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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO
259 AM MST TUE FEB 4 2025

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

30-7  In 1985...a cold front on the 29th produced a protracted cold
        spell as Arctic air remained entrenched across metro Denver.
        While the only daily temperature record set was a low
        maximum reading of 2 degrees on February 3rd...minimum
        temperatures plunged well below zero on 9 consecutive days.
        The coldest readings were 15 degrees below zero on January
        31st and 14 degrees below zero on February 5th.
31-8  In 1963...warm weather that began with the strong chinook
        winds on the 31st and 1st continued through the 8th.
        Maximum temperatures through the period ranged from 52
        degrees on the 2nd to 76 degrees on the 5th...which was
        a new record high for that date.
31-12 In 1899...a protracted cold spell lasted almost two weeks.
        Low temperatures plunged below zero on all days but
        February 9th with a reading of 6 degrees.  The coldest
        low temperature of 22 degrees below zero on February 6th
        was a record low for the date.  Low temperatures of 20
        degrees below zero occurred on both February 11th and 12th...
        but only the 11th remains as the record minimum for the
        date.  High temperature of only 5 degrees below zero on
        February 11th was a record low maximum for the date.  High
        temperatures climbed to only zero degrees on both February
        2nd and 3rd...but were not records.  Intermittent light snow
        or flurries fell during the period.  The most snowfall...2.0
        inches...occurred on February 2nd.
1-4   In 2011...a frigid arctic airmass settled into Front Range
        Urban Corridor.  At Denver International Airport...
        overnight low temperatures...from the 1st to the 3rd...
        were 13 below zero...17 below zero and zero respectively.
        The icy temperatures caused pipes to crack and burst
        following the freeze.  In Loveland...firefighters
        responded to more than a dozen water pipe breaks...most
        in fire sprinkler systems at businesses...apartments and
        assisted care facilities.  At CU Earth Science Library
        in Boulder...more than 1000 books and several costumes
        for an upcoming production were damaged.  At the county
        courts administration building in Jefferson County...a
        steady stream of water from a crack on the 5th floor...
        went unnoticed on the 3rd and flooded all the floors of
        the administration wing overnight.  As a result...much of
        the office equipment...furniture and carpet sustained
        water damage.  A burst sprinkler line caused minor
        damage at the Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton.
        The icy temperatures forced to closure of several school
        districts as well.
1-5   In 1985...the most bitter cold spell of the winter season
        brought sub-zero temperatures to metro Denver.  Daily low
        temperature records were broken at Denver.  The usual cold
        weather problems struck including stalled vehicles...jammed
        traffic lights...and frozen water and sewer lines.  At
        Stapleton International Airport...the high temperature
        was only 2 degrees above zero on the 1st...setting a record
        low maximum for the date.  Low temperatures reached 13 below
        zero on the 1st...12 below on the third...and 14 below on the
        5th.
1-6   In 1989...one of the century`s worst doses of winter weather
        ravaged the entire state.  Bitterly frigid weather moved
        into metro Denver on the 1st as snow buried many sections
        of the state.  In metro Denver where 3 to 6 inches of snow
        fell...blowing snow and resultant poor visibilities caused
        a 46-car pile-up on I-25 in the middle of the city on the
        4th.  During the period...2 to 3 hour delays were common at
        Stapleton International Airport where snowfall from the
        storm totaled 4.3 inches and northeast winds gusted to 30
        mph on the 1st.  Intense cold accompanied the storm.
        Temperatures in Denver stayed below zero continuously for
        the best part of 3 days (3rd...4th...5th)...for a total of 69
        hours.  This is the fourth longest sub-zero period on
        record.  Wind chill temperatures reached 50 degrees below
        zero.  The mercury dipped to 24 degrees below zero on the
        5th...setting a record for the date.  This was the city`s
        coldest temperature in over 26 years.  Low temperatures
        dipped below zero on 8 consecutive days (2nd-9th).  High
        temperature of 9 degrees below zero on the 4th was a record
        low maximum for the date...as was the high of 5 degrees on
        the 5th.  Extensive damage occurred when pipes and water
        lines froze and broke.  Thousands of cars failed to start.
        On the 3rd...a 57-year-old woman died of hypothermia in an
        Arvada park.  Eighteen high school students were treated
        for hypothermia after a 2-hour ride through Jefferson
        County in an unheated bus.  At least 2 cases of frostbite
        were reported; there were undoubtedly many more.
1-9   In 1883...a protracted cold period occurred when low
        temperatures dipped below zero for 9 consecutive days.
        Low temperatures ranged from 22 degrees below zero on
        the 4th to 2 degrees below zero on the 1st and 6th.  High
        temperatures ranged from 10 below zero on the 3rd to
        23 on the 9th.  Several temperature records were set
        that still stand today.  Record lows of 18 below and
        22 below zero occurred on the 3rd and 4th.  Record low
        maximum readings of 2 below and 10 below zero occurred on
        the 2nd and 3rd.  The high of only 10 below zero on the
        3rd is the coldest maximum temperature ever recorded in
        Denver.
2-4   In 2012...a slow moving and powerful storm system brought heavy
        snow to areas in and near the Front Range Foothills and Palmer
        Divide...with blizzard conditions over the northeast plains of
        Colorado. In the Front Range Foothills...the snow piled up to
        over 4 feet in some areas. Across the Palmer Divide...the
