Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 080045
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-082300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
645 PM MDT SAT JUN 7 2025
...This week in metro Denver weather history...
7-9 In 1979...rain...at times with thunder on the 7th...fell almost
continuously through the morning of the 9th. Rainfall
totaled 2.28 inches at Stapleton International Airport
over the 3 days. High temperature of only 49 degrees on
the 8th was a record low maximum for the date.
8 In 1873...lightning struck and killed one man and damaged
several houses. The thunderstorms produced heavy rain
in the city...which caused a great deal of water damage.
At 2:40 PM heavy rain began and by 4:00 PM 1.40 inches of
rain had fallen. Two buildings under construction...with a
projected cost of 100 thousand dollars...were badly damaged.
The stone foundation and some of the brick walls were
carried away by the storm waters. Many basements were
flooded...which damaged goods stored there. Rainfall
totaled 1.71 inches.
In 1964...lightning struck a building in Boulder...starting a
fire and burning two workmen.
In 1968...a severe thunderstorm flooded streets...and hail-
damaged trees and gardens...including flowers at a large
commercial nursery in Boulder.
In 1969...severe hail damaged property...trees...and gardens...
and heavy rain flooded streets and underpasses throughout
metro Denver. The heaviest amounts of rain fell in south
Denver and Englewood where unofficial totals of 5 to 6
inches were reported. Hail accumulated to 3 or 4 inches on
the level and 2 to 3 feet deep in drifts. Mud...debris...and
hail carried by the heavy runoff clogged drains and
increased the amount of flooding. About 40 cars and a
large truck were inundated at an underpass on an interstate
highway...and several more were inundated or buried in mud
in other areas. A large number of basements were flooded.
Streets and highways were heavily damaged in some areas.
Rainfall totaled 1.66 inches at Stapleton International
Airport.
In 1974...a late spring storm dumped 1.79 inches of rain over
metro Denver...causing local flooding. Strong gusty winds
accompanied the storm...downing some power and telephone
lines. Northwest winds gusted to 56 mph at Stapleton
International Airport where a trace of snow fell.
Measurable snowfall occurred at mid-day over Aurora and
suburban areas to the south of Denver. A number of people
were temporarily stranded in the mountains west of Denver
where heavy snow fell. Low temperature of 37 degrees
equaled the record minimum for the date. High temperature
of 50 degrees was a record low maximum for the date.
In 1986...strong thunderstorm winds blew down a garage wall in
Littleton and caused minor roof damage to several homes.
Boats were overturned and damaged at a sporting goods store
nearby. As the storm moved northeast it produced a small
tornado...which touched down in extreme southeast Denver and
moved northeast into Aurora. The twister did most of its
estimated one million dollars damage shortly after touching
down in an apartment complex and a shopping center. Two
apartments were completely unroofed; wooden chimney
facings were demolished and metal pipes were twisted. Many
trees up to 25 feet high in the complex were uprooted.
Doors were ripped off their hinges...and several parked cars
were damaged. In the shopping center...a wall of a building
was stripped of its brick facing...and many windows were
broken. The twister picked up an aluminum rowboat...carried
it 250 feet over some apartments...and deposited it in a
vacant storefront. Around 200 cars were damaged in the
shopping center. Benches bolted to the pavement were
knocked over. Six people suffered minor injuries caused by
flying debris. After hitting the shopping center and
apartment complex...the tornado moved northeast into a
residential area where it toppled some trees and damaged
several fences. The same storm later produced 3 separate
small tornadoes 5 miles north of Watkins.
In 1987...torrential rain produced extensive flooding across
metro Denver. I-25 was closed for a time through central
Denver...and a trailer park in Lakewood was partially
evacuated due to high water. Several streets in Boulder
were closed due to flooding. There was extensive basement
flooding and water damage in Lakewood and southeast Denver.
Lightning hit a power plant in Denver that supplied
electricity to storm drain pumps which exacerbated street
flooding in some areas. Rainfall from the thunderstorms
totaled 1 1/2 to 2 inches at many locations in Lakewood
central and northeast Denver. The heaviest amount of
reported rain was in Lakewood where 2 1/4 inches fell in
just 2 hours. At Stapleton International Airport...1.62
inches of rain fell in an hour. Rainfall totaled 1.76
inches for the day.
