Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 020045
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-022300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
645 PM MDT SAT JUN 1 2024
...This week in metro Denver weather history...
1-2 In 2002...unusually very warm weather for so early in June
resulted in two temperature records. Maximum temperatures
of 96 degrees on the 1st and 93 degrees on the 2nd were
record highs for each date...respectively.
1-4 In 1977...unusually warm weather for this early in June
resulted in 3 maximum temperature records being equaled
at the time: 88 degrees on the 1st...90 degrees on the 2nd...
and 93 degrees on the 4th. Maximum of 91 degrees on the
3rd was not a record.
2 In 1914...flooding occurred on Boulder Creek when heavy rains
added to heavy snowmelt runoff. Flooding damaged the water
supply system from the mountains into Boulder and destroyed
roads and bridges in the canyons above Boulder. The
flooding in central Boulder was described as the worst
since the tragic flood of May 29th through June 3rd in
1894. However...there was no reported loss of life. The
flood waters also inundated pasture land to the east of
the town.
In 1951...the lowest recorded temperature in June...30 degrees...
occurred. The unusually cold weather was accompanied by
0.3 inch of snowfall. Precipitation...both rain and
melted snow...totaled 0.30 inch.
In 1966...microburst winds gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton
International Airport.
In 1981...a severe thunderstorm roared through metro Denver...
dumping 2.00 inches of rain in as little as 20 minutes and
bombing many areas with hail to 1 3/4 inches in diameter.
The heavy rain caused local flooding with up to 3 feet of
water in some streets in northwest metro Denver. Part
of a street was washed out in Thornton. Lightning strikes
started a fire and caused a power outage just north of
Denver. Lightning also struck a barn which burned to the
ground in Brighton. Numerous cars sustained minor hail
damage. A tornado was spotted 4 miles northeast of the
Rocky Mountain Arsenal...but caused no damage.
In 1982...severe thunderstorms produced large hail across
metro Denver. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported in
Louisville and northeast Denver. Golf ball size hail fell
near Strasburg where two tornadoes were also sighted.
In 1983...a tornado touched down 5 miles south of Bennett. It
destroyed an outbuilding and did extensive damage to
greyhound dog shelters. Golf ball size hail fell near the
tornado...destroying some hay.
In 1985...3/4 inch hail fell in southwest metro Denver.
In 1989...large hail fell over eastern and central Denver. A
few stones were as large as baseballs...and many ranged from
3/4 inch to golf ball size. The hail piled up 2 to 4 inches
deep in some areas. Hail to 3/4 inch fell at Buckley Field
in Aurora...and 7/8 inch hail fell just east of Aurora. A
home in Louisville was struck by lightning and was 30
percent destroyed by the ensuing fire.
In 1991...strong thunderstorm winds in Arapahoe County...14
miles southeast of Stapleton International Airport...damaged
the roof of a home and a radio antenna. A funnel cloud...
4 miles northeast of Stapleton International Airport...was
sighted for 11 minutes by National Weather Service
observers.
In 1993...a tornado touched down briefly in south Denver...
destroying the 4-inch thick concrete roof of a building and
causing about 20 thousand dollars in damage. The twister
also picked up a trash dumpster and dropped it onto a car
30 feet away...causing an estimated 3 thousand dollars in
damage. Hail up to an inch in diameter fell in Aurora...
Conifer...and Bennett. Two funnel clouds were spotted near
Deckers. A funnel cloud was sighted for 19 minutes by
National Weather Service observers to the southwest of
Stapleton International Airport.
In 1994...lightning struck two homes in Denver...starting
fires which caused considerable damage to both. Hail to
3/4 inch in diameter fell in Golden.
In 1995...lightning struck a house in Nederland...causing a
fire that was doused by subsequent rainfall. A portion
of the roof and wall was damaged. The storm also left
most of Nederland without power for two hours. Lightning
also struck a high chimney of an elementary school in west
Denver. The jolt sprayed bricks around the school yard and
parking lot. Twenty students and teachers were in the
school building at the time...but all escaped without
injury. A funnel cloud was sighted over Fort Lupton...and
3/4 inch hail fell in Lafayette.
In 2003...severe thunderstorms produced strong winds and
large hail. Hail as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell
near Parker. Estimated wind gusts to 70 mph occurred
near Parker and near Denver International Airport where
thunderstorm wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded. Wind
gusts to 60 mph were estimated near Bennett.
