{"id":3196,"date":"2010-12-19T05:14:23","date_gmt":"2010-12-19T12:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/?p=3196"},"modified":"2010-12-19T05:14:23","modified_gmt":"2010-12-19T12:14:23","slug":"december-19-to-december-25-this-week-in-denver-weather-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/weather-history\/december-19-to-december-25-this-week-in-denver-weather-history\/","title":{"rendered":"December 19 to December 25 – This week in Denver weather history"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"December
December 19 to December 25 - This week in Denver weather history.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cold and snow dominate our look at the week leading up to the Christmas holiday.\u00a0 Certainly the infamous Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 is the one event that most long-time resident will remember as it was truly one for the history books.\u00a0 Also notable was a cold front that moved through in 1988 that dropped temperatures well below zero and was responsible for at least five deaths.<\/p>\n

17-24<\/p>\n

In 1924…a prolonged cold spell occurred after mild temperatures during the first half of the month.\u00a0 Most low temperatures dipped below zero with the coldest reading of 15 degrees below zero occurring on the 24th. The high temperature of only 5 degrees on the 18th was a record low maximum for the date.<\/p>\n

18-24<\/p>\n

In 1998…a vigorous cold front with north winds gusting as high as 38 mph at Denver International Airport on the 18th dropped temperatures from a high of 51 degrees to a low of just 6 degrees before midnight.\u00a0 The arctic air mass that settled over metro Denver produced intermittent light snow and a week-long protracted cold spell that caused low temperatures to plunge well below zero for 6 consecutive nights.\u00a0 The coldest temperature was 19 degrees below zero on the morning of the 22nd.\u00a0 High temperatures climbed only into the single digits on 4 consecutive days…from the 19th through the 22nd.\u00a0 At least 15 people…mostly homeless… Were treated for hypothermia at area hospitals.\u00a0 The bitter cold weather was responsible…either directly or indirectly… For at least 5 fatalities.\u00a0 Three of the victims died directly from exposure.\u00a0 The cold weather also caused intermittent power outages.\u00a0 Following the cold snap… Thawing water pipes cracked and burst in several homes and businesses…causing extensive damage.\u00a0 Only one temperature record was set.\u00a0 The high temperature of only 7 degrees on the 19th set a record low maximum for the date.<\/p>\n

19<\/p>\n

In 1913…post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 8.5 inches over downtown Denver.\u00a0 North winds were sustained to only 16 mph.
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\nIn 1994…an intense pacific storm system and associated cold front moved across Colorado early in the day.\u00a0 Strong downslope winds buffeted the Front Range eastern foothills. The highest wind gust recorded was 92 mph at Rocky Flats in northern Jefferson County.\u00a0 Most of the wind gusts during the day ranged from 63 to 86 mph with lighter gusts of 40 to 58 mph on the northeast plains.\u00a0 The strong winds downed power lines and poles in south Lakewood…causing power outages to 2400 homes.\u00a0 Other small power outages and surges occurred across metro Denver.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

19-20<\/p>\n

In 1982…high winds buffeted the eastern foothills.\u00a0 At midday on the 19th…gusts of 75 to 80 mph were recorded in the Table Mesa area of Boulder.\u00a0 A gust to 62 mph was clocked in Boulder on the evening of the 20th.
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\nIn 1989…strong winds howled at mountain top level in clear creek and Gilpin counties.\u00a0 Speeds reached 97 mph on the summit of Squaw Mountain and 84 mph one mile south of Rollinsville.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 20th.<\/p>\n

19-23<\/p>\n

In 1990…a surge of very cold arctic air invaded metro Denver.\u00a0 Many temperature records were broken as the mercury remained at or below zero for 85.5 hours at Stapleton International Airport…making it the third longest period of subzero readings in 118 years of record keeping.\u00a0 On the morning of the 22nd…the mercury plunged to 25 degrees below zero…which equaled the all time record low temperature for the month set on December 24…1876. In the foothills southwest of Denver at tiny town…the mercury plunged to 33 degrees below zero on the morning of the 21st.\u00a0 On the same morning at Castle Rock the temperature dipped to 26 degrees below zero.\u00a0 During the period…other daily temperature records were set at Denver…including:\u00a0 record low maximum of 3 degrees below zero on the 20th and a record low of 17 degrees below zero on the 23rd.\u00a0 The record low was equaled with 16 degrees below zero on the 20th and 21 degrees below zero on the 21st.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at Stapleton International Airport from the 19th through the 21st.<\/p>\n