In 1988...a tornado touched down 15 miles northwest of Bennett
and stayed on the ground for 15 minutes. The twister was
observed by National Weather Service personnel at Stapleton
International Airport. No damage was reported.
In 1989...a small tornado hit a neighborhood in southeast
Aurora. The twister hit a dozen homes...blowing out
windows...knocking down fences...and partially unroofing one
house. About a half dozen trees were felled. A basketball
pole was severely bent. The tornado was on the ground for
about 2 minutes. Total damage was estimated at 50 thousand
dollars. Lightning also struck a home in Parker...causing
25 hundred dollars damage.
In 1992...very heavy thunderstorm rains drenched southwestern
Weld and eastern Boulder counties. Measured rainfalls of
over 2 inches an hour caused St. Vrain Creek to rise 2 feet
out of its banks. Boulder Creek was also out of its banks
along U.S. Highway 287. I-25 flooded with 3 to 5 feet of
water along a 9-mile stretch from the Erie exit to the
Frederick exit. The highway was closed for over 6 hours
while snowplow drivers and farmers with tractors rescued
stranded motorists. Water rose into homes along South
Boulder Road in Lafayette. Several small county roads
were washed out along the Boulder County/Weld County line.
An off-duty National Weather Service employee measured 3/4
inch hail in Thornton. Several locations north of Denver
had small hail up to 6 inches deep. A funnel cloud was
spotted 18 miles northeast of Stapleton International
Airport.
In 1998...severe thunderstorms dropped large hail across
metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter
fell near Columbine in Jefferson County. One inch
diameter hail fell in Aurora and Littleton with 7/8 inch
hail in Arvada and 3/4 inch hail at Centennial Airport...
near Greenwood Village...and in Parker.
In 2004...heavy rain and large hail caused flooding and flash
flooding across northeast Jefferson County. In Golden...
heavy rains triggered a small mudslide on U.S. Highway 6
near the intersection of Colorado Highway 119. Automated
rain gages in the area registered 2 to 3 inches of rainfall
in one hour. Near the Colorado Mills Mall...numerous streets
were inundated with 1 to 3 feet of water and hail...which
stranded several vehicles...including a fire engine. About
30 basements were flooded in Golden and Lakewood. Many
windows in both homes and cars were shattered by the large
hail. Hail as large as 1.5 inches in diameter was measured
in and near Golden with hail to nearly an inch in diameter
a few miles north of Evergreen.
In 2007...the low temperature in Denver bottomed out at 31
degrees...which established a new record minimum for the
date. It also became the latest date of the last freeze
in Denver.
In 2014...in Aurora...a tornado touched down near the
Blackstone Country Club...it lifted some golf carts and
flipped an empty construction trailer. One of the carts was
thrown on top of a caddy walking nearby; he was taken to a
hospital with minor injuries. It was assigned an EF-1
rating. In Englewood...lightning struck a tree which damaged
two nearby homes and a truck. Large hail...from 1 to 1 1/2
inches in diameter...was reported near Buckley Air Force Base
and near Castle Rock. Other short lived tornadoes touched
down near Byers and Roggen.
In 2019...severe thunderstorms erupted around metro Denver late
in the afternoon and spread eastward onto the plains.
The largest hail fell around Castle Rock...where hail up to
2 1/2 inches was reported. Elsewhere...the hail ranged from
1 to 1 1/2 inches.
9 In 1900...an apparent cold front produced north winds to
42 mph with gusts to 47 mph.
In 1923...heavy rainfall totaled 2.18 inches in downtown
Denver...where northwest winds were sustained to 27 mph.
Heavy rain also fell in Boulder...causing flooding on
Boulder and South Boulder creeks.
In 1939...post-frontal sustained northwest winds to 35 mph
produced some blowing dust...which reduced the visibility
to one mile at times during the afternoon. Dusty
conditions prevailed into the early evening. The airport
station reported a maximum wind of 56 mph. A few minor
injuries and some damage resulted. A few trees were
uprooted...some fruit was blown from trees...and a section
of power lines was blown down.
In 1959...dry thunderstorm winds...estimated to near 70 mph...
toppled a 40-foot-high poplar tree...which was 4 to 5 inches
in diameter...near Cherry Creek Dam. The Colorado State
Patrol reported a possible tornado 1 mile south of the dam.
