Thornton’s workweek starts off with toasty temps, just a chance for thunderstorms

There mercury will be rising again today. Temps will be a good bit above average and we may see some PM thunderstorms.

Mostly sunny skies start us off then the afternoon will see increased cloud cover. That cloud cover will do little to inhibit temperatures as we will see highs in the mid-90s. The afternoon will bring isolated to scattered thunderstorms. Most will be high-based and bring mostly gusty winds.

Tonight, any storms will wind down around sunset. Skies will then clear and lows will dip to the low to mid-60s.

July 13 to July 19: This Week in Denver Weather History

This Week in Denver Weather History

Snow in July? Officially no however, it was on July 17, 1872 that a U.S. Army Signal Service weather observer reported snow in Denver. However since official record-keeping did not begin until 1882, it doesn’t count. Read more about that event and others from this week in Denver weather history below.

From the National Weather Service:

1-18

In 1874…a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak that was later set in the summer of 1901. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

1-31

In 2012…it was the hottest July on record in Denver since weather records began in 1872. The average temperature for the month was 78.9 degrees which was 4.7 degrees above normal. There were 27 days in which the high temperature equaled or exceeded 90 degrees…which established a new record. There were also 7 days in which the temperature equaled or exceeded 100 degrees which tied the record set in 2005.

6-23

In 1901…a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak set in the summer of 1874. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

7-25

In 1934…a streak of 15 consecutive days of 90 degrees ranked 5th on the list of hot streaks. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

13

In 1902…west winds were sustained to 42 mph with gusts to 48 mph.

In 1910…an apparent dry microburst produced northeast winds sustained to 41 mph.

In 1961…hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was reported near Commerce City.

In 1982…a tornado touched down briefly south of Parker. No damage was reported.

In 1985…thunderstorms drenched the Highlands Ranch area of northern Douglas County with 1.50 inches of rain in just 30 minutes. Half an inch of rain fell in 15 minutes in Littleton.

In 1986…a lightning bolt struck a church steeple in Littleton…toppling it to the ground.

In 1989…thunderstorm winds blew down trees and bent a metal basketball fixture just north of Castle Rock in the surrey ridge area.

In 1993…1 inch diameter hail was measured in Lakewood.

In 1995…lightning struck and injured an assistant coach during a baseball game at Highlands Ranch south of Denver.

In 1996…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Lochbuie with 1 1/2 inch hail measured in Brighton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 69 mph at Bennett. The strong winds were responsible for flipping three semi-trailer trucks onto their sides along I-70…3 miles east of Bennett. A few cars were also overturned.

In 2001…heavy thunderstorm rain caused flash flooding over south metro Denver. Three inches of rain reportedly fell near the greenwood village police department in the span of 15 minutes. The heavy rain caused toll gate creek to overflow…flooding low lying areas along Parker road. Heavy rainfall also caused local flooding along streets near the Denver technology center. A severe thunderstorm dumped hail to 1 3/4 inches in diameter near Castle Rock.

In 2003…maximum temperature of 100 degrees was a record high for the date.

In 2009…severe thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 70 mph near Parker and Strasburg. At Denver International Airport…west-northwest winds gusted to 40 mph.

In 2011…severe thunderstorms produced extensive damage as they moved across the urban corridor. At Denver International Airport alone…large hail up to golfball size…very heavy rain and wind gusts to 59 mph caused substantial damage to 40 planes and stranded approximately 1500 passengers overnight. Frontier and United airlines were hardest hit as dozens of planes were taken out of service for repairs; forcing the cancellation of at least 220 flights over the next several days. Damage to the aircrafts alone was nearly five million dollars. In addition…83 cars in airport parking lots were damaged… Along with some police cars and maintenance vehicles. In Watkins…two people suffered minor injuries and 35 to 40 homes were damaged. As many as two hundred residents in a mobile home park were left homeless by the storm…forcing the red cross to open a shelter at Bennett high school. The trailer park contained 52 mobile homes…14 recreational vehicles…3 houses and a commercial building. Hailstones the size of softballs cratered the north sides of the mobile homes. Some farmers in the area said they lost as much as 85 percent of their total wheat crop. Power lines were also damaged which affected about 1200 customers in Watkins. The strong winds also flipped over a tractor- trailer rig on I-70 near Watkins Road. Insurance claims for the Watkins…Bennett and Brighton areas was estimated to be seventeen million dollars. The total damage estimate across the entire urban corridor…was near one hundred sixty five million dollars…and included 17200 automobile claims and 12600 homeowner claims. In addition…thunderstorms producing very heavy rainfall…caused flash flooding in the Four Mile Canyon burn scar west of Boulder. Three homes reportedly had water up to the windows with water flowing into structures at Fourmile Canyon road and gold run road. The heavy rain caused a 4-ft surge along Fourmile Creek through Orodell and into the entry of Boulder Creek. Several roads were affected which restricted access to the area. Roads were closed due to water and debris. Private bridges and drives were washed out and several residents were stranded and later rescued. Numerous cars were damaged in debris flows and several structures suffered flood damage but were not destroyed.

