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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
645 PM MST SAT FEB 22 2025

...This week in metro Denver weather history...

22-23 In 1985...a snowstorm struck the eastern foothills with 8 to
        15 inches of new snow.  Three to 7 inches of new snow fell
        across metro Denver and parts of I-70 were closed at times.
        Snowfall totaled only 3.3 inches at Stapleton International
        Airport where northeast wind gusts to 29 mph were recorded.
      In 1992...a snow storm dumped heavy snow in the Front Range
        foothills.  Conifer received 12 inches of new snow with 7.5
        inches at Aspen Springs.  Snow only dusted the plains and
        metro Denver...but winds were strong with a gust to 43 mph
        from the north at Stapleton International Airport where
        snowfall totaled only 0.3 inch.  This was the only
        measurable snowfall of the month...equaling the record
        for the least snowiest February first set in 1970.  Rare
        thunder for February accompanied the snow during the early
        morning hours of the 23rd.
      In 1999...strong chinook winds developed on a very localized
        scale overnight in and near the foothills of northern
        Jefferson and southern Boulder counties.  Peak wind reports
        included:  82 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental Test
        Facility...80 mph at the National Center for Atmospheric
        Research Mesa Lab in Boulder...77 mph near Nederland...and
        75 mph atop the Gamow Tower on the University of Colorado
        campus in Boulder.
      In 2012...a strong upper level jet stream produced high winds
        along the Front Range. In Boulder...the strong winds snapped
        power poles and toppled trees. As a result...about 7
        thousand Xcel Energy customers were without power for
        several hours. The high winds overturned a tractor-trailer
        on Foothills Highway overpass...north of Valmont Road. The
        driver suffered minor injuries. A parked car was totaled
        when it was crushed by a fallen tree near the University of
        Boulder. The strong winds were also responsible for two
        Boulder County wildfires which consumed a total of 65 acres.
        Colorado Department of Transportation officials closed U.S.
        36 at McCaslin Boulevard in both directions after the wind
        caused damage to the pedestrian overpass. Metal siding from
        the overpass fell into highway; fortunately there were no
        injuries. In total...electrical outages affected 46 thousand
        customers along the Front Range. Damage to roofs...siding...
        garage doors and fences was also reported. Peak wind gusts
        included: 93 mph near Lyons; 88 mph at NCAR Mesa Lab; 85
        mph...2 miles southwest of Rocky Flats; 82 mph...5 miles
        northwest of Boulder; 81 mph...2 miles north of Longmont...4
        miles east-northeast of Nederland...the National Wind
        Technology Center and near Wondervu; 80 mph at the junction
        of Highways 72 and 93; 79 mph at the Boulder Municipal
        Airport; 78 mph...6 miles northwest of Boulder; 77 mph at
        Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport; 76 mph atop Berthoud Pass;
        75 mph near Aspen Springs; 70 mph at Longmont Municipal
        Airport; 64 mph at Erie Municipal Airport. At Denver
        International Airport...peak wind gusts of 53 mph on the
        22nd and 55 mph on the 23rd were observed.
      In 2019...bands of intense snowfall with rates up to 3 inches
         per hour...struck Denver during the evening commute. The
         heaviest snowfall occurred south of a line extending from
         Arvada to Denver International Airport. The heavy snow
         snarled traffic and left many stranded at the airport. At
         Denver International Airport...8.3 inches of snowfall was
         observed. Storm totals elsewhere included: 9 inches in
         Aurora...8.5 inches near Centennial; 8 inches near Cherry
         Creek Reservoir and Littleton...7.5 inches at Centennial
         Airport...Commerce City...Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree; 7
         inches near Arapahoe Park; 6.5 inches near Buckley AFB...
         Englewood and Strasburg; 6 inches near Deer Trail...Kiowa
         and Parker; with 3 to 5 inches in Arvada and Wheat Ridge.
22-29 In 1960...heavy snowfall of 6.1 inches at Stapleton Airport on
        the 22nd and 23rd marked the beginning of a protracted cold
        spell which lasted until the end of the month.  The cloudy...
        cold weather was accompanied by occasional light snow or
        flurries and fog.  New record low temperatures for the dates
        were set on the 24th thru the 29th with the lowest
        temperature of 11 degrees below zero on the 28th.  The
        seven consecutive days of low temperatures of zero or below
        had been exceeded in duration only 4 times previously.  New
        low maximum temperatures for the dates were set on the 23rd...
