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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.

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