In 2005...a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as
1 inch in diameter in the City of Denver. A tornado
was sighted near Bennett along with 3/4 inch hail.
In 2008...severe thunderstorms produced large hail over
western Arapahoe...northern Denver and southern Weld
Counties. Hail...2 inches in diameter...was observed near
Brighton; with hail to 1 1/2 inches in diameter...5 miles
east of Prospect. Hail to one inch in diameter was
observed near Buckley Field...Frederick and Denver.
In 2012...severe thunderstorm produced damaging thunderstorm
winds. Peak wind gusts included: 82 mph near Strasburg...
61 mph at Buckley Field...60 mph near Byers and southwest
Denver...58 mph near Watkins and 52 mph at Denver
International Airport. The microburst winds caused
extensive tree and roof damage. In addition...hail up to
1 inch in diameter was reported 3 miles east-southeast of
Parker.
In 2019...lightning struck a home in Broomield. Minor
damage to the roof was observed.
2-4 In 1989...from the 2nd to the 4th...heavy rain drenched metro
Denver with the greatest amounts recorded on the 3rd.
Total rainfall ranged from 1 1/2 to 3 inches. Roads were
washed out in Boulder County...and flooded basements caused
water damage to houses in the Gunbarrel section of Boulder.
In suburban Denver...heavy rain caused minor flooding along
Lena Gulch in Jefferson County where two mobile home parks
were evacuated. Rainfall totaled 1.66 inches at Stapleton
International Airport.
2-7 In 1921...heavy rainfall for nearly a week...from the 2nd to
the 7th...on top of streams already swollen by mountain
snowmelt...produced widespread flooding over the South
Platte River basin...including the tributaries through the
canyons to the west and southwest of Denver. Heavy
rainfall over the 6-day period totaled 3.36 inches in
Boulder...4.98 inches in Morrison...4.27 inches
in Castle Rock...and 2.94 inches in the City of Denver.
Rainfall amounts in the foothills were estimated between
3 and 6 inches. The narrow-gage tracks of the Colorado and
Southern Railroad were destroyed in the Platte canyon. From
the mouth of the canyon through the city to near Brighton...
the river spread from 1/2 to nearly 1 1/2 miles wide...
flooding farm and pasture land and destroying or damaging
many bridges. In the city...many businesses along with as
many as 500 homes were inundated...forcing their evacuation.
Bridges were swept away. The high waters flooded the rail
yards and stock yards in lower downtown...closing three
adjacent packing houses. The heavy rains also caused
flooding on Boulder Creek in Boulder on the 6th.
3 In 1951...a trace of snow fell at Stapleton Airport.
In 1961...torrential rains fell 10 to 30 miles north of
Denver...causing flooding in the town of Frederick. The
rush of water broke through and over a retaining dike
sending a 5-foot wall of water into the town...flooding
homes and damaging sewer lines...roads...and streets.
Golf ball size hail fell in Derby...west Denver...and
Lakewood...causing more than one million dollars in damage.
In 1981...severe thunderstorms produced tornadoes over metro
Denver. The first tornado touched down at the intersection
of Alameda Ave. and Sheridan Blvd. The twister moved north
along Sheridan Blvd....damaging businesses...apartment
buildings...homes...and vehicles. Over ten homes were
unroofed. The roof of one landed in the middle of a
neighborhood park. At least 10 mobile homes were wrecked.
The tornado curved to the northeast into northwest Denver...
hopping up and down in several places. Very strong winds
outside the actual funnel caused 20 to 30 thousand dollars
in damage in downtown Denver. The third floor of one old
building was demolished. No major injuries were reported
from the tornado...although several people were hurt
slightly in traffic accidents on Sheridan Blvd. in the
confusion caused by the storm. Damage in Lakewood alone
was estimated at 200 thousand dollars. At the same time...
the worst tornado to ever hit metro Denver struck Thornton.
Coming from the same thunderstorm that spawned the Denver
twister...the Thornton tornado tore a swath through the
heart of the city. 87 homes were destroyed...110 others
damaged at least moderately. In all...600 homes in a 100
block area sustained some damage. The twister also hit
shopping centers...several restaurants...and other buildings.