In 2019…a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to 1.0 inch in diameter in Broomfield…with 7/8 inch size hail reported in Arapahoe County near Buckley AFB.

13-5

In 2008…a streak of 24 consecutive days of 90 degrees shattered the previous record of 18 consecutive days established in 1901 and 1874. Ironically…no new single day record high temperatures were set in the month of July. In August however…a record of 104 degrees was set on the 1st…and another record of 103 degrees was set on the 2nd. In addition…a record low min of 70 degrees was set on August 2nd.

14

In 1878…the temperature reached a high of 100 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1906…a thunderstorm produced north winds sustained to 52 mph and 0.53 inch of rain in 10 minutes.

In 1912…a heavy thunderstorm cloudburst in the late afternoon combined with a similar storm to the south of the city to produce widespread flooding on Cherry Creek in downtown Denver…which resulted in two deaths and several injuries. The flooding was the worst since 1864 and covered around 3 square miles of lower downtown. Bridges along Cherry Creek were washed out and water lapped at the floor of the Broadway bridge over the South Platte River…causing authorities to declare it unsafe except for pedestrians. By nightfall… Union Depot was under 2 to 3 feet of water…and railroad and street car traffic was stalled. Those forced from their homes by the surging flood waters took refuge in the Denver auditorium. The flood waters caused great damage to the sewerage system…parkways…bridges and residences and commercial warehouses near Cherry Creek in the wholesale district. Flood damage was estimated at several million dollars. Heavy thunderstorm rainfall of 2.00 inches…of which nearly 1.75 inch fell in 30 minutes in central Denver… Was accompanied by severe thunderstorm winds sustained to 55 mph with gusts as high as 74 mph.

In 1933…thunderstorm rainfall was only 0.01 inch…but northwest winds sustained to 37 mph with gusts to 47 mph produced a dust storm for about 10 minutes during the late afternoon.

In 1967…heavy rain flooded areas of north and west metro Denver…and high water closed street intersections in the city. Crops were damaged…and 200 chickens drowned by flooding northwest of Denver where farm buildings and irrigation facilities were also damaged.

In 1969…a thunderstorm wind gust to 51 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1975…heavy rains caused locally heavy flash flooding along Niver Creek south of Thornton and in other parts of north metro Denver. Over 40 thousand dollars in damage to public property was reported…and numerous homes and yards were damaged.

In 1986…thunderstorm winds blew down a power line in west- central Jefferson County. The storm…as it moved into Denver…snapped tree limbs and damaged a fence near Washington Park. Wind gusts in the area were estimated at 80 to 85 mph.

In 1990…thunderstorm wind gusts to 58 mph were recorded at Buckley Field in Aurora. No damage was reported. Winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1993…a severe thunderstorm moved across southern sections of metro Denver. Dime size hail fell in Lakewood…and hail up to one inch diameter was measured at Cheery Creek Reservoir. Later in the afternoon…hail to one inch diameter fell in Golden and Arvada.

In 1994…hail to 1 1/4 inches in diameter fell north of Bennett.

In 1998…dry microburst winds estimated to 70 mph snapped tree branches up to 4 inches in diameter in Brighton where some road signs were twisted and blown down. At Denver International Airport…dry microburst winds gusted to 61 mph.

In 1995…thunderstorm winds gusted to 62 mph near Strasburg.

In 2001…a severe thunderstorm dumped hail to 3/4 inch in diameter in the foothills about 10 miles northwest of Golden.

