inches at Eldora… 14.5 inches at Berthoud Pass; 14 inches at Allenspark and 12 inches at Gross Reservoir. Along the I-25 Corridor…storm totals included: 13.8 inches in Boulder…12 inches at Marston Reservoir…9.5 inches in Niwot…9 inches at Flatiron Reservoir… 8.3 inches in Northglenn; 8 inches at Hygiene…7 inches in Arvada…5 miles west-northwest of Brighton…Frederick… Lafayette…Loveland and 5 miles northeast of Westminster; with 6.5 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Wheat Ridge. At Denver International Airport…there was a mix of rain and snow with only 0.10 inches of snowfall observed on the morning of the 4th.<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

In 1893\u2026the low temperature dipped to only 52 degrees\u2026the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in January.\u00a0\u00a0 The high temperature was 64 degrees.\u00a0 The spring-like weather was the result of northwest Chinook winds sustained to 20 mph with gusts as high as 38 mph.<\/p>\n

4-5<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026snow began falling across the Front Range foothills and portions of metro Denver on the 4th.\u00a0 Most snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 6 inches.\u00a0 Icy roads and blowing snow caused a 22 car accident on I-25 north of Denver\u2026 Resulting in an 8-mile traffic back-up for several hours. Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 North-northeast winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport on the 4th.<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

In 1871\u2026a heavy gale in Boulder caused 500 dollars damage.<\/p>\n

In 1895\u2026northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph in the city.<\/p>\n

In 1899\u2026strong winds occurred in Boulder\u2026but caused only minor damage.<\/p>\n

In 1911\u2026northwest winds were sustained to 41 mph in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1915\u2026north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph behind a cold front\u2026which produced only 1.0 inch of snowfall.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026warm Chinook wind gusts to 85 mph were recorded in Boulder at the national bureau of standards and to 60 mph at Jefferson County airport near Broomfield.\u00a0 The high winds caused severe blowing snow in and near the foothills\u2026 Completely blocking traffic in some areas\u2026closing schools and industrial plants.\u00a0 Houses under construction were damaged\u2026and falling trees damaged cars in Boulder.\u00a0 An apartment building under construction was blown down in the Denver area.\u00a0 Northwest wind gusts reached 58 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1989\u2026during the early morning hours with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 30\u2019s\u20260.25 inch of rain fell at Stapleton International Airport<\/p>\n

In 1994\u2026occasional high winds blew across the eastern foothills.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 84 mph were recorded in southwest Boulder and 74 mph in north Boulder.\u00a0 There were also reports of 70 to 80 mph winds along Colorado highway 93 in Jefferson County from Golden to Boulder.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 No significant damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1999\u2026strong downslope winds developed in the eastern foothills.\u00a0 A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded at Wondervu\u2026 Southwest of Boulder.\u00a0 West-northwest winds gusted to only 37 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2007\u2026a storm system brought heavy snow to areas along the Front Range.\u00a0 The most snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties.\u00a0 Storm totals included: 17 inches 8 miles northwest of Evergreen\u202616 inches near Conifer\u202615 inches southwest of Boulder and at Eldorado Springs\u202614.5 inches near Genesee\u202612 inches near Aspen and Estes Parks\u202611.5 inches in Boulder\u202611 inches at Perry Park\u2026 9.5 inches near Blackhawk\u20269 inches in Louisville\u20267.5 inches in Arvada\u20267 inches near Erie\u20266.5 inches near Longmont\u2026and 6 inches at Ralston Reservoir and Littleton.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 5.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

5-6<\/p>\n

In 1940\u2026snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1975\u2026high winds gusting to over 75 mph caused considerable damage in the Boulder area and minor damage in Jefferson County.\u00a0 In Boulder\u2026one home was unroofed\u2026 Several power lines were blown down\u2026and a number of homes and commercial buildings were damaged.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 36 mph on the 5th and 38 mph on the 6th at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1980 high winds in and near the foothills shattered windows\u2026tore roofs from buildings\u2026and caused many power outages.\u00a0 Much of the damage was in Boulder\u2026where winds gusted to at least 82 mph.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph were common in the foothills.\u00a0 West winds gusted to only 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 6th.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u20262 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Only 1.1 inches of snow were measured at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026high winds buffeted the foothills with gusts of 60 to 75 mph recorded in the Boulder area.\u00a0 West winds gusted to only 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 6th.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026heavy snow blanketed the Front Range foothills. Snowfall totals included:\u00a0 15 inches 8 miles north of Blackhawk; 13 inches at Evergreen and 5 miles east of Nederland; 12 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 11 inches 8 miles west of Conifer; 10 inches in sunshine canyon northwest of Boulder; 10 inches 11 miles southwest of Morrison; 9 inches in South Turkey Canyon; and 8 inches at Eldora Ski Area.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

