{"id":23356,"date":"2023-07-30T05:30:46","date_gmt":"2023-07-30T11:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=23356"},"modified":"2023-07-31T05:36:26","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T11:36:26","slug":"july-30-to-august-5-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/weather-history\/july-30-to-august-5-this-week-in-denver-weather-history-2\/","title":{"rendered":"July 30 to August 5: This week in Denver weather history"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

How does 42 degrees sound right about now? That mark is one of the highlights of this week in Denver weather history. It was the low temperature recorded twice in our past and the coldest July temperature on record. Many more notable events have also occurred.<\/p>\n

From the National Weather Service:<\/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

18-2<\/p>\n

In 1987\u2026a streak of 16 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 4th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.<\/p>\n

27-31<\/p>\n

In 1956\u202696 percent of the total precipitation for the month of July occurred over the last five days of the month. Heavy thunderstorms produced 4.00 inches of rainfall at Stapleton Airport. This amount of precipitation in 5 days or less had been exceeded only 3 times in previous record. The last time had been in December of 1913 as snow. Considerable property damage occurred across metro Denver from flooding.<\/p>\n

28-30<\/p>\n

In 1889\u2026dense smoke from forest fires in the mountains obscured the sun over the city for three days.<\/p>\n

In 1971\u2026a vigorous cold front late on the 28th produced northeast wind gusts to 39 mph and record breaking cold temperatures on the 29th and 30th. The temperature dipped to 47 degrees on the 29th and 43 degrees on the 30th\u2026 Setting record minimums for the dates. Upslope cloudiness along with rain and fog early on the 29th helped set a record low maximum temperature of 58 degrees for the date.<\/p>\n

29-30<\/p>\n

In 1997\u2026heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding in central portions of Adams and Arapahoe counties. Two homes were extensively damaged when water flooded the basements and adjacent pasture area in Strasburg. Water 4 to 5 feet deep had pooled in the lower lying areas of the town. A portion of Quincy Road was closed in Arapahoe County when 4 feet of water covered the roadway. Rainfall totaled 3.06 inches at Denver International Airport\u2026establishing a new record for 24-hour rainfall in July. The previous record was 2.42 inches set in 1965 on the 24th and 25th.<\/p>\n

30<\/p>\n

In 1879\u2026lightning struck a brick kiln in north Denver. Three men were knocked senseless\u2026but all recovered. Rainfall in the city was only 0.09 inch.<\/p>\n

In 1881\u2026a thunderstorm dumped heavy rain and hail on the city\u2026causing street flooding and much damage. A heavy torrent of rain fell with 1.10 inches measured in just 20 minutes. Storm total rainfall was 1.60 inches. The rain turned streets into running streams. Wood street crossings were torn up and washed away. The storm caused great damage by flooding many cellars where goods were stored. The brick yards suffered severe damage when the heavy rainfall destroyed many unfired bricks.<\/p>\n

In 1913\u2026northeast winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts to 48 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1939\u2026a thunderstorm produced 0.08 inch of rainfall. This was the only measurable precipitation of the month\u2026making the month the second driest July on record.<\/p>\n

In 1961\u2026heavy rain and lightning disrupted power lines and caused flooding in Denver. Thunderstorm rains totaled 1.60 inches at 11th and Lincoln in central Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026hail 3\/4 to 1 inch in diameter fell in central and southeast Denver and in Littleton. Rainfall of 1.50 inches occurred in just 30 minutes in Littleton. There was some street flooding in both cities with wind gusts up to 55 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1984\u2026central Aurora was hit by a downpour that produced 1.80 inches of rain and sent water 2 to 3 feet deep into some streets. Before the rain stopped later in the evening\u2026 The storm had dropped as much as 2.80 inches of moisture on the city. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled only 0.82 inch at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1985\u2026a tornado was spotted in open country 10 miles southwest of Bennett. No damage was reported. One inch hail was reported in south Lakewood.<\/p>\n