In 2011…severe thunderstorms in the Denver metropolitan area produced very heavy rain…large hail and damaging winds. The strong winds toppled a few trees and the heavy rain caused street flooding and minor flash flooding. Several cars were stranded at the intersection of Santa Fe Drive and Oxford…and near Broadway and U.S. Highway 285. A 16-yr old teenager was seriously injured when he tried to retrieve a ball along the banks of West Toll Gate Creek. He was pulled from the swollen creek and died several days later. Hail up to one inch in diameter was reported around the area. The thunderstorms also produced frequent lightning. One strike sparked a fire at aspen academy…a private school in Greenwood Village. Most of the damage was confined to the roof and attic. In Englewood…a 40-ft tree was blown into a house and knocked down some power lines. At Denver International Airport…a severe thunderstorm produced sustained winds of 47 mph and a peak wind gust to 68 mph.

In 2019…a Denver man was killed and his wife injured after he was struck by lightning when they were hiking near the Bear Peak West Ridge Trail. The man was likely hit from a direct lightning strike to his upper body. His wife was not directly hit…but injured by the electrical current from the strike that hit her husband.

14-15

In 1985…thunderstorms dumped heavy rain and hail at numerous locations along the Front Range from Denver north. Some of the heaviest rain fell in northern and western suburbs of Denver. Up to 2.6 inches of rain drenched Arvada…and Thornton was soaked with 2 inches in 45 minutes. At least 5 homes in Arvada suffered extensive damage from water and mud…and many streets and basements were flooded. In southern Jefferson County…11 homes were struck by lightning.

Continue reading July 13 to July 19: This Week in Denver Weather History

July 2025 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

Columbines in an alpine meadow. (Patrick Martin)
Columbines in an alpine meadow. (Patrick Martin)

Colorado offers outdoor opportunities unlike any other state and while the summer heat settles in, photos of the amazing scenes across our state provide a view into why we love it here so much.

The weather this time of year has a pretty standard pattern of quickly warming temperatures followed by afternoon thunderstorms that can cool things down.  These storms sometimes provide a good bit of ‘excitement’ and are a prime photo subject.

  • Slideshow updated July 7, 2025

Recreationalists head outdoors and take advantage of urban, suburban and rural opportunities.  As they do, our abundant wildlife that is found just about anywhere comes into focus.

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather and nature related imagery.   Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted.

To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.


What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

July 6 to July 12: This Week in Denver Weather History

This Week in Denver Weather History

This week in Denver weather history shows record-setting heat, flooding rains, a few tornadoes and dangerous lightning. It must be July.

From the National Weather Service:

29-15

In 2000…the 29th marked the beginning of a near record hot streak for metro Denver. The high temperatures…as recorded at Denver International Airport…exceeded the 90 degree mark for 17 consecutive days from June 29th through July 15th. The record of 24 consecutive 90 degree or above days was set from July 13th through August 5th…2008.

1-18

In 1874…a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak that was later set in the summer of 1901. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

1-31

In 2012…it was the hottest July on record in Denver since weather records began in 1872. The average temperature for the month was 78.9 degrees which was 4.7 degrees above normal. There were 27 days in which the high temperature equaled or exceeded 90 degrees…which established a new record. There were also 7 days in which the temperature equaled or exceeded 100 degrees which tied the record set in 2005.

4-8

In 1989…one of the most intense heat waves on record roasted metro Denver. The temperature reached 100 degrees or more on 5 consecutive days. The city had previously never recorded more than 2 straight 100-degree days since records began in 1872. Water and electricity usage reached all-time highs. The heat wave created extremely dry weather conditions…which contributed to a major forest fire in Boulder Canyon on July 9th. The temperature reached 103 degrees on the 8th…and the mercury climbed to 101 degrees on both the 4th and 5th…and to 102 degrees on both the 6th and 7th. The low temperature of 68 degrees on the 8th equaled the record high minimum for the date.

6

In 1876…the high temperature reached 101 degrees in downtown Denver.

In 1943…four people were injured by lightning in Denver during a severe early evening thunderstorm. At least two houses were set on fire by the lightning. One house had $1500 in damage and the other $1000.

In 1959…wind and lightning caused some damage in metro Denver. Wind gusts to 67 mph blew down power lines…signs… And trees. Lightning struck several transformers…leaving many areas without power.