In 1903\u2026northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme velocity of 48 mph.\u00a0 The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 66 degrees\u2026which was a record maximum for the date.\u00a0 The low temperature dipped to only 35 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1962\u2026strong winds caused nearly 14 hundred dollars in damage 2 miles north of Boulder.\u00a0 West-northwest Chinook winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton Airport in advance of a cold front that produced northeast wind gusts to 43 mph along with some blowing dust and 0.1 inch of snow.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026a wind gust to 69 mph was recorded at the national bureau of standards in Boulder.\u00a0 Only minor damage occurred.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2007\u2026a large avalanche swept two vehicles off U.S. Highway 40\u2026near Berthoud Pass\u2026and partially buried them. The slide covered all three lanes of the highway.\u00a0 Eight people were in the vehicles\u2026but only one person was seriously injured.\u00a0 He suffered several broken ribs.\u00a0 The slide was approximately 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep.<\/p>\n

6-7<\/p>\n

In 1908\u2026furious high winds were noted in Boulder but caused only minor damage and injury.<\/p>\n

In 1913\u2026a very cold arctic air mass caused temperatures to plunge to record levels.\u00a0 The low temperature fell to 21 degrees below zero on the 6th and to 18 degrees below zero on the 7th\u2026both records.\u00a0 The high temperature of only 8 degrees below zero on the 6th was a record low maximum for the date.<\/p>\n

In 1920\u2026post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 North winds were sustained at 24 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 6th.<\/p>\n

In 1923\u2026warm Chinook winds resulted in two temperature records.\u00a0 Low temperatures of 37 degrees on the 6th and 42 degrees on the 7th equaled the record high minimums for the dates.\u00a0 West winds were sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 33 mph on the 6th.\u00a0 Southwest winds were sustained to 47 mph with gusts to 52 mph on the 7th.\u00a0 High temperatures were 53 degrees on the 6th and 56 degrees on the 7th.<\/p>\n

In 1986\u20262 to 4 inches of snow fell over metro Denver\u2026 With 5 to 8 inches in the foothills west of the city. The 2.4 inches of snowfall recorded at Stapleton International Airport was the only snowfall of the month.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 24 mph at the airport.<\/p>\n

In 2006\u2026a brief warm spell resulted in two temperature records.\u00a0 High temperatures of 66 degrees on the 6th and 69 degrees on the 7th equaled the record daily maximum temperatures for each of those days.\u00a0 Low temperatures remained above freezing and were within 1 or 2 degrees of the record daily high minimums.<\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

In 1911\u2026west Chinook winds were sustained to 51 mph and warmed the temperature to a high of 56 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1994\u2026occasional high winds buffeted the eastern foothills.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 99 mph were recorded at Rollinsville\u2026southwest of Boulder.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1995\u2026a brief blast of high winds hit the eastern foothills and adjacent Front Range communities.\u00a0 A wind gust to 112 mph was recorded atop Squaw Mountain\u2026west of Denver.\u00a0 In Boulder\u2026winds gusted to 81 mph.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2009\u2026damaging downslope winds were responsible for triggering two wildfires that threatened the city of Boulder.\u00a0 Peak wind gusts ranged from 75 to 107 mph in and near the foothills of Boulder\u2026Jefferson and park counties. Although the fires never merged\u2026they were close enough for firefighters to build a perimeter around both of them.\u00a0 The fires quickly torched 3000 acres and forced the evacuation of up to 1400 families.\u00a0 One home was destroyed along with several barns and outbuildings. Three firemen suffered minor injuries.\u00a0 In bailey\u2026power lines were downed by falling trees.\u00a0 A tin roof on an auto repair shop in town was almost completely blown off. Peak wind gusts included:\u00a0 107 mph\u20263 miles south of Mt. Audubon\u202692 mph\u20263 miles south of Evergreen; 87 mph\u20266 miles northwest of Boulder; 81 mph\u20262 miles east-northeast of bergen park and at the national wind technology center; 79 mph\u20264 miles northeast of Nederland; 77 mph\u20263 miles west of Sheridan; 75 mph at Genesee.\u00a0 A peak wind gust of 39 mph was measured at Denver International Airport from the west.<\/p>\n

