Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

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NOUS45 KBOU 170959
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COZ030>051-172300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MST SAT FEB 17 2024

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

15-17 In 1938...a cold air mass brought a light snowfall of 6.2
        inches over 3 days to downtown Denver where northeast
        winds were sustained to 18 mph on the 15th.
16-17 In 1929...strong west winds gusting to 84 mph raked Boulder
        and Lafayette.  Limited minor damage and a few injuries
        occurred.
      In 1986...strong chinook winds continued to howl in the
        foothills.  A wind gust to 89 mph was recorded at Table
        Mesa in Boulder on the 16th.  Winds of 60 to 75 mph were
        clocked at other locations in Boulder on both days.
        A west wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton
        International Airport on the 16th.
      In 2014...high winds developed briefly overnight in and near
        the foothills of Boulder and Jefferson Counties. Peak wind
        reports included:  98 mph...4 miles north-northwest of White
        Ranch Open Space; 85 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab; 78 mph at
        the Junction of Colorado Highways 93 and 172; and 75 mph
        just southeast of Morrison. A semi-truck and an SUV pulling
        a trailer were rolled over by the wind on Colorado 470 near
        Morrison.  Strong winds damaged a home under construction
        in Lakewood.
16-18 In 1970...a wind gust to 90 mph was recorded in Boulder at the
        National Center for Atmospheric Research.  In downtown
        Boulder...sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 53
        mph were measured.  Damage was minor.  West winds gusted
        to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport on the 17th.
        The strong chinook winds warmed the temperature to 70
        degrees on the 16th and to 72 degrees on the 17th...both
        records for the date.  The low temperature dipped to
        only 32 degrees on the 16th equaling the record high
        minimum for the date.
17    In 1887...west winds were sustained to 64 mph.  Strong winds
        occurred all day long in the city.  Rainfall was 0.02 inch.
      In 1894...northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts
        to 46 mph.
      In 1937...northwest winds sustained to 36 mph with gusts to
        44 mph started a few minor fires and broke a number of
        plate-glass windows in downtown Denver office buildings.
      In 1962...heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches at Stapleton
        Airport where the visibility was reduced to as low as
        1/4 mile at times.  Winds gusted from the northeast at
        only 15 mph.
      In 2009...strong prefrontal wind gusts knocked down some trees
        and power lines in Boulder.  More than 3400 Xcel customers
        in the Univerity Hill area were without power for about one
        hour.  Peak wind gusts included 68 mph at the NCAR Mesa Lab
        and 60 mph in Boulder.
17-18 In 1976...a strong cold front produced wind gusts 30 to 60 mph
        with much blowing snow and severe dust storms.  In the
        Boulder area...high winds collapsed a garage and broke some
        windows.  Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph on the 17th and
        to 44 mph on the 18th at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1984...the third blizzard in a week struck eastern
        Colorado.  Heavy snow hit some parts of metro Denver
        with 8 to 10 inches measured in Aurora...but only 2.9 inches
        of snow fell at Stapleton International Airport where
        northwest winds gusted to 31 mph.
      In 1999...damaging downslope bora winds developed in the
        foothills behind a strong cold front.  Peak wind reports
        included:  90 mph at the Gamow Tower on the University of
        Colorado campus in Boulder; 79 mph at the National Center
        for Atmospheric Research Mesa Lab near Boulder and at the
        National Wind Technology Center south of Boulder; and 72
        mph atop Blue Mountain and at Jefferson County Airport.
        Downed power lines caused major outages for at least 10
        thousand residents in Evergreen...Idaho Springs...Golden...
        and Lakewood.  In Golden...the wind toppled a lightning
        static protection line atop a 70-foot...230 thousand-volt
        distribution tower.  The downed line...sparked a small
        grass fire just east of the Lookout Mountain Youth Services
        Center.  The fire burned a path approximately 100 yards
        wide and 1/3 mile long before it was contained.
      In 2000...snow...heavy in the mountains and foothills...spread
        over metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 24 inches at the Eldora
        Ski Resort with 8 inches measured near Blackhawk.  Snowfall
        was only 1.8 inches at the site of the former Stapleton
        International Airport...which was the only measurable snow
        of the month.
      In 2018...high winds developed over portions of the Front Range
         mountains and foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 98 mph...
         2 miles south-southeast of Gold Hill...86 mph atop Berthoud
         Pass...with 75 mph...3 miles east of Gold Hill.
      In 2021...a storm system produced moderate to heav snow which
         impacted locations in and near the Front Range Foothills
         and Palmer Divide. Storm totals included: 12.5 inches at
         Conifer...11 inches near Evergreen...Larkspur and Morrison...
         10.5 inches near Genesee and Pinecliffe...10 inches near
         Jamestown...9 inches near Crisman and Marshall...8.5 inches
         near Eldorado Springs...8 inches in Boulder and Monument; 6
         inches near Ken Caryl...Lafayette and Niwot; 5.5 inches at
         the National Weather Service Office in Boulder...with 5
         inches in Arvada and Hygiene.  At Denver International
         Airport...0.8 inch of snowfall was observed.
17-19 In 2006...a cold spell resulted in 4 temperature records.
        Low temperatures of 10 degrees below zero on the 17th...
        13 degrees below zero on the 18th...and 4 degrees below
        zero on the 19th were record minimums for those dates.
        The high temperature of only 7 degrees on the 18th was
        a record low maximum for the date.  Light snow fell on
        the 17th...but totaled less than half an inch at Denver
        International Airport.

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