In 1971…a microburst wind gust to 68 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1973…the temperature reached a high of 103 degrees. This was the second consecutive day with a temperature of 100 degrees or more.

In 1984…a weak tornado moved through eastern Aurora. About 10 homes sustained minor damage to roofs; some sections of fence were thrown more than a block. Soft hail…an inch in diameter…fell over central Aurora…and 1.35 inches of rain fell in just 45 minutes…5 miles east of Buckley Field. Torrential rain and hail stopped traffic on I-225 in central Aurora for 15 minutes. Street flooding was widespread. A wind gust to 57 mph was recorded in southeast Aurora. A wind gust to 66 mph was reported at Front Range airport near Bennett. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton International Airport where only 1/8 inch hail fell.

In 1986…one inch diameter hail fell near Conifer in the foothills west of Denver. The storm produced 1.50 inches of rain in an hour with a storm total of 2.15 inches. Nearby buffalo creek was drenched with 0.80 inch of rain in just 10 minutes.

In 1996…3/4 inch diameter hail fell in Bennett…east of Denver. Hail…as large as 1 1/2 inches in diameter… Damaged several vehicles in the parking lot of the Colorado speedway race track near Dacono north of Denver. Several trees were also damaged.

In 2001…a severe thunderstorm wind gust to 59 mph was recorded at Denver International Airport…along with small hail.

In 2009…hail up to 1 inch in diameter was observed near Longmont.

In 2010…heavy rain caused flash flooding near Interstate 70 at the Byers exit. Two feet of water was observed moving across the bottom of exit ramp. One car was washed into a tree but no one was injured. In addition…severe thunderstorms produced hail up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter near Franktown. At Denver International Airport…only 0.01 inches of rainfall was observed. A peak wind gust to 45 mph from the west was also recorded.

6-23

In 1901…a streak of 18 consecutive days of 90 degrees tied for second with another streak set in the summer of 1874. The record of 24 consecutive days was established in the summer of 2008.

7

In 1905…a thunderstorm produced sustained northeast winds to 40 mph…but only a trace of rain.

In 1933…heavy cloudbursts during the afternoon in the Idledale area and on Saw Mill Gulch caused flash flooding on Bear Creek resulting in 7 deaths. Flooding in Morrison was compounded when a wall of water as high as 15 feet swept down Mount Vernon Creek. The flooding caused extensive damage to the Bear Creek Canyon Highway.

In 1959…wind gusts to 45 mph at Stapleton Airport…but higher in other areas…damaged power lines and buildings and caused widespread minor damage from falling trees and broken limbs. A field house under construction at Adams County high school in Commerce City sustained severe damage.

In 1963…farm buildings east of Boulder were possibly damaged by a small tornado as there were unconfirmed reports of a funnel cloud in the area.

In 1967…a storm of cloudburst proportion caused damage from flooding in southwest and south Denver. Unofficial reports indicated rainfall of 2.00 inches in 30 minutes and more than 3.00 inches total from the storm. Streets and buildings were flooded by the heavy run-off. Hail in some areas contributed to flooding by blocking storm drains. Water accumulated 12 to 14 feet deep in several underpasses and some street intersections. A young woman drowned when she tried to cross a flooded street and was swept off her feet and trapped under a parked car. Water reached a depth of 5 feet in the street. Police rescued numerous stranded motorists. The roof and wall of a flat roofed store building collapsed under the weight of deep water on the roof. Cars were washed over curbs in many areas. In southwest metro Denver…100 to 150 homes were flooded. Hail caused damage in other areas of Denver and in Aurora. Wind toppled trees in several areas. Snowplows were called out to clear hail from some highways and runways at Stapleton International Airport. Lightning damaged trees and power lines and started a fire…which extensively damaged an automobile dealership. Thunderstorm rainfall totaled 0.83 inch at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1981…severe thunderstorms produced 3/4 inch hail over east Denver. About 1 1/2 inches of rain fell in Littleton. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 45 mph at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1983…tennis ball size hail fell about 5 miles north of Boulder; it was soft and caused no damage.

In 1987…a weak tornado touched down in Castle Rock. Several weak tornadoes were observed in the area. No damage was reported.

