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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SUN MAY 26 2024

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

18-26 In 2023...smoke and haze from massive wildfires in Canada
        significantly impacted air quality and visibility across
        Denver and the rest of northeast Colorado.
20-27 In 2002...lightning sparked a wildfire near Deckers the
        continued from the 20th to the 27th.  Extremely dry
        conditions and very strong winds the following day allowed
        the fire...known as the Schoonover...to consume 3850 acres
        before it could be contained.  Thirteen structures were
        destroyed...including 4 homes...resulting in 2.2 million
        dollars in damage.
24-26 In 1996...from the 24th to the 26th...a late spring storm
        dumped 4 to 10 inches of snow over the Front Range
        foothills.  Conifer picked up 10 inches of new snow;
        Aspen Springs...9 inches; and Central City...8 inches.
        The sticky...heavy snow clung to power lines and pulled
        tree branches down...causing power outages to about
        1200 homes in the Conifer area.  It took
        up to 6 hours to restore power to some residences.
        Lightning struck a telephone data cabinet in Conifer on
        the 25th...which knocked out phone service to about 1500
        customers.  Widespread rain fell across metro Denver...
        where rainfall totaled 2.07 inches at the site of the
        former Stapleton International Airport and 1.66 inches at
        Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to
        24 mph on the 26th.
      In 2010...from the 24th to the 26th...high winds preceding a
        cold front...swept across the Front Range Foothills and
        Urban Corridor.  In Aurora...the wind damaged the roof of
        Rangeview High School.  In Conifer and Denver...the wind
        downed trees and power lines and caused several brief
        outages.  The downed power lines also caused several cars
        to catch fire in the vicinity of 1590 Cook St. in Denver.
        Peak wind gusts included:  82 mph at Highlands Ranch...67
        mph...4 miles east of Franktown and Longmont; 65 mph in
        Boulder...64 mph in Centennial and Denver International
        Airport...62 mph near Parker and 60 mph in Arvada.
25-26 In 1950...from the 25th to the 26th...a major storm dumped 10.0
        inches of snowfall downtown and 10.7 inches at Stapleton
        Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 25th.
        The storm  caused extensive damage to utility wires and
        trees which were in full leaf.  A daily record minimum
        temperature of 31 degrees occurred on the 25th.  This was
        the coldest temperature on this date in 79 years and for so
        late in the season.
      In 1989...from the 25th to the 26th...a late season storm
        dropped snow as low as 6 thousand feet along the Front Range.
        Most places in the foothills had 2 to 5 inches of snow.
        Overnight rainfall totaled 0.33 inch at Stapleton
        International Airport where north winds gusted to 37 mph on
        the 25th.
      In 1994...overnight from the 25th to the 26th...lightning
        struck a television transmitter on Lookout Mountain near
        Golden and burned out a switcher...which disrupted cable
        service for 2 hours.
26    In 1897...apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to
        42 mph with gusts as high as 48 mph.
      In 1942...the all-time highest recorded temperature in May...95
        degrees...occurred.
      In 1978...two children were struck and killed by lightning on
        a junior high school playground in Parker.
      In 1987...1 inch diameter hail fell near Boulder and
        Bennett.  The hail was fairly soft and caused no damage.
      In 1993...dry thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 81 mph at
        Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.  Several trees
        were blown down by the strong winds.  Microburst winds
        gusted to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1995...a woman was injured in Littleton when the car she
        had just entered was struck by lightning.  All of the
        windows in the car were blown out by the strike.  A funnel
        cloud was sighted near Littleton.
      In 2000...a strong microburst wind gust to 92 mph flipped a
        small airplane on its back and blew a DC-3 loose from its
        moorings...which allowed it to roll onto a grassy field at
        Front Range Airport near Watkins.
      In 2010...severe thunderstorms pounded parts of the Urban
        Corridor with very large hail...heavy rain...damaging winds
        and a tornado.  The hail...ranging in size from 1 inch to
        2 3/4 inches in diameter...struck Brighton...Commerce City
        and northeast Denver the hardest. The storms continued to
        spread destruction to the north and east...impacting
        Byers...Hudson...Deer Trail and Prospect Valley.  The
        combination of hail and wind stripped the bark and
        branches from trees.  Numerous accidents were reported
        as the hail accumulated up to a foot deep.  Snowplows
        were called out to clear the roadways.  Flash flooding
        occurred along State Highway 52 between Hudson and
        Keenesburg...and forcing the closure of the highway.
        Widespread crop damage was also reported as the area
        was inundated with up to 18 inches of water.  Extensive
        damage to homes...businesses and automobiles was
        reported with the damage estimated to be around 70
        million dollars.  A tornado touched down near Denver
        International Airport...but did no damage.  Lightning
        struck a child in Commerce City while she was watching
        television.  She suffered minor injuries to her leg.
        At the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge...a
        lightning strike killed a bison.  At Denver International
        Airport...only 0.01 inch of rainfall was observed...along
        with a peak wind gust to 48 mph from the southeast.
      In 2016...severe thunderstorms produced hail up to one inch
        in diameter near Castle Rock...The Pinery and Watkins.
      In 2019...severe thunderstorms broke out across parts of
        Adams...Arapahoe...Denver...and southern Weld counties during
        the late afternoon and early evening. The hail ranged
        from 1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter.  At Denver International
        Airport...up to 3 inches of hail accumulated on runway
        surfaces. Consequently...dozens of flights were either
        delayed or cancelled so runways could be cleared and
        aircraft inspected for hail damage.  A peak wind gust
        to 44 mph was observed from the west at Denver
        International Airport...with 0.65 inch of rainfall.
26-31 In 1995...from the 26th through the 31st...a cool period
        with light morning showers and moderate to heavy
        afternoon showers and thunderstorms pushed rivers
        already swollen from mountain snow melt over their banks
        causing minor flooding.  Streams and rivers such as the
        South Platte and Boulder Creek flooded meadowlands...bike
        paths...roads near streams...and other low lying areas.
        No significant property damage was reported and crop
        damage was unknown.  Rainfall totaled 1.79 inches at the
        site of the former Stapleton International Airport and
        only 1.51 inches at Denver International Airport.

$$