Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 090959
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-092300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MST TUE DEC 9 2025
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
2-17 In 1939...more than 2 weeks of unseasonably warm weather
made the month the 3rd warmest on record. Seven daily
temperature records were set...including the all time
record high temperature for the month of 79 degrees on
the 5th. Daytime highs were balmy with 14 days in the
60`s and 70`s. Low temperatures dipped to freezing or
below on only 5 days. The period was dry with only a
trace of snow on the 12th.
3-15 In 1972...a protracted cold spell held an icy grip on metro
Denver when maximum temperatures never reached above
freezing for 10 consecutive days from the 3rd through
the 12th and minimum temperatures dipped below zero on
eleven consecutive days from the 5th through the 15th.
Daily low temperature records were set with 15 degrees
below zero on the 5th...17 degrees below zero on the 6th...
and 18 degrees below zero on the 10th. Daily record low
maximum readings were set with 3 degrees on the 6th and
6 degrees on the 9th. The very cold temperatures were
caused by 3 to 5 inches of snow cover and a Canadian air
mass.
7-9 In 1919...an apparent Arctic cold front brought extreme cold
and light snow to the city. Snowfall totaled only 2.5
inches on the 7th and 8th. Temperatures dipped to lows
of 14 degrees below zero on the 8th and to 20 degrees below
zero on the 9th. Both readings were daily record minimums.
High temperatures were only 4 degrees on the 8th and 7
degrees on the 9th.
In 1923...a major storm dumped 13.5 inches of snowfall on
downtown Denver. The apparent post-frontal snowfall
started during the late afternoon of the 7th and continued
through the evening of the 9th. Temperatures dipped from a
high of 66 degrees on the 7th with west winds sustained to
35 mph to a low of only 14 degrees on the 9th...with north
winds sustained to 25 mph.
8-9 In 1943...4.5 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver. This
was the only measurable snow of the month. North winds
were sustained to 26 mph on the 8th.
In 2003...snowfall totaled 3 to 6 inches across metro Denver.
Snowfall was heavier in and near the foothills with
8.0 inches measured in Boulder and 10 miles southwest of
Sedalia. Snowfall was 3.9 inches at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport. Most of the snow
fell on the 8th...as the snow ended shortly after midnight.
North winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International
Airport.
In 2008...an upslope snowstorm produced heavy snow in and near
the foothills of Boulder...Jefferson and Douglas Counties...
and along the Palmer Divide south of Denver. Storm totals
in the foothills ranged from 8 to 15 inches. In Boulder
and in areas west and south of Denver...storm totals ranged
from 6 to 13 inches. The snowfall measurement at Denver
International Airport was 3.9 inches.
In 2023...a storm system produce a period of moderate to heavy
snowfall...especially in and near the Front Range mountains...
foothills and Palmer Divide. Storm totals ranged from 6 to
14 inches in the mountains and foothills...with 4 to 7 inches
over Boulder as well as western and southern portions of
metro Denver. Interstate 70 closed was closed for a few
hours west of Denver due to heavy snow as well as vehicle
spinouts. Several accidents were also reported around the
Denver metro area...with highest impacts on the west side of
the city and in Boulder. Officially...just 0.4 inch of
snowfall occurred at Denver International Airport while
6.5 inches of snowfall was measured at the National Weather
Service in Boulder.
8-10 In 1985 a slow moving storm dumped 10 to 20 inches of snow
over the northeast plains...closing schools and businesses
in many areas along the Front Range north of Denver. At
Stapleton International Airport...snowfall totaled 9.9 inches
with a maximum snow depth of 7 inches on the ground. North
winds gusted to 24 mph. The snow caused long air traffic
delays at Stapleton International Airport on the 9th.
In 1997...persistent light to moderate snowfall combined
with strong and gusty northerly winds to produce much
blowing and drifting snow across metro Denver. The
hardest hit areas were south of Denver where north winds
at speeds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph caused near
whiteout conditions. The strong winds produced drifts
2 to 4 feet deep and dropped wind chill temperatures
well below zero. Sections of both I-25 and I-70 and other
roads were closed as travel became impossible due to
blowing snow. Numerous traffic accidents were reported and
a handful of people were stranded during the snowstorm.
Snowfall totals included: 22 inches at Conifer...13 inches
at Castle Rock...12 inches at Parker...and 8 inches in
southeast Aurora. Snowfall totaled 5.5 inches at the
site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
North winds gusted to 36 mph at Denver International
Airport on the 10th.
8-12 In 1932...the second longest sub-zero period on record in
Denver occurred. The temperature fell below zero shortly
after 1:00 PM on the 8th and remained below zero for 92
hours until 9:00 AM on the 12th. The lowest temperature
recorded during this period was 13 degrees below zero on
both the 9th and 11th. That temperature on the 11th was
a record low for the date. High temperatures of 4 on the
8th...5 below zero on the 9th...1 below zero on the 10th...
and 6 below zero on the 11th were record low maximum
temperatures for those dates. Light north winds at 5 to
10 mph were accompanied by occasional light snow...which
totaled only 2.2 inches.
9 In 1898...the very cold air mass that settled over the
city behind an apparent cold front on the 7th plunged
temperatures to a low of 20 degrees below zero. The
high temperature climbed to only 5 degrees.
In 1910...chinook west winds sustained to 46 mph warmed
the temperature to 60 degrees...the warmest reading
of the month that year.
In 1919...the minimum temperature dipped to 20 degrees
below zero in downtown Denver...setting a record low
for the date.
In 1984...high winds occurred in the foothills with a gust
to 69 mph recorded at Golden Gate Canyon west of Denver.
West winds gusted to 36 mph at Stapleton International
Airport.
In 1992...high winds were recorded over most of the day in the
Front Range foothills. Wind gusts to 95 mph were measured
in the Table Mesa area of Boulder. Northwest winds gusted
to 43 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1993...a weather observer in Boulder recorded a wind gust
to 73 mph. North winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton
International Airport.
In 1998...metro Denver and areas in the foothills received
the first significant snowfall in more than a month.
The upslope snow event deposited up to 17 inches in the
foothills with generally 4 to 8 inches across metro
Denver west of I-25. Snowfall totals included 17 inches
at Crescent Park and 16 inches in nearby Coal Creek Canyon.
Other snow amounts included: 16 inches at Tiny Town; 14
inches at Chief Hosa...Evergreen...and Genesee; 13 inches in
Conifer; 12 inches at Nederland; 11 inches in Eldorado
Canyon; 9 inches just west of Boulder; 8 inches in Boulder;
and 7 inches in Broomfield and Golden. Only 3.6 inches of
snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International
Airport. Northeast winds gusted to 26 mph at Denver
International Airport.
9-13 In 1961...cold arctic air produced a protracted cold period.
The temperature plunged to 16 degrees below zero on the
10th...establishing a new record for the date and the
coldest reading since 25 degrees below zero on February 1...
1951. Low temperatures dipped below zero on 5 consecutive
days with 9 degrees below zero on the 9th...16 below on the
10th...10 below on the 11th...and 12 below on both the 12th
and 13th. High temperatures reached only 3 degrees on the
10th and 6 degrees on the 11th.
$$