20<\/p>\n

In 1894…southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 48 mph.\u00a0 The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a maximum of 69 degrees…which was a record high temperature for the date.\u00a0 The minimum temperature dipped to only 33 degrees.
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\nIn 1903…northwest Chinook winds sustained to 54 mph with gusts to 60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.
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\nIn 1948…strong winds occurred along the eastern foothills from Boulder north.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 45 mph were recorded at Valmont with a gust to 30 mph at Boulder airport.\u00a0 Some damage occurred.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 50 mph caused some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
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\nIn 1957…strong Chinook winds…gusting to 51 mph from the northwest…warmed the afternoon temperature to a high of 54 degrees.
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\nIn 1981 high winds were reported in the foothills with a peak gust of 87 mph recorded at Wondervu.
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\nIn 1992…strong Chinook winds raked the eastern foothills with 69 mph recorded at Table Mesa in south Boulder. Southwest winds gusted to only 21 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 1996…five construction workers were injured…two seriously…when a sudden wind gust blew over a 30-foot- high retaining wall they were working on in western Lakewood.\u00a0 The scaffolding they were standing on collapsed…and some were pinned under the rubble for 15 minutes.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph were reported in the area.\u00a0 Southwest winds gusted to only 24 mph at Denver International Airport.
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\nIn 2004…strong downslope winds developed over the eastern mountain slopes and spread over metro Denver.\u00a0 Peak wind gusts approached 100 mph along the foothills of Boulder County.\u00a0 In superior…a 1200-square-foot section of roof was peeled off the gymnasium at monarch high school. Two semi-trailers were toppled on Colorado highway 58 at mcintyre street and another at c-470 and west Bowles Avenue.\u00a0 Two airplanes were damaged by wind-blown debris at Jefferson County Airport.\u00a0 The high winds forced the closure of State Highway 93 between Golden and Boulder for approximately two hours.\u00a0 Insurance agents estimated 650 to 850 homes suffered wind damage in the Boulder and Louisville areas.\u00a0 In addition…downed trees and power lines left about 1000 residents…mainly in the Boulder area…without electricity.\u00a0 At least three people suffered minor injuries in the storm.\u00a0 Peak wind reports included:\u00a0 95 mph in superior…92 mph at Jefferson County Airport…85 mph in Golden…81 mph in Boulder…80 mph in Broomfield and Evergreen…and 79 mph in Louisville.\u00a0 West northwest winds gusted to 59 mph at Denver International Airport.<\/p>\n

