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000
NOUS45 KBOU 200859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-202300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT SAT APR 20 2024

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

18-20 In 1966...from the 18th to the 20th...sub-freezing temperatures
        caused thousands of dollars in damage to fruit trees across
        metro Denver.  Minimum temperatures were in the teens each
        morning and failed to reach above freezing on the 19th.  The
        low temperature of 13 on the 20th set a new record minimum
        for the date.  Snowfall totaled 5.7 inches at Stapleton
        International Airport during the period.
19-20 In 1892...rain on the 18th changed to snow on the 19th and
        totaled 6.0 inches over downtown Denver into the 20th.
        Total precipitation was 1.56 inches.  North winds were
        sustained to 26 mph on the 19th.
      In 1907...a major storm dumped 18.0 inches of snowfall in
        downtown Denver.  Much of the heavy wet snow melted as
        it fell.  The most snow on the ground was 7.0 inches at
        6:00 PM on the 19th.  North to northeast winds were
        sustained to 42 mph on the 19th and to 21 mph on the
        20th.  High temperatures were in the low to mid 30`s
        with low readings around 20.
      In 2021...moderate to heavy snow occurred in and near the
        Front Range Foothills...with the heaviest amounts in and
        near the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson
        counties. Storm totals ranged from 8 to 16 inches in
        those areas...with 2 to 7 inches across the rest of the
        I-25 Corridor.  The National Weather Service Office in
        Boulder measured 8.9 inches...with a measurement of 3.1
        inches of snowfall at Denver International Airport.
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    In 1874...light snow fell for most of the day...but melted almost
        as fast as it fell.  The flakes...as large as 1 1/2 inches in
        diameter during the afternoon...resembled white feathers.
        Precipitation from melted snow was only 0.21 inch in the
        city.  Snowfall was much heavier in the mountain parks
        where snow depths were reported between 3 and 5 feet from
        the storms of the 15th and 20th.  The heavy snow resulted
        in the deaths of hundreds of cattle and sheep.
      In 1875...the city was enveloped in a severe wind and sand
        storm.  For nearly 30 minutes before the storm...it could
        be seen moving toward the city from the northwest as a black
        wall of clouds extending only 10 degrees above the horizon.
        At 5:30 PM...the sand was sweeping past in such clouds that
        objects at a distance of only 10 yards were not visible.
        The streets were entirely deserted.  The greatest velocity
        of wind during the storm was 36 mph from the north-northwest.
        The storm diminished by 7:00 PM.  Swarms of grasshoppers were
        seen today and were reported in all parts of the territory.
      In 1897...southwest winds were sustained to 46 mph with gusts
        to 50 mph.  The apparent chinook winds warmed the
        temperature to a high of 76 degrees.
      In 1905...apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to
        43 mph.
      In 1912...west winds were sustained to 42 mph with an extreme
        velocity of 48 mph.
      In 1958...strong chinook winds gusted to 52 mph at Stapleton
        Airport.
      In 1981...3/4 inch hail fell in Lakewood with up to one half
        inch of rain in a few minutes across northern sections of
        of the City of Denver.  Thunderstorm rainfall totaled
        0.39 inches at Stapleton International Airport...where
        1/4 inch hail was also measured.
      In 1987...6 to 12 inches of heavy snow fell in the foothills.
        Only 2.5 inches of snow fell at Stapleton International
        Airport where the usual flight delays occurred.
      In 2005...severe thunderstorms produced large hail across
        metro Denver.  Hail as large as 1 3/4 inches in diameter
        fell at Denver International Airport.  Hail to 3/4 inch
        in diameter fell in and near Golden and near Hudson...
        Keenesburg...Barr Lake...and Bennett.
      In 2013...an avalanche pushed a group of six snow boarders
        into the Sheep Creek gully of Loveland Pass. This is
        near but outside the Loveland Ski Area boundary. Five of
        the six members of the group died as they were completely
        buried. The avalanche is the deadliest in Colorado since
        1962 when seven people were killed when a slide buried
        residents at Twin Lakes near Independence Pass.
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.

$$