In 1997\u2026one man was killed and his girlfriend critically injured when they were struck by lightning on the Kennedy Golf Course in southeast Denver. Both were struck in the head when they took refuge under a tree during a downpour. Lightning struck a home in unincorporated Arapahoe County east of Buckley Field. The fire started in the electrical panel boxes\u2026causing extensive damage to the home. Heavy rain and hail triggered a flash flood in Boulder\u2026which sent water through a window of the financial aid office on the University of Colorado campus. In addition\u2026ceiling tiles\u2026carpets\u2026and dressing rooms were damaged at the Coors Events Center when a pipe draining rainwater broke during the downpour. In all\u202610 buildings on the campus received water damage estimated at 100 thousand dollars. Hail as large as 1.25 inches in diameter accompanied the heavy rain in Boulder. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.71 inches at Denver International Airport where west winds gusted to 41 mph. This was the greatest calendar day official precipitation ever recorded in July.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026heavy rain\u2026up to 3 inches in an hour\u2026caused flash flooding problems from Castle Rock to Parker. I-25 north of Castle Rock was closed as high waters covered sections of the highway. Some cars were left floating in the flood waters.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 70 mph at a wind sensor on the northeast corner of Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 71 mph in Evergreen.<\/p>\n

In 2005\u2026the temperature climbed to a high of 101 degrees at Denver International Airport. This was a new record maximum temperature for the date. In addition\u2026this was the 7th day of the month with a high temperature of 100 degrees or more\u2026which set a new Denver record for the most 100 degree days in a month\u2026for a season\u2026and in a year.<\/p>\n

In 2019…a severe thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 58 mph from the north at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2021…a thunderstorm produced heavy rainfall…anywhere from 3.5 to 4.5 inches…produced flash flooding in Erie. Standing water stranded vehicles at the Intersection of Highway 7 and Mountain View Blvd. The fire department had to rescue a few motorists from their vehicles. A couple of basements also flooded.<\/p>\n

31<\/p>\n

In 1873\u2026the all-time lowest recorded temperature in July\u2026 42 degrees\u2026occurred. The same temperature also occurred on July 4\u20261903.<\/p>\n

In 1874\u2026during the late afternoon rain and hail fell for 5 minutes followed by brief heavy rain. Pieces of solid ice of irregular shape fell upon the roof of the station. The hail stones measured 1 1\/2 inches in diameter. Precipitation (rain and melted hail) was only 0.16 inch.<\/p>\n

In 1889\u2026the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1919\u2026heavy thunderstorm rainfall totaled 2.59 inches in downtown Denver during the evening. Rainfall was 1.90 inches in an hour\u2026a new record at that time.<\/p>\n

In 1961\u2026over an inch of rain in a short period of time caused flooding of streets and basements in Denver. Rainfall totaled 1.30 inches at 11th and Lincoln in central Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1964\u2026the temperature reached 91 degrees in Denver\u2026making this the 27th day of the month that the temperature reached 90 degrees or more. This is the all time record for 90 degree days in a month in Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026one inch diameter hail fell in Hudson northeast of Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1976\u2026during the evening hours extremely heavy thunderstorm rains produced flash flooding in Big Thompson Canyon which killed 144 people between Estes Park and Loveland. No significant weather occurred in metro Denver at the time.<\/p>\n

In 1987\u20261 inch diameter hail fell in Lakewood and 3\/4 inch hail fell near Louisville. Southeast Boulder County was drenched with 1.25 inches of rain in just 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

In 1993\u2026thunderstorm winds damaged a chimney of a home near Parker.<\/p>\n

In 1996\u2026a weak tornado (f0) was sighted 12 miles east of Denver International Airport. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u2026heavy monsoonal thunderstorm rain triggered a mud slide in Blackhawk. The mudslide blocked Main St. and caused an estimated half million dollars in damage to a casino. Heavy thunderstorm rain\u2026up to 3 inches in an hour\u2026caused a flash flood along Buffalo Creek. Portions of County Road 126 just south of the town of Buffalo Creek were washed out. The flood waters nearly washed away the bridge as mud and debris slammed into the structure. Hail to 1 3\/4 inches in diameter fell near Idaho Springs.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026severe thunderstorm winds toppled a 65-foot blue spruce tree in Parker. The tree landed on a home damaging the roof and gutters. The downed tree poked dozens of holes into the shingles.<\/p>\n

