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000
NOUS45 KBOU 240859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-242300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SUN MAR 24 2024

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

22-24 In 1965...a vigorous cold front swept across metro Denver
        late on the afternoon of the 22nd with east-northeast
        winds gusting to 38 mph causing some blowing dust.
        Snowfall from the storm totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton
        International Airport.  Temperatures on the 22nd dropped
        from a maximum of 63 degrees to 18 degrees in just 10 hours
        and dipped to 3 degrees below zero on the morning of the
        24th.  Maximum temperatures warmed to only 19 degrees on
        the 23rd and 18 degrees on the 24th.
23-24 In 1909...post-frontal rain on the 23rd changed to heavy snow
        during the evening and continued through the morning of the
        24th.  Snowfall totaled 13.8 inches.  Rain and melted snow...
        totaled 2.43 inches...which was the record greatest 24 hour
        precipitation ever recorded in March at that time.  A
        thunderstorm of moderate intensity occurred on the 23rd in
        advance of the cold front.  North winds were sustained to
        27 mph overnight.
      In 1990...several hours of freezing drizzle covered roadways
        with a thin layer of "black ice" which caused nearly 100
        traffic accidents across metro Denver.  In Boulder...snow
        and freezing rain caused numerous accidents and brief power
        outages.  Snow in Boulder ranged from an inch east of town
        to 4 to 5 inches near Table Mesa.  At times thunder was
        heard during the snow.  Snowfall totaled only 0.6 inch
        at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds
        gusted to 30 mph on the 23rd.
      In 1995...high winds developed late on the 23rd and continued
        through the 24th.  A few windows were blown out of a Denver
        high rise building...spraying glass on the sidewalks and
        streets below.  Southeast winds gusted to 48 mph at Denver
        International Airport on the 23rd.
      In 1996...the third storm in 10 days brought heavy snow to
        the mountains...foothills...and metro Denver.  Snowfall
        totaled 18 inches at Golden Gate Canyon and 10 inches
        at Nederland in the foothills.  Across metro Denver...
        snowfall ranged from 4 to 8 inches.  At the site of the
        former Stapleton International Airport...snowfall totaled
        6.5 inches with most of the snow occurring on the 24th.
        North winds gusted to 34 mph at Denver International
        Airport.  As the storm moved east on the 24th and 25th...
        blizzard conditions developed over northeastern Colorado
        closing both I-70 and I-76 east of Denver.
      In 2010...a powerful spring snowstorm swept across northern
        Colorado.  The heaviest snowfall occurred in and near the
        Front Range Foothills and deep upslope developed. The
        heavy...wet snow clung to tree limbs and power lines...which
        caused 36500 electrical outages throughout Denver and the
        surrounding metro area.  Power outages also occurred in
        Douglas and Elbert Counties.  In addition...approximately
        5 thousand travelers were stranded at Denver International
        Airport due to flight cancellations and delays. Initially...
        the snow fell at a rate of 2 to 4 inches per hour...between
        Boulder and Denver...bringing the evening rush hour to a
        complete halt.  Countless motorists were stuck on U.S.
        Highway 36 for several hours.  Other road closures
        included I-70...from Idaho Springs to Genesee and I-25 in
        both directions...from Lincoln Avenue south to Greenland...
        or about 15 miles south of Castle Rock. In and near the
        Front Range Foothills and Palmer Ridge...storm totals
        included:  26 inches at Coal Creek Canyon...23.5 inches...3
        miles south of Evergreen; 22 inches at Aspen Springs...13
        miles northwest of Golden and 3 miles west of Jamestown;
        21.5 inches...3 miles north of Blackhawk...20 inches at
        Genesee; 16 inches near Nederland; 14 inches near
        Elizabeth and Strontia Springs Dam; 13 inches at Bergen
        Park and 3 miles southeast of Indian Hills; 12.5 inches...
        3 miles southwest of Conifer; 11.5 inches at St. Mary`s
        Glacier.  In Denver and the surrounding suburbs...storm
        totals included:  15 inches at Lone Tree; 14 inches near
        Highlands Ranch; 13 inches near Louisville...12.5 inches
        at Aurora...Commerce City...Englewood and 5 miles west of
        Littleton; 12 inches at Erie and Greenwood Village; 11
        inches at Ralston Reservoir and Westminster; 10.5 inches
        at the National Weather Service in Boulder...10 inches...
        4 miles northeast of Castle Rock...Fredrick...Lakewood...3
        miles southeast of Morrison and 4 miles southeast
        of Watkins; 9.5 inches...3 miles southeast of Denver; 9
        inches in Broomfield...Lafayette...Northglenn and Thornton;
        8.5 inches near Federal Heights; 8 inches in Arvada...
        Brighton and Wheat Ridge; 6 inches...5 miles southwest
        of Hudson.  Officially...10.8 inches of snow was measured
        at Denver International Airport.
23-25 In 1891...rain changed to snow and totaled 8.8 inches in
        downtown Denver.  Most of the snow fell on the 24th.
        Winds were light.
      In 1964...heavy snowfall of 5.8 inches was measured at
        Stapleton International Airport.  North-northeast winds
        gusted to 21 mph behind a cold front.
24    In 1909...a major winter storm dumped 13.8 inches of snow over
        downtown Denver.
      In 1915...a cold front produced post-frontal winds to 41 mph.
      In 1919...some unusually soft but rather large hail fell with
        the beginning of precipitation from the first thunderstorm
        of the season early in the evening.  Only a trace of rain
        was observed.
      In 1937...a light to moderate dust storm began at 1:30 PM and
        continued until 8:30 PM.  The storm reduced the visibility
        to 3/4 mile at times.  Northeast winds were sustained to
        29 mph with gusts to 34 mph.
      In 1970...a vigorous cold front produced a northeast wind gust
        to 60 mph at Stapleton International Airport where 3.2
        inches of snow fell following the frontal passage.  The
        strong winds caused minor damage from Denver northward...and
        billows of blowing dust reduced visibility at times.
        Following the passage of the cold front...the temperature
        dropped 25 degrees in an hour from 65 to 40 degrees.
      In 1982...a strong cold front roared across metro Denver.
        Northeast winds gusted to 48 mph at Stapleton International
        Airport.  The strong winds behind the front created a huge
        cloud of dust at least one thousand feet high...which briefly
        reduced visibilities to less than one mile.
      In 1987...near-blizzard conditions over northeastern Colorado
        closed both I-70 and I-76 east of Denver.  While only a
        trace of snow fell in Denver...northeast winds gusted to 37
        mph.
      In 1997...an early spring storm brought snow to metro Denver.
        The heaviest snow fell in the foothills and over the Palmer
        Divide.  Snowfall at Conifer totaled 5 inches.  A woman was
        killed when she lost control of her vehicle on snow packed
        and slick roads near Castle Rock.  Snowfall totaled only
        1.3 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International
        Airport.  North winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver
        International Airport.
24-25 In 1904...west bora winds sustained to 40 mph with gusts to
        55 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 49 degrees on
        the 24th.  Overnight...a cold front produced 4.5 inches of
        snow.  The high temperature was only 34 degrees on the 25th.
      In 1955...a vigorous cold front with winds sustained to
        34 mph and gusts to 39 mph briefly reduced the visibility
        to 2 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
        Post-frontal heavy snowfall totaled 9.5 inches at
        Stapleton Airport where the maximum snow depth on the
        ground was 7 inches.
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.

$$