National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
NOUS45 KBOU 210859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-212300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SUN APR 21 2024

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

19-21 In 1984...a large snowstorm buried most of Colorado under a
        thick mantle of wet snow.  Total snow amounts ranged from
        10 to 20 inches across metro Denver and a whopping 20 to
        40 inches in the adjacent foothills.  The snow closed roads
        and damaged electrical transformers...causing numerous power
        outages.  Nearly 14 inches (13.6) of snow fell at Stapleton
        International Airport where the combination of snow and
        wind closed all but one runway...resulting in the cancellation
        of many flights.  Both I-70 and I-76 were closed to the east
        of Denver.
19-22 In 1933...a major storm dumped 16.8 inches of snowfall over
        downtown Denver when rain changed to snow during the early
        morning of the 20th and continued through midday of the
        22nd.  Most of the snow fell on the 21st.  Due to melting...
        the most snow on the ground was 10.5 inches at 6:00 PM on the
        21st.  Before the snow started...a strong cold front on the
        evening of the 19th produced north winds sustained to 35 mph
        with gusts to 37 mph.  The strong winds deposited a thin
        layer of dust on the city.  North to northwest winds were
        sustained to 31 mph with gusts to 35 mph on the 20th and to
        29 mph with gusts to 32 mph on the 21st.
20-22 In 1957...strong and gusty south to southeast winds raked
        metro Denver each day.  The strongest wind gust of 55 mph
        occurred on the 21st when blowing dust briefly reduced the
        visibility to 3/4 mile at Stapleton Airport.
20-23 In 1989...unusually warm weather resulted in several daily
        temperature records being broken in Denver.  The high
        temperature of 89 degrees on the 21st exceeded the record
        maximum for the month at that time.  Daily record high
        temperatures were either exceeded or equaled with 83
        degrees on the 20th...88 degrees on the 22nd...and 85
        degrees on the 23rd.  The low temperature of 55 degrees
        on the 22nd equaled the record high minimum for the date.
21    In 1885...rain changed to snow during the early morning and
        was the heaviest snow of the season.  Total snowfall was
        estimated at 8.0 inches over downtown Denver...but the
        snow melted rapidly on the ground as it fell.  However...
        the weight of the snow...as well as northwest winds
        sustained to 29 mph downed telegraph and telephone wires.
        Several large branches of trees were also broken by the
        weight of the snow.  Precipitation totaled 1.01 inches
        from the storm.
      In 1887...west winds were sustained to 47 mph.
      In 1932...the temperature dipped to a low of only 60 degrees...
        the all-time record high minimum for the month.
      In 1988...a small tornado was observed by National Weather
        Service employees about 3 miles northwest of Thornton.  It
        was on the ground for about 2 minutes.  No damage was
        reported.  Later...lightning struck two 14-year-old girls on
        a softball field in Westminster.  One was killed...while the
        other suffered moderate injuries.  Northwest winds gusted
        to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport behind a
        cold front.
      In 2010...severe thunderstorms produced large hail...strong
        winds and a tornado across parts of Adams...Arapahoe...
        Elbert...and Weld Counties.  The hail...up to 1.50 inches
        in diameter...came down so heavy along parts of I-70
        and I-76 that snowplows had to be called out to remove
        it.  Numerous vehicles were damaged by hail.  In Weld
        County...very heavy rain and hail accompanied
        thunderstorm winds up to 75 mph.  Hail up to 1 1/2 inch
        was reported near Bennett; 1 1/4 inch...5.3 miles east
        of Englewood; 1 inch size hail near Buckley Field; with
        7/8 inch size hail near Boulder. A weak tornado touched
        down briefly in Elbert County...about 9 miles southwest of
        Deer Trail...but did no damage. Several minor accidents
        were reported with snowpacked and slick road conditions
        along with very low visibilities. Minor street flooding
        was reported in southeast Aurora.  Denver International
        Airport recorded 0.30 inches of rainfall.  Also...a peak
        wind gust to 36 mph from the southeast was observed at
        the airport.
21-22 In 1910...north winds were sustained to 45 mph behind a cold
        front.  Rainfall totaled 0.63 inch.
      In 1923...snowfall of 2.0 inches in the city was the only
        snow of the month and the last measurable snow of the
        season.  Northwest winds were sustained to 25 mph on
        the 21st.
      In 1952...heavy snowfall totaled 7.6 inches at Stapleton
        Airport.  The storm was accompanied by north winds gusting
        to 33 mph.
      In 2001...the second major snow storm in 11 days moved into
        metro Denver with blizzard conditions developing again
        across the plains to the northeast of Denver.  Snowfall
        amounts ranged up to 9 inches in metro Denver with up to
        23 inches in the foothills.  Northwest winds were sustained
        at 20 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 36 mph at Denver
        International Airport which was again shut down for nearly
        an hour by power outages on the 22nd.  The outages affected
        lighting in the concourses...train operations...de-icing and
        refueling operations...flight information displays...and
        security screenings.  Navigational aids were also affected...
        resulting in the cancellation of 58 arriving and departing
        flights which stranded about 5000 passengers.  Across metro
        Denver storm totals included:  9 inches at Eldorado Springs...
        7 inches in Boulder...6 inches at Ken Caryl...Northglenn and
        near Sedalia; 5 inches in Arvada and Morrison.  Only 1.7
        inches of snow were measured at the site of the former
        Stapleton International Airport.  In the foothills snow
        totals included:  23 inches near Fritz Peak south of
        Rollinsville...17 inches near Jamestown...16 inches near
        Blackhawk...14 inches in Coal Creek Canyon...13 inches at
        Idaho Springs and near Nederland...11 inches at Aspen
        Springs...and 10 inches near Bergen Park.
21-23 In 1999...a spring snowstorm dumped heavy snowfall over metro
        Denver and in the foothills.  Nearly 3 feet of snow fell
        in the foothills with over a foot in the city.  The heavy
        wet snow downed power lines in Douglas and Elbert counties.
        Scattered outages were reported at Parker...Franktown...
        Sedalia...and Castle Rock.  Some residents were without
        electricity for as long as 20 hours.  The inclement weather
        was blamed...at least in part...for several traffic accidents
        along the I-25 corridor between Denver and Castle Rock.
        Snowfall totals included:  32 inches at Idaho Springs...31
        inches on Crow Hill...29 inches near Evergreen...26 inches at
        Chief Hosa and Coal Creek Canyon...25 inches at Bailey...24
        inches at Floyd Hill...23 inches at Conifer...Genesee...Golden
        Gate Canyon...North Turkey Creek...and Pine Junction; 13
        inches at Broomfield and near Sedalia...12 inches in
        Boulder...11 inches at Louisville and Parker...and 9 inches
        at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
      In 2004...heavy snow fell across metro Denver...when low level
        upslope conditions developed against the foothills and
        Palmer Divide.  Snowfall totals included:  18 inches in the
        foothills southwest of Boulder...17 inches at Intercanyon and
        near Conifer...10 inches near Blackhawk and Parker...9 inches
        at Castle Rock and near Sedalia...7 inches in Centennial...
        Littleton...and near Lone Tree.  Elsewhere across metro
        Denver...snowfall generally ranged from 2 to 5 inches.
        Snowfall was 4.7 inches at Denver Stapleton.  Northwest
        winds gusted to 35 mph at Denver International Airport
        on the 21st.

$$