####018007052#### NOUS45 KBOU 180859 PNSBOU COZ030>051-182300- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 259 AM MDT SAT MAY 18 2024 ...Today in metro Denver weather history... 14-18 In 1996...from the 14th to the 18th...a period of unusually warm weather resulted in 4 record maximum temperatures in 5 days. The record high temperatures were 87 degrees on the 14th...89 degrees on the 15th...and 93 degrees on both the 16th and 18th. The temperature climbed to only 81 degrees on the 17th which was not a record. 17-19 In 2017...a strong spring storm dropped across the Great Basin... and then moved eastward across Colorado. Isolated but strong thunderstorms preceded the system on the 17th with hail up to nickel size near Boulder Airport and Brighton. Significant snow fell across the Front Range mountains and foothills over the next couple of days. Along the Interstate 25 Corridor... rain turned to snow on the morning of the 18th...heaviest from around Broomfield northward. The heavy wet snow snapped the limbs of fully leaved trees and caused scattered power outages. A barns collapsed in northeast Loveland. Fifty-five head of cattle were inside the collapsed barn; three were injured and later euthanized. Numerous branches and trees snapped in the foothills. Elsewhere...several scattered smaller power outages were reported. Three to nearly five inches of liquid precipitation occurred...as rain or a mix of rain and snow...fell around Greeley. Storm totals in the Front Range mountains and foothills included: 42.0 inches near Allenspark...41.5 inches near Ward...36 inches at Estes Park... 32 inches near Pinecliffe...30.5 inches northwest of Golden... 30 inches near Nederland...26 inches near Breckenridge...25 inches near Aspen Springs and Bear Lake State Park...14 inches at Aspen Springs...with 9.5 inches near Evergreen. On the west side of the Interstate 25 Corridor...storm totals included: 10 inches near Superior and Louisville...6 to 8 inches in and around Fort Collins...6 inches in Lafayette... 5 inches in Broomfield and Loveland...and 4 inches near Niwot. 18 In 1864...heavy rains combined with melting snow to cause much flooding on North Clear Creek in Blackhawk. Many bridges on the road to Denver were washed away by the high water on Clear Creek. In 1893...northwest winds were sustained to 56 mph with an extreme velocity to 60 mph. In 1960...large hail to 1 inch in diameter damaged roofs and cars in metro Denver. Heavy snow and rain in the foothills caused rock and landslides...which blocked some highways. There was widespread minor damage from lightning. Hail as large as 1 1/8 inch in diameter was measured at Stapleton Airport where winds gusted to 44 mph. In 1975...a tornado touched down briefly just south of Buckley Field in Aurora. A few minutes later the same tornado touched down in open country 8 miles northeast of Stapleton International Airport. No damage was reported. In 1985...3/4 inch hail fell just southeast of Aurora. In 1988...lightning started a fire at a home in the foothills west of Boulder...causing 50 thousand dollars in damage. In 1995...strong thunderstorms rumbled across metro Denver dropping mainly pea to marble size hail. However...hail stones as large as 1 1/4 inches in diameter fell in Wheat Ridge and downtown Denver. Hail piled up to 2 inches deep in Wheat Ridge and northwest Denver. In 1996...the Buffalo Creek wildfire started and spread rapidly on strong southwest winds at 20 to 30 mph. Dry weather conditions contributed to the spread of the fire... which burned nearly 12 thousand acres and destroyed 12 structures including some houses. In 2001...a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by lightning as he was walking along the shoulder of U.S. Highway 36 in Westminster. In 2003...hail to 3/4 inch in diameter was measured at Denver International Airport. In 2010...a small tornado touched down near Firestone but did no damage. 18-19 In 2011...from the 18th to the 19th...a severe thunderstorm in central Adams County produced large hail and heavy rainfall on the 18th. Large hail from 1 inch to 1 3/4 inches in diameter...was reported in Commerce City...near Federal Heights...Northglenn...and 2 miles south of Thornton. In Commerce City...the storm uprooted trees and knocked out power lines. A carport was lifted off the ground and struck the power lines overhead. Heavy rain...from 1.0 to 1.5 inches fell in less than 2 hours in Commerce City and near Brighton. The combination of hail and strong winds broke windows in Northglenn. In the foothills...moderate to heavy snow showers developed overnight. Storm totals included: 10.5 inches at Gold Hill...9.5 inches...3 miles west of Jamestown; 9 inches at Lake Eldora; with 6 inches... 11 miles southwest of Gilpin and 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland. At Denver International Airport...total rainfall over the 2-day period totaled 1.71 inches. In addition...a peak wind gust to 37 mph was recorded on the 18th. 18-20 In 1915...from the 18th to the 20th...3.9 inches of snow fell in the city. The estimated amount of snow that melted as it fell was 6.2 inches which would have totaled an estimated 10.1 inches of snowfall. Precipitation totaled 1.03 inches. North winds were sustained to 32 mph on the 18th. Low temperatures dipped to 25 degrees on both the 18th and 20th...establishing record minimums for both dates. In 1988...from the 18th to the 20th...a prolonged heavy rainfall drenched metro Denver. The event began when heavy thunderstorms on the 18th caused some street flooding and power outages...followed by steady rain on the 19th and 20th. Rain amounts across metro Denver totaled 3 to 4 inches. Rainfall totaled 3.71 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 39 mph on the 20th. Four to eight inches of snow fell in the foothills above 7 thousand feet. 18-26 In 2023...smoke and haze from massive wildfires in Canada significantly impacted air quality and visibility across Denver and the rest of northeast Colorado. $$