{"id":21481,"date":"2021-04-11T05:30:41","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T11:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=21481"},"modified":"2021-04-11T05:30:41","modified_gmt":"2021-04-11T11:30:41","slug":"april-11-to-april-17-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/weather-history\/april-11-to-april-17-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2\/","title":{"rendered":"April 11 to April 17: This week in Denver weather history"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

We are far from finished with winter weather as is clearly shown in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.\u00a0 There are many occurrences of snowstorms wreaking havoc in the Mile High City.\u00a0 One such notable event was just five years ago when 1 to 2.5 feet of snow was dumped on the Front Range.<\/p>\n

7-12<\/p>\n

In 1959\u2026snow falling over a 5-day period totaled 20 to 30 inches just east of the mountains\u2026while over the plains blizzard conditions closed schools and blocked highways. The second big storm in two weeks dumped 16.4 inches of snowfall on Stapleton Airport with the most\u202611.6 inches\u2026 Occurring on the 8th.\u00a0 East winds gusted to 37 mph on the 9th.\u00a0 Temperatures dipped into the single digits on the mornings of the 7th and 12th when 7 degrees were registered.\u00a0 Low temperature records for the dates were set on the 9th\u202610th\u2026and 12th.\u00a0 The cold temperatures caused streets to glaze with ice\u2026resulting in the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car in Denver.\u00a0 Three people died from heart attacks while shoveling the heavy\u2026 Wet snow.<\/p>\n

9-11<\/p>\n

In 1951\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 9.4 inches at Stapleton Airport.\u00a0 The storm was accompanied by strong northeast winds gusting to 43 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1953\u2026heavy snowfall occurred at Stapleton Airport where 7.9 inches of snow were measured.\u00a0 North winds gusted to 29 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1994\u20266 to 14 inches of heavy snow buried much of eastern Colorado\u2026closing many schools and I-70 from east of Denver to the Kansas border.\u00a0 Rain changed to snow on the 9th\u2026and snow continued through the 11th.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 5.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport\u2026but maximum snow depth on the ground was only 3 inches on the 10th due to melting.\u00a0 East winds gusted to 26 mph on the 9th.<\/p>\n

In 1995\u2026a major spring storm dumped 8 to 16 inches of snow in the foothills west of Denver.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 8.3 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport\u2026but most of the snow melted as it fell with the maximum snow depth on the ground of only 2 inches.\u00a0 Five-to 6-inch snow accumulations occurred over southern portions of metro Denver and eastward onto the plains.\u00a0 Northeast winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.\u00a0 I-70 was closed for several hours east of Watkins to the Kansas border due to drifting snow and near whiteout conditions.\u00a0 High temperature of only 29 degrees on the 10th was a record low maximum for the date.<\/p>\n

9-12<\/p>\n

In 1901\u2026rain changed to snow and totaled 10.8 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 28 mph with gusts to 31 mph on the 11th. Temperatures hovered in the 30\u2019s.<\/p>\n