        24th...and the 26th thru the 29th with the lowest maximum
        temperature of 8 degrees recorded on the 26th.
23    In 1904...west winds sustained to 42 mph with gusts as high as
        60 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 63 degrees.
      In 1907...a thunderstorm...relatively rare in February...was
        observed over the city.  The chance of occurrence is
        around once every ten years.
      In 1977...while 60 to 100 mph winds produced a huge dust
        storm over much of eastern Colorado...only an experimental
        windmill at the Rocky Flats nuclear plant was destroyed in
        the Denver area.  Winds at Rocky Flats were clocked to 90
        mph.  Northwest winds gusted to 46 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.
      In 1986...wind gusts to 79 mph were clocked at Echo Lake in
        the foothills west of Denver.
      In 1992...a rare February thunderstorm occurred.  This was
        only the 5th time since 1891 that thunder has been heard
        in February.
      In 1994...periodic high winds occurred over the higher
        elevations of the Front Range eastern foothills.  The
        strongest wind gusts reached 87 mph atop Squaw Mountain
        near Idaho Springs.  Southwest winds gusted to only 25
        mph at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1996...high winds gusting as high as 76 mph were reported
        along the Front Range foothills and adjacent urban corridor.
        Wind gusts to 70 mph were reported atop Table Mesa near
        Boulder and to 63 mph in Broomfield.  West winds gusted to
        38 mph at Denver International Airport.
      In 2012...bands of moderate to heavy snow...associated with a
        strong upper level jet...formed over the southern Front
        Range Foothills...Palmer Divide and southern Denver suburbs.
        Storm totals included: 10 inches...2 miles west-northwest of
        Highlands Ranch and Kiowa; 9.5 inches near Castle Rock and
        Littleton; 8 inches at Aspen Springs and Marston Reservoir;
        7.5 inches at Evergreen and Louviers; 7 inches...5 miles
        south-southwest of Arapahoe Park; with 4 to 6 inches
        elsewhere.  Officially...Denver International Airport
        observed 1.9 inches of snowfall.
23-24 In 1935...northwest winds sustained to 37 mph with gusts as
        high as 47 mph produced considerable blowing dust behind
        a cold front on the 23rd.  The dust was dampened by 7.0
        inches of snowfall over downtown Denver from the late
        evening of the 23rd through the evening of the 24th.
      In 1997...heavy snow fell in the foothills.  Snowfall totals
        included 8 inches at Sunshine Canyon northwest of Boulder...
        and 6 inches at Morrison.  Snowfall totaled only 2.4 inches
        at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
        East winds gusted to only 22 mph at Denver International
        Airport on the 23rd.
23-25 In 1912...a severe winter storm dumped 14.2 inches of snowfall
        over downtown Denver.  Snow fell continuously from 9:40 AM
        on the 23rd until 9:15 PM on the 25th with most of the snow...
        9.2 inches...on the 24th.  Temperatures were mostly in the
        20`s.  Northeast winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 24th.
24    In 1908...a duststorm occured in the city from mid-morning
        through mid-day.  North winds were sustained from 30 to
        35 mph.
      In 1927...northwest winds were sustained to 42 mph with an
        extreme velocity to 46 mph.
      In 1924...fog deposited a light coating of glaze...which was
        very thin and only accumulated on the windward side of
        cold objects.  Streets and sidewalks became slippery.
      In 1956...a strong cold front produced north wind gusts to 54
        mph...but left only 2.0 inches of snowfall at Stapleton
        Airport.
      In 1959...heavy snowfall totaled 7.5 inches at Stapleton
        Airport...where north-northeast winds gusted to only 18 mph.
      In 1968...west-northwest winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.  The strong chinook winds warmed the
        maximum temperature to 61 degrees...the highest temperature
        of the month that year.
      In 1986...wind gusts to 65 mph were reported at Table Mesa in
        Boulder.  West winds gusted to only 28 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport where the high temperature of 70
        degrees equaled the record for the date.
      In 1991...the only measurable snowfall for the month totaled
        only 0.8 inch at Stapleton International Airport where
        north winds gusted to 28 mph.  The light snow fell for most
        of the day.
