


Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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920 NOUS45 KBOU 160859 PNSBOU COZ030>051-162300- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 259 AM MDT THU OCT 16 2025 ...Today in metro Denver weather history... 13-16 In 1873...the 13th through the 16th...smoke from several large forest fires in the mountains made the air very hazy in the city. 15-16 In 1928...a thunderstorm produced hail shortly after midnight on the 15th. Rain changed to snow by evening. Through the afternoon of the 16th...the heavy snowfall totaled 7.3 inches in the city. North winds were sustained to 23 mph on the 15th. In 1984...the heaviest October snowstorm in several years hit eastern Colorado with a vengeance. The storm was known as the "Bronco Blizzard" since it occurred during a nationally televised Monday night football game in Denver; they held on and defeat Green Bay by a score of 17-14. One to two feet of snow fell near the foothills in west metro Denver with 2 to 3 feet in the foothills. Wind gusts up to 55 mph whipped the snow into drifts as high as 4 feet. The storm closed schools...roads...and airports. I-70 was closed both east and west of Denver. I-25 was closed south to Colorado Springs. Flights were delayed for several hours at Stapleton International Airport. Power outages were widespread. Snowfall totaled 9.2 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusting as high as 40 mph caused frequent surface visibilities of 1/4 to 1/2 mile in moderate to heavy snow and blowing snow overnight. The high temperature of only 35 degrees on the 15th was a record low maximum for the date. 15-17 In 1989...the 15th to the 17th...an autumn snowstorm hit metro Denver with 2 to 6 inches of snow. Snowfall totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the maximum snow depth on the ground was only 3 inches due to melting and north winds gusted to 25 mph on the 15th. The heavy wet snow caused leafy branches to sag onto power lines...resulting in a number of power outages. Five thousand homes were blacked out in Boulder on the 16th. Up to a foot of snow fell in the higher foothills with 19 inches recorded at Echo Lake. 16 In 1878...high winds reached sustained speeds of 60 mph. In 1998...one of the costliest hail storms to ever hit metro Denver caused an estimated total of 87.8 million dollars in damage to homes...commercial buildings...and motor vehicles. At the time the storm was ranked as the 7th costliest ever. The hailstorm...rare for so late in the season...began over portions of Arvada...Wheat Ridge...and northwest Denver where mostly pea sized hail accumulated up to a depth of 6 inches near I-70. Several accidents were attributed... at least in part...to the hailstorm. Snowplows had to be called out to clear several city streets. The storm intensified as it moved to the east...into the Denver and Aurora areas. Large hail...up to 2.00 inches in diameter pounded east and southeast metro Denver. Two inch diameter hail fell in the City of Denver and at Buckley Field. Hail as large as 1 1/2 inches was measured in south Denver with 1 inch diameter hail in northern Aurora. In 1999...upslope conditions produced snow across metro Denver with heavy amounts in the nearby foothills. Snowfall totals included: 9 inches at Eldorado Springs; 8 inches at Genesee... Golden Gate Canyon...Littleton and near Morrison; 7 inches near Nederland; and 6 inches in Louisville. Snowfall totaled 3.6 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. 16-17 In 1990...strong downslope winds raked the eastern foothills. Wind gusts from 60 to 75 mph were common. Strong winds in metro Denver resulted in wave damage to a dock used to moor several private sail boats at Cherry Creek Reservoir. Damage was confined to the dock and two anchor cables. A northwest wind gust to 43 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport. $$