20-21<\/p>\n

In 1969…high winds caused widespread…but mostly minor damage to roofs…windows…and power lines and overturned some house trailers in areas along and just east of the foothills.\u00a0 Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph were reported in Boulder and south of Boulder at Rocky Flats.\u00a0 A wind gust to 115 mph was measured in Boulder at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.\u00a0 At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 44 mph on the 20th and to 45 mph on the 21st.\u00a0 The warm Chinook winds warmed the high temperature to 56 degrees on the 20th and to 65 degrees on the 21st.
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\nIn 2006…a major blizzard buried greater metro Denver and the adjacent foothills in deep snow.\u00a0 A slow moving upper level low pressure center produced deep moist upslope flow over the high plains and against the eastern slopes of the mountains…allowing heavy snowfall to persist for 34 hours across metro Denver.\u00a0 Total snow accumulations ranged from 1 to 2 1\/2 feet across the city and from 2 to nearly 4 feet in the foothills.\u00a0 Adding to the misery… Strong north winds sustained at 20 to 35 mph with gusts from 45 to nearly 60 mph produced much blowing snow and piled the snow into drifts from 6 to 12 feet high…closing businesses and bringing all transportation to a halt.\u00a0 The storm forced the closure of Denver International Airport for a total of 45 hours which snarled the nation’s air traffic system.\u00a0 This was the longest closure in the airport’s 12 year history.\u00a0 The closure stranded nearly 5000 travelers when 2000 flights were canceled.\u00a0 Many inbound flights were diverted to other airports…stranding even more passengers.\u00a0 Many of the stranded travelers failed to reach their final destinations until days after the airport re-opened due to fully booked flights during the holiday season.\u00a0 Police and national guardsmen rescued hundreds of commuters stuck in their cars…and sent them to temporary shelters set up by the Red Cross.\u00a0 All interstates and other major highways in and out of Denver were closed. Greyhound was forced to cancel all bus trips from Denver. Mail delivery was suspended.\u00a0 The regional transportation district suspended all metro Denver bus service for the first time since the March 2003 blizzard.\u00a0 The roof of a discount store in Aurora collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow.\u00a0 In Lakewood…a power outage left 5600 residents without electricity for a brief time.\u00a0 Metro Denver snowfall amounts included:\u00a0 34 inches 10 miles southeast of Buckley AFB…32 inches in Littleton…30 inches in Thornton and near Castle Rock…29.5 inches near Parker…28 inches in Wheat Ridge…25.5 inches at centennial airport…25 inches at Niwot…24 inches in Aurora…22.5 inches at Greenwood Village… 22 inches in Arvada…21.5 inches in Lakewood…20 inches in Longmont…and 15.5 inches in Boulder.\u00a0 Snowfall measured 20.7 inches officially in the Denver Stapleton area.\u00a0 This ranked the snowfall as the 7th greatest in the city since 1946. North winds were sustained to 37 mph with gusts to 55 mph at Denver International Airport.\u00a0 In the foothills snowfall totaled:\u00a0 42 inches at conifer and 11 miles southwest of Boulder…40 inches at Evergreen…39 inches at Aspen Springs… 37.5 inches 8 miles north of Blackhawk…33 inches near Nederland…31 inches at Intercanyon and near Tiny Town…30.5 inches atop Buckhorn Mountain…30 inches near Indian Hills… 29 inches at Rollinsville…24 inches near Gross Reservoir and Ralston Reservoir…22.4 inches atop Crow Hill…and 20 inches near Georgetown.\u00a0 Snowpacked and rutted streets and parking lots persisted for a month or more after the storm and subsequent storms.\u00a0 The heavy snowfall created a snow removal controversy when many citizens complained that residential streets were not cleared in a timely manner in the city and in some suburban areas.\u00a0 This was in spite of the fact that tens of millions of dollars were spent on snow removal.\u00a0 In the city of Denver…snow cover of an inch or more from this storm and subsequent storms persisted for 61 consecutive days…through February 19…2007.\u00a0 This is the second longest period of snow cover on record in the city. Many homeowners who had extensive Christmas lights and decorations in their yards were not able to remove the lights because the wires were buried in deep snow and ice until the end of February or later.<\/p>\n

20-22<\/p>\n

In 1933…strong downslope winds produced a warm spell. Low temperatures of 43 degrees on both the 20th and 21st and 41 degrees on the 22nd were record high minimums for those dates.\u00a0 High temperature of 67 degrees on the 21st was a record maximum for the date.\u00a0 High temperatures of 56 degrees on the 20th and 69 degrees on the 22nd were not records; however…the 69 degrees was the warmest of the month.\u00a0 West to northwest winds were sustained to 20 and 24 mph on the 21st and 22nd respectively.<\/p>\n

20-23<\/p>\n

In 1918…light snowfall on each day totaled 12.0 inches over downtown Denver.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 16 mph on the 21st.<\/p>\n

