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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT TUE SEP 10 2024

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

1-30  In 2020...a worsening drought that started in the spring and
        continued through September. Outside of an early season
        snow on the 8th...the month of September was another
        unseasonably warm and dry period. The combination
        of hot...mostly dry conditions...and critically dry fuels...
        resulted in a continuation and rapid expansion of several
        massive wildfires. The Cameron Peak fire...which became the
        largest in the state`s history started on August 13th...and
        continued through September. As a result...very poor air
        quality continued to impact Denver and the entire Front
        Range.  Denver recorded the most days ever with a high
        temperature of 90 degrees or better; 75 days.  The last
        of which was 91 degrees on the 24th.  The previous
        record was 73 days set in 2012.
5-13  In 2010...the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire...northwest of Boulder...
        broke out on the morning of the 5th.  It originated from
        an unattended fire pit at a local residence. The wildfire
        quickly consumed 5 1/2 square miles or 3500 acres the
        first day...and forced the evacuation of over three
        thousand residents.  Erratic 45-mph gusts sent the fire in
        two directions at times. Very dry weather conditions
        preceded the fire. The combination of strong winds...low
        relative humidities and dry fuels allowed the wildfire
        spread rapidly through the steep...heavily forested terrain.
        The flames were reportedly 20 to 50 feet in length.  Towns
        within the burn area included Salina...Wallstreet and Gold
        Hill. The dry conditions coupled with gusty winds ranging
        from 45 to 64 mph persisted for several more days. Fire
        managers used as many as 700 firefighters and support
        personnel from 35 agencies and seven air tankers to battle
        the wildfire.  A total of 6181 square acres or
        approximately 10 square miles were burned.  The Fourmile
        Canyon Wildfire was the most destructive fire in Colorado
        history in terms of the damage to personal property.  It
        destroyed 171 homes with an estimated cost of 217 million
        dollars.
9-10  In 1933...heavy rain over the Cherry Creek...Plum Creek...Big
        Dry Creek...and Little Dry Creek watersheds caused flooding
        on the South Platte River in Denver overnight.  Nearly an
        inch of rain...0.98 inch...fell in the city.
      In 1944...a trace of rain fell on each day.  This together
        with a trace of rain on the 4th and 30th was the only
        precipitation for the month.  The total of a trace of
        precipitation for the month equaled the driest September
        on record first set in 1892.
      In 1994...unusually very warm weather resulted in three
        temperature records being equaled.  High temperatures
        of 94 degrees on the 9th and 93 degrees on the 10th
        equaled record maximums for the dates.  Low temperature
        of 63 degrees on the 9th equaled the record high minimum
        for the date.
10    In 1985...golf ball size hail was reported just east of Parker.
      In 1989...3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Littleton.  Heavy rain
        produced local flooding in Lakewood.  The heavy rain caused
        the wall of a house to collapse.
      In 1993...thunderstorm winds downed power lines...which caused a
        power outage in Castle Rock.
10-17 In 2018...the high temperature equalled or exceeded 90 degrees for
        8 consecutive days; breaking the previous streak of 7 consecutive
        days in the month of September.
10-18 In 2018...the high temperature equalled or exceeded 90 degrees for 9
        consecutive days; marking the first time such an occurrence has
        taken place in the month of September.  It also brought September
        of 2018 into a 4-way tie for most 90 degree + days in the month.
        Previous years included 2017...2005 and 1895. During the streak...4
        record high temperatures were either tied or broken...and one
        record high minumum temperatures was broken.

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