November 22 to 23 - This weekend in Denver weather history

November 23, 4:07 AMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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November 22 to 23 - This weekend in Denver weather
history.

Looking back in the Denver weather history books for November 22nd to 23rd shows the two things we expect to see this time of year:  wind and snow. 

From the 21st to the 22nd: 

In 1905...a trace of snow fell on both days in downtown Denver.  This was the only snow of the month...ranking the month along with other Novembers...the 2nd least snowiest on record.
     
In 1999...the first significant snowfall of the season struck metro Denver.  Snowfall totals included:  16 inches near bailey; 13 inches near evergreen; 12 inches at North Turkey Creek...Genesee...near Morrison...and near Sedalia; 11 inches near conifer and in evergreen; 10 inches in Louisville; 9 inches in Brighton...Broomfield...and Denver; and 8 inches at Arvada...Castle Rock...and Eldorado Springs.  Snowfall totaled 8.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
     
In 2003...heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder County.  Snowfall totaled 10.5 inches in Eldorado Springs. Across the city...snowfall was lighter with 2.8 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 22nd.  North winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport on the 22nd.

From the 21st to the 23rd:

In 1918...post-frontal snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver.  Most of the snow...5.3 inches...fell on the 22nd. North winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 21st.
     
In 1931...a major storm dumped a total of 13.2 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver.  Most of the snow...11.4 inches...fell on the 21st.  A very cold air mass settled over the city after the heavy snow on the 21st.  After a low temperature of zero...the temperature climbed to a high of only 5 degrees on the 22nd...a record low maximum for the date.

From the 21st to the 25th:

In 1952...snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph on the 21st.

On the 22nd:

In 1977...101 mph winds were measured in southwest Boulder. The side of a garage was blown down.  West winds gusted to only 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
     
In 1981...high winds occurred in the foothills.  A peak gust to 75 mph was reported at Wondervu.  West winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
     
In 1988...a wind gust to 88 mph was measured at Rollinsville.
     
In 1990...strong west to northwest winds...on the coat tails of a mountain snow storm the day before...lashed out at portions of the eastern foothills with 60 to 95 mph wind gusts.  The strong winds spread over all of metro Denver. A west wind gust to 49 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

From the 22nd to the 23rd:

In 1953...strong winds raked Boulder causing 18 thousand dollars in damage.  Wind gusts to 80 mph were recorded at Valmont and estimated to 80 mph at the Boulder airport.

On the 23rd:

In 1899...a trace of snow fell in the city.  This...together with a trace of precipitation on the 16th and 21st...was the only precipitation of the month...making the month the driest on record.  The record was equaled in November of 1901 and 1949.  This trace of snow along with a trace of snow on the 21st was the only snow of the month...ranking the month the 2nd least snowiest on record.  This record was equaled in November of 1884...1901...1905...1917...and 1939.
     
In 1901...northwest winds were sustained to 45 mph with gusts to 53 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 70 degrees.
     
In 1910...west winds were sustained to 42 mph.  The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 67 degrees.

In 1959...west-northwest winds gusted to 56 mph...briefly reducing the visibility to 3 miles in blowing dust at Stapleton Airport.
     
In 1998...winds...estimated as high as 58 mph...caused several wood trusses installed in a police station under construction in Castle Rock to collapse.  A construction worker on the roof received minor injuries when he was struck by one of the trusses.  Southeast winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.

From the 23rd to the 24th:

In 1992...a pre-Thanksgiving blizzard belted metro Denver. Gusty north to northeast winds at 30 to 40 mph caused near-whiteout conditions as visibilities were often below 1/4 mile.  The strong winds drove snow into drifts of more than 4 feet.  Hundreds of holiday travelers were stranded when airlines canceled flights at Stapleton International Airport where snowfall totaled 7.6 inches and north winds gusted to 37 mph.  Blizzard conditions began around mid- morning on the 23rd and ended by mid-afternoon...but heavy snow fell through the night.  Snowfall totaled:  12 inches at Conifer...Morrison...and Wheat Ridge; 19 inches at Littleton; 16 inches at Castle Rock; 9 inches in Brighton; 8 inches in Aurora; and 6 inches in Parker.
     
In 1993...a moist upper level disturbance dumped heavy snow over most of Colorado.  Snowfall amounts averaged 5 to 8 inches across metro Denver.  Snowfall totaled 4.6 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 20 mph on the 23rd.  The very cold air mass caused the temperature to dip to a record low of 8 degrees below zero on the 24th.  The temperature that day climbed to only 9 degrees...also setting a record low maximum for the date.