20-25<\/p>\n

In 1983…an extremely bitter cold spell occurred.\u00a0 The temperature remained below zero for 115 hours in Denver… The longest sub-zero period on record.\u00a0 The mercury dipped to 21 degrees below zero on the 21st…the coldest recorded temperature in over 20 years.\u00a0 The cold was accompanied by winds that plunged chill factors to 50 to 70 degrees below zero.\u00a0 Two people froze to death in Denver; both were found outside dead of exposure.\u00a0 Numerous cases of frostbite were reported.\u00a0 Hundreds of water pipes broke from the intense cold…water mains and natural gas lines also fractured…and electricity consumption reached record levels.\u00a0 Light snow totaling 5.8 inches fell at times…and holiday traffic was delayed at Stapleton International Airport for several hours.\u00a0 Eight daily temperature records were set at the time.\u00a0 The all-time record low maximum temperature for the month of 8 degrees below zero on the 21st still stands today.\u00a0 Other temperature records still standing include record low maximum temperatures of 5 degrees below zero on both the 22nd and 23rd and 4 degrees below zero on the 24th.<\/p>\n

21<\/p>\n

In 1884…light snow fell from an apparent cloudless sky between 4:15 am and 5:00 am.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches for the day.
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\nIn 1900…west winds sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 54 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 59 degrees.
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\nIn 1910…heavy snowfall totaled 8.0 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph.
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\nIn 1961…strong winds associated with a cold front whipped snow across metro Denver.\u00a0 West wind gusts to 62 mph were recorded at Stapleton Airport.\u00a0 There was considerable damage to power lines…signs…and Christmas decorations. In Denver…4 people were injured by wind-caused accidents. Two small planes were flipped over at Stapleton Airport while attempting to land.\u00a0 Only a trace of snow fell at Stapleton Airport.
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\nIn 1983…the high temperature climbed to only 8 degrees below zero at Stapleton International Airport.\u00a0 This set the record for the lowest maximum temperature of the month.
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\nIn 1987…strong winds howled in the foothills and in Boulder. Wind gusts reached 78 mph in east Boulder…85 mph at Table Mesa in southwest Boulder…93 mph near Rollinsville…and 97 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

21-22<\/p>\n

In 1969…strong winds raked the eastern foothills in Boulder and Jefferson counties.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 115 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder…while in downtown Boulder winds gusted to 75 mph. Some damage occurred.
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\nIn 1981…a snow storm dumped 3 to 8 inches of snow across eastern Colorado.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 6.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to only 17 mph.<\/p>\n

21-23<\/p>\n

In 1924…heavy snowfall totaled 7.9 inches over downtown Denver.\u00a0 During the storm north to northeast winds were sustained to 21 mph.\u00a0 Temperatures were quite cold…ranging from a high of 24 degrees on the 21st to a low of 5 degrees below zero on the 23rd.
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\nIn 1964…high winds were recorded along the eastern foothills.\u00a0 A wind gust to 100 mph was registered at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.\u00a0 In Boulder… Where many thousands of dollars in damage occurred…warm Chinook winds gusted in excess of 45 mph downtown.\u00a0 A wind gust to 82 mph was recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.\u00a0 Heavy damage to power lines…homes…and roads was reported at Evergreen…Golden… And Boulder.\u00a0 Several people were injured by wind-caused accidents.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 53 mph on the 22nd and to 51 mph on the 23rd at Stapleton International Airport where some blowing dust occurred.\u00a0 The Chinook winds warmed temperatures in Denver to highs of 68 degrees on the 22nd and 71 degrees on the 23rd.<\/p>\n

22<\/p>\n

In 1885…a windstorm produced sustained west winds to 48 mph. The winds were strong all afternoon and evening.
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\nIn 1892…terribly strong winds hit the foothills above Boulder.\u00a0 The wind was described as a young tornado…but likely was straight line in nature.\u00a0 Winds in Boulder remained calm.
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\nIn 1901…the passage of an apparent cold front produced north winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph.
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\nIn 1922…a major storm dumped 8.0 inches of snow in downtown Denver.
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\nIn 1941…post-frontal heavy snow fell over downtown Denver where 8.0 inches of new snow were measured.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph.\u00a0 The cold front and snowfall abruptly broke a week of warm weather with high temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s.
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\nIn 1977…high winds unroofed a mobile home in Broomfield. Wind gusts reached 93 mph at Table Mesa in south Boulder and 74 mph at Rocky Flats.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 1988…high winds hit many foothills areas.\u00a0 Recorded wind gusts reached 95 mph just north of Boulder and 80 mph on Table Mesa.\u00a0 The strong winds caused power outages around Boulder.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 1990…the all-time lowest recorded temperature in December… 25 degrees below zero…occurred.\u00a0 The same temperature was also reached on December 24…1876.<\/p>\n