10-11<\/p>\n

In 1979\u2026a heavy snow storm produced near-blizzard conditions across eastern Colorado with 10 to 20 inches in the foothills and 4 to 8 inches over the plains.\u00a0 Winds to 35 mph combined with the snow to produce drifts at least 3 feet deep\u2026closing many roads and causing power outages. Travel was interrupted south of Denver when the storm closed both I-25 and State Highway 83.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled only 3.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted 37 mph\u2026causing some blowing snow on the 11th.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026a potent spring storm dumped heavy snow over metro Denver and the adjacent foothills\u2026while a blizzard roared across the plains to the east of Denver.\u00a0 Snowfall amounts ranged up to a foot and a half across metro Denver and in the foothills.\u00a0 North to northwest winds at sustained speeds of 40 to 50 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph piled the snow into drifts of 3 to 6 feet deep.\u00a0 I-25 southbound was closed at lincoln avenue.\u00a0 I-70 to the east was closed at gun club road.\u00a0 The combination of heavy wet snow and damaging winds resulted in widespread electrical outages. Denver International Airport was completely shut down for the first time in its brief 6-year history.\u00a0 Power surges and outages crippled the airport\u2019s massive computer systems. The airport was closed at 5:00 am and did not re-open until mid-afternoon on the 11th.\u00a0 The power outages resulted in businesses and schools closing.\u00a0 Over all of northeastern Colorado\u2026there were 220 thousand customers without power\u2026 The worst outage in Xcel energy\u2019s history.\u00a0 Repairs totaled 1.6 million dollars.\u00a0 Across metro Denver\u2026snow totals included:\u00a0 18 inches in southeast Aurora\u202616 inches at centennial airport and Parker\u202614 inches at Broomfield\u2026 13 inches in Louisville\u202612 inches at Lakewood and Morrison\u2026 11 inches at Ken Caryl and Thornton\u202610 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport and in Wheat Ridge\u20269 inches in Westminster\u2026and 8 inches in Littleton. Thunderstorms preceded the start of the snow on the afternoon of the 10th and were embedded in the snow storm during the early morning hours of the 11th at Denver International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 60 mph on the 11th.\u00a0 Snow storm totals in the foothills included:\u00a0 17 inches at Genesee\u202616 inches at Rollinsville\u2026 14 inches at Intercanyon\u202613 inches in Coal Creek Canyon and near Evergreen\u202611 inches at Aspen Springs and Chief Hosa\u202610 inches at Blackhawk\u2026and 9 inches atop Crow Hill.<\/p>\n

In 2005\u2026a strong spring storm produced blizzard conditions in areas to the east of Denver and south of I-76 and near- blizzard conditions across metro Denver.\u00a0 The combination of heavy snow and strong winds forced the closure of Denver International Airport\u2026stranding thousands of travelers. Long stretches of I-25\u2026I-70\u2026and I-76 were also closed due to extensive blowing and drifting snow.\u00a0 Snow amounts ranged from 1 to 2.5 feet in and near the eastern foothills and over the Palmer Divide.\u00a0 Drifts were 2 to 5 feet in depth.\u00a0 Downed power lines caused scattered electrical outages.\u00a0 Storm total snowfall amounts in and near the foothills included:\u00a0 31 inches near Conifer; 27.5 inches in Aspen Springs; 25.5 inches near Sedalia and Blackhawk; 25 inches near Bergen Park and around Genesee; 24.5 inches at Pine Junction and Roxborough park; 24 inches southwest of Boulder; 23.5 inches at Ken Caryl; 23 inches atop Crow Hill and near Larkspur\u2026Evergreen\u2026and Nederland; 21 inches at Eldora Ski Area; 18 inches at Eldorado Springs and near Castle Rock; 17 inches near Chatfield Reservoir and Perry Park; and 16 inches near Jamestown.\u00a0 Across the city storm total snow amounts were:\u00a0 22.5 inches in Aurora; 22 inches at Bennett; 20 inches near Arapahoe park and in centennial\u2026 Littleton\u2026and south Denver; 17.5 inches near Bennett; 16 inches in Thornton; 15 inches in Lakewood; 14.5 inches in wheat ridge and near Englewood; 14 inches at Lone Rree and in Arvada; and 9.9 inches at Denver Stapleton.\u00a0 North winds were sustained from 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 10th.<\/p>\n

<\/span>10-12<\/p>\n

In 1997\u2026a pacific storm produced heavy snow on the 10th and the 11th in and near the foothills with 6 to 8 inches at Louisville and turkey creek canyon\u20265 inches at Morrison\u2026 And only 3.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 Northeast winds gusted to 24 mph at Denver International Airport.\u00a0 The storm also brought unseasonably cold weather with 5 new temperature records equaled or broken.\u00a0 Record low temperatures of 8 and 6 occurred on the 11th and 12th.\u00a0 Record low maximum temperatures of 20\u202619\u2026and 30 occurred on the 10th\u202611th\u2026 And 12th respectively.\u00a0 This was also only the second time on record that the temperature had failed to reach the freezing mark for 3 consecutive days in April.<\/p>\n