7-8<\/p>\n

In 1911\u2026gale force winds occurred in Boulder causing minor injuries.<\/p>\n

In 1937\u2026cold arctic air plunged temperatures below zero for an estimated 56 consecutive hours.\u00a0 Two temperature records were set.\u00a0 High temperatures of 8 degrees below zero on the 7th and 3 degrees on the 8th were record low maximum readings for those dates.\u00a0 Low temperatures plunged to 12 degrees below zero on the 7th and 11 degrees below zero on the 8th.\u00a0 Snowfall was 1.4 inches in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1969\u2026a violent evening windstorm struck Boulder and the adjacent foothills.\u00a0 A wind gust to 130 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.\u00a0 Winds reached 96 mph in downtown Boulder.\u00a0 The Boulder airport wind recorder was blown away after measuring a wind gust to 80 mph.\u00a0 The windstorm caused over one million dollars in damage and one fatality in Boulder.\u00a0 About 25 homes in south Boulder had roofs blown off or were severely damaged.\u00a0 Roofs were blown off buildings housing scientific laboratories and offices of the Environmental Science Services Administration\u2026now NOAA\u2026in Boulder\u2026and installations of several scientific measuring sites near Boulder received heavy damage.\u00a0 Grass fires driven by the high winds endangered many areas\u2026but were controlled by volunteer firemen.\u00a0 One man died from injuries received when he was blown from a fire truck.\u00a0 One man was killed and another injured when the truck camper in which they were riding was blown off I-25 about 10 miles north of Denver.\u00a0 In the same area a mobile home and a truck trailer were blown off the highway and demolished.\u00a0 At least 20 people in the Boulder area received light to serious injuries from flying debris or from being blown into obstructions.\u00a0 Power lines and trees were downed over a wide area.\u00a0 Damage was relatively light in the city of Denver\u2026where northwest winds gusted to 62 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 8th.\u00a0 Many windows were broken in Arvada\u2026Englewood\u2026and Littleton. A 27-year-old fire lookout tower on Squaw Mountain\u2026west of Denver\u2026was blown away\u2026and several radio relay towers at that location were toppled.\u00a0 Trucks were overturned near Georgetown.\u00a0 Mobile homes were overturned in several areas with occupants receiving injuries in some cases. The strong Chinook winds also brought warm weather.\u00a0 The maximum temperature of 69 degrees on the 7th broke the old record of 65 degrees set in 1948.\u00a0 The temperature also reached 65 degrees on the 8th\u2026but was not a record.<\/p>\n

In 1992\u2026an intense blizzard buried eastern parts of metro Denver.\u00a0 At times snow fell at rates of 2 to 3 inches an hour.\u00a0 Winds increased from the north at speeds of 25 to 45 mph.\u00a0 Drifts of 4 to 8 feet were common.\u00a0 I-70 was closed east of Denver\u2026and I-25 was closed from Denver south.\u00a0 Snowfall totals ranged from a couple of inches in the foothills west of Denver to as much as 2 feet on the east side of metro Denver.\u00a0 The heaviest snow fell on the 7th in a band from the northern suburbs of Westminster and Thornton through Aurora and east Denver to southeast of Parker.\u00a0 Snowfall totals included:\u00a0 22 inches in southeast Aurora\u202614.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport\u202613 inches in Northglenn\u202610 inches in Parker\u2026and 9 inches in Westminster.\u00a0 The 14.5 inches of snowfall measured on the 7th into the 8th is the greatest 24 hour snowfall ever recorded in the city during the month of January.\u00a0 North winds gusting to 46 mph caused much blowing snow at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills.\u00a0 The strongest winds were generally confined to foothills areas north of I-70.\u00a0 A wind gust to 76 mph was reported in Golden gate canyon.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 37 mph at Denver International Airport on the 8th.<\/p>\n