In 1988…lightning struck a sign at a bank near Louisville… Damaging it and causing a smoldering fire that resulted in smoke damage to the bank and an adjacent building. Heavy thunderstorm rain…accompanied by 1/2 inch diameter hail at Stapleton International Airport…briefly reduced the visibility to 1/4 mile. Rainfall totaled 1.41 inches… But 1.12 inches fell in 32 minutes.

In 2001…severe thunderstorms dumped large hail across north metro Denver. Hail to 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell near Erie with 7/8 inch hail measured in Thornton.

In 2004…a 9-year-old boy was struck by lightning while at a playground in Arvada. The umpire at a nearby baseball game…along with 2 passers-by…administrated CPR and resuscitated the boy who had quit breathing. The boy suffered first and second degree burns…but was released from the hospital in less than 24 hours. A dry microburst over Denver International Airport produced a peak wind gust to 61 mph.

In 2006…up to 3 inches of heavy thunderstorm rainfall in the Hayman wildfire burn area produced destructive flash flooding along west creek between the towns of Deckers and Westcreek in southwest Douglas County. Horse Creek…which drains into west creek…swelled from a normally small creek into a raging torrent…25 to 30 feet deep and 300 feet wide. The wall of water damaged or destroyed about 30 sections of a 5 mile stretch of State Highway 67…which parallels West Creek. Several homes were extensively damaged or destroyed. No injuries were reported…but several people had to be rescued…due to extensive damage to access roads and bridges in the area. Reconstruction was estimated at 13.3 million dollars.

In 2011…heavy rain associated with a wet microbursts produced over 3 inches of rain in 90 minutes across southeast Denver. In Denver…some underpasses were flooded with several feet of water which stranded motorists. As a result…the fire department conducted at least 10 water rescues. Some basements were inundated with up to 4 feet of water which caused extensive flood damage. The Platte Valley and Western Model Railroad Club’s model train display in Union Station was also damaged when 3 to 4 inches of mud and water spilled over some of the command and control systems. Several display modules and scenery pieces in a storage room were also damaged. The entire display spanned more than one thousand feet of track in a room that was once used as the jail at Union Station in the 1900s. Urban and small stream flooding was reported across the surrounding Denver suburbs. The storm left about 28000 Xcel customers without power when the storm snapped trees and power lines. In addition…heavy rain produced flash flooding in the Four Mile Canyon burn scar. Four debris slides occurred along Four Mile Canyon Drive…including one that was 100 yards wide and 4 feet deep. Several rockslides were reported in Lefthand and Boulder canyons. At Denver International Airport…1.04 inches of rain was observed. A peak wind gust of 46 mph from the southeast was also observed.

In 2012…heavy rain produced flash flooding in Boulder County near Jamestown. James canyon drive was closed after heavy rain washed out a section of the roadway. Heavy rain washed out a section of magnolia road…east-southeast of Nederland. Nearby…a trained spotter 4 miles east-northeast of Nederland… Measured 2.20 inches of rainfall. Flash flooding was also reported in the Fourmile burn area along Summerville road. In Dacono…in southern Weld County…the Colorado Department of Transportation used snowplows to clear standing water…up to 6 inches deep…from a section of Interstate 25. The interstate was closed in both directions for nearly two hours. South of the Denver…in central Douglas County…flash flooding was reported near Perry Park…where 2.5 inches of rain fell in one hour.

In 2014…an Arvada resident was injured by a nearby lightning strike while he recorded a video of a thunderstorm with his cell phone. He was standing in his garage…when a nearby lightning bolt knocked him out. He suffered overall body aches and had a ringing sensation in one of his ears. In Denver… lightning caused a power outage that affected the RTD light rail lines for a short time. In Castle Pines…lightning sparked a small attic fire. Severe thunderstorms produced large hail from 1 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter…along with damaging winds across Arapahoe…Boulder and Jefferson Counties including: northwest Arvada…Littleton and Louisville. Flash flooding was reported near Evergreen in central Jefferson County. Heavy rain…up to 2 inches in one hour…flooded several residences and washed out several bridges along Forest Estate Road. Heavy rainfall also produced street flooding in Denver along with some basement flooding. The strong winds…estimated to 60 mph…downed trees and power lines in southwest Littleton. At Denver International Airport…0.15 inches of rainfall was observed along with a peak wind gust to 42 mph from the southeast.

In 2020…a thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 63 mph near Bennett.

