Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 290859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-292300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT TUE SEP 29 2026
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
28-29 In 1959...one of the heaviest September snow storms of record
began as rain and changed to heavy wet snow. The storm
caused heavy damage to trees and shrubbery...which were
still in full leaf. The storm dumped 10.6 inches of snow
at Stapleton Airport...the third heaviest September snow
amount to date. Falling trees and limbs disrupted
traffic...broke power and communication lines...and damaged
buildings and cars. One man was killed in Denver by a
falling tree limb...and four others died of heart
attacks while shoveling snow or trying to move heavy
tree limbs. Direct costs of the storm for cleaning up
debris...repairing utility lines...and damage to buildings
and other property across all of eastern Colorado were
estimated to be over a half million dollars. The value
of trees destroyed or damaged was estimated to exceed
five million dollars. North-northeast winds gusted to
32 mph at Stapleton Airport on the 28th.
In 1985...an unusually cold air mass for this time of year
settled over the area. Metro Denver received 8 to 12
inches of powdery snow. The 8.7 inches of snow that
fell at Stapleton International Airport was the first
measurable snow of the season and the city`s heaviest
September snowfall since 1971. The snow caused flight
delays of over 2 hours at Stapleton International Airport.
I-70 was closed for a time west of Denver. Snow-laden
tree limbs snapped over all of metro Denver...causing
widespread power outages. Ten thousand people were without
electricity for a time in Boulder. The morning of the 29th
saw mid-winter temperatures along the Front Range. The
temperature dipped to 17 degrees...the lowest temperature
ever recorded in September in Denver. The high temperature
of only 29 degrees on the 29th was a new record low maximum
for the date and lowest ever recorded during the month of
September. The low temperature of 21 degrees on the evening
of the 28th set a new record low for the date. The cold
weather persisted through the 1st with record minimum
temperatures of 25 degrees set on the 30th and 27 degrees
set on October 1st.
29 In 1966...a vigorous cold front moved thru metro Denver.
North winds gusting to 51 mph kicked up billows of blowing
dust...which briefly reduced the visibility to 1 mile at
Stapleton International Airport. The cold air caused
temperatures to drop rapidly from a high of 86 degrees to
a low of 46 degrees by days end.
In 1985...the lowest temperature ever recorded in September...
17 degrees...occurred. The high temperature warmed to only
29 degrees...the all-time record low maximum for the month.
In 1994...the temperature reached a high of 91 degrees at
Stapleton International Airport. This was the 60th day
of the year that the temperature had reached 90 degrees
or more...establishing a new record at that time. The
previous record of 52 "90 degree days" occurred in 1978.
Only 43 "90 degree days" were recorded at Denver
International Airport during 1994.
In 1995...lightning struck a couple in Aurora as they were
walking in the rain. The bolt struck the umbrella the man
was carrying...injuring both the man and his wife.
In 2000...late afternoon thunderstorms produced strong wind
gusts to 76 mph in Westminster...to 69 mph near Boulder...and
to 60 mph at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield. No
damage was reported.
In 2014...a storm system that moved through the area produced
large hail and street flooding in parts of metro Denver and
then spread east into the plains. The storm also caused
multiple accidents. A semi became detached from a trailer...
blocking traffic on westbound Interstate 70 west of Tower
Road. Downed power poles blocked a roadway on CO 79 near
Bennett...at mile marker 10. In addition to the damaging
winds...the storms produced large hail...from nickel to
golfball size across southern and eastern portions of
metro Denver. The hailstorm was the most damaging of
the 2014 summer season...with insured losses that topped
213 million dollars. Insurance claims included 29297
automobile claims worth more than 87.2 million dollars and
14287 property claims for 126 million dollars...ranking
the storm as the eighth most expensive to hit the state. At
Denver International Airport...1.01 inches of rainfall was
recorded which was the greatest 24-hr rainfall for the date.
In addition...a peak wind gust to 38 mph was observed at the
airport
In 2015...severe thunderstorms developed over the foothills of
Boulder County and Jefferson Counties...then moved south
along the western suburbs of Denver. Areas north of Golden...
around Lakewood and into northern Douglas County saw the
heaviest rain and hail. The hail ranged in size from nickel
to ping pong size
$$