In 2013\u2026severe thunderstorm winds\u2026 with gusts estimated to 80\u00a0mph\u2026downed power poles which caused scattered outages in and\u00a0around Byers\u2026Bennett and Strasburg. Some property damage was\u00a0also observed. Near Byers\u2026aluminum siding and roofing was\u00a0peeled off sheds. Large hail\u2026up to one inch in diameter\u2026 was\u00a0reported north of Bennett. At Denver International Airport\u2026a peak wind gust to 40 mph was observed from the northeast.<\/p>\n

<\/span>1<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1888\u2026heavy rain in the mountains and foothills caused flooding on clear creek in Golden. The high waters also washed away portions of the railroad tracks in the canyon between Idaho Springs and Golden.<\/p>\n

In 1901\u2026the temperature reached a high of 100 degrees in the city.<\/p>\n

In 1902\u2026the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1914\u2026a thunderstorm produced 1.00 inch of rainfall in just 21 minutes and north winds sustained at 43 mph with gusts to 50 mph. Rainfall totaled 1.17 inches.<\/p>\n

In 1938\u2026the temperature climbed to a high of 100 degrees in downtown Denver\u2026which is the record maximum for the date. The temperature was also recorded on this date in previous years.<\/p>\n

In 1976\u2026flight operations at Stapleton International Airport were suspended for 90 minutes when the airport tower radar was knocked out and water reached a foot deep on some taxi ramps after 1.50 inches of rain fell in one hour. Heavy rain also caused minor flooding in east Denver and Aurora where lightning damaged the roof of a home and injured the owner. One young man was swept down a flooded ditch\u2026but was rescued by firemen. A number of rafts were floated in flooded streets. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 1.71 inches at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1978\u2026a tornado damaged a house and broke a power pole 5 miles northwest of Parker. A microburst wind gust to 52 mph briefly reduced visibility to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1985\u2026heavy thunderstorms roared through the southern and western sections of metro Denver\u2026producing large hail and heavy rain. Lightning hit a recreational vehicle trailer causing it to burn. There was a lot of street flooding over western suburbs where rainfall totaled over 2 inches in some areas. One inch diameter hail was reported in Littleton and near Evergreen. Hail piled 4 to 6 inches deep at Tinytown in the foothills southwest of Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026a small rope-like tornado was spotted in open country 15 miles southeast of centennial airport. No damage was reported from the twister.<\/p>\n

In 1992\u2026pilots reported a funnel cloud near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. A few minutes later\u2026a tornado was reported near Bennett. The tornado remained on the ground for about 18 minutes and was visible from the national weather service office at Stapleton International Airport. Thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph were reported near Bennett and Watkins with a wind gust to 60 mph at Brighton. Two men were injured when struck by lightning. A young man sustained serious injuries when struck by lightning while jet skiing on Cheery Creek Reservoir. A man received only minor injuries when struck by lightning while golfing in Westminster.<\/p>\n

In 1994\u2026heavy thunderstorm rains in the foothills west of Denver caused the closure of the Virginia Canyon Road north of Idaho Springs by rocks and debris.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026a 34 year old man on the South Platte River bike path in Denver received minor injuries when lightning struck a nearby tree. Lightning\u2026coupled with strong thunderstorm winds\u2026knocked out electrical power to about 10 thousand homes and businesses in Golden.<\/p>\n

