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000
NOUS45 KBOU 220859
PNSBOU
COZ030>051-222300-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT FRI MAR 22 2024

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

20-22 In 1944...heavy snow fell over metro Denver for a total of
        36 hours.  The storm dumped 18.5 inches of snowfall over
        downtown Denver and 12.2 inches at Stapleton Airport.
        Fortunately...there were no strong winds with the storm.
        North winds to only 19 mph were recorded on the 21st.
21-22 In 1955...wind gusts to 98 mph were recorded at Rocky Flats
        south of Boulder.  Some damage and a few minor injuries
        were reported in Boulder.  Northwest winds were sustained
        to 28 mph with gusts to 39 mph at Stapleton Airport on the
        22nd.
      In 1966...a vigorous cold front produced only 1.7 inches of
        snowfall at Stapleton International Airport...but northeast
        winds gusted to 49 mph on the 21st.  Temperatures cooled
        from a maximum of 66 degrees on the 21st to a minimum of
        14 degrees on the 22nd.  Strong winds occurred on both
        days.
      In 1992...an Arctic cold front produced upslope snow across
        metro Denver mainly west of I-25.  Castle Rock reported 6
        inches of snow with 3 inches at Evergreen.  At Stapleton
        International Airport...only 1.5 inches of snowfall were
        measured and northeast winds gusted to 18 mph on the 21st.
      In 2021...a storm system produced a period of moderate to
        heavy snowfall primarily over the southern Front Range
        Foothills...and Palmer Divide. Storm totals ranged from
        7 to 14 inches...heaviest around Conifer. Across the western
        and southern Denver suburbs...storm totals ranged from 4 to
        6 inches.  At Denver International Airport...3.7 inches of
        snowfall was observed.
22    In 1905...apparent post-frontal north winds were sustained to
        49 mph.
      In 1922...a vigorous cold front with north winds sustained to
        41 mph brought only 0.6 inch of snowfall to the city.
        These were the highest winds of the month.
      In 1966...high winds caused extensive blowing snow that
        impeded traffic and closed highways over a wide area of
        eastern Colorado.  Wind damage was widespread...but minor.
        North wind gusts to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton
        International Airport where visibility was reduced as low
        as 1/8 mile in blowing snow.
      In 1975...a strong west wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at
        Stapleton International Airport...while east of Denver
        the strong winds caused minor property damage and
        considerable blowing dust which closed several roads.
      In 1979...near-blizzard conditions paralyzed the northeastern
        quarter of the state.  Strong winds and drifting snow
        closed many roads...including I-25 and I-70.  Power outages
        darkened sections of metro Denver.  Snow accumulations of
        4 to 12 inches were measured over the plains with drifts
        several feet deep.  Only 3.5 inches of snow were recorded
        at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds
        gusted to 39 mph causing some blowing snow.
      In 1995...strong winds associated with a fast moving Pacific
        cold front moved from the mountains into metro Denver.
        Winds estimated at 60 to 75 mph picked up rocks and
        shattered the windows of a car in Louisville.  The strong
        winds blew down and partially destroyed two houses under
        construction just north of Thornton.  West winds gusted
        to 53 mph at Denver International Airport where the
        visibility was briefly reduced to 1/2 mile in blowing dust.
      In 2016...two brief but powerful gustnadoes developed along
        a convergence line that formed in the suburbs just north
        and west of Denver. Three power poles were knocked down.
        In addition...a small storage shed was destroyed.
22-23 In 1936...heavy snowfall of 7.7 inches was measured in
        downtown Denver.  The heavy wet snowfall formed a thick
        coating of snow on trees and shrubs...but caused little
        damage.  North winds were sustained to 15 mph.
      In 1984...around a half foot of new snow fell across metro
        Denver...causing flight delays at Stapleton International
        Airport where snowfall totaled 6.0 inches and north winds
        gusted to 31 mph.  Up to a foot of snow fell in the
        foothills.  Icy roads produced numerous traffic accidents.
      In 2011...Strong bora winds developed along the Front Range
        following the passage of a storm system. Peak wind gusts
        included: 87 mph at the National Wind Technology Center;
        82 mph...6 miles northwest of Boulder; 72 mph at Front
        Range Airport in Broomfield; 71 mph at Longmont; and 64
        mph...4 miles west of Lakewood. At Denver International
        Airport...a peak wind gust of 48 mph from the west was
        observed on the 22nd.
      In 2013...A wet early spring snowstorm brought heavy snow to
