Public Information Statement Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 180859
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COZ030>051-182300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT MON MAR 18 2024
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
9-19 In 1906...an extended cold and blustery period occurred with
light snow totaling 14.4 inches over 11 consecutive days.
The greatest amount of snow on a single day was 4.0 inches
on the 15th. Only a trace of snow fell on the 12th and 17th.
High temperatures were below freezing for the entire period.
The coldest were 14 degrees on the 16th and 18 degrees on the
17th. Both readings were record low maximums for the dates.
Low temperatures were mostly in the single digits. The
coldest were 2 degrees below zero on the 16th and 5 degrees
below zero on the 19th. Northeast winds were sustained to
22 mph on the 9th. North winds were sustained to 36 mph on
the 10th...32 mph on the 13th...and 22 mph on the 15th.
17-18 In 1923...4.2 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver.
Northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts
to 49 on the 17th. Low temperature of zero degrees
on the 18th was the lowest of the month that year.
In 1944...heavy snow fell across metro Denver. The storm
started as rain on the 17th...but soon turned to snow.
Snowfall amounts totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver and
11.0 inches at Stapleton Airport. The highest wind
recorded during the storm was 23 mph on the 17th.
In 1961...a major winter storm dumped 10.7 inches of snow at
Stapleton Airport. Most of the snow...9.7 inches...fell
on the 18th. Winds were light.
In 1994...strong winds buffeted metro Denver. West winds
gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the
17th. Other significant wind gusts included 85 mph atop
Squaw Mountain south of Idaho Springs...and 82 mph at
Rollinsville southwest of Boulder...both on the 18th.
In 1996...a second storm in less than 3 days dumped heavy
snow in the mountains and foothills again...but snowfall
amounts across metro Denver ranged from only 2 to 4 inches.
The heavy snowfall resulted in several traffic accidents
along I-25 and I-70...south and west of Denver respectively.
The major accidents involved at least 30 cars and resulted
in several minor injuries. The accidents closed both
highways for a time. Snowfall totals included 13 inches
at Evergreen and 10 inches at Conifer. Snowfall totaled
only 0.7 inch at the site of the former Stapleton
International Airport. At Denver International Airport...
north winds gusted to 28 mph on the 17th and 39 mph on
the 18th.
In 2016...a combination of enhanced banding associated with
a strong upper level jet stream...and low level upslope
following the passage of a cold front...produced heavy
snowfall in northern mountains as well as in and near
the foothills of Boulder County. Storm totals included:
19.5 inches near Ward...16 inches near Allenspark...13.5
inches near Eldorado Springs; 13 inches at the National
Weather Service Office in Boulder and 5 miles east of
Boulder; 12.5 inches at Winter Park Ski Resort...12
inches at Eldora Ski Area; 11 inches...7 miles south of
Lyons and at Rollinsville; 10.5 inches at Aspen Springs...
and 9.5 inches near Blackhawk. In Denver and the
surrounding suburbs...storm totals included: 8.5 inches
in Broomfield...Lafayette and 5 miles northeast of
Westminster; 7 inches near Northglenn...6.5 inches in
Thornton and northwest Denver; with 6 inches at
Firestone. At Denver International Airport...an official
measurement of 4.7 inches of snow was observed.
17-19 In 1933...rain changed to snow on the evening of the 17th
and continued through mid-day of the 19th. Snowfall
totaled 5.6 inches with 0.83 inch of precipitation in
in the city. North winds were sustained to 38 mph with
gusts to 46 mph on the 18th and to 30 mph with gusts to
43 mph on the 19th.
In 2003...one of the worst blizzards since historic records
began in 1872 struck metro Denver with a vengeance. Heavy
wet snow accumulating to around 3 feet in the city and to
more than 7 feet in the foothills brought transportation
to a near standstill. North winds sustained to 30 mph with
gusts as high as 41 mph produced drifts to 6 feet in the
city. The estimated cost of property damage alone...not
including large commercial buildings...was 93 million dollars...
making it the costliest snowstorm ever. Mayor Wellington
Webb of Denver said..."This is the storm of the century...a
backbreaker...a record breaker...a roof breaker." Two people
died in Aurora from heart attacks after shoveling the heavy
wet snow. The National Guard sent 40 soldiers and 20 heavy
duty vehicles to rescue stranded travelers along I-70 east
of Gun Club Road. The heavy wet snow caused roofs of homes
and businesses to collapse. The snow also downed trees...
branches...and power lines. Two people were injured when the
roofs of their homes collapsed. In Denver alone...at least
258 structures were damaged. In Arvada...a roof collapse at
West Gate Stables killed a horse. Up to 135 thousand people
lost power during the storm...and it took several days for
power to be restored in some areas. Denver International
Airport was closed...stranding about 4000 travelers. The
weight of the heavy snow caused a 40-foot gash in a portion
of the tent roof...forcing the evacuation of that section of
the main terminal building. Avalanches in the mountains and
foothills closed many roads...including I-70...stranding
hundreds of skiers and travelers. Along I-70...an avalanche
released by the Colorado Department of Transportation...blocked
the interstate in both directions for several hours. Several
residences between Bakerville and Silver Plume were evacuated
because of the high avalanche danger. At Eldora Ski Area...270
skiers were stranded when an avalanche closed the main access
road. After the storm ended...a military helicopter had to
ferry food to the resort until the road could be cleared. The
heavy snow trapped thousands of residents in their foothills
homes in Jefferson County for several days. Two homes burned
to the ground when fire crews could not reach the residences.
Some schools remained closed well into the following week.