Seven of the 42 injured were considered serious. The storm
was strong enough to snap lamp posts in half and drive a 6-
inch slab of wood 2 feet into the ground. Damage was
estimated at up to 50 million dollars. The same storm that
struck Thornton produced another damaging tornado that
touched down in the northwest section of Fort Lupton. This
twister damaged 16 homes and numerous cars and campers.
Two children were slightly injured when the car they were
in was knocked about and its windows shattered by the
storm. The twister also damaged two commercial
buildings. Damage was very spotty...and observers said
the storm hopped up and down at least 3 times. Dollar
damage was estimated at 500 thousand dollars. The
thunderstorm complex that produced 3 damaging tornadoes
also dropped large hail which damaged many cars over
northwest Denver. One to 2 inches of rain fell in less
than an hour...flooding a mobile home park with 3 to 4 feet
of water on the northwest edge of Denver. The high water
damaged about half of the 392 homes in the park. Local
flooding was also reported in other areas across metro
Denver. A tornado was also sighted near Franktown...but
caused no damage. A thunderstorm wind gust to 52 mph was
recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1982...a cold air funnel cloud touched down briefly in
southwest Denver. Two tornadoes were briefly spotted near
Watkins. No damage was reported from these storms. A
brief funnel cloud was sighted by National Weather Service
observers at Stapleton International Airport where 1/4 inch
hail fell.
In 1984...there were several sightings of tornadoes around
Parker. No damage was reported.
In 1985...a tornado just southeast of Aurora was spotted by a
National Weather Service employee. No damage was reported.
Severe thunderstorms pummeled the metro area with hail.
One inch to baseball size hail was reported in south
Lakewood...one inch hail in Littleton...3/4 inch to 1 inch
hail in Aurora...and golf ball size hail in south Denver.
In 1989...hail up to golf ball size fell over Arvada. A golf
course had to be evacuated as the hail accumulated up to 3
inches deep in some places. One inch diameter hail fell in
west Denver and Westminster.
In 1993...an early morning thunderstorm produced lightning...
which caused an attic fire at a residence in Niwot
northeast of Boulder. Damage was estimated at 40 thousand
dollars. No one was injured.
In 1994...hail to 1 1/2 inch diameter fell just northeast of
Boulder. One inch diameter hail fell in Golden.
Thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph were recorded in Erie.
In 1995...a tornado was sighted over open country near
Strasburg. No damage was reported. A funnel cloud was
sighted 11 miles east of Aurora where 3/4 inch hail fell.
In 2001...severe thunderstorms produced large hail over east
and southeast metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches
in diameter fell at Centennial Airport with 1 1/2 inch
hail near Buckley Field...1 1/4 inch hail in Parker...1 inch
hail near Elizabeth...7/8 inch hail at Cherry Creek
Reservoir...and 3/4 inch hail 20 miles north of Kiowa in
Elbert County.
In 2002...severe thunderstorms dumped large hail across metro
Denver. Hail to 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell over
southeast Denver and 4 miles north of Aurora. Hail to
1 1/4 inches pelted Parker. One inch hail was measured
near Ft. Lupton...and 3/4 inch hail fell 9 miles southeast
of Buckley Field...near Strasburg...and at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport.
In 2005...thunderstorms producing heavy rain and hail caused
flash flooding over parts of southeast metro Denver.
People became trapped in their vehicles by the high water...
and numerous water rescues were required. The hardest hit
areas included the vicinity of I-25 and Alameda Avenue...as
well as the intersection of Yale Avenue and Quebec Street.
Several basements were flooded along Eastman Place.
Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain and hail to
eastern Centennial and southeastern Aurora. Up to 3 feet
of standing water was reported on east Orchard Road where
several motorists were stranded in their vehicles and needed
to be rescued. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in the
area. Ten vehicles were stranded on Grand Avenue...and most
had to be towed once the floodwaters receded. Water was
reportedly chest deep at one location on Girard Avenue.
Hail as large as 3/4 inch in diameter also was reported in
Littleton...near Parker...and near Buckley Air Force Base.
Hail to 7/8 inch was measured near Sheridan and Cherry
Creek Reservoir.
3-4 In 1904...a thunderstorm during the early morning of the
3rd turned into widespread general rain...which continued
into the early afternoon of the 4th. Rainfall totaled
2.04 inches.
4 In 1878...a "waterspout" or cloudburst of rain was sighted
up the South Platte Canyon at around noon. The resulting
high waters on the South Platte River slightly damaged a
railroad bridge in the city.
