October 22 - Today in Denver weather history

October 22, 3:47 PMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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Big snow, big winds and blizzards highlight a peek back into Denver weather history on October 22nd. 

In 2003 – From the 18th to the 23rd high pressure over the area brought warm temperatures and five new temperature records.  On the 18th Denver reached 84 degrees, tying the previous record.  Temperatures of 86 degrees on the 19th, 83 degrees on the 21st and 84 degrees on the 22nd were all records for those dates.  The low of 49 degrees on the 23rd was a record high minimum for that date.   During the period low temperatures were in the 40’s and lower 50’s.

In 1906 – From the 19th to the 23rd a major winter storm sat over the area dumping 22.7 inches in the city over the span of the 5 days.  Rain started on the 19th and changed to snow in the evening and continued throughout the period.  From 8:00pm on the 20th to 8:00pm on the 22nd, 16 inches alone fell.  Temperatures were in the 20’s during the five day span with north winds between 20 and 30 mph.  This was the first and only snowfall of the month.

In 1936 – From the 20th to the 22nd downtown Denver received 5.5 inches of snow with most of that – 4.5 inches – falling on the 20th.

In 1978 – From the 21st to the 22nd rain overnight on the 21st changed to snow during the morning of the 22nd and continued during the day.  This was the first measurable snowfall of the season and 1.7 inches was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.  The ground was warm enough that only a trace covered the ground but precipitation measured 1.27 inches.

In 1878 – Winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1887 – Denver received its first snow of the season marking the end of the longest snow-free period in Denver history – 232 days.  The last snow received before that day was March 5th.

In 1947 – A cold front moved through causing temperatures to plunge from 60 degrees to 30 degrees in a 25 hour time span.  Denver received 1.6 inches of snow in its first and last snow of the month.

In 1985 – The foothills were hammered with high winds gusting from 60 to 80 mph.  Eastern Boulder recorded a gust at 89 mph while Stapleton International Airport recorded gusts up to 41 mph.  A treehouse in Boulder was set on fire by a downed power line.  Some people suffered injuries including a woman who broke her arm when she was knocked to the ground by the wind and a carpenter who suffered a cut hand while trying to repair a roof that was being torn from a building by the wind.

In 2001 – Warm winds gusted as high of 54 mph while Denver International Airport reached a high temperature of 70 degrees.

In 1914 – From the 22nd to the 23rd precipitation totaled 2.72 inches as rain changed to snow.  Residential areas on the morning of the 24th measured 3 inches of snow on grassy areas but the official snowfall totaled only 0.4 inch downtown.  An estimated 8 inches of snow melted as it fell. 

In 1975 – From the 22nd to the 23rd northeast winds from a cold front passing metro Denver gusted to 52 mph blowing dust and plunging the temperature 21 degrees in an hour.  Stapleton International Airport reported visibility reduced to ¼ of a mile.  The temperature dropped from a record high of 81 degrees to a low of 38 by the end of the day.  The first snow of the season totaled 2.7 inches on the 23rd and was the only snow received that month.

In 1995 – From the 22nd to the 23rd the Palmer Divide, the foothills west of Denver and eastern Colorado received heavy snow ranging from 4 to 8 inches.  On the plains winds caused blizzard conditions reducing visibility to ¼ of a mile and resulting in I-70 being closed from Gun Club Road to the Kansas border.  10 inches of snow fell at Strasburg where winds gusting as high as 60 mph caused snow drifts 2 to 4 feet deep.  The site of the former Stapleton International Airport recorded only 2.2 inches of snow while DIA recorded wind gusts to 51 mph.