7-10<\/p>\n

In 1962\u2026a major winter storm dumped 13.5 inches of snow on metro Denver.\u00a0 A foot of the snow fell on the 8th when northeast winds gusted to 30 mph.\u00a0 The storm was followed by an intense blast of very cold arctic air.\u00a0 Minimum temperature readings of 24 degrees below zero occurred on both the 9th and 10th.\u00a0 The temperature never reached above zero on the 9th when a maximum reading of 1 degree below zero was recorded.\u00a0 Temperatures were below zero for 37 consecutive hours.<\/p>\n

8<\/p>\n

In 1912\u2026northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 45 mph in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1971\u2026wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded in downtown Boulder.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 28 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026high winds gusting from 50 to 90 mph along the Front Range produced much damage from blowing dust and gravel throughout the day.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded in the Table Mesa area of southwest Boulder. The winds caused sporadic power outages.\u00a0 Clouds of dust and gravel whipped by 70 to 90 mph gusts blinded commuters on the Denver-Boulder turnpike near Broomfield during the morning rush hour.\u00a0 Flying gravel shattered windows on 50 vehicles parked near a Boulder high school. High winds were also blamed for partially dismantling a house under construction in Boulder\u2026as well as toppling a number of fences\u2026billboards\u2026signs\u2026and power poles. The strong cross-winds jack-knifed and overturned semi- tractor trailers on I-70 near Golden and just south of Boulder on State Highway 93.\u00a0 Several County airports were closed due to strong winds and blowing dust reducing visibilities.\u00a0 Wind delays up to 30 minutes occurred at Stapleton International Airport where west winds gusted to 48 mph.\u00a0 Eighty mph winds in Georgetown\u2026empire\u2026and Idaho Springs were blamed for power and telephone outages. Windows were blown out of a sheriff\u2019s car along I-70 east of Georgetown.\u00a0 The strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 60 degrees in Denver.<\/p>\n

In 2007\u2026strong winds associated with an intense upper level jet\u2026and a very strong surface pressure gradient\u2026developed in and near the Front Range foothills.\u00a0 Peak wind gusts ranged from 77 mph to 115 mph.\u00a0 The strong winds coupled with freshly fallen snow resulted in whiteout conditions and several highway closures due to blowing and drifting snow.\u00a0 Road closures included:\u00a0 State Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder; State Highway 128 from Wadsworth Boulevard to State Highway 93; U.S. Highway 36\u2026the Denver Boulder Turnpike from Broomfield to south Boulder road; and State Highway 74 near Evergreen\u2026between County road 65 and Lewis Ridge Road.\u00a0 More than 100 people were stranded in their cars between Golden and Boulder as blowing and drifting snow made the highway impassable.\u00a0 Snow drifts along State Highway 93 were over 6 feet in depth.\u00a0 As a result\u2026 The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Arvada West High School for the stranded commuters.\u00a0 Up to twenty cars were also abandoned along the diagonal highway\u2026between Boulder and Longmont.\u00a0 Thirty vehicles were stranded along State Highway 128.\u00a0 The high winds also caused intermittent power outages in Boulder.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport<\/p>\n

8-9<\/p>\n

In 1891\u2026heavy dry snowfall totaled 9.7 inches over downtown Denver.\u00a0 Most of the snow\u20266.5 inches\u2026occurred on the 8th when north winds were sustained to 12 mph with gusts to 20 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1939\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver. The snowfall was the heaviest overnight\u2026particularly during the early morning hours.\u00a0 The moist snow adhered to the north side of the instrument shelter and other objects to a depth of 2 inches.\u00a0 Snow accumulated on fences and trees to several inches.\u00a0 This was the greatest snowfall of the month that year.\u00a0 The greatest depth on the ground was 6.5 inches.\u00a0 North to northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 8th and to 27 mph on the 9th.<\/p>\n

8-10<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026winds of 70 to 90 mph howled through Boulder. A wind gust to 100 mph was recorded on fritz peak near Rollinsville.\u00a0 A tree blown down by the wind damaged a house in eastern Boulder County.\u00a0 The strong winds developed behind a cold front late on the 8th and continued through the 10th.\u00a0 At Stapleton International Airport\u2026west to northwest winds gusted to 49 mph on the 8th\u2026to 45 mph on the 9th\u2026and to 48 mph on the 10th.<\/p>\n