In 1960...strong gusty winds tore the roofs from 2 patios in
Aurora. One of the roofs was blown over a house and landed
on a car damaging its top. A house trailer was also
overturned. Other minor damage was reported to roofs...
windows...and trees in Aurora. A thunderstorm wind gust
to 43 mph was recorded at Stapleton Airport.
In 1963...golf ball size hail fell at Cherry Creek Reservoir.
In 1967...a small tornado damaged trees and a dwelling in
south Denver. The storm touched down at the intersection
of 1st Avenue and Harrison Street and moved northeast to
the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Albion Street.
Damage included 3 small roofs removed...15-20 large trees
uprooted...one car overturned and thrown against a house...
plus other minor damage. A funnel cloud reported at the
same time 10 miles north of Denver possibly touched ground.
Later...funnel clouds were reported 12 miles south-southeast
of Stapleton International Airport...10 miles southwest...and
5 miles north. A tornado was sighted 3 1/2 miles east of
Stapleton International Airport by Weather Bureau personnel
for a duration of 5 minutes. Heavy rain and some hail fell
over much of the area.
In 1974...the start of the shortest seasonal snow free period
on record...94 days...occurred with the last snow of the
season...a trace...on the 8th. The first snow of the next
season occurred on September 11th when a trace of snow
fell at Stapleton International Airport. A funnel cloud
was observed just east of Aurora and a small funnel was
sighted just northeast of Stapleton International Airport.
In 1985...a thunderstorm wind gust to 62 mph was reported at
Golden Gate Canyon in the foothills west of Denver.
In 1986...a thunderstorm...which dumped heavy rain and caused
some street flooding across north metro Denver...produced
a small tornado 5 miles east of Brighton. No damage was
reported.
In 1987...strong thunderstorm wind gusts in Conifer destroyed
a porch on a house; the wind gust apparently picked up the
porch and dropped it on a man...killing him. The wind also
damaged the roof of the house and a nearby barn. The same
thunderstorm spawned a tornado...which touched down briefly
just south of Lakewood. No damage was reported. Up to 3
inches of rain fell in a short time 8 miles southwest of
Littleton. A few businesses in Englewood suffered minor
water damage. A tornado was sighted between Watkins and
Bennett. It was on the ground for 15 minutes. A weak
tornado also touched down 4 miles southwest of Castle Rock.
The twister tossed an aluminum shed into the air and
carried it about 100 feet. A funnel cloud was sighted
15 miles east-northeast of Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988...golf ball size hail fell in Conifer along with 1.30
inches of rain. Three miles north of Louisville...1.10
inches of rain fell in 20 minutes. Ping pong ball size
hail was measured in Arvada.
In 1990...3/4 inch hail fell in Castle Rock.
In 1991...hail two inches in diameter fell near Evergreen.
Hail to 1 inch diameter fell in Lakewood where a funnel
cloud was also sighted. One inch diameter hail was also
reported in Aurora.
In 2002...high temperatures...low relative humidities...and
strong gusty winds allowed the Hayman Wildfire...located
in the foothills to the southwest of Denver...to become
the largest wildfire in the state`s history. Although
the fire was initially started by a U.S. Forest Service
employee...the ongoing drought and dry conditions allowed
the fire to spread rapidly out of control. The wildfire
consumed nearly 138 thousand acres of forest land and 133
homes before it could be contained and finally extinguished
on June 30th. About 1800 households had to be evacuated
during the blaze. Southwest winds aloft swept the smoke
plume directly over metro Denver...creating poor air quality
and blocking the sun. Much of metro Denver choked on smoke
with the southern suburbs receiving the most. Smoke and
ash restricted surface visibilities to a mile or less at
times in the Denver and Castle Rock areas and to 2 miles
at Denver International Airport.
In 2003...thunderstorm winds gusted to 51 mph at Denver
International Airport. The storm produced only a trace
of rain.
In 2004...severe thunderstorms produced large hail across
portions of metro Denver for the second day in a row.