22-23<\/p>\n

In 1926…snow was heavy and totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Northeast winds were sustained to 17 mph with gusts to 18 mph on the 23rd.
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\nIn 1979…heavy snow blanketed metro Denver.\u00a0 Total snowfall at Stapleton International Airport was 6.9 inches…and north winds gusted to 20 mph.\u00a0 Most of the snow…5.7 inches…fell on the 22nd.
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\nIn 1984…strong Chinook winds howled along the Front Range foothills.\u00a0 At Table Mesa in southwest Boulder…gusts reached 108 mph on the morning of the 23rd.\u00a0 Gusts to 79 mph were clocked in Golden Gate Canyon.\u00a0 Gusts to 94 mph were reported in east Boulder.\u00a0 The winds flattened a two floor cinder block building under construction in Boulder… Causing 75 thousand dollars damage.\u00a0 Flying debris from the building slightly injured a policeman.\u00a0 A chain link fence was blown down.\u00a0 Dozens of windows and roofs were damaged in Boulder…along with mobile homes and cars. Numerous trees and power lines were downed.\u00a0 A giant plastic bubble dome was blown apart and collapsed…causing at least 100 thousand dollars damage.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 23rd.<\/p>\n

23<\/p>\n

In 1915…apparent Bora winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts to 58 mph.\u00a0 Snowfall was only 0.8 inch in the city.
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\nIn 1955…west-northwest winds gusted to 55 mph at Stapleton Airport.\u00a0 The downslope winds kept the low temperature from dipping below 50 degrees…the record highest minimum for the month.
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\nIn 1969…a strong wind gust did 4 thousand dollars in damage just west of Broomfield.\u00a0 Minor injuries also occurred.
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\nIn 1977…high winds occurred in Boulder with 90 mph recorded at several locations.\u00a0 A wind gust to 72 mph was reported at Lafayette.\u00a0 West winds gusted to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 1989…high winds were reported in the foothills west of Denver.\u00a0 At Rollinsville…a wind gust to 90 mph was measured.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 2007…high winds developed in and near the Front Range foothills of Boulder and Jefferson counties.\u00a0 Peak gusts included:\u00a0 89 mph at the National Wind Technology Center; 88 mph atop Niwot Ridge; 83 mph…4 miles east- northeast of Bergen Park; 80 mph…3 miles southeast of Jamestown.\u00a0 At Denver International Airport…east of the surface trough…southeast winds gusted to 28 mph.<\/p>\n

23-24<\/p>\n

In 1907…winds nearly as strong as a hurricane raked Boulder and areas north of Denver…killing one person and injuring others.\u00a0 Property damage was minor.
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\nIn 1973…a pre-Christmas blizzard…the second in 5 days… Produced strong winds and dumped heavy snow across metro Denver.\u00a0 Nearly a foot…11.8 inches…of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting from 30 to 40 mph produced much blowing snow.\u00a0 The strong winds whipped the snow into 2- to 4-foot drifts…closing many roads and airports.\u00a0 About 10 thousand people were stranded at Stapleton International Airport for up to 24 hours.
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\nIn 1978…wind gusts to 90 mph on the 23rd and 73 mph on the 24th were recorded in Boulder.\u00a0 A townhouse under construction was severely damaged by the winds.\u00a0 At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 37 mph on the 23rd and northwest winds gusted to 35 mph on the 24th.
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\nIn 1987…a snowstorm assured a white Christmas for metro Denver…where 4 to 8 inches fell.\u00a0 Amounts in the foothills ranged from 10 to 18 inches.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport…where north winds gusted to 32 mph on the 23rd.<\/p>\n