Continue reading July 6 to July 12: This Week in Denver Weather History

Thornton’s July 2025 preview: Summer heat really kicks in, thunderstorms common

July

Change is of course the one constant in Denver’s weather but come July, things actually get pretty consistent.

The standard formula for a day in July is a sunny morning, clouds developing in the late morning and early afternoon. Come mid-afternoon, thunderstorms are rolling off of the foothills and into the metro area and the eastern plains. These storms do occasionally reach severe status containing hail, gusty winds and heavy downpours of rain.

Check out our July weather preview for a complete look at what is in store for the month ahead.

Thornton’s dismal 2024 / 2025 snow season comes to an end

Thornton, Colorado snow summary for the 2024 / 2025 season. (ThorntonWeather.com)
Thornton, Colorado snow summary for the 2024 / 2025 season. Click for larger view. (ThorntonWeather.com)

The snow season in Colorado runs July 1 to June 30 and thus today ends the 2024 / 2025 season officially. With the close, we can see Thornton did not fare too well this winter.

We ended up with 36.9 inches for the season. That is far below our 18-season running average of 54.6 inches per season. It also puts the 2024 / 2025 season into the books as the fourth least snowy over that period.

Out at DIA where Denver’s official measurements are taken, they fared better with 47.7 inches. The difference is largely due to a period from November 5 to November 8 in which the bulk of the snow for that event stayed just east of Denver. Over those four days, DIA recorded 18.2 inches versus 10.8 inches here in Thornton.

More snow data here.

June 2025 top shots: Monthly photo slideshow

June 11, 2025 - Bison on parade at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. (© Bill Hutchinson)
June 11, 2025 – Bison on parade at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. (© Bill Hutchinson)

The month of June typically sees springtime severe weather reach its height of activity in northeastern Colorado.

This affords the opportunity to capture extraordinary images of amazing weather phenomena from monstrous supercell thunderstorms to heavy rain, hail and even tornadoes.

  • Slideshow updated June 30, 2025

Showcasing images captured by ThorntonWeather.com readers as well as some of our own, our monthly slideshow covers the entire gamut of weather and nature related imagery.

Sunsets, sunrises, wildlife and of course every type of weather condition are vividly depicted.  June brings some very dynamic weather and the photos are a great way to see the stunning variety.

To learn more about how to send your photo to us for inclusion in the slideshow, see below the slideshow.

What is missing in the slideshow above?  Your photo!

Our monthly photo slideshow is going to feature images that we have taken but more importantly images that you have captured.  The photos can be of anything even remotely weather-related.

Landscapes, current conditions, wildlife, pets, kids.  Whimsical, newsy, artsy.  Taken at the zoo, some other area attraction, a local park, a national park or your backyard.  You name it, we want to see and share it!

Images can be taken in Thornton, Denver or anywhere across the extraordinary Centennial State.  We’ll even take some from out of state if we can tie it to Colorado somehow.

We’ll keep the criteria very open to interpretation with just about any image eligible to be shown in our slideshows.

What do you win for having your image in our slideshow?  We are just a ‘mom and pop’ outfit and make no money from our site so we really don’t have the means to provide prizes.  However you will have our undying gratitude and the satisfaction that your images are shared on the most popular website in Thornton.

To share you images with us and get them included in the slideshow just email them to us or share them with ThorntonWeather.com on any of the various social media outlets.  Links are provided below.

So come on, get those camera’s rolling!

June 29 to July 5: This Week in Denver Weather History

This Week in Denver Weather History

The dog days of summer have begun to settle in and severe weather starts to become just a little bit less common. While the history books for the week still mention hail and tornadoes, we also see flooding rains, record setting heat and wildfires.

From the National Weather Service:

29

In 1874…eight different fires in mountain forests were visible from the city. All of the fires were extensive… And the volume of smoke from each was immense. Three of these fires had been burning from the 18th with varied intensity.

In 1911…an apparent dry microburst produced sustained winds to 45 mph.

In 1960…a strong gust of wind blew a small foreign sedan off the highway near Brighton…injuring the driver. East winds gusted to 40 mph at Stapleton Airport.

In 1961…thunderstorm winds estimated as high as 40 to 50 mph occurred over southeast Denver. No significant damage was reported.

In 1962…heavy rain and small hail caused some flooding in southwest Denver.