The most extensive damage occurred across southern sections
of metro Denver in Aurora...Lakewood...Littleton...and south
Denver. The combined damage to homes and vehicles...not
including commercial buildings...was estimated at 146.5
million dollars...making the event the 4th costliest
insurance disaster in the state`s history. Hail as large
as 2 1/4 inches in diameter fell near southern Aurora with
hail to 1 3/4 inches in the City of Denver and in Lakewood.
Hail to 1 1/2 inches fell near Morrison with 1 inch hail
measured in Thornton...near Buckley Air Force Base...and
near Roggen. Hail to 3/4 inch diameter fell in Littleton
and near Conifer. A small tornado touched down near
Bennett...but did no damage.
9-10 In 1864...from the 9th to the 10th...high water from melting
snow combined with heavy rains over the upper reaches of
the South Platte River forced the river over its banks and
caused flooding of low lying areas along the river in the
city. The amount of rainfall in the mountains and in the
city is unknown.
10 In 1943...a man was killed by lightning while using a
surveying instrument at Buckley Field.
In 1969...hail stones 2 to 3 inches in diameter caused
extensive damage to buildings and automobiles in an area
from northeast of Boulder to Longmont. Two funnel clouds
were reported near Castle Rock. A funnel cloud and 1 inch
hail stones were reported 10 to 20 miles southeast of
Stapleton International Airport. Hail stones to 1 3/4
inches fell 3 miles west of Littleton. Hail to 3/4 inch
diameter fell over southeast Denver.
In 1988...thunderstorm winds clocked to 60 mph unroofed a
porch and downed a fence at a home near Stapleton
International Airport. A small tornado touched down
briefly in northeast Aurora. Another small tornado
touched down for 3 minutes in southeast Aurora. No
damage was reported from either twister.
In 1989...a National Weather Service observer saw lightning
strike 2 storage tanks at 40th and Havana...3/8 mile
northeast of Stapleton International Airport. The strike
temporarily knocked out some weather observing equipment
at the National Weather Service.
In 1991...a tornado was sighted 2 miles south of Castle Rock.
No damage was reported. The funnel cloud associated with
the tornado was sighted for 5 minutes by National Weather
Service observers at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994...lightning struck a home in Denver...which started a
fire in the attic and caused minor damage.
In 1997...lightning struck a security guard at the Castle
Pines Golf Course near Castle Rock. He received only
minor injuries.
In 1999...severe thunderstorms rolled off the foothills over
metro Denver...producing large hail and damaging winds. Hail
to 1 inch diameter fell near Evergreen with 1 3/4 inch hail
measured west of Golden. Hail to 1 1/2 inches fell in
Commerce City with one inch hail in Lakewood...Wheat Ridge...
the City of Denver and at Denver International Airport
where thunderstorm winds gusted to 58 mph. As the storms
moved east...3/4 inch hail was reported in Aurora...and
damaging thunderstorm winds developed between Bennett and
Strasburg. Winds gusting as high as 69 mph blew half a
metal roof from a shed in a Bennett lumberyard. A small
barn was also leveled between Bennett and Strasburg. Winds
also gusted to 58 mph near Manilla.
In 2000...a dry microburst produced a wind gust to 58 mph
at Jefferson County Airport. Thunderstorm winds gusted
to 55 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2003...hail as large as 1 3/4 inches was measured at
Centennial Airport and near Parker.
In 2005...hail to 7/8 inch in diameter was reported near
Parker with 3/4 inch hail measured near Castle Rock.
In 2009...lightning struck an apartment complex...a
veterinary hospital in Boulder and caused minor
damage. Lightning also struck two oil tanks...one
in Boulder and the other at Front Range Airport north
of Watkins. The oil tanks in both instances were set
on fire and suffered extensive damage.
In 2010...a complex of severe thunderstorms hammered portions
of eastern Arapahoe...eastern Douglas and western Elbert
Counties. The hail ranged from 1 inch to 3 inches in diameter.
The largest hail was observed near Elizabeth. Areas in and
around Aurora...Byers...Parker and Thornton were also impacted
by large hail. One weak tornado touched down near Prospect
Valley but did no damage. At Denver International Airport...a
peak wind gust to 35 mph was observed from the northwest.
10-11 In 1882...heavy thunderstorm rains on the morning of the
10th caused a rapid rise in Dry Creek...which enters the
South Platte River at Fairview in present day south
Denver. This...combined with additional heavy rainfall
on the 11th caused the South Platte River to overflow.