In 1937...a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver where
rainfall totaled 0.25 inch. Minimum temperature of 34
degrees was a record low for the date. Northeast winds
were sustained to 22 mph.
In 1951...the start of the second shortest snow-free period
on record...109 days...occurred with the last snow of the
season...a trace...on the 3rd. The first snow of the next
season occurred on September 21st when 4.2 inches of snow
fell at Stapleton Airport.
In 1954...a microburst produced brief sustained winds of 40
mph with gusts as high as 64 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1956...the failure of the Georgetown Dam caused downstream
flooding on Clear Creek at Idaho Springs and Golden.
In 1976...funnel clouds were sighted near Brighton...Erie...and
Dacono...all north of Denver. A tornado touched down briefly
1 1/2 miles east of Lafayette. Another tornado touched down
briefly at Hyland Hills Golf Course in Westminster. No
damage was reported.
In 1983...severe thunderstorms during the afternoon produced
3/4 inch hail in south Denver...golf ball size hail 5 miles
west of Parker...1 1/4 inch hail in Littleton...1 1/2 inch
hail in south Aurora.
In 2001...hail as large as 1 inch in diameter fell 17 miles
north of Bennett in Adams County.
In 2005...snow was mixed with rain for nearly an hour at
Denver International Airport during mid to late morning.
The temperature at the time was 45 degrees. Precipitation
totaled 0.36 inch for the day. Northwest winds gusted
to 37 mph.
In 2008...a severe thunderstorm produced large hail...up to
1 3/4 inches in diameter in Arvada...a northwest suburb of
Denver. Several vehicles were damaged. In addition...a
severe thunderstorms produced hail to 1 inch in diameter...
10 miles northeast of Manila...east of Denver International
Airport.
In 2015...severe thunderstorms broke out across Boulder...
Denver...Elbert...Jefferson and southern Larimer Counties.
Two large and long lived tornadoes developed near Berthoud
and near Simla. The tornado that occurred along the Boulder
and Larimer county line. It first touched about 3 miles
south of Berthoud...and then tracked to the west/northwest
and lifted about 6 miles southwest of Berthoud. The
majority of the damage was EF1...with some areas of EF2...
and a few small areas of EF3. At least 25 homes between
Longmont and Berthoud were damaged; three of them
destroyed. No injuries were reported as the winds tore
apart homes and rolled vehicles. The EF3 rating is
defined as maximum winds estimated at 135 to 140 mph. The
path length was 6 miles long with a width of one
quarter mile at times. Large hail from quarter to tennis
tennis ball size was observed. The largest hail occurred
in northeast Boulder County. The hail damaged cars and
homes; breaking windows and windshields. In addition...
numerous roads were closed along the Larimer and Boulder
county line due to flash flooding. Just west of Berthoud...
3.47 inches of rain had fallen. At Denver International
Airport...only 0.01 inches of rainfall was recorded...
with a peak wind gust to 35 mph from the northeast.
In 2020...severe thunderstorms produced intense wind gusts
across parts of Adams and Denver counties. A peak wind
gust of 64 mph was observed near Bennett...with a gust to
58 mph observed at Denver International Airport.
4-5 In 1965...lightning and an 18-hour rain storm...from the 4th
to the 5th...damaged streets and roads and telephone and
power lines across metro Denver. Precipitation totaled
2.77 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the
visibility was reduced to 3 miles at times from
pre-frontal thunderstorms and heavy upslope rains.
In 1998...from the 4th to the 5th...a late season snow storm
struck the Front Range foothills. Up to 5 inches of snow
fell in Coal Creek Canyon. Light snow also fell over
western sections of metro Denver and briefly at Denver
International Airport. Snow covered the grass at the
Denver Federal Center in Lakewood before melting around
mid-morning on the 5th. No snow fell at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport. Several
temperature records were set. High temperatures of 47
degrees on the 4th and 49 degrees on the 5th were record
low maximums for their respective dates. Minimum
temperature of 34 degrees on both the 5th and 6th were
record lows for those dates.
5 In 1864...high water on the West Fork of Clear Creek caused
a small dam near Empire to fail...which destroyed several
downstream bridges.
In 1885...a windstorm during the afternoon and early evening
produced south to southwest winds at sustained speeds up
to 42 mph.
In 1937...a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was
the latest snowfall of record at the time. Light rain and
snow were mixed around mid-day. Precipitation totaled only
0.01 inch. North winds were sustained to 20 mph.
