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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SAT MAY 18 2024

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

14-18 In 1996...from the 14th to the 18th...a period of unusually
        warm weather resulted in 4 record maximum temperatures in
        5 days.  The record high temperatures were 87 degrees on
        the 14th...89 degrees on the 15th...and 93 degrees on both
        the 16th and 18th.  The temperature climbed to only 81
        degrees on the 17th which was not a record.
17-19 In 2017...a strong spring storm dropped across the Great Basin...
        and then moved eastward across Colorado. Isolated but strong
        thunderstorms preceded the system on the 17th with hail up
        to nickel size near Boulder Airport and Brighton. Significant
        snow fell across the Front Range mountains and foothills over
        the next couple of days. Along the Interstate 25 Corridor...
        rain turned to snow on the morning of the 18th...heaviest from
        around Broomfield northward. The heavy wet snow snapped the
        limbs of fully leaved trees and caused scattered power
        outages. A barns collapsed in northeast Loveland. Fifty-five
        head of cattle were inside the collapsed barn; three were
        injured and later euthanized. Numerous branches and trees
        snapped in the foothills. Elsewhere...several scattered
        smaller power outages were reported. Three to nearly five
        inches of liquid precipitation occurred...as rain or a mix of
        rain and snow...fell around Greeley. Storm totals in the Front
        Range mountains and foothills included: 42.0 inches near
        Allenspark...41.5 inches near Ward...36 inches at Estes Park...
        32 inches near Pinecliffe...30.5 inches northwest of Golden...
        30 inches near Nederland...26 inches near Breckenridge...25
        inches near Aspen Springs and Bear Lake State Park...14
        inches at Aspen Springs...with 9.5 inches near Evergreen.
        On the west side of the Interstate 25 Corridor...storm
        totals included: 10 inches near Superior and Louisville...6
        to 8 inches in and around Fort Collins...6 inches in Lafayette...
        5 inches in Broomfield and Loveland...and 4 inches near Niwot.
18    In 1864...heavy rains combined with melting snow to cause much
        flooding on North Clear Creek in Blackhawk.  Many bridges on
        the road to Denver were washed away by the high water on
        Clear Creek.
      In 1893...northwest winds were sustained to 56 mph with an
        extreme velocity to 60 mph.
      In 1960...large hail to 1 inch in diameter damaged roofs and
        cars in metro Denver.  Heavy snow and rain in the foothills
        caused rock and landslides...which blocked some highways.
        There was widespread minor damage from lightning.
        Hail as large as 1 1/8 inch in diameter was measured at
        Stapleton Airport where winds gusted to 44 mph.
      In 1975...a tornado touched down briefly just south of Buckley
        Field in Aurora.  A few minutes later the same tornado
        touched down in open country 8 miles northeast of
        Stapleton International Airport.  No damage was reported.
      In 1985...3/4 inch hail fell just southeast of Aurora.
      In 1988...lightning started a fire at a home in the foothills
        west of Boulder...causing 50 thousand dollars in damage.
      In 1995...strong thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver
        dropping mainly pea to marble size hail.  However...hail
        stones as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter fell in Wheat
        Ridge and downtown Denver.  Hail piled up to 2 inches deep
        in Wheat Ridge and northwest Denver.
      In 1996...the Buffalo Creek wildfire started and spread
        rapidly on strong southwest winds at 20 to 30 mph.  Dry
        weather conditions contributed to the spread of the fire...
        which burned nearly 12 thousand acres and destroyed 12
        structures including some houses.
      In 2001...a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by lightning
        as he was walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 36 in
        Westminster.
      In 2003...hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured at Denver
        International Airport.
      In 2010...a small tornado touched down near Firestone but did
        no damage.
18-19 In 2011...from the 18th to the 19th...a severe thunderstorm in
        central Adams County produced large hail and heavy rainfall
        on the 18th. Large hail from 1 inch to 1 3/4 inches in
        diameter...was reported in Commerce City...near Federal
        Heights...Northglenn...and 2 miles south of Thornton.  In
        Commerce City...the storm uprooted trees and knocked out
        power lines. A carport was lifted off the ground and
        struck the power lines overhead. Heavy rain...from 1.0 to
        1.5 inches fell in less than 2 hours in Commerce City and
        near Brighton.  The combination of hail and strong winds
        broke windows in Northglenn.  In the foothills...moderate to
        heavy snow showers developed overnight. Storm totals
        included: 10.5 inches at Gold Hill...9.5 inches...3 miles
        west of Jamestown; 9 inches at Lake Eldora; with 6 inches...
        11 miles southwest of Gilpin and 4 miles east-northeast of
        Nederland. At Denver International Airport...total rainfall
        over the 2-day period totaled 1.71 inches.  In addition...a
        peak wind gust to 37 mph was recorded on the 18th.
18-20 In 1915...from the 18th to the 20th...3.9 inches of snow fell
        in the city.  The estimated amount of snow that melted as
        it fell was 6.2 inches which would have totaled an
        estimated 10.1 inches of snowfall. Precipitation totaled
        1.03 inches.  North winds were sustained to 32 mph on the
        18th.  Low temperatures dipped to 25 degrees on both the
        18th and 20th...establishing record minimums for both dates.
      In 1988...from the 18th to the 20th...a prolonged heavy
        rainfall drenched metro Denver.  The event began when heavy
        thunderstorms on the 18th caused some street flooding and
        power outages...followed by steady rain on the 19th and 20th.
        Rain amounts across metro Denver totaled 3 to 4 inches.
        Rainfall totaled 3.71 inches at Stapleton International
        Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph on the 20th.
        Four to eight inches of snow fell in the foothills above 7
        thousand feet.
18-26 In 2023...smoke and haze from massive wildfires in Canada
        significantly impacted air quality and visibility across
        Denver and the rest of northeast Colorado.

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