Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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839 NOUS45 KBOU 050859 PNSBOU COZ030>051-052300- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 259 AM MDT WED JUN 5 2024 ...Today in metro Denver weather history... 2-7 In 1921...heavy rainfall for nearly a week...from the 2nd to the 7th...on top of streams already swollen by mountain snowmelt...produced widespread flooding over the South Platte River basin...including the tributaries through the canyons to the west and southwest of Denver. Heavy rainfall over the 6-day period totaled 3.36 inches in Boulder...4.98 inches in Morrison...4.27 inches in Castle Rock...and 2.94 inches in the City of Denver. Rainfall amounts in the foothills were estimated between 3 and 6 inches. The narrow-gage tracks of the Colorado and Southern Railroad were destroyed in the Platte canyon. From the mouth of the canyon through the city to near Brighton... the river spread from 1/2 to nearly 1 1/2 miles wide... flooding farm and pasture land and destroying or damaging many bridges. In the city...many businesses along with as many as 500 homes were inundated...forcing their evacuation. Bridges were swept away. The high waters flooded the rail yards and stock yards in lower downtown...closing three adjacent packing houses. The heavy rains also caused flooding on Boulder Creek in Boulder on the 6th. 4-5 In 1965...lightning and an 18-hour rain storm...from the 4th to the 5th...damaged streets and roads and telephone and power lines across metro Denver. Precipitation totaled 2.77 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the visibility was reduced to 3 miles at times from pre-frontal thunderstorms and heavy upslope rains. In 1998...from the 4th to the 5th...a late season snow storm struck the Front Range foothills. Up to 5 inches of snow fell in Coal Creek Canyon. Light snow also fell over western sections of metro Denver and briefly at Denver International Airport. Snow covered the grass at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood before melting around mid-morning on the 5th. No snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport. Several temperature records were set. High temperatures of 47 degrees on the 4th and 49 degrees on the 5th were record low maximums for their respective dates. Minimum temperature of 34 degrees on both the 5th and 6th were record lows for those dates. 5 In 1864...high water on the West Fork of Clear Creek caused a small dam near Empire to fail...which destroyed several downstream bridges. In 1885...a windstorm during the afternoon and early evening produced south to southwest winds at sustained speeds up to 42 mph. In 1937...a trace of snow fell in downtown Denver. This was the latest snowfall of record at the time. Light rain and snow were mixed around mid-day. Precipitation totaled only 0.01 inch. North winds were sustained to 20 mph. In 1941...hail of unknown size fell on the city. In 1961...lightning struck and injured an Airman outside a base classroom at Lowry Air Force Base. Funnel clouds were sighted near Frederick and Firestone north of Denver. The one near Frederick briefly touched down in an open field but caused no damage. Heavy rain and hail hit the Fort Lupton area causing damage to crops. Heavy rain in Frederick added to the flood damage of the 3rd. A pilot reported a funnel cloud that touched down briefly and then dissipated south of Castle Rock. In 1965...a lightning-caused fire destroyed a mountain home near Rollinsville. In 1988...a tornado touched down 5 miles east of Lafayette near I-25 and stayed on the ground for 15 minutes. The twister hit a campground...demolishing one trailer and damaging six others...along with 4 cars. The rope-like funnel also blew down fences...signs...and electrical boxes. The twister moved a 1500-pound hay wagon 150 feet. Total damage to the campground was estimated at 50 thousand dollars. Another tornado touched down between Broomfield and Lafayette...staying on the ground for about 20 minutes. The twister hit a subdivision...unroofing one abandoned house and causing minor damage to a dozen others. A four- car garage and three barns were destroyed. At one location a chain link fence...a satellite dish...and a shed were destroyed...while the deck and garage of the house were damaged. A grain storage tank was moved 200 feet. There were reports of boards being blown through walls; one came through a kitchen. In 1992...lightning struck a 15-year-old boy...causing minor injuries...in Adams County 6 miles north-northeast of Stapleton International Airport. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 63 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield...to 58 mph at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission`s facility at Rocky Flats...to 58 mph in Thornton...and to 48 mph at Stapleton International Airport where 1/8 inch diameter hail fell. In 1996...strong microburst winds up to 60 mph damaged several trees in Boulder...snapping large branches 1 to 2 inches in diameter. In 1997...a woman was struck by lightning as she was walking to her car in Nederland. The lightning bolt apparently struck a nearby power line and arced into her left hand. She received minor injuries. In 2014...severe thunderstorms broke out across parts of Arapahoe...Douglas...Elbert and Jefferson Counties... impacting areas generally southwest and south of Denver. The storms produced large hail...from quarter to golfball size. In 2015...severe thunderstorms produced hail up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter in Castle Rock and hail up to 1 inches in diameter...southwest of Byers. At Denver International Airport...0.99 inches of rainfall was recorded. A peak wind gust to 35 mph from the southwest as also observed. In 2017...an intense thunderstorm produced damaging downburst winds which snapped a power pole near the interchange of Interstate 70 and US 36. A weak short-lived landspout also touched down south of I-70 near Bennett and tossed around some lawn furniture. 5-6 In 1977...from the 5th to the 6th...lightning caused several power outages and moderate damage to a railroad building. $$