In 1941...hail of unknown size fell on the city.
In 1961...lightning struck and injured an Airman outside a
base classroom at Lowry Air Force Base. Funnel clouds were
sighted near Frederick and Firestone north of Denver. The
one near Frederick briefly touched down in an open field
but caused no damage. Heavy rain and hail hit the Fort
Lupton area causing damage to crops. Heavy rain in
Frederick added to the flood damage of the 3rd. A pilot
reported a funnel cloud that touched down briefly and
then dissipated south of Castle Rock.
In 1965...a lightning-caused fire destroyed a mountain home
near Rollinsville.
In 1988...a tornado touched down 5 miles east of Lafayette
near I-25 and stayed on the ground for 15 minutes. The
twister hit a campground...demolishing one trailer and
damaging six others...along with 4 cars. The rope-like
funnel also blew down fences...signs...and electrical boxes.
The twister moved a 1500-pound hay wagon 150 feet. Total
damage to the campground was estimated at 50 thousand
dollars. Another tornado touched down between Broomfield
and Lafayette...staying on the ground for about 20 minutes.
The twister hit a subdivision...unroofing one abandoned
house and causing minor damage to a dozen others. A four-
car garage and three barns were destroyed. At one location
a chain link fence...a satellite dish...and a shed were
destroyed...while the deck and garage of the house were
damaged. A grain storage tank was moved 200 feet. There
were reports of boards being blown through walls; one came
through a kitchen.
In 1992...lightning struck a 15-year-old boy...causing minor
injuries...in Adams County 6 miles north-northeast of
Stapleton International Airport. Thunderstorm winds gusted
to 63 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield...to 58
mph at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission`s facility at Rocky
Flats...to 58 mph in Thornton...and to 48 mph at Stapleton
International Airport where 1/8 inch diameter hail fell.
In 1996...strong microburst winds up to 60 mph damaged several
trees in Boulder...snapping large branches 1 to 2 inches in
diameter.
In 1997...a woman was struck by lightning as she was walking
to her car in Nederland. The lightning bolt apparently
struck a nearby power line and arced into her left hand.
She received minor injuries.
In 2014...severe thunderstorms broke out across parts of
Arapahoe...Douglas...Elbert and Jefferson Counties...
impacting areas generally southwest and south of Denver.
The storms produced large hail...from quarter to golfball
size.
In 2015...severe thunderstorms produced hail up to 1 1/2 inches
in diameter in Castle Rock and hail up to 1 inches in
diameter...southwest of Byers. At Denver International
Airport...0.99 inches of rainfall was recorded. A peak wind
gust to 35 mph from the southwest as also observed.
In 2017...an intense thunderstorm produced damaging downburst
winds which snapped a power pole near the interchange of
Interstate 70 and US 36. A weak short-lived landspout
also touched down south of I-70 near Bennett and tossed
around some lawn furniture.
5-6 In 1977...from the 5th to the 6th...lightning caused several
power outages and moderate damage to a railroad building.
6 In 1954...thunderstorm winds at speeds of 50 mph with gusts as
high as 59 mph briefly reduced the visibility to 1 mile in
blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1967...the public reported golf ball to 1 3/4 inch diameter
hail in the city...3 miles west-southwest of Stapleton
International Airport. The amount of damage was unknown.
Thunderstorm winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton
International Airport.
In 1981...hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was reported in east
Denver.
In 1990...golf ball size hail was reported near Strasburg on
I-70 east of Denver.
In 1991...a tornado was spotted by National Weather Service
personnel and weather spotters...14 to 17 miles northeast of
Stapleton International Airport. A funnel cloud was sighted
over south Aurora just east of Buckley Field...and a tornado
was spotted just east of Watkins. No damage was reported.
Thunderstorms moved through Aurora and dropped hail up to
1 inch in diameter. The storms also produced heavy rain...
up to 1 inch in 30 minutes...causing flooding of streets.
Water was reported hood deep...stranding motorists. Water
covered fire hydrants at some intersections.
In 1995...a waterspout sighted over Standley Lake in northern
Jefferson County...quickly dissipated once it reached shore.