      In 1994...high winds raked the eastern foothills.  Wind speeds
        of 70 to 80 mph were common.  Wind gusts to 110 mph were
        recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research
        in south Boulder...while in north Boulder winds gusted to
        95 mph.  The strong winds blew the roof off a building at
        Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood...causing the
        evacuation of about 1500 people.  A semi-trailer and a
        delivery truck were overturned.  In Lakewood...a home under
        construction was destroyed by the winds.  There were
        numerous reports of vehicles damaged by flying debris...and
        many automobile windshields were shattered.  West wind gusts
        to 47 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 2013...A storm system near the Four Corners region produced
        heavy upslope snowfall in and near the Front Range with
        blizzard conditions further east as it made its way across
        southern Colorado. In the Front Range Mountains and
        Foothills storm totals included: 27 inches near Pinecliffe;
        24 inches...13 miles northwest of Golden; 20 inches near
        Genesee; 17 inches near Conifer; 15 inches near Jamestown;
        14 inches...just southwest of Eldorado Springs; 12.5 inches
        near Aspen Springs; 12 inches near Evergreen and Ward; 10
        inches at Eldora Ski Area; with 8 inches near Gross
        Reservoir...Idaho Springs and Nederland. Across the Urban
        Corridor storm totals included: 12 inches in Aurora; 11.5
        inches near Highlands Ranch; 11 inches in Lakewood; 10.5
        inches just north of Longmont and Westminster; 10 inches in
        Lone Tree and Thornton; 8.5 inches in Aurora...6 miles
        southwest of Denver and near Loveland; 8 inches at Boulder...
        Broomfield...and Ralston Reservoir; 7.5 inches near
        Frederick...with 7 inches at Commerce City. The storm
        prompted the cancellation of 200 flights in and out of
        Denver International Airport.  Officially...the storm
        system produced 9.1 inches of snow at DIA which established
        a new daily snowfall record in Denver for the date.  Along
        and south of the I-70 corridor and east of Denver...the
        combination of heavy snow and strong wind produced blizzard
        conditions.  Storm totals included:  14 inches...10 miles
        south-southeast of Buckley AFB...10.5 inches...8 miles
        southeast of Watkins; with 6 inches near Byers. Northerly
        winds of 25 to 30 mph were common with gusts to 40 mph.
        At Denver International Airport...a peak wind gust of 32 mph
        was observed.
24-25 In 2021...moderate to heavy snow developed in and near the
        foothills of Boulder...Douglas and Jefferson counties which
        included Denver and surrounding metro area. Storm totals
        included: 16.3 inches in Englewood; 15.5 inches near Cherry
        Hills Village; 14 inches near Highlands Ranch...13 inches
        Littleton; 12.5 inches near Ken Caryl...12 inches near
        Chatfield Reservoir and southeast Denver; 11 inches near
        Federal Heights...Thornton and Westminster; 10.5 inches in
        Arvada...10 inches near Eldorado Springs...9.5 inches near
        Lafayette and Louisville; 9 inches in southwest Boulder and
        near Foxfield and Strasburg; 8.5 inches near Broomfield; 7
        inches near Wheat Ridge. The official measurement at Denver
        International Airport was 9.6 inches.
25    In 1887...northwest winds were sustained to 47 mph.
      In 1904...the low temperature cooled to only 49 degrees...the
        all-time record high minimum temperature for February.
      In 1957...north winds gusted to 49 mph at Stapleton Airport.
      In 1998...a bora wind storm developed in the Front Range
        foothills and adjacent plains as winds gusted between 60
        and 75 mph.  Peak wind gusts during the storm included:
        75 mph atop Blue Mountain near Wondervu...60 mph in south
        Boulder and at Jefferson County Airport near Broomfield.
        West winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport.
      In 2000...high winds occurred in and near the foothills.
        Winds gusted to 84 mph at the Rocky Flats Environmental
        Test Facility south of Boulder and to 71 mph atop Niwot
        Ridge in the mountains west of Boulder.  West winds gusted
        to only 36 mph at Denver International Airport.
25-26 In 1971...a wind gust to 100 mph was recorded in Boulder at
        the National Center for Atmospheric Research.  The cold
        west winds gusted to 53 mph in downtown Boulder.  No damage
        was reported.  Northwest winds gusted to 31 mph on the
        25th and to 38 mph on the 26th at Stapleton International
        Airport.
      In 1984...a heavy snow storm left 1 to 2 feet of new snow in
        the foothills west of Denver.  I-70 was closed...stranding
        skiers returning from the mountains.  Most had to spend
        several hours in Idaho Springs.  The snow spread over metro
        Denver with 9 inches at Littleton...Castle Rock...and Boulder
        and up to 5 inches in Aurora and Denver.  Snowfall totaled
        only 3.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where
        north winds gusted to 31 mph.
