Public Information Statement Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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NOUS45 KBOU 150859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-152300-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT MON APR 15 2024
...Today in metro Denver weather history...
12-15 In 1927...snowfall totaled 8.5 inches in downtown Denver.
Most of the snow fell on the 14th. Northwest winds
were sustained to 27 mph during the storm.
13-15 In 1945...heavy snowfall totaled 9.8 inches in downtown
Denver. Most of the snow...4.8 inches...fell on the 14th.
Snow fell for a total of 53 consecutive hours. This
was the second big snow in less than 2 weeks. The air
mass was very cold for April. High temperatures of 21
degrees on the 14th and 32 degrees on the 15th were
record low maximums for the those dates.
13-17 In 2001...a huge dust storm over southern and inner Mongolia
during April 3rd through the 6th lifted desert dust into
the jet stream. This dust cloud moved over metro Denver
on the 13th and persisted through the 17th. The cloud
created widespread haze...giving the sky a milkish cast
due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation.
14-15 In 1873...on the 14th and 14th...north winds blew a gale
during the afternoon on both days. Winds were brisk
throughout each day.
In 1902...from the 14th to the 15th...snowfall totaled 6.0
inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow melted as it
fell. Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph.
In 1910...strong winds occurred on the 14th and 15th. Northeast
winds were sustained to 52 mph on the 14th. North winds
were sustained to 44 mph on the 15th.
In 1921...from the 14th to the 15th...heavy snowfall and strong
winds produced near-blizzard conditions in the city. Snowfall
totaled 10.0 inches. Strong north winds sustained to 48 mph
with gusts to 54 mph on the 15th produced drifts to several
feet in depth. The heavy wet snow caused extensive damage
to trees...utility poles...and buildings. Precipitation
from the storm was 1.73 inches. Very heavy snow also fell
in the foothills. At Silver Lake...in the mountains west of
Boulder...95 inches of snow fell in 32.5 hours on the 14th
and 15th.
In 1935...dense dust...apparently behind a dry cold front...
enveloped the city at 1:00 PM on the 14th and persisted
through the night. The dust blew into the city on
northeast winds sustained to 30 mph with gusts to 32 mph.
By mid-morning on the 15th...the dust had become light and
continued as such into the evening. North winds were
sustained to only 13 mph on the 15th.
In 1999...from the 14th to the 15th...a spring storm dumped
heavy snow over portions of metro Denver. Nearly 2 feet
of snow fell in the foothills with half a foot to a foot over
western and southern suburbs. The heavy snow alleviated
drought conditions and associated high fire danger that
prevailed during much of the winter season. Snowfall totals
included: 22 inches in Coal Creek Canyon...20 inches at
Wondervu...19 inches at Genesee...17 inches near Evergreen and
Nederland and at Idaho Springs and Tiny Town...14 inches at
Georgetown...13 inches at Morrison...10 inches near Sedalia...9
inches in south Boulder...8 inches at Highlands Ranch and
Wheat Ridge...and 7 inches at Littleton and Parker. Only 3.4
inches of snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton
International Airport. North-northwest winds gusted to 41
mph on the 15th at Denver International Airport.
In 2021...a storm system produced bands of heavier snow in and
near the Front Range Foothills...where storm totals ranged
from 8 to nearly 14 inches. Further east...storm totals ranged
from 3 to 7 inches...including 5.7 inches at Denver
International Airport.
15 In 1874...light snow developed around daybreak and became
moderate to heavy by mid-morning and continued into the
early evening. While most of the snow melted as it fell...
total precipitation from the melted snow was 0.95 inch.
This would make the estimated snowfall nearly 10 inches.
In 1963...high winds were widespread across metro Denver.
West winds gusted to 63 mph in Denver at Stapleton Airport
with sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts to 70 mph in
downtown Boulder. The winds caused extensive damage to
buildings and other property. Visibility was briefly
reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
In 1998...another spring storm brought heavy snow to the
foothills. Thirty to 40 vehicles were involved in
accidents along I-70 near Georgetown. The combination
of poor visibilities...slick roads...and careless drivers
led to the multi-car pileups. Only minor injuries were
reported. The accidents forced the closure of all of
I-70`s eastbound lanes. Snowfall totals included 12
inches at Genesee and 10 inches at Aspen Springs...Chief
Hosa...Georgetown...near Morrison...and on North Turkey
Creek. Only 0.1 inch of snow fell at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport. East winds
gusted to 30 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2002...unseasonable warm weather resulted in two records
being broken. The high temperature of 84 degrees was a
record maximum for the date. The low temperature of 57
degrees was a record high minimum for the date.