In 2006\u2026strong thunderstorms hit southern metro Denver. A severe thunderstorm wind gust estimated to 71 mph knocked down a tree in Aurora near Cherry Creek. Lightning sparked a fire in a home near lone tree and struck a transformer at an RTD light rail station at Interstate 25 and Yosemite Street. Heavy thunderstorm rainfall forced the closure of Arapahoe Road between Holly and Quebec streets due to high water. Flooding was also reported near Park Meadows Mall and Greenwood Village. Heavy rainfall also caused flooding in Highlands Ranch\u2026lone tree\u2026and Parker. Water up to 6 inches deep was reportedly running over the roads.<\/p>\n

1 – 31<\/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

2<\/p>\n

In 1878\u2026the high temperature reached 100 degrees in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1911\u2026an apparent dry microburst produced sustained west winds to 42 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1972\u2026one workman was killed and another injured when a strong gust of wind destroyed a partially completed apartment building in south Denver. Hail to 1 3\/4 inch diameter fell in Golden.<\/p>\n

In 1973\u2026hail to 3\/4 inch diameter was reported in Boulder.<\/p>\n

In 1986\u2026a major outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred along the Front Range. Thunderstorms developed explosively. Some places were hit by large hail twice. Two inch diameter hail broke car windows on I-25 west of Brighton\u2026and up to 1 1\/4 inch hail broke windows in Thornton. Baseball size hail damaged several planes near Watkins. Funnel clouds were sighted around Aurora. Hail over 1\/2 inch in diameter covered the ground 3 to 4 inches deep at Hudson northeast of Denver. Most of the hail fell north of metro Denver\u2026but 3\/4 inch diameter hail was measured at Stapleton International Airport. Total damage from the hail storms this day was estimated at over 10 million dollars.<\/p>\n

In 1991\u2026late afternoon thunderstorms produced heavy rain across metro Denver. Two feet of water covered parts of I-25 in southeast Denver\u2026while one foot of water covered parts of U.S. Highway 285 in Englewood. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.50 inch at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 2001\u2026severe thunderstorms producing heavy rain and hail\u2026 Either washed out or damaged several County roads in the Watkins and Bennett areas. A small tornado (f0) touched down near Bennett\u2026but did no damage. Hail as large as 1 3\/4 inches in diameter fell near Watkins. One inch diameter hail was measured near Hudson and Keenesburg.<\/p>\n

In 2008\u2026strong winds blew several trees down in Denver\u2026 Damaging homes and downing power lines. A peak wind gust of 67 mph occurred at Centennial airport\u2026with gusts to 60 mph estimated in Denver. A peak wind gust of 37 mph was measured at Denver International Airport. An elderly man was killed when a wind damaged tree broke free and crushed him while he attempted to remove it. The downed power lines caused outages to about 500 Xcel Energy customers.<\/p>\n

2-3<\/p>\n

In 1876\u2026grasshoppers were in great abundance in the city and caused considerable damage to gardens and to crops in the surrounding farms and ranches.<\/p>\n

In 1951\u2026heavy thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver through the night. Heavy rain totaled 3.45 inches at Stapleton Airport. This was the greatest 24 hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of August in Denver.<\/p>\n

In 2007\u2026heavy rain caused localized flash flooding near Ft. Lupton. Up to 8 inches of water was reported across County road 18.<\/p>\n

In addition\u2026several other County roads in the immediate area were washed out.<\/p>\n

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

In 1878\u2026the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1900\u2026a thunderstorm produced west winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 55 mph\u2026but only a trace of rain.<\/p>\n