24<\/p>\n

In 1876…the all-time lowest recorded temperature in December… 25 degrees below zero…occurred.\u00a0 The same temperature was also reached on December 22…1990.
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\nIn 1907…west winds were sustained to 43 mph.\u00a0 The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 58 degrees.
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\nIn 1908…west Bora winds sustained to 49 mph produced a high temperature of 42 degrees.\u00a0 A trace of snow fell.
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\nIn 1977…wind damaged temporary wooden structures at construction sites in Denver.\u00a0 Several trees were blown over…causing damage to houses and cars.\u00a0 Power outages occurred in northwest Denver.\u00a0 Some chimneys were blown off a house in the Ken Caryl Ranch area.\u00a0 Wind gusts to 70 mph were reported in Boulder…and northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport.<\/p>\n

In 1982… one of the worst blizzards of all time dumped 24 to 34 inches of snow across metro Denver. The heaviest official one-day snow amount in the city’s history…23.6 inches…brought traffic to a standstill and completely closed Stapleton International Airport on Christmas day.\u00a0 Boulder received 18 to 24 inches of snow. Two feet of snow buried Parker and Sedalia to the south of Denver.\u00a0 Weather conditions during the storm were brutal. Visibility at Stapleton International Airport was reduced to 1\/4 mile or less for 17 consecutive hours.\u00a0 Sustained winds of 25 mph or more persisted for 15 consecutive hours. Gusts over 40 mph were recorded during 12 different hours. The highest recorded wind gust was 51 mph.\u00a0 The howling winds blew snow into drifts 4 to 8 feet high…paralyzing all modes of transportation.\u00a0 All highways leading out of Denver were closed.\u00a0 Stapleton International Airport was closed for 33 hours and operated on only a limited schedule for days afterward.\u00a0 Thousands of travelers were stranded and failed to reach their destinations in time for Christmas.\u00a0 Many wayward commuters and shoppers were forced to take refuge in shopping malls… Which remained open when workers themselves became stranded.\u00a0 Mall restaurants served food to the refugees. The storm prevented most people in the area from spending Christmas day with family and friends.\u00a0 In metro Denver…three people died as a direct result of the blizzard:\u00a0 a 60-year-old man died of hypothermia on his screened in back porch; a 66 year old man froze to death after falling into a drift a few feet from his home; a 34- year-old man froze to death just east of Denver after abandoning his 4-wheel drive vehicle which became stuck in the snow.\u00a0 With the heavy snow and wind chill temperatures of 20 to 30 degrees below zero…there were many injuries from frostbite and falls.\u00a0 Damage from the blizzard was varied and widespread.\u00a0 A number of roofs collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow; greenhouses received the greatest damage when the heavy snow shattered glass roofs… Allowing cold air to freeze the tender plants inside. Total damage to greenhouses and plants alone was estimated at 5 million dollars.\u00a0 The strong winds with the storm damaged many fences and caused numerous power outages. Last minute Christmas shoppers were literally left out in the cold and snow…as the storm made travel increasingly difficult during the day.\u00a0 Merchants lost significant income from the last shopping day before Christmas. Overall…businesses lost an estimated 500 million dollars due to the blizzard.\u00a0 In metro Denver…seven million dollars were spent for snow removal…three million dollars in the city of Denver alone.\u00a0 This expenditure did not prevent a subsequent snow removal controversy.\u00a0 Once the major streets were made passable…cold late December and January temperatures prevented much melting.\u00a0 Icy and snowpacked side streets and parking lots became rutted… Making travel around metro Denver difficult for nearly a month after the storm.\u00a0 In fact…snow cover of an inch or more lasted for 48 consecutive days after the storm… Through February 9…1983.\u00a0 This is the third longest period of snow cover on record in the city.\u00a0 The period would have been longer…but no significant snow fell for more than 2 months after the storm.<\/p>\n