        parts of the Front Range Foothills and Urban Corridor.  The
        heaviest snowfall occurred near the Front Range Foothills
        and Palmer Divide. Near blizzard conditions forced the
        closure of Interstate 70 east of Denver.  In the foothills...
        storm totals included: 14.5 inches near Conifer; 14 inches
        just southwest of Eldorado Springs and Intercanyon; 13
        inches near Indian Hills; 12.5 inches near Pinecliffe;
        11.5 inches near Golden; 11 inches near Jamestown and
        Roxborough; 10.5 inches near Brookvale and 10 inches at
        Genesee.  Across the Urban Corridor and Palmer Divide...
        storm totals included: 12.5 inches...8 miles southeast of
        Watkins; 10.5 inches in Boulder...Centennial and Northglenn;
        9.5 inches...just south of Aurora; 9 inches in Westminster;
        8 inches at Lafayette; 7.5 inches near Morrison; 7 inches
        in Arvada...Bennett...Brighton; 6 inches in Highlands Ranch...
        Longmont...Louisville and Thornton. Officially...11.6 inches
        of snow fell at DIA from the evening of the 22nd to the
        afternoon of the 23rd...which set a new two-day snowfall
        record in Denver for the date. In addition...a peak wind
        gust to 33 mph was observed from the east on the 22nd with
        a gust to 30 mph from the north on the 23rd.
      In 2016...a powerful blizzard developed across the Front
        Range of Colorado late on the 22nd and continued through
        much of the 23rd. The storm tracked east-southeast across
        Utah on the 22nd...and then into southeast Colorado by the
        morning of the 23rd. The storm rapidly intensified as it
        reached eastern Colorado...producing extremely heavy and
        intense snowfall with snowfall rates exceeding 3 inches
        per hour at times. In addition to heavy snow...strong
        winds gusting in excess of 50 mph east of I-25 produced
        widespread blizzard conditions and zero visibilities. The
        storm initially began with rain on the plains...but quickly
        changed over to snow during the early morning hours of the
        23rd. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were
        common...with several inches of snow already accumulating
        for the morning commute. Many roads became impassable due
        to the depth of fallen snow...drifting snow...and near zero
        visibilities during the day. During the peak of the storm...
        snowfall rates reached or exceeded 3 inches per hour.
        Widespread road closures occurred...including I-76 from
        northeast of Denver to the Nebraska state line...I-70 east
        of Denver to the Kansas state line...and much of I-25...
        from near Castle Rock to Colorado Springs. The Colorado
        Department of Transportation estimated over two thousand
        vehicles became trapped on I-25 near Monument Hill alone...
        with hundreds of stuck or abandoned cars elsewhere.
        Numerous power outages occurred as heavy wet snow
        accumulated on trees...despite the strong winds. At the
        peak...several hundred thousand residents along the Front
        Range were without power. Denver International Airport
        was closed for 7 hours during and just after the peak
        of the blizzard...with around 1300 cancelled flights.
        The power outages shut down the fuel farm pumps...the
        deicing facility...as well as train service to the
        concourses at the airport. Peña Boulevard...the main road
        to the airport...was impassable for much of the day. It
        was the first time since December 21...2006 that Denver
        International Airport had been shut down due to extreme
        winter weather conditions. One to 2 feet of snow fell
        across much of the Front Range Foothills and Urban
        Corridor.  In the foothills of northern Jefferson
        County...31.5 inches of snowfall measured at Pinecliffe.
        Most of the snow fell within a 12-hr period from the
        early morning into the afternoon. A peak wind gust of
        59 mph recorded at Denver International Airport. South
        of Denver...over the Palmer Ridge...12 to 18 inches of
        snow was reported...with 6 to 10 inches across the
        adjacent plains. The official snowfall measurement at
        Denver International Airport was 13.1 inches. In
        addition...the snow was very heavy and wet...with many
        areas receiving 1 to 2 inches precipitation. In
        the foothills...some locations received nearly 3 inches
        of water from this storm.
22-24 In 1965...a vigorous cold front swept across metro Denver
        late on the afternoon of the 22nd with east-northeast
        winds gusting to 38 mph causing some blowing dust.
        Snowfall from the storm totaled 4.4 inches at Stapleton
        International Airport.  Temperatures on the 22nd dropped
        from a maximum of 63 degrees to 18 degrees in just 10 hours
        and dipped to 3 degrees below zero on the morning of the
        24th.  Maximum temperatures warmed to only 19 degrees on
        the 23rd and 18 degrees on the 24th.

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