Public Information Statement
Statement as of 2:59 am MDT on May 24, 2013
... Today in Metro Denver weather history...
20-27 in 2002... lightning sparked a wildfire near Deckers. Extremely
dry conditions and very strong winds the following day
allowed the fire... known as the Schoonover... to consume 3850
acres before it could be contained. Thirteen structures
were destroyed... including 4 homes... resulting in 2.2 million
dollars in damage.
23-24 in 2002... a Pacific storm system brought much needed snow to
the mountains and foothills with a mix of rain and snow on
the plains. The most snow fell from central Jefferson
County northward. Snow totals included: 13 inches in Coal
Creek Canyon... 11 inches near Evergreen and atop Gold Hill...
10 inches near Blackhawk and Conifer and atop Crow Hill...
9 inches near Rollinsville... and 8 inches near Genesee and
Golden. Rain was mixed with snow across the city.
Precipitation totaled 0.61 inch at Denver International
Airport. Snowfall was less than an inch at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport. The storm brought
unseasonably cold air to Metro Denver. Three temperature
records were set. Low temperature of 31 degrees on the
23rd was a record minimum for the date... as was the low of
32 degrees on the 24th. The high temperature of only 48
degrees equaled the record low maximum for the date.
24 in 1953... a microburst caused a brief wind gust to 55 mph at
Stapleton Airport.
In 1957... Walnut size hail... 1 1/2 inches in diameter... fell in
east Denver. Only 1/4 inch hail was measured at Stapleton
Airport.
In 1958... rainfall totaled 1 to 2 inches across Metro Denver.
Rainfall was only 0.37 inches at Stapleton Airport.
In 1974... a tornado was observed briefly near Watkins. No
damage was reported.
In 1980... strong gusty winds of at least 60 mph damaged
buildings in parts of Denver. Several buildings were
unroofed in Sheridan. The flying debris damaged other
structures. Strong microburst winds gusted to 52 mph
at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1991... a tornado touched down briefly in open country near
Bennett. No damage was reported.
In 1994... weather spotters reported 2 funnel clouds over
Aurora and a short-lived waterspout on Cherry Creek
Reservoir.
In 1997... hail to 1 inch in diameter fell in Broomfield
with 3/4 inch hail measured in Boulder.
In 1998... a tornado struck a wooden hangar at the Aurora
Airpark. The hangar collapsed... damaging a car and a
single engine plane parked inside. An adjacent steel
hangar sustained only minor damage. The tornado moved
northeast... hopped I-70... and touched down again in an
open field. Earlier... a weak tornado touched down
briefly in an open field 10 miles southeast of Buckley
field.
In 2003... severe thunderstorms produced large hail over
northern and southern Metro Denver. Hail as large as
2 3/4 inches in diameter was measured 10 miles northwest
of Hudson and to 2 inches in diameter 10 miles northeast
of Fort Lupton. One inch diameter hail fell in Fort
Lupton. Hail to 1 inch in diameter fell near Parker
and to 3/4 inch near Franktown.
In 2004... severe thunderstorms moved across northwest and
North Metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 inch in diameter
fell in Broomfield and Thornton with 3/4 inch hail
measured near Arvada and Hudson and in the city of
Denver.
In 2005... severe thunderstorms produced hail as large as
1 inch in diameter in Arvada and the city of Denver.
24-26 in 1996... a late Spring snowstorm dumped 4 to 10 inches of
snow over the Front Range foothills. Conifer picked up
10 inches of new snow; Aspen Springs... 9 inches; and
Central City... 8 inches. The sticky... heavy snow clung to
power lines and pulled tree branches down... causing power
outages to about 1200 homes in the Conifer area. It took
up to 6 hours to restore power to some residences.
Lightning struck a telephone data Cabinet in Conifer on
the 25th... which knocked out phone service to about 1500
customers. Widespread rain fell across Metro Denver...
where rainfall totaled 2.07 inches at the site of the
former Stapleton International Airport and 1.66 inches at
Denver International Airport where north winds gusted to
24 mph on the 26th.
In 2010... high winds preceding a cold front... swept across
the Front Range foothills and urban corridor. In Aurora...
the wind damaged the roof of rangeview High School. In
Conifer and Denver... the wind downed trees and power
lines and caused several brief outages. The downed
power lines also caused several cars to catch fire in
the vicinity of 1590 Cook St. In Denver. Peak wind gusts
included: 82 mph at Highlands Ranch... 67 mph... 4 miles
east of Franktown and longmont; 65 mph in Boulder... 64 mph
in centenniel and Denver International Airport... 62 mph
near Parker and 60 mph in Arvada.
