


Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
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049 NOUS45 KBOU 030859 PNSBOU COZ030>051-032300- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 259 AM MDT SUN AUG 3 2025 ...Today in metro Denver weather history... 2-3 In 1876...from the 2nd to the 3rd...grasshoppers were in great abundance in the city and caused considerable damage to gardens and to crops in the surrounding farms and ranches. In 1951...from the 2nd into the 3rd...heavy thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver through the night. Heavy rain totaled 3.45 inches at Stapleton Airport. This was the greatest 24-hour precipitation ever recorded during the month of August in Denver. In 2007...from the 2nd into the 3rd...heavy rain caused localized flash flooding near Ft. Lupton. Up to 8 inches of water was reported across County Road 18. In addition... several other county roads in the immediate area were washed out. 3 In 1878...the high temperature climbed to 100 degrees in downtown Denver. In 1900...a thunderstorm produced west winds sustained to 48 mph with gusts to 55 mph...but only a trace of rain. In 1903...a thunderstorm produced a trace of rainfall and northwest winds sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph. The high temperature was 99 degrees. In 1927...a thunderstorm produced hail and sustained north winds to 22 mph. In 1933...heavy cloudburst rains caused the failure of the Castlewood Dam...which resulted in flash flooding on Cherry Creek...the deaths of 7 people in Denver...and flood damage estimated at 1 million dollars. Lower Denver was flooded during the morning by waters pouring down Cherry Creek and its valley from Castlewood Dam...which had broken between midnight and 2:00 AM. Heavy rain of 3 to 9 inches in 9 hours in the watershed above the dam resulted in the failure. At 7:30 AM...the flow in Cherry Creek was reported at 16 thousand second-feet as compared with a peak flow of 3 thousand second-feet in other years. The flood waters ruined hundreds of acres of crops and drowned scores of farm animals. Six bridges in Denver were swept away. Great deposits of mud were left in the lower sections of the city...including hundreds of basements and lower floors of buildings. At the end of the month...a deadly stench still rose from swampy areas near the lower city limits. In 1963...heavy thunderstorm rains in the Parker area caused Cherry Creek to overflow...which damaged roads. In 1985...a tornado touched down briefly about 10 miles northeast of Parker. No damage was reported. In 1991...upslope northeast winds produced chilly temperature readings and heavy rain across metro Denver. Rainfall... with no thunder...totaled 1.56 inches at Stapleton International Airport where the heavy rain briefly reduced the surface visibility to 7/8 mile. The mercury climbed to a high of only 63 degrees. In 1992...a thunderstorm wind gust to 64 mph was recorded in Brighton. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured near the construction site of the new Denver International Airport. Lightning started a fire in an Evergreen church...causing over 75 thousand dollars in damage. In 1998...3/4 inch hail fell in Jefferson County 15 miles northwest of Arvada. In 2006...heavy thunderstorm rainfall caused flash flooding along Leyden Creek in unincorporated Jefferson County. An automated rain gauge on upper Leyden Creek...6 miles northwest of Arvada...measured 2.68 inches of rainfall in less than 2 hours. Two to three feet of water covered the roadway at the intersection of 82nd and Quaker Street. In 2009...a woman riding her bike...in training for an Ironman Triatholon...was struck by lightning in Boulder. She was in the 78th mile of a 100-mile training ride when she was hit. The woman lost her vision initially and couldn`t move her arms. After a short stay in the hospital...she made of complete recovery. In 2013...severe wet microburst thunderstorms produced damaging winds and very heavy rain in and around Buckley Air Force Base...Erie and Lafayette. Peak gusts included: 68 mph in Erie...61 mph at Buckley AFB...and 60 mph in Broomfield...4 miles east-southeast of Erie and Lafayette. In Erie...a velodrom under construction was heavily damaged by heavy rain and high winds. The wind toppled the eastern third of the 250-meter cycling track. Bolts measuring one-half-inch thick by 7 1/2 inches in length were ripped out of concrete footers while 16-inch-wide trusses...collapsed under the force of the wind. In town...heavy rain...around 2.5 inches in less than one hour...caused extensive street flooding. The intense wind also downed trees which resulted in localized power outages. In addition...an empty semi-trailer was blown on its side. A weak non supercell tornado touched down briefly in an open field...7 miles northwest of Hudson. The storm forced seven incoming flights at Denver International Airport to be diverted and contributed to 45-minute delays for others. At Denver International Airport...a peak wind gust of 55 mph was observed from the northeast...with 0.66 inches of rainfall recorded. The very heavy rain produced flash flooding in part of Aurora. Road closures were set up in both directions on both Picadilly Road and Gun Club Road...just north of Buckley AFB. A man had to be rescued when his car was trapped in flood waters at the intersection of 6th Ave. and Picadilly Road. Flash Flooding was also observed at the junction of E-470 and I-70 with water running over the road. In 2018...a gust front associated with a dissipating thunderstorm moved out of the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties continued to push eastward into Denver. The storm knocked down trees and branches. Power lines were also damaged which produced scattered outages. Peak wind gusts included: 67 mph near Gold Hill...64 mph in south Boulder...62 mph at Rocky Mountain Metropolitain Airport...and 60 mph at Denver International Airport. 3-4 In 1988...overnight from the 3rd to the 4th...two inches of rain fell in 3 hours at both Morrison and Wheat Ridge. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.80 inch overnight at Stapleton International Airport. $$