In 1903\u2026a thunderstorm produced a trace of rainfall and northwest winds sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph. The high temperature was 99 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1927\u2026a thunderstorm produced hail and sustained north winds to 22 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1933\u2026heavy cloudburst rains caused the failure of the Castlewood dam\u2026which resulted in flash flooding on Cherry Creek\u2026the deaths of 7 people in Denver\u2026and flood damage estimated at 1 million dollars. Lower Denver was flooded during the morning by waters pouring down Cherry Creek and its valley from Castlewood Dam\u2026which had broken between midnight and 2:00 am. Heavy rain of 3 to 9 inches in 9 hours in the watershed above the dam resulted in the failure. At 7:30 am\u2026the flow in Cherry Creek was reported at 16 thousand second-feet as compared with a peak flow of 3 thousand second-feet in other years. The flood waters ruined hundreds of acres of crops and drowned scores of farm animals. Six bridges in Denver were swept away. Great deposits of mud were left in the lower sections of the city\u2026including hundreds of basements and lower floors of buildings. At the end of the month\u2026a deadly stench still rose from swampy areas near the lower city limits.<\/p>\n

In 1963\u2026heavy thunderstorm rains in the Parker area caused Cherry Creek to overflow\u2026which damaged roads.<\/p>\n

In 1985\u2026a tornado touched down briefly about 10 miles northeast of Parker. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1991\u2026upslope northeast winds produced chilly temperature readings and heavy rain across metro Denver. Rainfall\u2026 With no thunder\u2026totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the heavy rain briefly reduced the surface visibility to 7\/8 mile. The mercury climbed to a high of only 63 degrees.<\/p>\n

In 1992\u2026a thunderstorm wind gust to 64 mph was recorded in Brighton. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. Lightning started a fire in an Evergreen church\u2026causing over 75 thousand dollars in damage.<\/p>\n

In 1998\u20263\/4 inch hail fell in Jefferson County 15 miles northwest of Arvada.<\/p>\n

In 2006\u2026heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding along Leyden Creek in unincorporated Jefferson County. An automated rain gauge on upper Leyden Creek\u20266 miles northwest of Arvada\u2026measured 2.68 inches of rainfall in less than 2 hours. Two to three feet of water covered the roadway at the intersection of 82nd and Quaker Street.<\/p>\n

In 2009\u2026a woman riding her bike\u2026in training for an ironman triathlon\u2026was struck by lightning in Boulder. She was in the 78th mile of a 100-mile training ride when she was hit. The woman lost her vision initially and couldn\u2019t move her arms. After a short stay in the hospital\u2026she made of complete recovery.<\/p>\n

In 2013\u2026severe wet microburst thunderstorms produced\u00a0damaging winds and very heavy rain in and around Buckley\u00a0Air Force Base\u2026Erie and Lafayette. Peak gusts included:\u00a068 mph in Erie\u202661 mph at Buckley AFB\u2026 and 60 mph in\u00a0Broomfield\u20264 miles east-southeast of Erie and Lafayette.\u00a0In Erie\u2026a velodrom under construction was heavily damaged\u00a0by heavy rain and high winds. The wind toppled the eastern\u00a0third of the 250-meter cycling track. Bolts measuring\u00a0one-half-inch thick by 7 1\/2 inches in length were ripped out\u00a0of concrete footers while 16-inch-wide trusses\u2026collapsed\u00a0under the force of the wind. In town\u2026heavy rain\u2026 around\u00a02.5 inches in less than one hour\u2026caused extensive street\u00a0flooding. The intense wind also downed trees which resulted\u00a0in localized power outages. In addition\u2026an empty semi-trailer\u00a0was blown on its side. A weak non supercell tornado touched\u00a0down briefly in an open field\u20267 miles northwest of Hudson.\u00a0The storm forced seven incoming flights at Denver\u00a0International Airport to be diverted and contributed to\u00a045-minute delays for others. At Denver International\u00a0Airport\u2026a peak wind gust of 55 mph was observed from the\u00a0northeast\u2026with 0.66 inches of rainfall recorded. The very\u00a0heavy rain produced flash flooding in part of Aurora. Road\u00a0closures were set up in both directions on both Picadilly Road\u00a0and Gun Club Road\u2026just north of Buckley AFB. A man had to be\u00a0rescued when his car was trapped in flood waters at the\u00a0intersection of 6th Ave. and Picadilly Road. Flash Flooding\u00a0was also observed at the junction of E-470 and I-70 with water\u00a0running over the road.<\/p>\n