The storm officially dumped 31.8 inches of snow at the site of
the former Stapleton International Airport...the most snowfall
from a single storm since the all-time record snowfall of 37.5
inches on December 4-5...1913. The storm made March 2003 the
snowiest March on record...the 4th snowiest month on record...
and the 5th wettest March on record. The 22.9 inches of snow
on the 18th into the 19th was the greatest 24 hour snowfall
ever recorded in the city during the month of March. The
storm was also a drought-buster...breaking 19 consecutive
months of below normal precipitation in the city. Snowfall
across metro Denver ranged from 2 feet to more than 3 feet.
The highest amounts included: 40 inches in Aurora...38 inches
in Centennial and 6 miles east of Parker...37 inches at Buckley
AFB...35 inches in southwest Denver...34 inches in Louisville...
32 inches in Arvada...31 inches in Broomfield and Westminster...
and 22.5 inches in Boulder. In the foothills...snowfall ranged
from 3 feet to more than 7 feet. Some of the most impressive
storm totals included: 87.5 inches atop Fritz Peak and in
Rollinsville...83 inches at Cabin Creek...74 inches near Bergen
Park...73 inches northwest of Evergreen...72 inches in Coal Creek
Canyon...70 inches at Georgetown...63 inches near Jamestown...60
inches near Blackhawk...55 inches at Eldora Ski Area...54 inches
8 miles west of Sedalia...and 46.6 inches at Ken Caryl Ranch.
The storm was the result of a very moist...intense slow moving
Pacific system which tracked across the Four Corners and into
southeastern Colorado...which allowed deep easterly upslope
flow to form along the Front Range.
18 In 1883...0.3 inch of snow fell in downtown Denver. This
was the only measurable snowfall of the month.
In 1903...rain changed to sleet and then to snow...which became
heavy. Post-frontal snowfall totaled 7.0 inches over the
city. North winds were sustained to 51 mph with gusts as
high as 60 mph.
In 1905...northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph.
In 1914...northeast winds were sustained to 46 mph with
gusts to 56 mph behind a strong cold front. Snowfall
was 3.4 inches over the city...but most of the snow
melted as it fell. The estimated amount of melted snow
was 8.1 inches.
In 1920...a terrific windstorm occurred along the eastern
foothills. Two deaths were attributed to the storm and
some damage occurred. Both Denver and Boulder were
affected by the strong winds. West winds were sustained
to 51 mph with gusts as high as 66 mph in downtown Denver.
The strong winds did considerable damage to property...
wires...plate glass windows...and indirectly loss by fire.
The wind caused the death of one young girl by toppling
the side of a brick building on her as she was standing
on a corner waiting for a car. The wind was also
responsible for several severe auto accidents due to
blowing debris into the streets and blowing dust and dirt
into the eyes of drivers.
In 1954...west winds at sustained speeds of 40 mph and gusts
as high as 56 mph produced some blowing dust at Stapleton
Airport.
In 1979...heavy snow totaled 4 to 12 inches along the Front
Range from Denver north. I-25 was closed for a brief time
between Denver and Cheyenne. New snowfall totaled 4.3
inches at Stapleton International Airport where north
winds gusted to 29 mph.
In 1998...a major winter storm dumped heavy snow over areas
west from I-25 to the Continental Divide as strong upslope
conditions developed. Two to 3 1/2 feet of snow fell in
the foothills with 1 to 2 feet reported in west metro
Denver. Snowfall totals included: 38 inches at Silver
Spruce Ranch...2 miles south of Ward; 35 inches at Aspen
Springs; 33 inches near Blackhawk; 30 inches at Eldora;
29 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 27 inches at Conifer...
Chief Hosa...and Nederland; 25 inches at Rollinsville and
Gross Reservoir; 21 inches at Evergreen; and 15 to 19
inches at Broomfield...Lakewood...and Table Mesa in Boulder.
Elsewhere across metro Denver...snowfall ranged from 8 to
14 inches. Snowfall totaled only 7.9 inches at the site
of the former Stapleton International Airport. East winds
gusted to 31 mph at Denver International Airport.
18-19 In 1927...heavy snowfall was 6.5 inches in downtown Denver.
Northwest winds were sustained to 28 mph on the 18th.
In 1974...heavy snowfall totaled 5.8 inches at Stapleton
International Airport where northeast winds gusted to
33 mph on the 19th.
In 2018...a storm system brought locally heavy snowfall to
the Palmer Divide south of Denver. Storm totals included
10.5 inches in Franktown...10 inches near Elizabeth and
The Pinery...9 inches at Ponderosa Park...with 5 inches in
Lone Tree. At Denver International Airport...just 0.7 inch
of snowfall was observed.
18-20 In 2020...a powerful storm system brought blizzard conditions
to the plains east of Interstate 25. Numerous roads
closures were posted east of Interstate 25 and over the
Palmer Divide. Highways closings included portions of
eastbound interstates 70 and 76 due to strong winds and
whiteout conditions. I-70 was also closed westbound into
the mountains due to heavy snow and numerous accidents.
In the Front Range Foothills...storm totals included: 23
inches near Nederland...22 inches at Aspen Springs...18.5
inches near Jamestown...17 inches at Genesee...15 inches at
Evergreen and 12 inches at Bergen Park. Along the urban
corridor...storm totals included: 11 inches at Centennial
and Ponderosa Park; 10.5 inches at Lone Tree...10 inches
near Commerce City...with 5 to 9 inches elsewhere including
6 inches at Denver International Airport. At Greeley and
Denver International Airport...north-northwest winds gusted
to 49 mph.
18-21 In 1907...a warm spell resulted in 6 daily temperature
records. Record maximum temperatures of 82 degrees
occurred on the 18th with 81 degrees on the 19th and
80 degrees on the 20th. Record high minimum temperatures
of 52 degrees occurred on the 19th and 20th with 54
degrees on the 21st.
$$