Five people drowned and several houses were destroyed.
Total losses in the city and suburbs was estimated at 75
thousand dollars. Total rainfall in central Denver was
2.21 inches over the 2 days.
In 2013...the high temperature of 99 degrees on the 10th
broke the previous record maximum temperature of 97 for
the date. Also...the minimum temperature of 68 and high
temperature of 100 degrees on the 11th established a new
record for highest minimum and maximum temperature for
the date.
11 In 1947...a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver. Low
temperature of 34 degrees was a record minimum for the
date.
In 1962...hail caused extensive crop damage near Hudson
northeast of Denver.
In 1970...stratiform rainfall totaled 3.16 inches at Stapleton
International Airport. This was the greatest amount of
precipitation ever recorded on a calendar day in June.
In addition...it was the greatest amount of precipitation
ever measured during any 24-hour period in June. The high
temperature climbed to only 51 degrees...which was a record
low maximum for the date.
In 1973...large hail from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell
west of Boulder.
In 1977...golf ball size hail was reported just south of
Arapahoe County Airport...now Centennial Airport. Lightning
struck a home in Lakewood.
In 1988...a 30-year-old man was seriously injured by lightning
while mowing his lawn in Denver.
In 1992...lightning started two house fires in the southern
Denver suburbs where 3/4 inch hail fell and a funnel cloud
was sighted.
In 1999...severe thunderstorms formed over the Palmer Divide
and moved across Douglas...Elbert...and Adams counties.
Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was reported in and
near Castle Rock...Sedalia...Franktown...and Aurora. Hail
as large as golfballs accumulated several inches deep
and caused a large section of a corrugated metal roof of
a greenhouse complex to collapse near Franktown. About a
third of the roof covering the 30 thousand square foot
building collapsed. Thirty-five workers were trapped in
the debris...but only 3 were treated for minor injuries.
Hail 1 to 2 feet deep blocked the roadways and slowed the
arrival of emergency vehicles. Damage to the building
was estimated to be around 3 million dollars.
In 2006...a man was struck and killed by lightning as he was
returning to his car after leaving the Mile High Flea
Market near Henderson. Two others were knocked down...but
not injured by the lightning strike. Severe thunderstorms
produced large hail across the northern portion of metro
Denver. Hail to 1 1/4 inches in diameter was measured in
Arvada...with 1 inch diameter hail reported near Fort
Lupton. Hail to 7/8 inch in diameter was recorded near
Brighton...and hail...3/4 inch in diameter...fell near
Keenesburg.
In 2009...large hail pummelled portions of Adams...Arapahoe...
Elbert and Douglas Counties. Hail up to 1 1/2 inches in
diameter was measured near Parker.
In 2010...severe thunderstorms producing very large hail
pummeled portions of Front Range Foothills and Urban
Corridor. The large hail ranged in size from 1 to
2 1/2 inches...caused extensive damage to home and
vehicles. The hardest hit areas included: Brighton...
Castle Rock...Greenland...Idledale...Mountain View and
Thornton. The combination of heavy rain and hail
destroyed 50 thousand acres of cropland in southeast Weld
County. Flash flooding forced the closure of State
Highway 52...east of Prospect Valley. Several county roads
were either flooded or completely washed out. At Denver
International Airport...0.69 inches of rainfall was
observed.
In 2015...thunderstorms produced flash flooding in Denver
and parts of the metropolitan area. In downtown Denver...
parked cars had standing water rising midway up the wheels.
Denver fire crews had to rescue motorists from flooded
intersections and roads. In Glendale...two lanes of
northbound Colorado Blvd. at Exposition Ave. were closed
due to flooding. In Aurora...water was reportedly flowing
over the roads at East 6th Ave. and South Pacadilly Road.
Additional flooding was reported on South Gun Club Road...
between East Alameda Ave. and East Exposition Avenue...
forcing the closure of the road. Flooding occurred along
Plum Creek and its tributaries. Four trails in Castle
Rock were closed due to flooding. Plum Creek remained
above flood stage for approximately 2 1/2 hours...with
moderate flooding along and east of the creek. Near
Cherry Creek Dam...2.02 inches of rain fell. At
Denver International Airport 0.56 inches of rainfall
was recorded. A peak wind gust to 34 mph was also
observed from the north.