A brief tornado...which was momentarily visible by a dust
debris cloud on the ground...damaged the roof of a house in
Westminster. A funnel cloud was sighted just south of
Lafayette. Hail from 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter fell
over north Boulder. Thunderstorm outflow produced north
wind gusts to 44 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 1997...a tornado touched down near Baseline Reservoir just
east of Boulder. The tornado struck a home...tearing off
part of the roof. A storage building nearby was nearly
leveled and 5 trees were uprooted. The twister then moved
onto Baseline Reservoir...forming a huge waterspout. Several
recreational vehicles and a boat dock were also damaged.
A nearly stationary line of thunderstorms dumped 4.60 inches
of rain on portions of Thornton. Extensive flooding of
streets and underpasses and other low lying areas was
reported. Several businesses were flooded and basements
in the area were damaged. Rainfall totaled 1.02 inches at
Denver International Airport and 1.24 inches at the site of
the former Stapleton International Airport. Large hail...up
to 1 3/4 inches in diameter...fell over the City of Denver
with 3/4 inch hail measured in Littleton and near Henderson.
In 1999...high winds developed for a brief time in and near the
foothills of Boulder. The Gamow Tower on the University of
Colorado campus recorded a wind gust to 87 mph. Winds
peaked to 71 mph atop Niwot Ridge near the Continental
Divide west of Boulder.
In 2003...a small tornado touched down near Strasburg...but did
no damage.
In 2012...severe thunderstorms broke late in the evening...
striking areas hardest from Denver southward. Locations
impacted by the storms included but were not limited to:
Aurora...Castle Rock...Centennial...Highlands Ranch...Lone Tree...
Parker and Surrey Ridge. The storms produced a barrage of
large hail...damaging straight line winds...flash flooding
and several short lived tornadoes. The hail ranged in size
from 1 to 2 inches in diameter...and caused extensive damage
to homes and automobiles. The hail inundated the roadways
with several inches of hail in Douglas County. Consequently...
snow plows had to be called out to clear the roadways.
The combination of torrential hail and heavy rain produced
flash flooding in parts of Elbert...Douglas and Arapahoe
Counties...as thunderstorms brought up to 3.35 inches of rain
to some areas within 90 minutes. In Aurora...Picadilly Road
was closed from flooding north of 6th Avenue. A water rescue
took place on South Gun Club Road in Arapahoe County...where
floodwaters were rushing to depth of 3 feet. Flash flooding
forced the closure of several streets and roads from Parker
south to The Pinery...where the floodwaters inundated the
roadway with up to 2 feet in several locations. At
Centennial Airport...a historic B-17 Flying Fortress suffered
extensive damage as hailstones as large as ping pong balls
struck the aircraft. Although the airframe itself did not
require repair...the fabric-covered ailerons and elevators
were extensively damaged. The hail came straight down and
punched holes in the fabric-covered control surfaces. The
aircraft landed just hours before the storm hit to
participate in a weekend tour stop. Lightning also struck
two homes...one in Lakewood and the other in Parker.
Straight line winds downed trees and power lines in Aurora.
As a result...scattered electrical outages affected around
five thousand residents. At Denver International Airport...
0.61 inches rainfall was recorded along with a peak wind
gust of 41 mph.
In 2016...powerful thunderstorms fired up along the Urban
Corridor and produced damaging hail...strong outflow winds...
heavy rain and lightning. Golf-ball size hail in Highlands
Ranch caused extensive damage including broken windows on
homes and windshields on vehicles. Heavy rainfall...also
produced street flooding. In and around Highlands Ranch...
anywhere from 2.3 to 2.8 inches of rainfall was observed...
with 1.0 to 1.5 inches around metro Denver. At Denver
International Airport...0.38 inches of rainfall was
recorded.
In 2020...a combination of an upper level trough moving
northwest across the state...coupled with a strong surface
pressure gradient...led to numerous reports of high wind
gusts across the Denver the surrounding region. Most of
the wind damage occurred with the passage of a rare
derecho; a large fast-moving complex of thunderstorms with
powerful straight-line winds. In addition...strong wind
gusts from 59 to 71 mph not associated with the derecho...
occurred prior to and following the passage of this system.
By midday the derecho...moved over the mountains...and then
rapidly northeast across the I-25 corridor by mid afternoon.
Wind gusts from 60 to 80 mph were common with a few gusts
exceeding 90 mph. The highest gust observed was 110 mph...at
the Winter Park Ski area...around 12000 feet. Xcel Energy
reported more than 208000 customers lost power because of
the storm statewide. Widespread tree damage was reported.