10-14<\/p>\n

In 1927\u2026post-frontal rain on the 10th changed to snow on the 11th and continued through the 14th.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 8.5 inches from precipitation of 1.28 inches.\u00a0 North winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 29 mph on the 13th.<\/p>\n

11<\/p>\n

In 1954\u2026strong and gusty southeast winds blew all day. Winds as high as 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1966\u2026a tornado was sighted in an open area of southeast Denver.\u00a0 Slight wind damage in the area was not directly attributable to the tornado.\u00a0 Later in the day\u2026a pilot reported a funnel cloud 10 miles southwest of Denver. Hail to 1\/2 inch in diameter fell at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1984\u2026strong Chinook winds gusted to 72 mph at Rocky Flats south of Boulder; speeds reached 70 mph in both Lakewood and Boulder.\u00a0 At Stapleton International Airport\u2026 Northwest wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026an afternoon cold front produced north winds sustained to 36 mph with gusts to 53 mph at Denver International Airport.\u00a0 Light snowfall was 1.1 inches at Denver Stapleton through the evening.<\/p>\n

11-12<\/p>\n

In 1876\u2026heavy snow began during the late afternoon of the 11th and continued through the night.\u00a0 Light snow ended around mid-morning of the 12th.\u00a0 The amount of snow was not measured\u2026but precipitation totaled 0.70 inch\u2026which would be around 7 inches of estimated snowfall.\u00a0 Strong winds accompanied the heavy snowfall.<\/p>\n

In 1896\u2026post-frontal light rain changed to light snow overnight\u2026but totaled only a trace.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts as high as 62 mph on the 12th.<\/p>\n

In 1991\u2026a strong pacific storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver with amounts of 6 to 15 inches at lower elevations and up to almost 2 feet in the foothills west of Denver.\u00a0 Snowfall reports included:\u00a0 21 inches at Idaho Springs\u202619 inches at Aspen Springs\u202615 inches in Arvada\u2026 14 inches at Rollinsville\u202610 inches in Boulder\u20268 inches in Aurora\u2026and 7.3 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 24 mph on the 11th.<\/p>\n

12<\/p>\n

In 1906\u2026north winds were sustained to 52 mph in the city.<\/p>\n

In 1916\u2026post-frontal north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph.\u00a0 Light rain also occurred.<\/p>\n

In 1964\u2026strong gusty winds raked metro Denver.\u00a0 Wind gusts estimated to 60 mph or higher caused widespread damage to buildings and power lines.\u00a0 Blowing dust closed some roads. A wind gust to 46 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1967\u2026microburst winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u2026wind gusts to 60 mph were reported in and near the foothills.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 44 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1987\u2026snow fell over metro Denver\u2026causing traffic tie-ups on the roads and at Stapleton International Airport where some flights were delayed for 90 minutes.\u00a0 I-25 south of Denver was closed for a time due to numerous traffic accidents.\u00a0 While only 4.2 inches of snow fell in Denver\u2026 Foothills to the southwest received 6 to 12 inches of snow. North winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 2 inches due to melting.<\/p>\n

12-13<\/p>\n

In 1922\u2026post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow\u2026which totaled 7.0 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 This was the second snow in 3 days.\u00a0 North winds were sustained to 29 mph with gusts to 31 mph on the 12th.<\/p>\n

In 1993\u2026heavy snow occurred in the foothills northwest of Denver with 21 inches recorded at the Eldora Ski Area. Only 1.9 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 13th. Most of the precipitation from the storm fell as rain across the city with 0.62 inch of precipitation measured at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

