Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SAT MAR 23 2024

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

22-23 In 1936...heavy snowfall of 7.7 inches was measured in
        downtown Denver.  The heavy wet snowfall formed a thick
        coating of snow on trees and shrubs...but caused little
        damage.  North winds were sustained to 15 mph.
      In 1984...around a half foot of new snow fell across metro
        Denver...causing flight delays at Stapleton International
        Airport where snowfall totaled 6.0 inches and north winds
        gusted to 31 mph.  Up to a foot of snow fell in the
        foothills.  Icy roads produced numerous traffic accidents.
      In 2011...Strong bora winds developed along the Front Range
        following the passage of a storm system. Peak wind gusts
        included: 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center;
        82 mph...6 miles northwest of Boulder; 72 mph at Front
        Range Airport in Broomfield; 71 mph at Longmont; and 64
        mph...4 miles west of Lakewood. At Denver International
        Airport...a peak wind gust of 48 mph from the west was
        observed on the 22nd.
      In 2013...A wet early spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to
        parts of the Front Range Foothills and Urban Corridor.  The
        heaviest snowfall occurred near the Front Range Foothills
        and Palmer Divide. Near blizzard conditions forced the
        closure of Interstate 70 east of Denver.  In the foothills...
        storm totals included: 14.5 inches near Conifer; 14 inches
        just southwest of Eldorado Springs and Intercanyon; 13
        inches near Indian Hills; 12.5 inches near Pinecliffe;
        11.5 inches near Golden; 11 inches near Jamestown and
        Roxborough; 10.5 inches near Brookvale and 10 inches at
        Genesee.  Across the Urban Corridor and Palmer Divide...
        storm totals included: 12.5 inches...8 miles southeast of
        Watkins; 10.5 inches in Boulder...Centennial and Northglenn;
        9.5 inches...just south of Aurora; 9 inches in Westminster;
        8 inches at Lafayette; 7.5 inches near Morrison; 7 inches
        in Arvada...Bennett...Brighton; 6 inches in Highlands Ranch...
        Longmont...Louisville and Thornton. Officially...11.6 inches
        of snow fell at DIA from the evening of the 22nd to the
        afternoon of the 23rd...which set a new two-day snowfall
        record in Denver for the date. In addition...a peak wind
        gust to 33 mph was observed from the east on the 22nd with
        a gust to 30 mph from the north on the 23rd.
      In 2016...a powerful blizzard developed across the Front
        Range of Colorado late on the 22nd and continued through
        much of the 23rd. The storm tracked east-southeast across
        Utah on the 22nd...and then into southeast Colorado by the
        morning of the 23rd. The storm rapidly intensified as it
        reached eastern Colorado...producing extremely heavy and
        intense snowfall with snowfall rates exceeding 3 inches
        per hour at times. In addition to heavy snow...strong
        winds gusting in excess of 50 mph east of I-25 produced
        widespread blizzard conditions and zero visibilities. The
        storm initially began with rain on the plains...but quickly
        changed over to snow during the early morning hours of the
        23rd. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were
        common...with several inches of snow already accumulating
        for the morning commute. Many roads became impassable due
        to the depth of fallen snow...drifting snow...and near zero
        visibilities during the day. During the peak of the storm...
        snowfall rates reached or exceeded 3 inches per hour.
        Widespread road closures occurred...including I-76 from
        northeast of Denver to the Nebraska state line...I-70 east
        of Denver to the Kansas state line...and much of I-25...
        from near Castle Rock to Colorado Springs. The Colorado
        Department of Transportation estimated over two thousand
        vehicles became trapped on I-25 near Monument Hill alone...
        with hundreds of stuck or abandoned cars elsewhere.
        Numerous power outages occurred as heavy wet snow
        accumulated on trees...despite the strong winds. At the
        peak...several hundred thousand residents along the Front
        Range were without power. Denver International Airport
        was closed for 7 hours during and just after the peak
        of the blizzard...with around 1300 cancelled flights.
        The power outages shut down the fuel farm pumps...the
        deicing facility...as well as train service to the
        concourses at the airport. Peña Boulevard...the main road
        to the airport...was impassable for much of the day. It
        was the first time since December 21...2006 that Denver
        International Airport had been shut down due to extreme
        winter weather conditions. One to 2 feet of snow fell
        across much of the Front Range Foothills and Urban
        Corridor.  In the foothills of northern Jefferson
        County...31.5 inches of snowfall measured at Pinecliffe.
        Most of the snow fell within a 12-hr period from the
        early morning into the afternoon. A peak wind gust of
        59 mph recorded at Denver International Airport. South
        of Denver...over the Palmer Ridge...12 to 18 inches of
        snow was reported...with 6 to 10 inches across the
        adjacent plains. The official snowfall measurement at
        Denver International Airport was 13.1 inches. In
        addition...the snow was very heavy and wet...with many
        areas receiving 1 to 2 inches precipitation. In
        the foothills...some locations received nearly 3 inches
        of water from this storm.
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    In 1887...west winds sustained to 44 mph warmed the temperature
        to a high of 66 degrees.
      In 1910...southwest winds were sustained to 40 mph.  The
        chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 73
        degrees.
      In 1913...west winds were sustained to 40 mph with a gust
        to 44 mph.
      In 1951...a chinook wind gust to 56 mph was recorded at
        Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1957...strong north winds gusting to 62 mph reduced the
        visibility at times to 1 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton
        Airport as metro Denver dodged a major spring storm...
        which produced heavy rain...snow...wind...and dust over
        eastern Colorado on the 22nd through the 25th.  Snow
        drifted to 15-foot depths in some areas.  All traffic
        was blocked...power lines were downed...and livestock and
        crop losses were high.
      In 1994...strong winds raked the eastern foothills.  While
        the highest winds occurred north of metro Denver...wind
        gusts to 74 mph were recorded atop Squaw Mountain near
        Idaho Springs and to 70 mph at Rocky Flats north of
        Golden.  West wind gusts to 40 mph were recorded at
        Stapleton International Airport.
      In 2005...lightning struck the roof of a home in Paradise
        Hills near Genesee.  About 5 percent of the residence
        was damaged by the resulting fire.
      In 2018...intense outflow winds spread south to north across
        Denver International Airport and points south and east.
        Peak wind gusts included: 67 mph at Limon Airport...66 mph
        near Bennett...63 mph at Denver International Airport...62
        mph at Front Range Airport...61 mph...9 miles north of
        Manila Village; with 58 mph at Woodlin School
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.

$$


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