11-14 In 1999...damage from several hailstorms...from the 11th to
the 14th...in and near metro Denver totaled 35 million
dollars. About 17.5 million dollars was from automobile
claims with another 17.5 million in homeowner claims. The
areas hardest hit by the storms included Castle Rock...
Commerce City...Evergreen...and Golden.
12 In 1901...south winds were sustained to 45 mph with an extreme
velocity to 47 mph.
In 1917...northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts
to 45 mph.
In 1927...flooding on Little Dry Creek in Englewood resulted in
two deaths.
In 1947...a trace of snow fell over downtown Denver during the
early morning. This was the latest last snow of the season
(trace or more). This also marked the end of the longest
snow season...264 days...from the first snow...a trace...on
September 22...1946. High temperature of 43 degrees was a
record low maximum for the date. Minimum temperature of 33
degrees was a record low for the date.
In 1971...a funnel cloud sighted over Arvada possibly touched
down at the base of the foothills. The public reported
3/4 inch to 1 inch diameter hail over the City of Denver.
In 1974...strong thunderstorm winds caused damage to power
lines in metro Denver. Northwest winds gusted to 45 mph
at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1975...a thunderstorm wind gust to 56 mph was recorded at
Stapleton International Airport.
In 1982...three small tornadoes were sighted near Bennett.
One of the twisters caused minor crop and road damage along
its path. A brief tornado was sighted by National Weather
Service observers at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1983...3/4 inch hail fell in Boulder. Golf ball to 3/4 inch
size hail fell in Arvada...denting cars and house roofs.
Over a thousand hail damage insurance claims were filed from
the area. Golf ball size hail also fell in Northglenn and
Bennett...1 to 2 inch hail in Thornton...2 1/2 inch hail in
northeast of Denver. A tornado was sighted 10 miles
northeast of Stapleton International Airport; it was only
on the ground for 1 to 2 minutes.
In 1984...large hail pelted many parts of southern metro
Denver. Fifteen aircraft were damaged by golf ball
size hail at Centennial Airport. Golf ball size hail was
reported in south Denver...and 3/4 inch hail was measured
in southeast Aurora.
In 1987...a small weak tornado touched down for about 3
minutes near the intersection of I-70 and Colorado Blvd.
in northeast Denver. No damage was recorded. A microburst
wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International
Airport.
In 1991...in the City of Denver...lightning struck a tree under
which seven people were picnicking. One person was
critically injured. The others received only minor
injuries.
In 1992...golf ball size hail fell in Evergreen.
In 1994...microburst winds gusting to 53 mph kicked up some
blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1996...lightning struck a house in Parker...which sparked a
fire. The bolt was strong enough to blow nails out of the
drywall in one room. About 85 percent of the house was
damaged. No dollar estimate of the damage was available.
Lightning also struck a power line in Boulder...which left
250 customers without electricity for a short time.
In 1997...a tornado touched down near Parker...damaging some
construction equipment. Hail to 2 inches in diameter was
measured in Henderson. One inch diameter hail fell in the
City of Denver with 3/4 inch hail measured in Lakewood.
In 1999...hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter struck
Hudson. A funnel cloud was sighted by ramp personnel to
the east of Denver International Airport.
In 2003...lightning blew a hole in the roof of a house in
Highlands Ranch. The bolt knocked several holes in the
bedroom ceiling and damaged the home`s electrical system.
In 2004...lightning struck a home in Louisville...but caused
only minor damage.
In 2006...a strong microburst wind gust...estimated at 69 mph...
ripped the roof off a horse barn near the intersection of
Havana Street and Smith Road in Denver. A 13 year old
girl was injured...when she was thrown from a horse inside
the barn at the time the roof was being torn off. A
thunderstorm produced a microburst wind gust to 54 mph
and a trace of rainfall at Denver International Airport.
A severe thunderstorm produced hail to 3/4 inch diameter
near Watkins.
In 2022...a short-lived landspout was observed north of Denver
International Airport. No damage was observed.