The intense wind toppled a billboard that crashed onto
Denver bakery. Two delivery trucks parked nearby were
heavily damaged. Two injuries occurred in Denver...one
seriously. A man and his nine-year-old daughter were
injured by a fallen tree. They were standing in front of a
family members house when the incident occurred. The tree
impaled the father through his back and he required several
surgeries. His daughter sustained cuts and bruises that
required stitches. Southwest winds gusted to 78 mph at
Denver International Airport...with a peak gust to 76 mph
at Centennial Airport.
6-7 In 2004...from the 6th to the 7th...a brief hot spell produced
3 temperature records. High temperatures of 95 degrees on
the 6th and 98 degrees on the 7th were record maximum
temperatures for the dates. Low temperature of 68 degrees
on the 7th was a record high minimum for the date.
In 2007...from the 6th to the 7th...an unusually strong storm
system brought very strong winds to the Front Range
Foothills and Urban Corridor. Peak gusts included: 92 mph
at Boulder...85 mph...2 miles southwest of Boulder...83 mph...
10 miles south of Boulder and 55 mph at Denver International
Airport. High winds forced the closure of Mt. Evans Road
and Trail Ridge Road. Several trees were uprooted across
the Urban Corridor. In Aurora...the driver of a car was
injured when some building material blew off the Fitzsimmons
Complex. The debris landed on the car and knocked the
driver unconcious. The wind forced the cancellation of 60
flights at Denver International Airport. Xcel reported
outages in Boulder...Denver...Lakewood and Longmont.
7 In 1904...a thunderstorm produced south winds to 40 mph with
gusts to 50 mph...but only a trace of rain.
In 1942...heavy thunderstorm rainfall in south Denver caused
flooding of shops...stalled motorists...and halted tramway
service temporarily. Lightning damaged houses...but there
was no loss of life. Precipitation totaled 0.53 inch in
downtown Denver.
In 1951...a 24x65 foot roof of a cow barn was lifted off the
building and blown to the ground by a "twister" near Fort
Lupton.
In 1961...small hail and heavy rain damaged property and crops
in southwest metro Denver...including the southwest section
of the city...Lakewood...and Littleton. Precipitation totaled
1.20 inch...11 miles southwest of Stapleton Airport.
Complete primary and secondary rainbows were sighted by
National Weather Service observers at Stapleton Airport.
In 1968...severe thunderstorms moving to the northeast
through sections of Denver caused local flooding of streets
and damage to trees and gardens from hail 1/2 to 1 3/4
inches in diameter. One man was killed and 2 were injured
at the Wellshire golf course when lightning struck a tree
under which they had taken shelter. At another golf course...
a man was mortally injured by lightning. Marble to golf
ball size hail fell over downtown Denver. Hail to 3/4 inch
in diameter was measured in Westminster.
In 1975...hail up to 3/4 inch diameter fell in Boulder.
In 1978...a man standing under a tree on a golf course in
Denver was struck in the arm by lightning. Wind gusts to
60 mph and golf ball size hail pelted west and south
Denver.
In 1986...7/8 inch hail was measured in Lafayette.
In 1990...a thin...rope-shaped tornado touched down east of the
intersection of State Highway 2 and 96th Avenue just north
of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. No damage was reported.
In 1992...a thunderstorm wind gust to 60 mph was recorded in
Boulder. A funnel cloud was sighted by a Highway Patrol
Officer just northwest of Stapleton International Airport
where thunderstorm winds gusted to 51 mph. Spotters and
State Patrol Officers reported funnel clouds in the
northwestern part of metro Denver...near Golden...and 7 miles
northwest of Stapleton International Airport.
In 1993...non-convective high winds pummeled the Front Range
foothills during the late morning and afternoon. Speeds of
60 to 80 mph were common. The winds caused several power
outages as well as uprooting trees. In Lafayette...a 4-year-
old boy was slightly injured while standing on the roots of
a large tree which was toppled by the winds. The boy fell
10 feet to the ground and was bruised and scraped. A tree
fell onto a parked car in Boulder...causing about 35 hundred
dollars in damage. West wind gusts to 41 mph were recorded
at Stapleton International Airport where a thunderstorm
produced 1/8 inch hail at daybreak.