In 1995…upslope cloudiness with rain and fog cooled temperatures to record levels. Low temperature of 47 degrees equaled the record for the date. High temperature of only 54 degrees set a new record low maximum for the date. Rainfall totaled 0.90 inch at Denver International Airport and 0.41 inch at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.

In 2003…a severe thunderstorm in Parker produced hail to 1 inch in diameter.

In 2011…two airmen from the Colorado National Guard suffered minor injuries when they were struck by lightning. They were hit while on duty at a flight line at Buckley Air Force Base. At Denver International Airport…a microburst produced a peak wind gust to 72 mph.

In 2022…a severe thunderstorm produced an isolated but intense microburst with a peak wind gust of 74 mph east of Centennial near Smoky Hill. At Denver International Airport…a peak gust to 34 mph was observed from the northwest. Blowing dust briefly reduced the visibility to one half of a mile…along with 0.05 inch rainfall.

29-2

In 1990…almost a year to date after the record breaking heat in early July 1989…the third longest heat wave in Denver history started. From June 29th through July 2nd the temperature reached 100 degrees or more on four consecutive days. The highest reading of 102 degrees occurred on the 29th…30th…and 1st. Combined with the 102 degree reading on June 27th this would have been the longest heat wave on record…but the temperature climbed to only 98 degrees on June 28th.

29-15

On 2000…the 29th marked the beginning of a near record hot streak for metro Denver. The high temperatures…as recorded at Denver International Airport…exceeded the 90 degree mark for 17 consecutive days from June 29th through July 15th. The record of 24 consecutive 90 degree or above days was set from July 13th through August 5th…2008.

30

In 1879…dense smoke from mountain forest fires covered the city and obscured the sun as it set behind the mountains.

In 1900…a thunderstorm produced northwest winds to 44 mph with gusts to 58 mph…but only a trace of rain.

In 1917…north winds were sustained to 47 mph with gusts to 52 mph.

In 1942…a strong thunderstorm produced hail and heavy rainfall in south Denver. Leaves were stripped from trees and heavy rain caused street flooding which halted traffic. Hail of unknown size reached a depth of 9 inches on the ground.

In 1965…funnel clouds were observed to the south of Stapleton International Airport and in Jefferson County…15 miles southwest of the airport. Later…a tornado touched down briefly 1 mile east of Littleton…causing only minor damage. Another tornado was observed 12 miles southwest of Stapleton International Airport in Jefferson County. Hail to 3/4 inch in diameter fell in the bear valley area…12 miles south- southwest of Stapleton International Airport. Yet another tornado was sighted 10 miles northwest of the airport. Cloudbursts accompanied by hail battered areas of Arapahoe and Adams counties east of Denver…damaging ripening grain fields. At Lafayette…3.50 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes…causing some flooding.

In 1982…numerous funnel clouds were observed over southwest metro Denver. Only one funnel touched down near the intersection of Jewell and Kipling. The tornado was on the ground for about 5 minutes and caused no damage except for uprooting some trees. In addition…thunderstorms produced heavy rain and hail in the foothills west of Denver. Over an inch of rain fell in a short time near Idaho Springs… Causing Clear Creek to overflow its banks and flood a few low lying areas of the town. A few people were evacuated… And water and mud entered several stores. The heavy rain also washed out several roads. Hail piled up to a depth of 3 to 4 inches near Idaho Springs. Hail to 3/4 inch was reported at many places across metro Denver including Stapleton International Airport. Lightning struck a chemistry building on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder and started a small fire. Thunderstorm wind gusts to 60 mph were reported near Brighton.

In 1984…heavy rain caused some street and basement flooding in Littleton. One location received 1.56 inches of rain in 75 minutes.

In 1987…a weak tornado near Watkins stayed on the ground for 5 minutes.

In 1990…a small twister touched down in an open field just north of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. No damage was reported.

In 1998…hail as large as 1 inch in diameter fell near Evergreen.

In 2005…a severe thunderstorm produced hail as large as 3/4 inch near Roggen. The hail destroyed a wheat field.

In 2006…the temperature reached a high of 98 degrees at Denver International Airport. This marked the 19th day in June with a maximum temperature of 90 degrees or more setting a new all-time record for the month.