12-17 In 2000...two large wildfires developed in the Front Range
foothills on the 12th and continued through the 17th...as
careless campers and very dry conditions proved to be a
dangerous combination. Strong winds gusting in excess of
60 mph on the 13th fanned the flames...spreading both
wildfires out of control. Winds gusted to 78 mph atop
Niwot Ridge near the Continental Divide west of Boulder.
The Hi Meadows Wildfire...about 35 miles southwest of Denver...
consumed nearly 11 thousand acres and 80 structures...mostly
high priced homes. The Bobcat Wildfire...located about 12
miles southwest of Fort Collins...consumed nearly 11
thousand acres and 22 structures. Late on the 16th...a
strong cold front moved south over the Great Plains into
northeastern Colorado. Low level upslope developed in
the wake of the front...producing 2 to 4 inches of snowfall
overnight at elevations above 8 thousand feet.
Firefighters were able to contain both fires shortly
thereafter.
13 In 1956...a microburst caused a brief wind gust to 59 mph at
Stapleton Airport.
In 1957...an unconfirmed tornado appeared to touch the ground
in the vicinity of Franktown. No damage was reported from
the twister.
In 1968...a violent gust of wind...possibly associated with a
thunderstorm...caused 75 hundred dollars damage in Boulder.
In 1973...hail...1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter...fell over
Lakewood. Flash flooding occurred in west Denver from the
same storm.
In 1974...a thunderstorm wind gust to 64 mph was recorded at
Stapleton International Airport.
In 1977...hail the size of table tennis balls...1 1/2 inches in
diameter...was reported in Boulder.
In 1981...large hail to golf ball size fell in Denver...
Northglenn...and Brighton. Hail as large as baseballs was
reported in Federal Heights.
In 1984...one of the worst hailstorms ever experienced in metro
Denver struck the northwestern suburbs of Arvada...Wheat
Ridge...and Lakewood...but large hail also fell in Golden...
southeast Denver...and Aurora. Homes and other buildings
sustained around 200 million dollars in damage. Thousands
of cars were battered by giant hailstones...and total damage
to vehicles was estimated at 150 million dollars. In some
areas...1 3/4 inch diameter hail fell continuously for 30 to
40 minutes. Some places were pelted with a few stones as
large as grapefruits! Roofs on thousands of structures
were severely damaged. Uncounted car windshields were
broken; two-thirds of Arvada`s police cars were rendered
inoperable. Torrential rains...with as much as 4.75 inches
in Lakewood clogged drains and caused widespread damage
from flooding. In some places hail was washed into drifts
several feet deep. About 20 people were injured by the
giant hailstones. One couple was hospitalized. A woman
drowned when she was trapped under a trailer by high water.
Only pea size hail fell at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988...2 inch hail fell in Parker. Soft hail 1 inch in
diameter fell at the mouth of Turkey Creek Canyon 5 miles
southeast of Morrison. Hail between 1 inch and 1 3/4
inches fell at both Bennett and Strasburg. A tornado
touched down briefly at Strasburg. A brief funnel cloud
was sighted by National Weather Service observers 15 miles
southwest of Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991...a Boulder man was injured when struck by lightning
while in a tent. He received only minor burns.
In 1997...lightning struck a home in Denver. The extent of
the damage was unknown. A home in Littleton was also
struck. The house caught fire...but the extent of the
damage was not known.
In 1998...a strong mountain wave produced a brief period of
high winds along the Front Range. A small building atop
Squaw Pass west of Denver was blown down. Tree limbs
were downed across metro Denver. Peak wind gusts
included: 80 mph on Squaw Pass...69 mph at Jefferson
County Airport near Broomfield...and 60 mph in Westminster
and at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in
Boulder. West-northwest winds gusted to 51 mph at Denver
International Airport.
In 2001...high winds developed briefly in Boulder County.
A peak wind gust to 76 mph was recorded at the National
Center for Atmospheric Research atop the mesa in Boulder.
A wind gust to 72 mph was recorded at Southern Hills Middle
School in Boulder. Lightning started a small fire...which
damaged the roof of a house in Greenwood Village.
In 2009...severe thunderstorms produced hail up to 1 inch
in diameter near Arvada and Byers...as well as 7 miles
north-northwest of Front Range Airport near Watkins.
