National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
NOUS45 KBOU 260859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-262300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT TUE MAR 26 2024

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

24-26 In 1959...the second major spring storm in less than a week
        dumped 10 to 20 inches of wet snow across northeastern
        Colorado.  Snowfall totaled 14.3 inches at Stapleton
        Airport where north winds gusted to 36 mph...causing near-
        blizzard conditions with visibilities frequently reduced to
        1/2 mile in snow and blowing snow.  Many travelers were
        marooned when trains...planes...and buses were unable to make
        their schedules.  Utility lines were again damaged as a
        result of the storm.
25-26 In 1899...a major storm dumped 13.1 inches of heavy snow
        over downtown Denver.  Rain changed to snow around mid-
        morning on the 25th.  Snowfall became heavy and continued
        until late evening on the 26th.  North to northeast
        winds gusted to 30 mph on both days.  The cold air mass
        plunged temperatures from a high of 55 degrees on the
        25th to a low of 8 degrees on the 26th.
      In 1995...a potent early spring storm produced heavy snow in
        the mountains...but skipped over metro Denver...before
        producing blizzard conditions and 6-foot drifts over
        eastern Colorado...causing the closure of I-70 and other
        highways.  Only 0.7 inch of snow fell at the site of the
        former Stapleton International Airport.  North winds
        gusted to 40 mph at Denver International Airport on
        the 25th.
      In 2001...a persistent band of moderate to heavy snow showers
        with a few embedded thunderstorms formed in the foothills
        around Estes Park and spread to the southeast across Boulder
        and Denver and on the plains to the east of Denver.  Thunder
        and snow was reported at Jefferson County...Centennial...and
        Denver International Airports during the evening of the 25th.
        Snowfall totals included:  7 inches at Boulder and Louisville;
        6 inches at Broomfield...Niwot...and Westminster; 5 inches at
        Eldorado Springs...Nederland...and near Strasburg.  Only 2.1
        inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton
        International Airport.
25-27 In 1904...heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches in downtown
        Denver.
26    In 1899...a major winter storm dumped 11.3 inches of snow over
        downtown Denver.
      In 1910...west winds were sustained to 42 mph.  A snow shower
        produced a trace of snow.
      In 1935...a severe dust storm swept across the city.  The
        dense dust blew in on a gale from the east-northeast.
        The dust "bank" was first visible on the northeastern
        horizon at about 2:00 PM.  It advanced toward the city
        as a rolling...swirling...yellowish-to smoke-black cloud.
        At 2:06 PM...the cloud of dust enveloped the station.
        Before the storm the visibility was unlimited.  At
        2:08 PM...the visibility was reduced to 1/8th mile.  By
        2:25 PM...the visibility was increasing and was above
        1000 feet at 3:10 PM.  Thereafter...the sun appeared
        as a dim "ball of fire" at times.  The dust was
        partially gone at 8:30 PM.  During the storm...northeast
        winds were sustained to 32 mph with gusts as high as
        35 mph.
      In 1971...the highest recorded temperature in March...84
        degrees...occurred.  This was the highest temperature
        recorded so early in the season.  Previously...84 degrees
        had not been reached until April 21st.  The temperature
        also exceeded the previous daily record of 75 degrees set
        in 1960.  Strong northwest chinook winds gusting to 37 mph
        at Stapleton International Airport were partially
        responsible for causing the extremely warm weather
        so early in the season.
      In 1985...strong winds occurred along the foothills.  A wind
        gust to 76 mph was recorded in Boulder.  A dust storm
        produced by the strong winds caused a 35-car pileup on I-25
        north of Denver.  In Denver...the high winds blew out windows
        in a few downtown buildings.  West winds gusted to 52 mph
        at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1993...strong winds from high based thunderstorms blew a
        roof off an Englewood business onto several parked cars.
        The winds also caused half of a furniture warehouse roof to
        collapse in north Denver...ripped a mechanical shed off the
        roof of a building in downtown Denver...and downed power
        lines in Commerce City.  Wind gusts ranging from 55 to
        68 mph were recorded.  At Stapleton International Airport...
        where no thunder was heard...a microburst wind gust to 55 mph
        briefly reduced the visibility to zero in blowing dust.
      In 1994...heavy snow fell in the foothills west of Denver and
        over the Palmer Divide to the south of metro Denver.
        Snowfall totaled 11 inches at both the Eldora ski area and
        at Idaho Springs.  Only 1.3 inches of snowfall were measured
        at Stapleton International Airport where north winds
        gusted to 28 mph.
      In 2006...post-frontal strong winds quickly dissipated the
        dense morning fog across metro Denver.  West to northwest
        winds were strong and gusty from mid-morning until sunset.
        West winds were sustained to 37 mph with gusts to 52 mph
        at Denver International Airport.
26-27 In 1886...heavy snowfall totaled 7.1 inches in downtown Denver.
      In 1911...post-frontal north winds were sustained to 48 mph on
        the 26th and to 47 mph on the 27th.
      In 1931...a cold front brought snow and very cold weather to
        the city.  Snowfall totaled 7.3 inches over downtown Denver
        with most of the snow...6.4 inches...occurring on the 26th...
        when northwest winds were sustained to 38 mph with gusts to
        44 mph.  High temperature of 31 degrees on the 26th equaled
        the low temperature of the previous day as the temperature
        plunged to a low of 1 degree below zero.  High temperature of
        only 15 degrees on the 27th was a record low maximum for the
        date.  Low temperature of 2 degrees below zero on the 27th
        was not a record.
      In 1975...a major pre-Easter blizzard...the worst since the
        vicious storm of 1949...battered northeastern Colorado and
        left livestock losses in millions of dollars...but metro
        Denver escaped the main brunt of the storm and received
        only 5.0 inches of snowfall.  North winds gusted to 38 mph
        at Stapleton International Airport where temperatures
        plunged from a high of 50 degrees to 18 degrees by midnight
        on the 26th.
      In 1991...heavy snow fell over portions of the eastern
        foothills with 9 inches recorded at Lake Eldora west of
        Boulder.  The snow spread across metro Denver...but
        snowfall totaled only 1.7 inches at Stapleton International
        Airport where north to northeast winds gusting to 31 mph
        on both days produced some blowing snow.
      In 2018...a storm system produced a period of moderate to heavy
        snowfall in and near the southern Front Range Foothills and
        Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 12.5 inches at Aspen
        Springs...12 inches near Elizabeth...11 inches at Echo Lake...
        10 inches near Pinecliffe...9 inches near Floyd Hill...8
        inches near Arapaho Park...Conifer and Crescent Village; 6
        inches at Cheesman...Evergreen and Gross Reservoir. The
        official snowfall measurement at Denver International
        Airport was 2.1 inches.

$$