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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
645 PM MDT SAT OCT 5 2024

...This week in metro Denver weather history...

6     In 1900...northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with
        gusts as high as 50 mph in downtown Denver.
      In 1903...northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with
        gusts to 50 mph.  The strong winds warmed the temperature
        to a high of 71 degrees in the city.  The low reading
        was only 46 degrees.
      In 1910...light smoke from forest fires drifted over the
        city.
      In 1976...an Arctic cold front brought light snow over
        the foothills above 6 thousand feet.  Traffic was
        snarled at many locations.  Only a trace of snow
        fell at Stapleton International Airport where
        rainfall totaled 0.20 inch and northeast winds gusted
        to 41 mph.
      In 1991...the brilliant orange sunset was apparently the
        result of an extensive volcanic smoke layer in the upper
        atmosphere.
      In 1994...strong west to northwest winds developed in the
        foothills above 9500 feet.  A wind gust to 78 mph was
        recorded atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver and to
        72 mph at Ward northwest of Boulder.  Northwest winds
        gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 2011...strong winds developed in and around the Denver
        area ahead of an approaching storm system. At the
        National Wind Technology Center...peak wind gusts ranged
        from 79 to 92 mph during the early morning hours.
        Across metro Denver...the strong winds toppled a few
        trees and damaged patio furniture. The wind caused a
        few flight delays at Denver International Airport due
        to a partial ground stoppage of incoming flights. Peak
        wind reports also included: 66 mph at Cedar Point...63
        mph at Denver International Airport...60 mph at Buckley
        Air Force Base; 59 mph at Highlands Ranch; 58 mph at
        Deer Trail and Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in
        Broomfield; 55 mph at Bennett...Centenniel Airport and
        City Park in Denver.
7     In 1903...north winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts
        to 48 mph.
      In 1917...post-frontal northwest winds were sustained to
        45 mph with gusts to 52 mph.  Rain was mixed with a
        trace of snow...the first of the season.  Precipitation
        totaled 0.22 inch and included the occurrence of hail...
        even though no thunder was heard.
      In 1950...strong winds caused a power outage in Boulder.
        This was the heaviest windstorm since January.  Damage
        was minor.  Northwest winds gusted to only 35 mph at
        Stapleton Airport.
      In 1985...strong chinook winds buffeted the Front Range
        foothills.  Wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph were
        reported in Boulder and atop Squaw Mountain west of
        Denver.  Southwest winds gusted to 41 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.
7-8   In 1990...the season`s first snow occurred from the 7th to
        the 8th.  Snowfall amounts varied from 3 to 7 inches
        across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 4.0 inches at
        Stapleton International Airport where north winds
        gusted to 29 mph.
8     In 1923...southeast winds were sustained to 44 mph with
        gusts to 47 mph.  The strong winds persisted through the
        afternoon.  The high temperature of 77 degrees was the
        warmest of the month that year.
      In 1975...a wind gust to near 100 mph was recorded in Boulder.
        Frequent wind gusts to 60 mph were reported along the
        foothills causing only minor damage.  West winds gusted
        to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
8-9   In 2017...an early season snowstorm produced heavy wet snow
        which broke branches and downed power lines.  About ninety-
        eight thousand outages occurred in Denver and the
        surrounding metro area. Almost half the outages were very
        short...while 54210 were sustained outages that lasted
        longer than five minutes.  Some however lasted for several
        hours. Snow amounts varied greatly along the Interstate 25
        Corridor. West of I-25...storm totals included: 7.5 inches
        in Arvada...7 inches in Broomfield...6 inches Boulder and
        Louisville...with 5 inches at Ralston Reservoir. East of
        I-25...storm totals ranged from a trace to 4 inches. In
        the mountains and foothills...storm totals included: 12.5
        inches near Genesee...10 inches at Eldorado Springs...
        Idledale and Nederland...with 8.5 inches near Jamestown.
9     In 1910...light smoke from forest fires in the mountains was
        sighted over the city.
      In 1982...northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.
