December 27 - Today in Denver weather history

December 27 - Today in Denver weather
history .

Today's look back at Denver weather history is notable for major snow storms.  One, eleven years ago, shut all major interstates and the airport. 

From the National Weather Service Denver / Boulder Office:

From the 25th to the 31st: 

In 1980...temperatures were unusually warm during the week between Christmas and New Year's.  High temperatures for the week ranged from the mid-50's to the mid-70's.  Four temperature records were set.  Record highs occurred on the 26th with 68 degrees...the 27th with 75 degrees...and the 30th with 71 degrees.  A record high minimum temperature of 41 degrees occurred on the 27th.

From the 26th to the 27th: 

In 1954...a major storm dumped heavy snow across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 8.6 inches at Stapleton Airport.  The storm produced the heaviest snowfall of the calendar year and was the only measurable snowfall in December.

In 1987...a snowstorm stalled in northeastern Colorado...giving metro Denver its worst winter storm in 4 years.  Total snowfall from the storm ranged from 12 to 18 inches on the east side...1 to 2 feet in Boulder County...and 2 to 3 feet in western and southern parts of metro Denver.  The largest reported snowfall was 42 inches at Intercanyon in the foothills southwest of Denver.  Snowfall totaled 14.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport.  Winds were light on the 26th...but increased as high as 40 mph on the 27th... Creating near-blizzard conditions and forcing complete closure of Stapleton International Airport for about 8 hours.  The strong winds whipped drifts to 5 feet high on the east side of town.  All interstate highways leading from Denver were closed on the 27th.

From the 26th to the 28th: 

In 1979 a heavy snow storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of snow over the metro area and 15 to 20 inches at Boulder with up to 2 feet in the foothills west of Boulder.  Heavy snowfall totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 21 mph.  Most of the snow... 4.8 inches...fell on the 27th.

On the 27th: 

In 1895...west Chinook winds sustained to 44 mph with gusts to 48 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 52 degrees.

In 1901...an apparent cold front produced sustained north winds to 41 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1957...northwest winds gusting to 52 mph produced some blowing dust across metro Denver.

In 1975...a northwest wind gust to 53 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1976...a strong pacific cold front moving across metro Denver produced a northwest wind gust to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1990...high winds raked the eastern foothills with a wind gust to 84 mph clocked on Fritz Peak near Rollinsville. The strong northwest winds of 50 to 70 mph whipped newly fallen snow over higher areas into billowy clouds several hundred feet high that could be seen from most locations across metro Denver.

In 1996...another round of high winds developed over portions of the Front Range foothills during the morning hours. Several wind gusts from 70 to 100 mph were reported at Wondervu southwest of Boulder.  West-northwest winds gusted to 38 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2005...a trained weather observer in Georgetown recorded a wind gust to 94 mph.  No damage was reported.

From the 27th to the 28th: 

In 1997...high winds combined with fresh snow from a previous storm caused highways to become slick from drifting snow and near whiteout conditions in localized ground blizzards. Strong winds blew snow across the runways at centennial airport...which glazed over and formed areas of ice.  Two planes were damaged when they slid off the runway while landing.  No injuries were reported.  Numerous accidents also occurred on I-25 and I-70 as ice formed under the same conditions.  A rollover accident which injured 4 people on State Highway 93 near the Rocky Flats Environmental Test Facility was also attributed to the high winds.  The high winds caused an office building and showroom under construction in Golden to collapse. The largest wall was 180 feet long and 28 feet high. Some high wind reports included:  86 mph at Golden Gate Canyon...72 mph near Conifer...and 70 mph at Jefferson County Airport and the National Center for Atmospheric Research on the mesa near Boulder.  West-northwest winds gusted to 53 mph at Denver International Airport on the 27th.

In 1998...damaging downslope winds formed in and near the foothills.  Peak wind gusts ranged from 71 to 114 mph. Numerous trees were blown down in Coal Creek Canyon and near Gross Reservoir.  Power lines were blown down...resulting in scattered outages.  Peak wind reports included:  114 mph at Wondervu...92 mph in Golden Gate Canyon...88 mph in Coal Creek Canyon...and 79 mph 8 miles west of Conifer.  West winds gusted to 46 mph at Denver International Airport on the 28th.

From the 27th to the 29th: 

In 1983...a second surge of bitter cold air in less than a week was less intense.  Record breaking low temperatures of 12 degrees below zero on the 28th and 15 degrees below zero on the 29th were accompanied by 3.7 inches of snowfall and northeast winds gusting to 23 mph.