12-14<\/p>\n

In 1933\u2026heavy snowfall of 5.6 inches occurred in downtown Denver on the 12th and 13th behind a vigorous cold front\u2026 Which presented an awe-inspiring spectacle as it approached the station during the late afternoon of the 12th.\u00a0 Brilliant white wind-torn cumulus clouds were sandwiched by a brownish- tan dust cloud at the surface and dark blue cumulus clouds above.\u00a0 The dust cloud storm rapidly enveloped the station with northeast winds sustained to 38 mph and gusts to 44 mph producing much blowing dust\u2026which was accompanied by rapidly falling temperatures and rising pressure.\u00a0 Moist snowfall started in about an hour and continued to midday on the 13th. Record low temperatures of 17 and 15 degrees occurred on the 13th and 14th respectively.\u00a0 The high temperature of only 27 degrees on the 13th was a record low maximum for the date.<\/p>\n

12-15<\/p>\n

In 1927\u2026snowfall totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the 14th.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph during the storm.<\/p>\n

13<\/p>\n

In 1873\u2026heavy snow started with fresh and brisk north winds around 9:00 am\u2026and continued heavy until 2:00 pm and lightly until 7:00 pm.\u00a0 Temperatures were below freezing for most of the day\u2026but the snow melted almost as fast as it fell.\u00a0 Precipitation from the melted snow totaled 0.70 inches.\u00a0 This would be around 7.0 inches of estimated snowfall.<\/p>\n

In 1912\u2026a severe wind and dust storm struck the city. West winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 42 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1967\u2026a late season snow storm affected areas along the eastern foothills from Denver south.\u00a0 Snowfall between 2 and 3 feet closed I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs. In Denver\u2026snowfall was only 3.6 inches\u2026but precipitation from the storm totaled 3.25 inches\u2026the greatest 24-hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of April. North winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 Temperatures across the city were in the 30\u2019s most of the day.<\/p>\n

In 1974\u2026a major spring snow storm dumped 8.5 inches of heavy wet snow at Stapleton International Airport where north wind gusts to 38 mph produced some blowing snow.\u00a0 The storm caused minor damage to public utilities.<\/p>\n

In 1986\u2026strong winds howled across metro Denver.\u00a0 Boulder reported a peak gust of 79 mph.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 55 to 60 mph were common across all of metro Denver.\u00a0 There were power outages.\u00a0 The wind toppled a brick wall under construction in Arvada\u2026and also damaged luxury sky boxes under construction atop mile high stadium in Denver.\u00a0 Road signs in Arvada were damaged.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2014…a storm system brought heavy snow to areas in and near the Front Range Foothills. Storm totals included: 13 inches near Conifer; 12.5 inches near Ward; 11.5 inches near Nederland; 10 inches near Allenspark…Golden and Gold Hill; with 8.5 inches at Roxborough State Park.<\/p>\n

13-14<\/p>\n

In 1968\u2026high winds struck Boulder.\u00a0 Sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts as high as 102 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research\u2026while in downtown Boulder winds peaked to 73 mph.\u00a0 The winds damaged a building under construction and some homes in south Boulder.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 13th.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026a potent spring storm strengthened just east of Denver.\u00a0 Blizzard conditions developed over eastern Adams and eastern Arapahoe counties.\u00a0 Strong northerly winds ranging from 25 to 50 mph\u2026cold temperatures\u2026and heavy snowfall combined to create very hazardous conditions. The strong winds whipped snow in drifts 3 to 4 feet high. High winds and heavy wet snow downed power lines and caused traffic accidents.\u00a0 Some roads were closed. Snowfall totaled 15 inches at Strasburg\u2026while only 2.1 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 North winds gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport on the 13th.<\/p>\n

In 2011…a potent spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to Front Range mountains and foothills. Storm totals included: 16.5 inches near Blackhawk; 16 inches at Nederland; 15.5 inches at Coal Creek Canyon and 5 miles northeast of Ward; 15 inches at Allenspark; 12.5 inches… 5 miles northwest of Idaho Springs; 12 inches at Echo Mountain Ski Area; and 10.5 inches near Georgetown.<\/p>\n

13-15<\/p>\n

In 1945\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 9.8 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Most of the snow\u20264.8 inches\u2026fell on the 14th. Snow fell for a total of 53 consecutive hours.\u00a0 This was the second big snow in less than 2 weeks.\u00a0 The air mass was very cold for April.\u00a0 High temperatures of 21 degrees on the 14th and 32 degrees on the 15th were record low maximums for the those dates.<\/p>\n