        combination of snow and gusty winds resulted in road closures
        with snow drifts ranging from 2 to 5 feet in depth. Northerly
        winds 15 to 25 mph were common with gusts to 40 mph. Several
        snowfall records were also set in Denver. At Denver
        International Airport...12.5 inches of snow feet on the 3rd
        shattered the previous record of 7.5 inches for the date. It
        also set a new daily record for the entire month of February.
        A new 3-day record was also established for Denver. The 3-day
        storm total from February 2nd to the 4th was 15.9 inches...
        which broke the previous record of 14.1 inches in 1912.
        Denver International Airport canceled more than six hundred
        flights. In addition...snow and blowing snow produced near zero
        visibilities...forcing officials to close the westbound lanes of
        Interstate 70...between the Kansas state line and Denver...as
        well as the eastbound lanes from Denver to Limon. Other road
        closures included State Highway 86...between Kiowa and I-70.
        Across the Urban Corridor storm totals included: 22 inches in
        Broomfield; 21 inches at Lafayette...Louisville and Westminster;
        20 inches at Northglenn; 19 inches at the National Weather
        Service in Boulder...Castle Rock...Centenniel and Parker; 18
        inches in Arvada...16.5 inches in Erie...13.5 inches near
        Longmont; 11 inches in Lyons and 10 inches in Frederick.
        Storm totals in the mountains and foothills included: 51
        inches at Coal Creek Canyon...45.5 inches...4.6 miles northeast
        of Ward; 44.5 inches...3 miles west of Jamestown; 38 inches...3
        miles north of Blackhawk; 37 inches...3 miles west-southwest of
        Conifer and 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland; 35.5 inches...
        3.6 miles west-northwest of Boulder; 34 inches...5.2 miles east-
        southeast of Aspen Springs; 33 inches near Evergreen...32 inches
        at Genesee; 31 inches...10.3 miles west of Bellvue and Eldora
        Mountain Ski Resort; 24 inches at Echo Mountain Ski Resort; 21
        inches at Niwot Ridge SNOTEL; and 19 inches at Gross Reservoir.
        Along the Palmer Divide storm totals included: 26 inches...14
        miles east-northeast of Kiowa; 25 inches...10 miles south-
        southwest of Buckley Air Force Base...and 8 miles southeast
        of Watkins; 20 inches near Strasburg; 12 inches near Elizabeth.
3-4   In 1906...northeast winds were sustained to 43 mph behind a
        cold front on the 3rd.  The front plunged temperatures
        from a high of 62 degrees on the 3rd to a low of 24
        degrees...which was also the high reading on the 4th.
        The low temperature on the 4th was only 3 degrees.
        Snowfall was only 0.6 inch on the 4th.
      In 1970...a wind gust to 115 mph was recorded in Boulder at
        the National Center for Atmospheric Research.  Sustained
        winds of 35 mph with gusts as high as 62 mph were measured
        in downtown Boulder.  Northwest winds gusted to 47 mph at
        Stapleton International Airport on the 3rd.
      In 2020...a storm system produced period of moderate to heavy
        snowfall in and near the Front Range Foothills. A spotter
        near Eldorado Springs measured over 21 inches of snow...with
        12 inches observed in Sunshine Canyon. Elsewhere...storm totals
        ranged from 6 to 11 inches. Along the urban corridor...storm
        totals west of I-25 ranged from 5 to 8 inches...with 2 to 4
        inches east of the interstate. At Denver International
        Airport...2.8 inches of snowfall was observed.
3-5   In 1982...a cold surge of Arctic air brought light snow and
        sub-zero temperatures to metro Denver.  Temperatures
        plunged to 6 below zero at midnight on the 3rd and never
        warmed above zero on the 4th as snow flurries continued.
        High temperature on the 4th of 1 below zero was a record
        low maximum.  The temperature dipped to a record low of
        15 below zero on the 5th.
4     In 1883...the temperature plunged to a low of 22 degrees
        below zero.
      In 1885...a windstorm occurred in the city during the
        afternoon and early evening.  West winds sustained
        to 64 mph blew down several trees...chimneys...awnings...
        and sheds.  Stronger winds in the foothills blew a
        train from the track at Georgetown...injuring several
        passengers.
      In 1890...the highest recorded temperature in February...
        77 degrees...occurred.  This temperature was equaled on
        February 28...2006.
      In 1898...west winds were sustained to 53 mph with gusts
        to 60 mph.
      In 1915...very strong northwest winds whipped downtown
        Denver nearly all day.  There were 13 consecutive hours
        with maximum sustained velocities ranging from 27 to 44
        mph.  An extreme velocity to 46 mph was recorded.
      In 1952...a northwest wind gust to 48 mph was recorded at
        Stapleton Airport.  Severe winds were reported west and
        north of Denver.
      In 1995...high winds developed in the foothills west and
        northwest of Denver.  A gust to 97 mph was recorded on
        Squaw Mountain.  Winds were clocked to 83 mph at
        Rollinsville.  Wind gusts between 50 and 70 mph were
        common.  North winds gusted to only 31 mph at Stapleton
        International Airport.
4-5   In 1932...wind gusts estimated at 70 mph occurred in Boulder.
        A 60 mph wind gust was recorded to the east of Boulder in
        Valmont.  Damage was minor.
      In 1959...heavy snowfall totaled 5.8 inches at Stapleton
        Airport where northwest winds gusted to 30 mph on the 4th.
      In 2001...high winds developed for a brief time overnight.
        Winds gusted to 75 mph atop the Gamow Tower on the
        University of Colorado campus in Boulder.  Northwest winds
        gusting to 37 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 57
        degrees at Denver International Airport.
4-6   In 1986...10 inches of snow fell in Boulder...in the foothill
        town of Wondervu southwest of Boulder...and at Evergreen
        west of Denver.  Snowfall totaled 2.4 inches at Stapleton
        International Airport...where north winds gusted to 20 mph
        on the 6th.

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