arctic cold front as temperatures plunged to a low of 13 degrees below zero on the 20th. High temperature of only 2 degrees on the 20th was a record low maximum for the date. Northeast winds were sustained to 16 mph on the 19th.
In 1986…Chinook winds gusting to 39 mph at Stapleton International Airport provided record breaking warmth. The warmest temperature of the month…68 degrees on the 19th…was also a record high for the date. The low temperature of 41 degrees on the 20th equaled the record high minimum for the date.
In 1991…a strong cold front moved south across metro Denver. Upslope conditions produced 3 to 6 inches of snow along the Front Range with 5 inches in Westminster and 4 inches in Thornton. Snowfall measured 4.9 inches at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 31 mph.
In 1894…northwest winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 45 mph in the city.
In 1911…west Chinook winds sustained to 46 mph warmed the temperature to a high of 62 degrees.
In 1975…a warm Chinook wind produced a west wind gust to 53 mph at Stapleton International Airport. Winds were much stronger near the foothills…where 80 mph winds in Boulder caused damage to homes…buildings…power lines… And autos.
In 1986…high winds buffeted the foothills from Denver north. The strongest reported wind was 72 mph in Fort Collins. A wind gust to 39 mph was reported at Stapleton International Airport in Denver.
In 1996…high winds developed for a short time in the Front Range foothills in the wake of a weak upper level disturbance. Wondervu recorded a peak wind gust to 90 mph… While winds gusted to 84 mph atop squaw mountain near Idaho Springs. West winds gusted to only 29 mph at Denver International Airport.
In 2011…a snowboarder and his dog were killed when he triggered an avalanche in the backcountry northeast of Berthoud Pass.
In 1973…a major storm produced 7.5 inches of snowfall at Stapleton International Airport where north winds gusted to 32 mph causing some blowing snow.
In 2002…high winds developed over portions of the northern mountains and Front Range foothills. Several trees were blown down in Gilpin County along State Highways 119 and 46. Wind gust reports included: 90 mph 11 miles north of Central City…83 mph near Fritz Peak…76 mph at Aspen Springs…and 80 mph at Nederland. West winds gusted to only 39 mph at Denver International Airport on the 20th.
In 1937…a second incursion of cold arctic in less than two weeks kept temperatures in the deep freeze for three days… Even though only one temperature record was set during the period. Temperatures were below zero for an estimated 53 consecutive hours. The below zero period would have been longer had the temperatures on the 20th not climbed to a high of 1 degree after a low of 8 degrees below zero. On the 21st…the high temperature of 1 degree below zero was a record low maximum for the date. Low readings on both the 21st and 22nd were 9 degrees below zero.
In 1971…high winds raked Boulder. Wind gusts to 77 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Winds gusted to 83 mph in south Boulder and to 68 mph in downtown Boulder. Minor personal injuries occurred…and reported damage to structures totaled 15 thousand dollars. On the 21st…northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 69 degrees on the 20th…which equaled the record for the date.
In 1993…sporadic high winds along the east slopes of the Front Range during the early morning hours of the 20th moved onto the foothills and plains by the 22nd. Wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph were common. Some significant wind reports included 82 mph at Rollinsville and atop Squaw Mountain west of Denver…and 75 mph on Rocky Flats. At Stapleton International Airport…west winds gusted to 35 mph on the 20th…44 mph on the 21st…and 55 mph on the 22nd.
In 1897…west winds were sustained to 40 mph with gusts to 45 mph. The warm Chinook winds produced a high temperature of 51 degrees and a low temperature of 36 degrees.
In 1943…strong west winds gusted to 92 mp