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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MDT WED JUL 22 2026

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

7-25  In 1934...a streak of 15 consecutive days of 90 degrees...from the
        7th to the 25th...ranked 5th on the list of hot streaks.  The
        record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of
        2008.
13-5  In 2008...a streak of 24 consecutive days of 90 degrees...from
        July 13th to August 5th...shattered the previous record of 18
        consecutive days established in 1901 and 1874. Ironically...
        no new single day record high temperatures were set in the
        month of July. In August however...a record of 104 degrees
        was set on the 1st...and another record of 103 degrees was
        set on the 2nd. In addition...a record low min of 70 degrees
        was set on August 2nd.
18-2  In 1987...from July 18th to August 2nd...a streak of 16
        consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 4th on the list of hot
        streaks.  The record of 24 consecutive days was established
        in the summer of 2008.
19-23 In 2005...the high temperature climbed above 100 degrees on
        each of the 5 days with readings of 101 on the 19th...105 on
        the 20th...104 on the 21st...and 102 on both the 22nd and 23rd.
        A new record maximum temperature for the month of July of 105
        degrees was set on the 20th...which also equaled the all time
        record maximum for Denver of 105 degrees first set on August
        8th in 1878.  Daily maximum temperature records were set on
        each day...and the 5 day period equaled the record for the
        most consecutive days of 100 degrees or more first set from
        July 4th through 8th in 1989.  The intense heat resulted in
        a high use of electricity for cooling purposes.  The demand
        for electric power exceeded the supply and rolling black-outs...
        each lasting about an hour...were scheduled across metro Denver
        during the afternoons and early evenings.
20-23 In 1961...from the 20th to the 23rd...unusually cool weather for
        July resulted in several temperature records.  Record
        minimum temperatures were set or equaled on each day with
        readings of 51...51...49 and 49 degrees.  High temperature of
        only 64 degrees on the 21st was a record low maximum for the
        date.
20-25 In 1965...from the 20th to the 25th...heavy showers and
        thunderstorms doused metro Denver with significant rain each
        day.  Rainfall for the six days totaled 5.16 inches at
        Stapleton International Airport. Massive rainfall occurred
        on the 20th...21st...and 25th...flooding streets and basements
        and causing streams to overflow.  The heaviest rainfall...
        2.05 inches...at Stapleton International Airport occurred on
        the 25th.
22    In 1874...a severe thunderstorm during the late afternoon
        produced 1.36 inches of rainfall in an hour...most of which
        fell in 20 minutes.  There was much damage from flooding
        of streets and considerable damage to private property.
        The lightning was brilliant and continuous during the
        storm.  Seven buildings were struck by lightning in the
        city...in addition to many places where it struck only the
        ground.  A magnificent example of ball lightning was
        observed.  When about 200 feet above the house tops...the
        ball exploded and broke into 7 or 8 different balls...each
        about 6 inches in diameter.  Upon reaching about 20 feet
        above the ground...these balls broke into small fragments
        about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.  A shed situated
        in an alley about one block away was literally covered
        with these sparks.  After the storm was over...the shed
        and adjacent area showed no trace of the event.  Not the
        slightest mark could be detected on structures or on the
        ground.
      In 1879...a terrific electrical storm passed over the city
        during the afternoon.  The lightning display was unusually
        vivid and the crash of thunder seemed at the very house
        tops.  A few homes and buildings were struck by lightning.
        A home on Capitol Hill sustained much damage to furniture...
        but the residents in another wing of the house were not
        injured.  Lightning struck a fence at the corner of Curtis
        and Broadway.  A lightning bolt stunned a workman and
        knocked a mason`s trough from his hand.  A school was struck
        but was not damaged.  Lightning struck the ground near
        Tenth and Colfax.  Rain fell in torrents for a time...but the
        heaviest was on the outskirts of the city.  Rainfall in the
        city was only 0.30 inch.
      In 1882...lightning struck and killed a man in the northern
        part of the city.
      In 1895...heavy rainfall of 1.53 inches was measured in
        downtown Denver.
      In 1931...the high temperature reached 100 degrees in
        downtown Denver.
      In 1965...lightning struck and killed a boy standing by an
        automobile near Stapleton International Airport.  Scattered
        heavy showers accompanied by hail and wind occurred across
        metro Denver.  Heavy rain caused some street damage in
        Commerce City.
      In 1973...minor thunderstorm wind damage was reported in
        Aurora.
      In 1983...heavy thunderstorms dumped torrential rain and large
        hail across metro Denver.  The most serious problems were
        caused by heavy rainfall in the foothills...which produced
        flooding on Bear Creek.  Runoff from 3 inches of rain in
        45 minutes at Kittredge caused Bear Creek to rise 5 feet in
        10 minutes at Morrison...washing out two bridges.  One bridge
        collapsed...plunging a fire truck into the water...but the
        occupants were not injured.  The town was evacuated for 2
        hours.  Evergreen was drenched with 2.61 inches of rain in
        30 minutes...which caused street flooding along with power
        outages.  Hail to golf ball size damaged cars.  A deck on a
        house east of Evergreen was washed away.  At Idaho Springs...
        2 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes.  Golden received
        3 inches of rain in an hour with 0.80 inch of rain in seven
        minutes at Littleton.  Heavy rain and large hail also fell
        in the City of Denver and its northern and eastern suburbs...
        causing street flooding.  Water was 6 feet deep on one
        Aurora street.
      In 1991...heavy rains caused extensive flooding across north
        metro Denver.  Ralston Creek in Arvada flowed out of
        its banks.  At the intersection of I-25 and I-70...up to 8
        feet of water covered the highway.  A foot of water covered
        a stretch of I-70 in northwest Denver.  Thunderstorm
        rainfall totaled only 0.82 inch at Stapleton International
        Airport.
      In 1998...lightning sparked a fire which caused extensive
        damage to a home in Englewood.  Most of the second floor
        was destroyed.
      In 2004...severe thunderstorms produced hail to 1.25 inches
        in diameter in Commerce City and near Brighton.
      In 2019...severe thunderstorms produced hail up to 1 inch in
        diameter...and intense thunderstorm winds in Arapahoe...
        Denver and Weld counties. A strong thunderstorm produced
        7/8 inch diameter hail in Douglas County. At Denver
        International Airport...a wet microburst that formed over
        the airfield produced a peak wind gust to 79 mph along
        with 1.10 inches of rainfall and small hail.
22-23 In 1991...from the 22nd into the 23rd...heavy rains over the
        Palmer Divide and along the Front Range caused the South
        Platte River to flood from near Henderson to Fort Lupton.
        The river was out of its banks at several locations with
        water covering the roads through the night.  Only minor
        damage was reported.

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