15-16 In 1900...from the 15th to the 16th...heavy rainfall totaled
2.33 inches. A trace of snow was mixed with the rain at
times.
In 1950...from the 15th to the 16th...thunderstorms and heavy
rain behind a cold front produced 2.13 inches of rain in
24 hours at Stapleton Airport.
In 2003...a fast moving Pacific storm system moved across
Colorado allowing strong winds to develop over the eastern
foothills and metro Denver from the 15th to the 16th.
Northwest winds gusted to 59 mph at Denver International
Airport late in the evening of the 15th.
In 2016...1.22 inches of precipitation was measured at Denver
International Airport which was the greatest daily amount
for the month.
In 2020...a potent storm system dropped out of the northern
Rockies and produced moderate to heavy snow over portions
of the Front Range mountains...foothills and adjacent
plains. The heaviest snow fell in and near the foothills
north of I-70. In the mountains and foothills...storm
totals included: 30 inches near Jamestown...27 inches
near Nederland...22 inches near Allenspark...21 inches near
St Mary`s Glacier...18 inches in Estes Park...16 inches near
Crescent Village and Deer Ridge...15.5 inches near Aspen
Springs...and 15 inches near Pinecliffe. In Boulder...16.9
inches of snow helped to establish a new seasonal snowfall
record of 151.2 inches. The previous seasonal snowfall
record in Boulder was 142.9 inches in 1908-1909. Along
the I-25 corridor...storm totals included: 14.5 inches in
Niwot...13.5 inches in Frederick...13 inches in Broomfield...
12 inches in Lafayette and near Longmont...10.5 inches in
Arvada...10 inches in Erie...Louisville...and Westminster...7
inches in Brighton...6.5 inches in Edgewater and
Northglenn...and 5.5 inches in Greeley. Snowfall totaled
1.9 inches at Denver International Airport.
In 2021...a storm system produced bands of heavy snow in
and near the Front Range Foothills. Storm totals included:
13.8 inches at St. Mary`s Glacier...12.9 inches at Aspen
Park...10 inches in Genesee...9.5 inches at Ken Caryl...9
inches in Crescent Village...8.5 inches in Arvada and
Westminster...8 inches at Evergreen and Sedalia...with
3 to 7 inches elsewhere. At Denver International Airport...
5.7 inches inches of snowfall was observed.
15-17 In 1922...from the 15th to the 17th...heavy snowfall totaled
9.0 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow...6.0 inches...
fell on the 16th. This was the third major snowstorm in a
week. Northwest winds were sustained to 43 mph with gusts
to 47 mph on the 15th.
In 2016...a powerful spring snowstorm brought heavy...wet snow
to areas in and near the Front Range Foothills and Palmer
Divide. Storm totals generally ranged from 2 to 4 feet in
the foothills with 1 to 2 feet in the mountain west of
Denver and along the Palmer Divide. Along the I-25 Corridor
storm totals ranged from 6 to 20 inches...with highest
amounts across the western and southern suburbs. Some of
those totals included: 16 inches in Aurora and Superior...15
inches at the National Weather Service Office in Boulder...
14.5 inches in Broomfield...13.5 inches in Westminster...
officially 12.1 inches at Denver International Airport...12
inches in Louisville...11.5 inches in Arvada...11 inches near
Englewood...and 10.5 inches near Wheat Ridge. At Denver
International Airport...there were 852 flight cancellations...
most of which occurred on the 16th. The heavy wet snowfall
broke trees limbs and caused scattered power outages. Over
five thousand customers were without power on the 16th...and
over two thousand on the 17th. Xcel Energy brought in extra
crews from surrounding states to help restore power and
minimize outage times through the storm. Numerous but mostly
temporary road closures from 1 to 5 hours occurred throughout
the storm. This included portions of I-70 east and west of
Denver...Highway 103 from Idaho Springs to Evergreen and
Highway 119 through Black Hawk.
$$