13-17<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026a huge dust storm over southern and inner Mongolia during April 3rd through the 6th lifted desert dust into the jet stream.\u00a0 This dust cloud moved over metro Denver on the 13th and persisted through the 17th.\u00a0 The cloud created widespread haze\u2026giving the sky a milkish cast due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation.<\/p>\n

14<\/p>\n

In 1872\u2026high winds damaged buildings in the city.\u00a0 At 9:00 am west winds commenced to blow a perfect gale\u2026 Averaging 40 mph sustained until 9:00 pm.<\/p>\n

In 1904\u2026west winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 74 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1918\u2026a thunderstorm produced hail that covered the ground to a depth of 1\/2 inch.\u00a0 The stones varied in size from small shot to a cherry stone.\u00a0 Rain and melted hail totaled 0.70 inch.\u00a0 There was no reported damage.<\/p>\n

In 1935\u2026northeast winds sustained to 30 mph caused a dust storm across the city.\u00a0 The visibility was greatly reduced by blowing dense dust.<\/p>\n

In 1970\u2026strong winds caused mostly light but widespread damage to trees\u2026roofs\u2026power lines\u2026and other property across the northeastern Colorado plains.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 45 to 60 mph were common.\u00a0 Southwest wind gusts to 44 mph occurred at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1995\u2026high winds spread from the foothills onto the plains.\u00a0 West winds gusted between 70 and 90 mph in the foothills and 50 to 70 mph on the plains.\u00a0 West winds were clocked to 51 mph at Denver International Airport.\u00a0 Most of the significant wind damage occurred north and east of metro Denver.<\/p>\n

14-15<\/p>\n

In 1873\u2026north winds blew a gale during the afternoon on both days.\u00a0 Winds were brisk throughout each day.<\/p>\n

In 1902\u2026snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow melted as it fell.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1910\u2026strong winds occurred on both days.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 52 mph on the 14th.\u00a0 North winds were sustained to 44 mph on the 15th.<\/p>\n

In 1921\u2026heavy snowfall and strong winds produced near- blizzard conditions in the city.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 10.0 inches.\u00a0 Strong north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 54 mph on the 15th produced drifts to several feet in depth.\u00a0 The heavy wet snow caused extensive damage to trees\u2026utility poles\u2026and buildings.\u00a0 Precipitation from the storm was 1.73 inches.\u00a0 Very heavy snow also fell in the foothills.\u00a0 At Silver Lake\u2026in the mountains west of Boulder\u202695 inches of snow fell in 32.5 hours on the 14th and 15th.<\/p>\n

In 1935\u2026dense dust\u2026apparently behind a dry cold front\u2026 Enveloped the city at 1:00 pm on the 14th and persisted through the night.\u00a0 The dust blew into the city on northeast winds sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 32 mph. By mid-morning on the 15th\u2026the dust had become light and continued as such into the evening.\u00a0 North winds were sustained to only 13 mph on the 15th.<\/p>\n

In 1999\u2026a spring storm dumped heavy snow over portions of metro Denver.\u00a0 Nearly 2 feet of snow fell in the foothills with half a foot to a foot over western and southern suburbs.\u00a0 The heavy snow alleviated drought conditions and associated high fire danger that prevailed during much of the winter season.\u00a0 Snowfall totals included:\u00a0 22 inches in Coal Creek Canyon\u202620 inches at Wondervu\u202619 inches at Genesee\u202617 inches near Evergreen and Nederland and at Idaho Springs and Tiny Town\u202614 inches at Georgetown\u202613 inches at Morrison\u202610 inches near Sedalia\u20269 inches in south Boulder\u2026 8 inches at Highlands Ranch and Wheat Ridge\u2026and 7 inches at Littleton and Parker.\u00a0 Only 3.4 inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 North- northwest winds gusted to 41 mph on the 15th at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

