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000
NOUS45 KBOU 050859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-052300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT FRI APR 5 2024

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

2-5   In 1918...from the 2nd to the 5th...snowfall totaled 12.4
        inches over downtown Denver. Most of the snow fell on the
        3rd and 4th.  Temperatures were in the 20`s and 30`s.
        Northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph on the 2nd.
3-5   In 1996...from the 3rd to the 5th...the foothills west of
        Denver received 6 to 8 inches of new snow.  Only 0.8 inch
        of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton
        International Airport...along with some freezing drizzle on
        the 4th and 5th.  North-northeast winds gusted to 30 mph
        at Denver International Airport on the 3rd.
3-6   In 1898...from the 3rd to the 6th...snowfall totaled 8.7 inches
        in downtown Denver over the 4 days.  Northeast winds were
        sustained to 48 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph on the
        3rd.
      In 1983...from the 3rd to the 6th...a prolonged heavy snowstorm
        blanketed the area along with very cold temperatures.  The
        greatest amounts of snow fell in the foothills where 24 to
        42 inches were measured.  A foot of snow fell in Boulder.  Snow
        fell for 50 consecutive hours at Stapleton International
        Airport on the 3rd through the 5th with a total snowfall
        of 8.8 inches and a maximum accumulation on the ground of
        6 inches on the 5th.  In Denver...the mercury failed to rise
        above freezing for 3 consecutive days...on the 4th...5th...and
        6th...for the first time ever in April.  Five daily
        temperature records were set from the 4th through the 6th.
        Record low temperatures of 12 degrees occurred on the 5th
        with 7 degrees on the 6th.  Record low maximum temperatures
        of 25 degrees occurred on the 4th...27 degrees on the 5th...
        and 28 degrees on the 6th.
4-5   In 1900...from the 4th to the 5th...rain changed to heavy snow
        and totaled 7.8 inches in downtown Denver overnight.  A
        thunderstorm on the 4th produced hail.  Precipitation
        totaled 1.50 inches.
      In 1911...north to northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph
        on the 4th and to 41 mph on the 5th.
      In 2002...from the 4th to the 5th...a whitish-colored haze
        engulfed metro Denver on both days.  The haze was the result
        of a huge windstorm that kicked up dust and sand from the
        Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China during the latter half
        of March.  Westerly winds aloft transported the dust cloud
        across the Pacific Ocean and over the western United
        States...depositing some of it on Colorado.
      In 2009...from the 4th to the 5th...a blizzard developed over
        the northeast plains of Colorado.  Most of the Urban
        Corridor was spared from the blizzard...with the exception
        of eastern Adams and eastern Arapahoe Counties.  The
        combination of strong wind and heavy snow snapped 14 power
        lines along State Highway 36...near Strasburg.  In Arapahoe
        County...7 poles were snapped in Bennett.  Interstate 70 was
        closed in both directions east of Denver.  At Denver
        International Airport...a peak wind gust of 63 mph was
        observed from the north...breaking the previous record of
        62 mph established in 1986. Officially...only 0.3 inches of
        snowfall was measured at Denver International Airport.
4-7   In 1909...post-frontal rain changed to heavy snow on the
        afternoon of the 4th and continued through mid-morning of
        the 7th.  Total snowfall was 18.7 inches...but most of the
        snow...14.0 inches...fell from 6:00 PM on the 4th to 6:00 PM
        on the 5th.  North to northeast winds were sustained to
        32 mph on the 4th and to 30 mph on the 7th.  Total
        precipitation from the storm was 1.78 inches.
5     In 1873...a heavy rain and hail shower in the afternoon
        changed to snow...and accumulated to 6 inches on the
        streets at 9:00 PM.  Precipitation (rain and melted snow)
        totaled 0.56 inch.
      In 1925...southeast winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts
        to 50 mph.  This was the strongest wind of the month that
        year.
      In 1950...a well developed dust devil was observed 4 to 5
        miles south-southwest of Stapleton Airport for about 8
        minutes.
      In 1977...the earliest date of the last freeze of the season
        occurred when the temperature dipped to a low of 31 degrees.
      In 1988...a wind gust to 74 mph was recorded at Rollinsville.
        West winds gusted to 35 mph at Stapleton International
        Airport.
      In 1990...a heavy...wet snow fell in many areas in and along
        the Colorado Front Range.  Snowfall amounts of 4 to 7
        inches were common around the Boulder area with lesser
        amounts elsewhere.  Only 2.0 inches of snow fell at
        Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted
        to 28 mph.  Icy roads contributed to numerous fender-benders
        and a 20-vehicle pileup near the junction of I-70 and I-25
        in the city.
      In 2000...high winds developed in the Front Range foothills...
        from about I-70 northward.  Peak wind gusts included:  83
        mph at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in
        Boulder...75 mph near Louisville...and 70 mph at the National
        Wind Technology Center...south of Boulder.  West winds
        gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.
      In 2005...a surface low pressure center deepened over eastern
        Colorado and produced damaging high winds across metro
        Denver.  The strong wind gusts ranging from 50 to 70 mph
        damaged roofs and fences.  Cross-winds blew several empty
        semi-trailers on their sides along I-70 and I-76 east of
        Denver.  Peak north wind gusts included:  60 mph near
        Bennett and Keenesburg...59 mph near Brighton...and 53 mph
        at Denver International Airport.  Over the Palmer Divide
        south of Denver...the high winds combined with heavy snow
        to produce blizzard conditions.  Snowfall accumulations
        ranged from 3 to 8 inches over eastern Douglas and western
        Elbert counties.  Snowfall totals included:  8 inches at
        Sedalia...4 inches near Castle Rock...and 3.5 inches near
        Franktown.
5-6   In 1939...3.0 inches of snow fell in downtown Denver.  North
        winds were sustained to 34 mph on the 5th and to 26 mph on
        the 6th.  The strong winds caused considerable drifting of
        snow.  Several highways leading into the city were closed
        during the height of the storm due to poor visibility.
        Streets and highways became coated with ice in places.
        The temperature dipped to 11 degrees early on the 6th.
        This was the coldest reading of the month that year.
        Most vegetation was not far enough advanced to be injured
        by the cold temperatures...although a few buds froze on
        early shrubbery.
      In 1949...strong winds in Boulder caused limited minor damage.
        West-northwest winds were sustained to 24 mph with some
        higher gusts at Stapleton Airport.
5-7   In 1916...rain changed to snow behind a cold front on the
        5th and totaled 4.5 inches in the city.  A thunderstorm
        produced snow on the 6th.  North winds were sustained to
        35 mph with gusts to 38 mph on the 7th.

$$