26    In 1884...heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches in downtown
        Denver.
      In 1908...a duststorm occurred in the city during the
        afternoon.  Northwest winds were sustained from 14 to
        24 mph.
      In 1918...pre-frontal chinook winds from the southwest...
        sustained to 43 mph with a maximum velocity to 52 mph...
        warmed temperatures to a high of 62 degrees.
      In 1954...strong chinook winds gusting to 52 mph during
        the morning warmed the temperature in Denver to a balmy 65
        degrees by early afternoon.  A vigorous Canadian cold front
        during the late afternoon produced north winds at sustained
        speeds of 52 mph with gusts as high as 65 mph and billows
        of blowing dust...which reduced the visibility to as low as
        1 mile at Stapleton Airport.  Showers left half an inch of
        snow on the ground as the temperature dipped to a low of
        27 degrees before midnight.
      In 1989...a brief rain shower produced a microburst wind gust
        to 51 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1997...snowfall totaled 4 to 6 inches in and near the
        foothills.  Only 0.8 inch of snow fell at the site of
        the former Stapleton International Airport.  Northeast
        winds gusted to 29 mph at Denver International Airport.
      In 2013...a storm system produced heavy snow in the Front
        Range Foothills. Storm totals included: 12 inches near
        Black Mountain and Pine Junction...10 inches near Conifer
        and Nederland; 9 inches...12 miles northwest of Golden; 8
        inches near Evergreen...with 6 inches near Eldorado Springs.
        Snow and blowing snow produced blizzard conditions along
        and south of the Interstate 70 corridor...just east of
        Denver.  Storm totals generally ranged from 3 to 7 inches.
        North winds of 25 to 30 mph were reported with gusts around
        40 mph. Roads became impassable as snow and blowing snow
        produced 3 to 4 ft snow drifts. Interstate 70 was closed
        from Aurora to the Kansas state line. At Denver
        International Airport...a peak wind gust to 31 mph was
        reported along with 1.0 inch of snow.
26-27 In 1893...heavy snowfall totaled 7.9 inches in downtown
        Denver.  Most of the snow...6.7 inches...fell on the 27th.
        Northeast winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to
        30 mph behind an apparent cold front.
      In 1939...heavy snowfall of 8.1 inches was the heaviest of
        the month in downtown Denver.  North winds sustained to
        21 mph on the 26th and to 28 mph on the 27th caused much
        drifting.  The greatest snow depth on the ground was 7.8
        inches at noon on the 27th.
      In 1987...a snowstorm dropped 4 to 8 inches of snow across
        metro Denver...causing flight delays at Stapleton
        International Airport where snowfall totaled 3.8 inches
        and north winds gusted to 24 mph.  Both I-70 and I-25
        were closed for a time to the east and south of Denver.
27    In 1896...northwest winds were sustained to 46 mph with
        gusts to 58 mph.
      In 1902...northwest winds were sustained to 50 mph with
        gusts as high as 60 mph.  The high temperature was
        44 degrees.
      In 1918...a post-frontal heavy snow storm developed over
        downtown Denver.  Snowfall totaled 8.4 inches and
        north winds were sustained to 30 mph with a maximum
        velocity to 32 mph.
      In 1963...west winds gusted to 55 mph at Stapleton Airport.
      In 1974...a wind gust to 99 mph was recorded in Boulder.
        West winds gusted to 43 mph at Stapleton International
        Airport.
      In 2009...a strong wind gusts blew a trailer in the path of
        two vehicles along State Highway 36...between Boulder and
        Lyons.  The vehicles were in the northbound lane when
        a wind gust blew a fifth-wheel trailer into their path...
        as it approached from the opposite lane.  The trailer
        left the road surface...and collided with the top left
        side of the first car; causing extensive damage.  A van
        following the first vehicle then struck the trailer.
        The driver of the van suffered facial injuries.
27-28 In 1918...heavy snowfall totaled 9.6 inches in downtown
        Denver.  Most of the snow...8.4 inches...fell on the 27th.
      In 1931...a major winter storm dumped 12.0 inches of heavy
        snowfall over downtown Denver.  This is the greatest 24
        hour snowfall ever recorded during the month of February.
        North winds gusted to 18 mph on the 28th.
      In 2006...a warm spell resulted in 3 temperature records.