In 2018…a gust front associated with a dissipating thunderstorm moved out of the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties continued to push eastward into Denver. The storm knocked down trees and branches. Power lines were also damaged which produced scattered outages. Peak wind gusts included: 67 mph near Gold Hill…64 mph in south Boulder…62 mph at Rocky Mountain Metropolitain Airport…and 60 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

3-4<\/p>\n

In 1988\u2026two inches of rain fell in 3 hours at both Morrison and wheat ridge. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch overnight at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

In 1889\u2026southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with an extreme velocity to 52 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1924\u20260.01 inch of rain fell over downtown Denver. This along with the 0.01 inch of rainfall on the 10th was the only rainfall of the month\u2026the driest August on record.<\/p>\n

In 1963\u2026heavy rains in the foothills above Idaho Springs caused mud and rock slides which closed U.S. Highways 6 and 40 for a time.<\/p>\n

In 1976\u2026hail to 1 inch diameter was reported 12 miles southwest of Denver. Hail to 3\/4 inch in diameter was reported in Lakewood. Small hail\u20261\/4 to 1\/2 inch in diameter\u2026fell at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u2026heavy rain poured through the roof of a clothing store in Aurora\u2026causing widespread water damage. The roof was being repaired when the storm hit.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026hail up to one inch in diameter fell in Aurora where heavy rain produced street flooding.<\/p>\n

In 1984\u2026a Colorado state trooper was struck and injured by lightning in Northglenn.<\/p>\n

In 1989\u2026a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1997\u2026lightning sparked a small fire in a home in Arvada\u2026 Causing minor damage. Several intersections in both Arvada and Westminster were flooded by thunderstorms producing heavy rain. Several cars were damaged by the high waters\u2026 And a number of businesses were flooded.<\/p>\n

In 1999\u2026flooding and flash flooding problems developed over metro Denver as slow moving thunderstorms dumped from 2 to 3.5 inches of rainfall in about 3 hours. Near the junction of I-25 and U.S. Highway 36\u2026up to 4 feet of water flooded an auto dealership. About 45 cars were ruined. Damage estimates to the dealership alone totaled nearly a half million dollars. Sections of I-25 and U.S. 36 near the interchange were closed due to floodwaters. Floodwaters\u2026 Up to 5 feet deep\u2026forced the evacuation of two mobile home parks in Federal Heights. Railroad tracks were washed out near Federal Blvd. and 64th Avenue. Numerous power outages caused widespread blackouts in Thornton and Littleton. Along Massey Draw near Carr St. and Chatfield Reservoir\u20264 homes were flood damaged and portions of their backyards washed out. Widespread street flooding was also reported in Boulder where several buildings were flood damaged\u2026including the University of Colorado memorial center.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026two golfers were shocked when lightning struck the eighth green of the golf course at Castle Pines north of Castle Rock. The two men suffered only minor injuries. Heavy thunderstorm rain from the same storm caused flash flooding. Floodwaters rushed across parts of U.S. Highway 85 near the entrance to the Castle Pines Golf Club. The traffic lanes were covered with up to 6 inches of running water.<\/p>\n

In 2008\u2026lightning sparked a grassfire that consumed 300 acres on the northern edge of Green Mountain\u2026in Jefferson County. Gusty winds and very dry conditions allowed the wildfire to quickly spread and threaten several houses. Fortunately\u2026only minor damage was reported to homes due to smoke and melted siding.<\/p>\n

In 2018 a severe thunderstorm produced strong winds in and around Denver. A peak wind gust to 60 mph was observed near Firestone with a gust to 59 mph near Buckley Air Force Base. A peak wind gust to 40 mph from the southwest was observed at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

5<\/p>\n

In 1881\u2026the low temperature cooled to only 76 degrees\u2026the record high minimum temperature for the month.<\/p>\n