9-10  In 2005...from the 9th to the 10th...a major winter storm
        brought heavy...wet snowfall to the Front Range Mountains...
        eastern foothills...portions of metro Denver...and the
        Palmer Divide.  Snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 26
        inches with drifts from 3 to 4 feet in places.  The
        heaviest snow occurred to the east and southeast of the
        city...closing most major highways in that area...including
        I-70 from Denver to Limon.  The Red Cross opened four
        shelters for people who were stranded along I-70 in
        eastern Colorado.  Since many trees had not yet shed
        their leaves...the storm caused significant tree
        damage.  One woman in Denver was killed when a tree
        branch...8 to 10 inches in diameter...snapped under the
        weight of the heavy...wet snow and struck her as she was
        shoveling her driveway.  Xcel Energy reported power
        outages to about 35 thousand customers.  Several
        incoming flights were delayed at Denver International
        Airport.  Snow totals included:  16 inches in the
        foothills near Boulder...12 inches at Genesee and near
        Golden...22 inches near Watkins...19 inches near
        Bennett...17 inches southeast of Aurora...14 inches near
        Parker...13 inches near Castle Rock...12 inches in Centennial...
        11 inches in Parker...and 10 inches at Denver International
        Airport and in Littleton.  While many areas of metro Denver
        received heavy snow...others experienced almost entirely rain.
        This included west and northwest metro Denver...Boulder...and
        Longmont.  Rainfall amounts were significant as storm totals
        ranged between 1.50 and 2.50 inches.  The steady rainfall
        triggered 3 rockslides in foothills canyons.  Two of the
        slides occurred on State Highway 119 in Boulder Canyon and
        the longest slide...7 feet in length...on State Highway 74 in
        Bear Creek Canyon at Idledale.  North winds were sustained
        to around 23 mph with gusts to 31 mph at Denver International
        Airport on the 9th.  The high temperature of only 34 degrees
        on the 10th was a record low maximum for the date.  The low
        temperature on both days was 32 degrees.
      In 2019...a vigorous winter like storm system brought intense
        northerly winds and the cold front blasted through the urban
        corridor. Peak wind gusts from 50 to 60 mph accompanied the
        front. Some trees in Denver were uprooted by the strong
        winds. Light rain and drizzle overnight...changed over to the
        season`s first snow during the predawn hours of the 10th.
        Bands of moderate to heavy snow brought 2 to 6 inches of
        snow in the Front Range mountains...foothills and urban
        corridor. The morning commute was especially hazardous as
        falling temperatures froze wet roads. Multiple crashes
        occurred including: I-25 in Denver...I-70 from Denver west
        to the Eisenhower Tunnel and State Highway 285 towards
        Fairplay.  Over 300 crashes were reported in Denver and
        Aurora alone. After reaching a maximum temperatures of
        83 degrees on the afternoon of the 9th...the temperature
        plummeted to 13 degrees on the 10th. A temperature change
        of 70 degrees...the second largest 2-day swing for the
        month of October in Denver weather history.
10    In 1901...an evening thunderstorm produced east winds to
        43 mph with gusts to 48 mph.
      In 1949...strong winds believed to be the worst in Boulder`s
        history at the time caused over 100 thousand dollars
        damage in the city.  Peak winds were estimated to 85 mph
        at Valmont...just east of Boulder.  High winds also
        occurred over most of metro Denver and caused damage to
        trees...window glass...and utility lines.  The damage was
        most pronounced over the northwest metro area...including
        north Denver and Lakewood.  Falling tree branches caused
        damage to parked autos and houses.  Wind gusts to 70 mph
        were recorded at Stapleton Airport.
      In 1964...lightning struck and killed a 13-year-old boy...while
        he was riding his bicycle along a tree-lined residential
        street in south Denver.  Apparent microburst winds gusted
        to 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
10-11 In 1986...from the 10th to the 11th...first significant
        snowstorm of the season produced 2 to 5 inches of snow over
        metro Denver with 5 to 10 inches in the foothills west of
        Denver.  Wondervu recorded the most snow from the storm...13
        inches.  The heavy wet snow caused numerous power outages.