        The high temperature of 73 degrees on the 27th equaled
        the record high for the date.  High temperature of 77
        degrees on the 28th was a record high for the date
        and equaled the all time record high temperature for
        February first set on February 4...1890.
28    In 1896...northwest winds were sustained to 54 mph with
        gusts to 65 mph.  The winds warmed the temperature to
        a high of 56 degrees.  This was the second consecutive
        day of strong winds in the city.
      In 1958...at Stapleton Airport...snowfall totaled 5.3 inches
        and northeast winds gusted to 24 mph.
28-29 In 2012...another round of high winds occurred along the
        Front Range Foothills. Peak wind gusts included: 84 mph
        at the National Wind Technology Center; 77 mph...3 miles
        south-southwest of Boulder; and 75 mph...3 miles southwest
        of Rocky Flats.  At Denver International Airport...west
        winds gusted to 36 mph on the 28th and 35 mph on the
        29th.
28-1  In 1875...6 inches of snow fell from 3:15 PM on the 28th to
        1:00 AM on the 1st.  Precipitation for the two days was
        0.50 inch.
29    In 1896...southwest winds were sustained to 41 mph with gusts
        to 60 mph.  This was the third consecutive day that strong
        winds occurred in the city.
      In 1992...chinook winds gusted to only 25 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport...but warmed the temperature to a high
        of 70 degrees...which equaled the record for the date first
        set in 1940.
      In 2004...only light snow fell across metro Denver...while a
        blizzard raged across northeast Colorado.  Both I-70 and
        I-76 were closed to the east of Denver by winds gusting to
        60 mph producing drifting snow to depths of 2 to 6 feet.
        Snowfall was only 1.6 inches at the Denver Stapleton site.
        North winds gusted to 41 mph at Denver International Airport.
29-1  In 1896...snowfall totaled 5.5 inches in the city.  Northeast
        winds gusted to 24 mph.
      In 1948...snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver.
        North winds were sustained to 15 mph.
1     In 1904...west winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts as
        high as 58 mph.  The chinook winds warmed the temperature
        to a high of 67 degrees.
      In 1906...snowfall was heavy and totaled 7.5 inches over
        downtown Denver.  Northeast winds were sustained to
        37 mph.
      In 1940...snowfall was heavy and totaled 7.7 inches in
        downtown Denver.
      In 1943...6.0 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver.
        North winds were sustained to 19 mph.
      In 1956...west-northwest wind gusts to 52 mph were recorded
        at Stapleton Airport.
      In 1961...a wind gust to 65 mph was recorded at the Colorado
        Building in downtown Boulder.  The high winds caused some
        minor damage.  Northwest winds gusted to 43 mph at
        Stapleton International Airport.
      In 1974...a wind gust to 77 mph was recorded in Boulder.
        Southwest winds gusted to 37 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.
      In 2002...upslope conditions caused heavy snow to develop in
        and near the eastern foothills.  Snow totals included 14
        inches at Eldorado Springs and near Genesee; 13 inches
        atop Lookout Mountain; 12 inches in Coal Creek Canyon; 10
        inches in Nederland and just east of Boulder; 9 inches in
        Boulder and Morrison; and 8 inches at Broomfield...Erie...
        Golden...Louisville...and Littleton.  Snowfall totaled 6.5
        inches at the site of the former Stapleton International
        Airport.  Northeast winds gusted to 31 mph at Denver
        International Airport.
      In 2014...a localized band of heavy snow over downtown Denver
        produced around one inch in less than 30 minutes and
        contributed to a chain of accidents in the northbound lanes
        of Interstate 25...between Logan Street and University Blvd.
        The combination of excessive speed and very poor driving
        conditions led the chain reaction; it involved 104 vehicles
        and resulted in one death along with 30 injuries. The
        interstate was closed for approximately 5 hours.  At Denver
        International Airport...1 inch of snow was observed.
1-2   In 1969...heavy snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Stapleton
        International Airport where north-northwest winds
        gusted to 18 mph.
      In 1988...3 to 6 inches of snow fell over metro Denver.
        Snowfall totaled 3.2 inches at Stapleton International
        Airport where north winds gusted to 32 mph.
      In 2003...localized heavy snow developed in the foothills
        of Jefferson County.  Storm totals included:  12.5 inches
        near Conifer...11 inches in the foothills southwest of
        Boulder...and 10 inches near Genesee.  Only 0.9 inch of
        snow fell at the site of the former Stapleton
        International Airport.

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