In 1889\u2026southwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1918\u2026hail pelted the city\u2026but was light and caused no damage. Precipitation totaled 0.25 inch. Northwest winds were sustained to 31 mph.<\/p>\n

In 1964\u2026lightning struck two boys in Denver while playing ball. One was treated and released from the hospital\u2026but the other boy suffered second degree electrical shock and cardiac arrest and was hospitalized in critical condition for several days.<\/p>\n

In 1969\u2026two tornadoes touched down briefly in an open field southeast of Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1970\u2026heavy rain in the Indian Hills area in the foothills west of Denver caused flash flooding\u2026which washed out roads and damaged other property. Hail accumulated to a 3 inch depth with stones up to golf ball size; however\u2026most of the damage was from flooding.<\/p>\n

In 1982\u20262.38 inches of rain fell in an hour in Arvada\u2026 Causing minor flooding on Ralston Creek.<\/p>\n

In Westminster\u2026 1 1\/2 inches of rain fell\u2026causing damage to streets and culverts.<\/p>\n

In addition\u2026lightning caused some minor power outages across metro Denver.<\/p>\n

In 1983\u2026very heavy thunderstorms hit the southern portion of metro Denver. Heavy rainfall\u2026as much as 2.89 inches in 38 minutes\u2026caused widespread street flooding in southeast Denver. Two feet of water covered a section of I-25. Hail up to golf ball size accompanied the storm in Littleton and Englewood\u2026along with 60 mph winds.<\/p>\n

In 1984\u2026a heavy thunderstorm drenched Littleton with up to 2.35 inches of rain in an hour\u2026along with small hail that piled up to 2 inches deep. Flood waters were up to 4 feet deep in parts of town with many basements flooded. There were some power outages caused by lightning.<\/p>\n

In 1990\u2026a thunderstorm dumped 1.25 inches of rain in 12 minutes near tower and smoky hill roads in southeast Aurora. Minor street flooding was reported in the area.<\/p>\n

In 1992\u2026a pilot reported two funnel clouds near Cheery Creek Reservoir. Both dissipated quickly. Dime size hail fell near Franktown.<\/p>\n

In 1994\u2026one inch diameter hail fell near Strasburg. No damage was reported.<\/p>\n

In 1999\u2026a dog kennel east of Denver International Airport\u2026 Was flooded when a small dam\u2026upstream in Elbert County\u2026 Was breached. The floodwaters\u2026up to 4 feet deep\u2026washed away some 6-foot fences and other small buildings. Ten of the 70 dogs boarded at the kennel drowned.<\/p>\n

In 2002\u2026a mail carrier was struck by lightning as he inserted a key into a multi-unit mailbox in Bailey. The shock knocked the man back against the mail truck. He suffered minor injuries. Lightning struck a residence in Commerce City. The resulting fire destroyed the roof of a detached garage and damaged much of its contents. Hail as large as 1 3\/4 inches in diameter pelted pine. One inch diameter hail fell in Arvada and southwest Denver. Heavy rain triggered a mudslide along U.S. Highway 285 near Bailey. Both lanes of traffic had to be closed until debris could be removed from the highway. Several residences in the Bailey and Glenisle areas were also flooded.<\/p>\n

In 2004\u2026heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused localized flash flooding in Virginia Canyon near Idaho Springs. Sections of the Virginia Canyon Road had to be closed due to the floodwaters.<\/p>\n

In 2008\u2026a severe thunderstorm produced large hail\u2026up to 1 1\/4 inches in diameter\u2026northeast of Parker. Several automobiles were damaged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How does 42 degrees sound right about now? That mark is one of the highlights of this week in Denver weather history. It was the low temperature recorded twice in our past and the coldest July temperature on record. Many more notable events have also occurred. From the National Weather Service: 13-5 In 2008\u2026a streak … Continue reading July 30 to August 5: 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":[26,81,106,62,34,741],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23356"}],"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=23356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23357,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23356\/revisions\/23357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}