        The storm was accompanied by strong north winds with gusts
        to 41 mph recorded on the 10th.  The first snowfall of the
        season totaled 3.1 inches at Stapleton International Airport
        with only one inch on the ground due to melting.  The strong
        cold front accompanying the storm cooled the temperature
        from a high of 73 degrees on the 10th to a high of only
        33 degrees on the 11th...which was a record low maximum
        for the date.
10-12 In 1969...from the 10th to the 12th...the second heavy snowstorm
        in less than a week dumped nearly a foot of snow across
        metro Denver and plunged the area into extremely cold
        temperatures for so early in the season.  Snowfall totaled
        11.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport.  North winds
        gusting to 26 mph produced drifts up to 2 feet deep.
        Temperatures dipped from a high of 52 degrees on the 10th to
        a record low for the date of 10 degrees on the 12th.  There
        was additional damage to trees and power and telephone lines
        from heavy snow accumulations and icing.  Travel was
        restricted or blocked by drifting snow in both the
        mountains and on the plains east of Denver.
11    In 1997...damaging winds ahead of an approaching storm system
        developed in the foothills and spread across metro Denver.
        Winds gusted to 88 mph at Conifer...71 mph at the National
        Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa in Boulder...
        and 53 mph at Denver International Airport.  Several
        trees and street signs were blown down with scattered
        power outages reported throughout metro Denver.  In
        Arvada...a car window was blown out by a strong wind
        gust.
      In 2013...high winds occurred in and near the Front Range
        Foothills. Peak gusts included: 85 mph at Rooney Road...
        84 mph...2 miles south of Marshall; 82 mph at Rocky Flats
        National Wind Technology Center and Wondervu; 79 mph at
        the Mesa Lab at NCAR and 75 mph...3 miles south-southwest
        of Boulder; 73 mph in Superior and 68 mph in Golden. The
        wind downed trees and power lines. As a result...scattered
        electrical outages affected 20000 Xcel Energy customers
        through the morning hours. The main outages affected the
        cities of Boulder...Golden and Lakewood. Smaller outages
        were reported in areas of Gold Hill...Ward...Westminster
        and Wheat Ridge.
11-12 In 1901...an apparent cold front produced northeast winds
        sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 48 mph on the 11th.
        General rain changed to snow overnight and totaled 2.0
        inches on the 12th.  This was the first snowfall of the
        season. Total precipitation was 0.32 inch.
11-13 In 1892...from the 11th to the 13th...apparent post-frontal
        rainfall totaled 3.33 inches in downtown Denver over the
        3-day period.  A trace of snow on the 12th melted as it
        fell.  Rainfall of 2.58 inches on the 12th into the 13th
        was the greatest 24-hour precipitation ever recorded
        during the month of October.  Northwest winds were
        sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 55 mph on
        the 12th.
12    In 1873...smoke from several very large forest fires was
        sighted along the mountains.
      In 1923...post-frontal rain changed to snow and totaled
        4.0 inches.  North winds were sustained to 14 mph.
      In 1978...northeast winds gusting to 35 mph with a strong
        cold front briefly reduced visibility to 2 miles in
        blowing dust at Stapleton International Airport.
12-13 In 2001...overnight from the 12th to the 13th...peak wind
        gusts to 82 mph and 70 mph were measured atop Niwot
        Ridge and Squaw Mountain...respectively.
12-14 In 1969...from the 12th to the 14th...record breaking
        extremely cold temperatures for so early in the season
        occurred.  The high temperature of 26 degrees on the 13th
        was two degrees lower than the previous record minimum
        temperature of 28 degrees for the date set in 1885.  The
        high temperature of 24 degrees on the 12th exceeded the
        record low temperature (22 degrees set in 1885) for the
        date by only 2 degrees.  In addition...3 new record low
        temperatures for the dates were set.  The low
        temperature dipped to 10 degrees on the 12th breaking
        the old record (22 degrees in 1885) by 12 degrees.  On
        the 13th the mercury plunged to a low of 3 degrees
        breaking the old record (28 degrees in 1885) by 25
        degrees.  On the 14th the temperature reached a minimum
        of 4 degrees breaking the old record (25 degrees in 1966)
        by 21 degrees.

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