15<\/p>\n

In 1874\u2026light snow developed around daybreak and became moderate to heavy by mid-morning and continued into the early evening.\u00a0 While most of the snow melted as it fell\u2026 Total precipitation from the melted snow was 0.95 inch. This would make the estimated snowfall nearly 10 inches.<\/p>\n

In 1963\u2026high winds were widespread across metro Denver. West winds gusted to 63 mph in Denver at Stapleton Airport with sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts to 70 mph in downtown Boulder.\u00a0 The winds caused extensive damage to buildings and other property.\u00a0 Visibility was briefly reduced to 1\/2 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026another spring storm brought heavy snow to the foothills.\u00a0 Thirty to 40 vehicles were involved in accidents along I-70 near Georgetown.\u00a0 The combination of poor visibilities\u2026slick roads\u2026and careless drivers led to the multi-car pileups.\u00a0 Only minor injuries were reported.\u00a0 The accidents forced the closure of all of I-70\u2019s eastbound lanes.\u00a0 Snowfall totals included 12 inches at Genesee and 10 inches at Aspen Springs\u2026Chief Hosa\u2026Georgetown\u2026near Morrison\u2026and on north turkey creek.\u00a0 Only 0.1 inch of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 East winds gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2002\u2026unseasonable warm weather resulted in two records being broken.\u00a0 The high temperature of 84 degrees was a record maximum for the date.\u00a0 The low temperature of 57 degrees was a record high minimum for the date.<\/p>\n

15-16<\/p>\n

In 1900\u2026heavy rainfall totaled 2.33 inches.\u00a0 A trace of snow was mixed with the rain at times.<\/p>\n

In 1950\u2026thunderstorms and heavy rain behind a cold front produced 2.13 inches of rain in 24 hours at Stapleton Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2003\u2026a fast moving pacific storm system moved across Colorado allowing strong winds to develop over the eastern foothills and metro Denver.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 59 mph at Denver International Airport late in the evening of the 15th.<\/p>\n

In 2016…1.22 inches of precipitation was measured at Denver International Airport which was the greatest daily amount for the month.<\/p>\n

15-17<\/p>\n

In 1922\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 9.0 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Most of the snow\u20266.0 inches\u2026fell on the 16th. This was the third major snow storm in a week.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts to 47 mph on the 15th.<\/p>\n

In 2016…a powerful spring snowstorm brought heavy…wet snow to areas in and near the Front Range Foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals generally ranged from 2 to 4 feet in the foothills with 1 to 2 feet in the mountain west of Denver and along the Palmer Divide. Along the I-25 Corridor storm totals ranged from 6 to 20 inches…with highest amounts across the western and southern suburbs. Some of those totals included: 16 inches in Aurora and Superior; 15 inches at the National Weather Service Office in Boulder; 14.5 inches in Broomfield; 13.5 inches in Westminster; officially 12.1 inches at Denver International Airport; 12 inches in Louisville; 11.5 inches in Arvada; 11 inches near Englewood; 10.5 inches near Wheat Ridge. At Denver International Airport…there were 852 flight cancellations… most of which occurred on the 16th. The heavy wet snowfall broke trees limbs and caused scattered power outages. Over five thousand customers were without power on the 16th…and over two thousand on the 17th. Xcel Energy brought in extra crews from surrounding states to help restore power and minimize outage times through the storm. Numerous but mostly temporary road closures from 1 to 5 hours occurred throughout the storm. This included portions of I-70 east and west of Denver…Highway 103 from Idaho Springs to Evergreen and Highway 119 through Black Hawk.<\/p>\n

16<\/p>\n

In 1960\u2026a wind storm struck all of metro Denver.\u00a0 Estimated wind gusts up to 80 mph were registered in Boulder.\u00a0 At Stapleton Airport sustained west-northwest winds over 50 mph with gusts as high as 70 mph produced some blowing dust.\u00a0 The high winds damaged buildings\u2026power and telephone lines\u2026and signs.\u00a0 Five people were injured in metro Denver as a result of the wind storm.\u00a0 Blowing dust reduced visibility at times.\u00a0 The winds were strong and gusty for most of the day.<\/p>\n