13-14 In 2006...the high temperature of 99 degrees on the 13th
equaled the record maximum temperature for the date first
set in 1994. The high temperature of 102 degrees on the
14th was a new record maximum temperature for the date.
14 In 1877...an evening thunderstorm produced lightning which
struck several houses and killed a cow in the bottom land
of the South Platte River
In 1886...hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell in the
city. Precipitation was only 0.10 inch.
In 1887...south winds were sustained to 41 mph.
In 1900...a thunderstorm produced northwest winds to 51 mph
with gusts to 61 mph...but only a trace of rain.
In 1923...a severe thunderstorm pelted the city with hail.
The stones ranged in diameter from 0.2 to 0.8 inch.
Gardens and greenhouses suffered considerable damage.
Rainfall was only 0.14 inch downtown.
In 1960...one workman was killed and 4 others injured in
Lakewood when a partly built apartment building collapsed
in strong winds. Microburst wind gusts to 54 mph caused
some blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1967...tornadoes touched down briefly 3 miles west of
Franktown and 4 miles northeast of Parker. No damage was
reported. Numerous funnel clouds were reported over south
metro Denver...one 5 miles south of Denver...one 2 to 3 miles
north of Castle Rock...and two near Littleton.
In 1968...a microburst wind gust to 52 mph was recorded at
Stapleton International Airport.
In 1972...1 3/4 inch hail was reported in Wheat Ridge.
In 1976...high winds...unusually strong for this late in the
season...raked metro Denver. Wind gusts estimated to 100
mph tore 24 boats from their moorings and damaged a total
of 47 boats at Boulder Reservoir. Wind gusts to 82 mph
were recorded in Boulder. The strong winds toppled the
wind mast at a radio station in Boulder. An automobile
was smashed by a fallen tree in Boulder. Other damage in
Boulder was minor...but power outages occurred when tree
limbs fell on power lines. At Jefferson County Airport
near Broomfield...wind gusts to 78 mph were recorded with
87 mph gusts clocked at Rocky Flats Nuclear plant south of
Boulder. Wind gusts to 66 mph were observed in Littleton...
and northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton
International Airport. The strong winds collapsed a barn
near Arvada. Several horses received minor injuries.
Thirty trees were uprooted or broken in Denver. Four major
power outages occurred from west Denver and Lakewood to the
foothills.
In 1982...the worst hailstorm in 17 years struck Commerce
City. The storm left 4 to 8 inches of hail on the ground.
A few of the stones were as large as golf balls. Many
vehicles were dented...and some windshields were shattered.
Roofs of homes were damaged. Total damage was estimated
at over one million dollars. Hail to 1 inch in diameter
also fell in Littleton. Only 1/4 inch hail was measured
at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988...lightning ripped a small hole in the roof of a home
in the southern part of Boulder. There were some power
outages in the area.
In 1992...an off duty National Weather Service employee
reported hail to 1 inch diameter in Westminster.
In 1997...one inch diameter hail fell in Bennett...and 3/4
inch hail was measured in Littleton.
In 1999...hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter hit Aurora.
Lightning sparked two small fires at separate residences
near the Hiwan Country Club in Evergreen.
In 2004...lightning sparked two small fires near Jamestown.
One was in Geer Canyon and the other 7.5 miles up Sunshine
Canyon. Both were quickly contained and caused no damage
to structures in the area.
In 2009...a complex of severe thunderstorm produced large hail
damaging thunderstorm and funnel clouds across parts of the
Urban Corridor. The line formed along a boundary over the
western suburbs of Denver then moved east. The boundary
produced at least one well defined funnel cloud that could
be observed by stadium full of baseball fans at Coors
Field. Large hail...up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter...was
reported in Arvada...Broomfield...Denver...Federal Heights and
Northglenn. In addition...the storm produced peak wind gusts
from 60 to 74 mph. At Denver International Airport...a peak
wind gust to 58 mph was observed from the west-northwest.
In 2014...severe thunderstorms broke out across the Urban
Corridor. Large hail...ranging in size from 1 to 2 inches
in diameter...was observed. The area extended from around
Englewood to Aurora and included: Brookridge...Cherry Knolls...
Greenwood Village and south Denver. As many as 212 thousand
residences were potentially impacted by the storms. The hail
shattered windshields and damaged vehicles.
$$