October 23 - Today in Denver weather history

October 23, 5:59 AMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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October 23 - Today in Denver weather history.

The usual weather story for this time of year - wind and snow - dominate a look back in Denver weather history for today, October 23rd.

From the 18th to the 23rd:

In 2003 – 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.

From the 19th to the 23rd:

In 1906 – 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.

From the 22nd to the 23rd:

In 1914 – 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 – 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 – 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.  

On the 23rd: 

In 1942 – 10.2 inches of snow fell on downtown Denver as a major snowstorm hit the area.

In 1955 – 4.1 inches of snow fell at Stapleton Airport as the first snow of the season arrived.  At the time this was the single heaviest October snowfall in the prior 13 years.  Sub-freezing temperatures dipped to a low of 25 degrees.

In 1956 – Southwest winds gusting to 53 mph produced blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.

In 1967 – Stapleton International Airport recorded wind gusts to 51 mph.

In 1981 – The foothills received strong wind gusts where Wondervu recorded 70 mph.

In 1887 – From the 23rd to the 24th the first and only measurable snow of the month occurred as Denver received 3.1 inches.

From the 23rd to the 24th:

In 1932 – Snow falling in the late evening of the 23rd continued to the afternoon of the 24th and totaled 6.2 inches.  Temperatures plummeted from a high of 68 degrees on the 23rd to a low of 25 degrees on the 24th – the coldest reading of the month that year.  Because many trees had not shed their leaves yet, many braches were broken and some trees were toppled.