9<\/p>\n

In 1875\u2026the all time lowest recorded official temperature in Denver\u202629 degrees below zero\u2026occurred between 3:00 am and 4:00 am under clear skies with calm winds.\u00a0 The temperature climbed to zero at noon and to a high of 8 degrees at 3:00 pm.<\/p>\n

In 1916\u2026Chinook winds from the southwest sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 57 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1917\u2026Chinook winds\u2026southwesterly in direction\u2026sustained at 43 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 55 degrees.\u00a0 The low temperature was only 43 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1950\u2026strong west winds to 50 mph produced blowing dust\u2026 Which briefly reduced visibility to 3\/4 mile at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1957\u2026west-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1988\u2026a wind gust to 61 mph was recorded at Echo Lake. West winds gusted to only 16 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1989\u2026strong Chinook winds howled along the eastern foothills.\u00a0 A peak gust to 115 mph was recorded at the Boulder airport where a light plane was severely damaged when the wind flipped it over.\u00a0 Gusts reached 103 mph at Table Mesa in south Boulder.\u00a0 Homes in the city suffered damage to roofs\u2026gutters\u2026and siding.\u00a0 Fences were blown down\u2026and windows in both homes and cars were broken.\u00a0 A radio station was off the air for 2 1\/2 hours when the winds blew the top 80 feet off its 180-foot transmission tower.\u00a0 A school roof was partially torn off\u2026and a few traffic signals were downed.\u00a0 Winds 60 to 80 mph were reported at Jefferson County airport in Broomfield. West winds gusted to 47 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026high winds buffeted the Front Range foothills for a second straight day.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 92 mph were recorded at Rollinsville.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 65 to 90 mph were noted in the Denver-Boulder area.\u00a0 No significant damage occurred. Northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum temperature reached 63 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 2017…high winds developed in and near the Front Range Foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 90 mph near Pleasant View; 88 mph near Louisville; 87 mph near Gold Hill; 79 mph at the NCAR Mesa Laboratory; 76 mph at Glen Haven; 60 mph in Littleton and 58 mph in Arvada. Scattered outages affected approximately 2400 customers in Boulder and Jefferson Counties. In Berthoud…strong winds destroyed a barn. At Denver International Airport…a peak wind gust of 56 mph from the northwest was recorded.<\/p>\n

9-10<\/p>\n

In 1962\u2026the low temperature plunged to 24 degrees below zero on both days.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026a west wind gust to 60 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport\u2026while in Boulder a wind gust to 86 mph was recorded at the national bureau of standards. The roof of a house was blown off\u2026and trees were blown down in Boulder.\u00a0 The high winds contributed to the damage from a building fire in Boulder.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026heavy snow and strong winds in the mountains spilled into the Front Range foothills.\u00a0 Ward\u2026northwest of Boulder\u2026received 9 inches of new snow.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 91 mph were measured in Golden Gate Canyon\u2026with gusts to 77 mph at Loveland Ski Area and to 73 mph along State Highway 93 north of Golden.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 44 mph at Denver International Airport on the 9th.<\/p>\n

In 2011\u2026a winter storm brought moderate to heavy snowfall to areas in and near the Front Range foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 13 inches\u20263 miles south of Golden; 11.5 inches near Eldorado Springs\u202610.5 inches\u2026 2 miles southwest of Boulder; 10 inches\u20263 miles southwest of Roxborough State Park; 9 inches at Genesee\u20268.5 inches in Arvada\u20264 miles south-southeast of Bennett and Greenwood Village\u20268 inches\u2026 8 miles south of Elizabeth; 7 inches at Commerce City and 6.5 inches near Louisville and at Denver International Airport. Gusty winds produced snow drifts up to 2 feet deep over the palmer divide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January weather in Colorado can be as varied as during any month of the year.\u00a0 Temperatures bordering on spring-like to bone chilling Arctic cold can be seen.\u00a0 Snow of course plays a big part and while not always recognized as a big danger, high speed damaging winds are not unusual. 31-6 In 1973\u2026the 31st marked … Continue reading January 3 to January 9: 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":[81,106,62,197,741],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21238"}],"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=21238"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21239,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21238\/revisions\/21239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}