24-25<\/p>\n

In 1891…heavy snowfall of 7.0 inches in downtown Denver provided a white Christmas.\u00a0 Most of the snow…6.5 inches… Fell on the 24th.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph on the 24th.
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\nIn 1894…snow began falling during the evening of the 24th… Ended during the early afternoon of the 25th…and totaled 6.4 inches in downtown Denver.\u00a0 Northwest winds were sustained to 26 mph with gusts to 30 mph on the 24th.\u00a0 The maximum snow depth on the ground was 5 inches.\u00a0 The high temperature was only 18 degrees on the 25th after a low of 8 degrees.
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\nIn 1980…strong Chinook winds of 50 to 60 mph occurred in the foothills with a wind gust to 90 mph recorded at Wondervu. West winds gusted to 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 25th.
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\nIn 1997…a relatively rare Christmas snowstorm blanketed much of northeastern Colorado.\u00a0 Snowfall in and near the Front Range foothills and south of metro Denver ranged from 5 to 8 inches.\u00a0 Elsewhere…new snow accumulations were generally 1 to 3 inches.\u00a0 Snowfall totaled only 1.5 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport on the 24th.<\/p>\n

25<\/p>\n

In 1873…northwest winds were sustained to 36 mph during the morning and to 48 mph in the evening.\u00a0 The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 53 degrees.
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\nIn 1883…gusty very strong winds raked Boulder…causing 11 hundred dollars in damage.
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\nIn 1985…Table Mesa in Boulder was buffeted by wind gusts to 68 mph.
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\nIn 1993…occasional high winds occurred over portions of the higher foothills west of Boulder and Denver.\u00a0 A wind gust to 87 mph was recorded on Squaw Mountain…and a gust to 83 mph occurred at Rollinsville.\u00a0 Northwest winds gusted to to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
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\nIn 2007…a winter storm brought heavy snow to the Front Range of Colorado. The heaviest snow fell near the foothills of Boulder…Douglas and Jefferson counties.\u00a0 The snow caused accidents throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Gusty winds produced snow drifts from 2 to 3.5 feet in depth.\u00a0 Total snowfall for the calendar day in Denver was 7.8 inches…setting a new record for Christmas day. The measurement was taken at the former Stapleton International Airport; the previous record was 6.2 inches… Set in 1894.\u00a0 Storm totals in the Front Range foothills included:\u00a0 13.5 inches at Coal Creek Canyon; 12 inches…5 miles east-southeast of Aspen Park; 11 inches; 6 miles southwest of Kassler; 10.5 inches at Eldorado Springs. Elsewhere…storm totals ranged from 5 to 10 inches. In the urban corridor storm totals included:\u00a0 9 inches near Elizabeth; 8 inches in southwest Denver…Highlands Ranch…Marston Reservoir and Wheat Ridge; 7.5 inches in Arvada; 7 inches in Centennial and Lakewood; 6.5 inches in Aurora and 8 miles southeast of Watkins; 6 inches in Boulder…Englewood and Parker.\u00a0 Elsewhere…storm totals ranged from 3 to 5 inches.<\/p>\n

25-26<\/p>\n

In 1904…after a warm Christmas day with a high temperature of 50 degrees…a late day cold front plunged temperatures to a low of 7 degrees…produced northeast winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 54 mph…and produced 5.2 inches of snow overnight for a late white Christmas.\u00a0 The maximum temperature on the 26th was only 16 degrees.<\/p>\n

25-31<\/p>\n

In 1980…temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and new year’s.\u00a0 High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50’s to the mid-70’s.\u00a0 Four temperature records were set.\u00a0 Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees…the 27th with 75 degrees…and the 30th with 71 degrees.\u00a0 A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cold and snow dominate our look at the week leading up to the Christmas holiday.\u00a0 Certainly the infamous Christmas Eve Blizzard of 1982 is the one event that most long-time resident will remember as it was truly one for the history books.\u00a0 Also notable was a cold front that moved through in 1988 that dropped … Continue reading December 19 to December 25 – 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":[81,106,62,741],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3196"}],"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=3196"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3197,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3196\/revisions\/3197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thorntonweather.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}