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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SUN SEP 29 2024

...Today in metro Denver weather history...

28-29 In 1959...one of the heaviest September snow storms of record
        began as rain and changed to heavy wet snow.  The storm
        caused heavy damage to trees and shrubbery...which were
        still in full leaf.  The storm dumped 10.6 inches of snow
        at Stapleton Airport...the third heaviest September snow
        amount to date.  Falling trees and limbs disrupted
        traffic...broke power and communication lines...and damaged
        buildings and cars.  One man was killed in Denver by a
        falling tree limb...and four others died of heart
        attacks while shoveling snow or trying to move heavy
        tree limbs.  Direct costs of the storm for cleaning up
        debris...repairing utility lines...and damage to buildings
        and other property across all of eastern Colorado were
        estimated to be over a half million dollars.  The value
        of trees destroyed or damaged was estimated to exceed
        five million dollars.  North-northeast winds gusted to
        32 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 28th.
      In 1985...an unusually cold air mass for this time of year
        settled over the area.  Metro Denver received 8 to 12
        inches of powdery snow.  The 8.7 inches of snow that
        fell at Stapleton International Airport was the first
        measurable snow of the season and the city`s heaviest
        September snowfall since 1971.  The snow caused flight
        delays of over 2 hours at Stapleton International Airport.
        I-70 was closed for a time west of Denver.  Snow-laden
        tree limbs snapped over all of metro Denver...causing
        widespread power outages.  Ten thousand people were without
        electricity for a time in Boulder.  The morning of the 29th
        saw mid-winter temperatures along the Front Range.  The
        temperature dipped to 17 degrees...the lowest temperature
        ever recorded in September in Denver.  The high temperature
        of only 29 degrees on the 29th was a new record low maximum
        for the date and lowest ever recorded during the month of
        September.  The low temperature of 21 degrees on the evening
        of the 28th set a new record low for the date.  The cold
        weather persisted through the 1st with record minimum
        temperatures of 25 degrees set on the 30th and 27 degrees
        set on October 1st.
29    In 1966...a vigorous cold front moved thru metro Denver.
        North winds gusting to 51 mph kicked up billows of blowing
        dust...which briefly reduced the visibility to 1 mile at
        Stapleton International Airport.  The cold air caused
        temperatures to drop rapidly from a high of 86 degrees to
        a low of 46 degrees by days end.
      In 1985...the lowest temperature ever recorded in September...
        17 degrees...occurred.  The high temperature warmed to only
        29 degrees...the all-time record low maximum for the month.
      In 1994...the temperature reached a high of 91 degrees at
        Stapleton International Airport.  This was the 60th day
        of the year that the temperature had reached 90 degrees
        or more...establishing a new record at that time.  The
        previous record of 52 "90 degree days" occurred in 1978.
        Only 43 "90 degree days" were recorded at Denver
        International Airport during 1994.
      In 1995...lightning struck a couple in Aurora as they were
        walking in the rain.  The bolt struck the umbrella the man
        was carrying...injuring both the man and his wife.
      In 2000...late afternoon thunderstorms produced strong wind
        gusts to 76 mph in Westminster...to 69 mph near Boulder...and
        to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.  No
        damage was reported.
      In 2014...a storm system that moved through the area produced
        large hail and street flooding in parts of metro Denver and
        then spread east into the plains. The storm also caused
        multiple accidents. A semi became detached from a trailer...
        blocking traffic on westbound Interstate 70 west of Tower
        Road. Downed power poles blocked a roadway on CO 79 near
        Bennett...at mile marker 10. In addition to the damaging
        winds...the storms produced large hail...from nickel to
        golfball size across southern and eastern portions of
        metro Denver. The hailstorm was the most damaging of
        the 2014 summer season...with insured losses that topped
        213 million dollars.  Insurance claims included 29297
        automobile claims worth more than 87.2 million dollars and
        14287 property claims for 126 million dollars...ranking
        the storm as the eighth most expensive to hit the state. At
        Denver International Airport...1.01 inches of rainfall was
        recorded which was the greatest 24-hr rainfall for the date.
        In addition...a peak wind gust to 38 mph was observed at the
        airport
      In 2015...severe thunderstorms developed over the foothills of
        Boulder County and Jefferson Counties...then moved south
        along the western suburbs of Denver. Areas north of Golden...
        around Lakewood and into northern Douglas County saw the
        heaviest rain and hail. The hail ranged in size from nickel
        to ping pong size

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