16-17<\/p>\n

In 1944\u2026heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 16th.<\/p>\n

17<\/p>\n

In 1889\u2026northwest winds were sustained to 48 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1899\u2026apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1935\u2026light dust moved over the city behind an apparent dry cold front\u2026which produced northeast winds to 19 mph with gusts to 20 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1978\u2026winds estimated to 70 mph occurred in Morrison. Northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2000\u2026strong pre-frontal winds and widely scattered thunderstorms caused high winds to develop across northern metro Denver and portions of the northeast plains.\u00a0 Peak wind gusts included 75 mph at Louisville.\u00a0 South winds gusted to only 28 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2002\u2026strong southwest winds in advance of a cold front gusted to 52 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2003\u2026severe thunderstorms produced 1 inch diameter hail 7 miles east of Brighton.\u00a0 Strong thunderstorm winds blew out an auto windshield near Denver International Airport where south winds gusted to 48 mph.<\/p>\n

17-18<\/p>\n

In 1878\u2026the wind blew violently all day on the 17th with a maximum sustained velocity of 40 mph.\u00a0 Dust hung over the city like a cloud.\u00a0 The relative humidity was zero nearly all day.\u00a0 A terrific gale blew overnight.\u00a0 There was much damage to buildings\u2026signs\u2026fences\u2026etc.\u00a0 Some wind gusts were so strong as to jar buildings to their foundations.\u00a0 The station anemometer recorded sustained winds to 50 mph with higher gusts before it was damaged by the winds.\u00a0 The winds moderated during the day on the 18th and ended at sunset.<\/p>\n

In 1894\u2026post-frontal rain changed to snow on the 17th around sunrise and continued through 9:00 am on the 18th. Snowfall totaled 10.5 inches\u2026but most of the snow melted as it fell.\u00a0 The high temperature warmed to only 35 degrees on the 17th after a high of 76 on the 16th.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 32 mph on the 17th.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026more spring snow fell across metro Denver and in the foothills.\u00a0 Snowfall totals included:\u00a0 11 inches at Golden Gate Canyon; 10 inches at Highlands Ranch; 9 inches at Elizabeth; 8 inches at Broomfield and Morrison; and 7 inches at Chief Hosa\u2026Evergreen\u2026Littleton\u2026and Sedalia. Snowfall totaled only 3.2 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 North winds gusted to 22 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

17-19<\/p>\n

In 1920\u2026snow fell across the city continuously for 57 hours\u2026 From the early morning of the 17th until 11:40 am on the 19th.\u00a0 The heavy wet snowfall totaled 18.2 inches with the greatest accumulation on the ground of 12 inches.\u00a0 Winds during the storm were strong with sustained speeds in excess of 27 mph for over 40 consecutive hours\u2026which created near-blizzard conditions.\u00a0 The highest recorded wind speeds were 44 mph with gusts to 50 mph from the north on the 17th and 39 mph with gusts to 48 mph from the northwest on the 18th.\u00a0 The strong winds piled the snow into high drifts which stopped all Denver traffic. Railroads were blocked with only one train entering the city on the 19th.\u00a0 All interurban trains were blocked\u2026as were the 13 trolley lines.\u00a0 Thus\u2026many workers were unable to get home at night and filled all of the downtown hotels to capacity.\u00a0 No grocery or fuel deliveries were possible\u2026 Except milk and coal to hospitals and to families with babies.\u00a0 No lives were lost in the city\u2026but several people perished in surrounding districts.\u00a0 Stock losses were heavy on the plains.\u00a0 Temperatures during the storm were in the 20\u2019s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are far from finished with winter weather as is clearly shown in our look back at this week in Denver weather history.\u00a0 There are many occurrences of snowstorms wreaking havoc in the Mile High City.\u00a0 One such notable event was just five years ago when 1 to 2.5 feet of snow was dumped on … Continue reading April 11 to April 17: 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":[380,81,106,62,741],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21481"}],"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=21481"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21482,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21481\/revisions\/21482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}