In 1995...severe thunderstorms produced large hail across
west and north metro Denver from Golden to Westminster
and Fort Lupton. Hail ranged in size from 3/4 to 2 inches
in diameter. The largest hail fell in Fort Lupton. A weak
tornado produced a brief dust and debris cloud in a corn
field 3 miles northeast of Hudson.
In 1997...two plumbers were injured...one critically...when
lightning struck a pipe on which they were working in
an apartment building under construction in Denver. The
bolt apparently hit one man in the hand...passed through
his chest...and struck the other worker. The critically
injured man...died a few days later. Lightning also
injured a man...while he was talking on a telephone in
Ward. The bolt passed through the phone line burning
his ear.
In 2001...hail as large as 7/8 inch in diameter fell in
Westminster.
In 2009...severe thunderstorms in Denver and the
surrounding metropolitan area produced five tornadoes...
large hail...up to 3 inches in diameter...and damaging
thunderstorm winds. The tornado that produced the most
significant damage touched down in southeast Aurora...
south of Buckley Airport; it moved south-southeast
across open fields...some residential areas and damaged
Southlands Mall. It was 100 yards wide with a storm
track of approximately 5 1/2 miles. Southlands Mall had
some roof and window damage...as well as wall damage to
one of its resturants. South of the mall...Lowe`s
received some roof damage; lightweight sheds and other
structures were also destroyed. Numerous homes and
apartments suffered window damage...minor roof damage and
there were a few broken garage doors. One resident...north
of the mall...was injured when he was swept off his porch
while attempting to photograph the tornado. He was found
unconcious and bleeding in his front yard...with a
dislocated shoulder...an injured neck...and numerous other
injuries. In addition...the tornado flipped a trailer home.
A man inside the trailer suffered minor injuries. In parts
of Aurora and Centenniel...thunderstorm winds blew down
power lines and caused electrical outages. Approximately
8000 homes and businesses were without power for nearly
two hours. Earlier in the day...a tornado touched down
about 6 miles northwest of Northglenn and caused minor
damage. It`s path covered approximately 1/2 mile.
Several trees were downed in an open field. The tornado
also damaged a metal fence and caused minor roof damage
to a nearby residence. The third tornado touched down 7
miles east-northeast of Buckley Air Field and flipped a
semi-trailer as it passed over Interstate 70. Lastly...
two tornadoes touched down in northwest Elbert
County. One tornado damaged several outbuildings...a
residence...and downed several trees. In addition...
several horses were injured by flying metal debris.
The other tornado touched down in open country. This
day was the first in the series of eight to cause
damage along the Urban Corridor. Damage to homes and
property along the Front Range totaled $161 million
during the 8-day span. The majority of the property
damage was caused by hail; 21000 automobile claims
and 13000 homeowner claims were filed.
In 2012...severe thunderstorms brought damaging wind and
hail...heavy rain and flash flooding. The storms
produced hail from 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter. In
addition to the large hail...heavy rain from 1 to 2
inches also accompanied the storms. The combination of
hail and heavy rain caused extensive street flooding
across Aurora...Castle Rock...Centennial...Cherry Creek...
Englewood...South Denver...Highlands Ranch...Lakewood and
Littleton. The hail was reportedly "knee deep" in
several areas making roads impassable. As a result...
snow plows had to be summoned to clear the streets. In
Castle Rock...a King Soopers supermarket sustained
extensive damage when roof partially collapsed under
the weight of the hail. At Denver International
Airport...0.61 inches of rainfall was again recorded
along with a peak wind gust of 40 mph. Total property
damage estimates along the Front Range for the 6th and
7th combined was 321.1 million dollars.
In 2016...large hail up to 1 inch in diameter was observed
in Castle Rock.
In 2021...a landspout tornado developed in southwest Weld
County...2 miles northeast of Firestone. The tornado
traveled north-northeast...and ended 3 miles northwest of
Platteville. The tornado reached an intensity of EF-1 on
the Enhanced Fujita scale...with estimated wind speeds of
99 mph. There were no injuries...but at least two calves
were killed...and several chickens. Other damage included
a home located at Highway 66 and Weld County Road 21 that
caught fire due to downed power lines. Downed power lines
led to a closure of Weld County Road 21 between State
Highway 66 and Weld County Road 32.5. The landspout was
more than 10000 feet high...and could be seen by spotters
as far as 40 miles away. It was on the ground for 35
minutes; it was estimated to be 50 yards wide and
traveled a distance of 7.5 miles.
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.
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