In 2011…very strong thunderstorm winds were also observed across portions of the urban corridor. A peak wind gust to 65 mph was recorded…2 miles northeast of Boulder with a gust to 63 mph at Front Range airport at Watkins and 7 miles southeast of Denver International Airport. The peak wind gust measured at Denver International Airport itself was 45 mph. A severe thunderstorm also produced one inch in diameter hail 2 miles south-southeast of Parker. In addition…a lightning strike destroyed a home in north Denver.

In 2019…eight hikers were injured by a nearby lightning strike at the Devil Head Lookout…west of Perry Park in Douglas County. Five hikers were able to walk out unassisted…while two other required assistance. Most complained of having tingling sensations…while two suffered from minor burns. The eighth victim suffered critical injuries and had to be carried out by stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital.

In 2023…a total of 5.35 inches of rain fell through the month of June…establishing the all time record for Denver. The previous record was 4.96 inches set 141 years earlier in 1882.

30-1

In 1873…heavy rainfall overnight totaled 1.42 inches. Mountain peaks to the southwest of the city were covered with fresh snow on the morning of the 1st.

Continue reading June 29 to July 5: This Week in Denver Weather History

Internet outage: Real time data currently not available (FIXED)

Update, 6/25/25, 1:00pm: Up and running – finally. Our router was replaced and all data is now feeding the website as it should.

Update, 6/21/25, 9:00am: It appears our router has died so we are still without an Internet connection. We have an appointment scheduled for Wednesday afternoon so, unfortunately, no live data will be available until then. We apologize for the outage.

Original posting, 6/20/25, 5:11am: As many across the nation experienced late yesterday, CenturyLink / Quantum fiber had a major outage. As of Friday AM, our Internet connection is still not functioning.

As a result, real-time data from our weather station is currently down. We have no ETA as to when we will be back up and running as that depends on the provider.

Much of our website, other than the real-time data, remains fully functional. This includes the forecasts, watches / warnings and more.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

June 22 to June 28: This Week in Denver Weather History

This Week in Denver Weather History

Stormy skies are common this time of year as we see in our look back at this week in Denver weather history. Dangerous lightning, damaging hail and wind, and of course tornadoes have made their appearances.

From the National Weather Service:

21-22

In 1941…strong thunderstorms produced cloudbursts of rain in Boulder County…starting during the late evening of the 21st and continuing overnight. The heavy rains over the Boulder Creek…Left Hand Creek…and south St Vrain River basins produced flooding in already swollen streams and turned dry gulches into raging torrents. The force of the floodwaters swept a man from the arms of his wife to his death…severely damaged canyon homes and swept others away… And hurtled a car down a steep embankment after the driver narrowly escaped. West of Boulder…the Boulder Canyon highway was littered with rocks and debris and collapsed when two culverts were washed away. The flood waters washed much debris down four mile canyon…damaging the road near the creek bed. A bridge over dry creek just south of Niwot was completely washed away.

In 1964…scattered hail and rain caused property damage and local flooding in Boulder.

In 1989…an unseasonably cold weather system produced strong winds over much of metro Denver and snowfall in the foothills as low as 7500 feet elevation. One to 6 inches of snow fell in the foothills west of Denver with 15 inches reported on the summit of Mount Evans. Six inches of snow were measured at Conifer. Rainfall totaled only 0.09 inch at Stapleton International Airport where northwest winds gusted to 29 mph on the 21st.

22

In 1872…small sandstorms…frequently seen on the prairie… Occasionally passed through the city.

In 1983…3/4 inch hail was observed at Deckers…and a thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 55 mph at Littleton.

In 1988…a tornado was spotted one mile east of Brighton; it remained on the ground for about 6 minutes…but did no reportable damage. Lightning damaged a home near Castle Rock.

In 1991…thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail in Lafayette. The strongest storms occurred north of metro Denver.

In 1992…nickel size hail was reported just east of Parker.

In 1995…large hail 3/4 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter fell in Castle Rock where a funnel cloud was sighted. Hail 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter fell in south Denver and Aurora. A funnel cloud was also sighted over Chatfield Reservoir. In Bennett…very strong dry microburst winds of unknown speeds ripped a 14- by 48-foot metal roof off of a barn. The roof was tossed approximately 250 yards. A few 150- pound railroad ties were moved 10 to 15 feet.

In 1997…a tornado touched down near the Adams County fairgrounds northeast of Denver…uprooting several trees and damaging a car. A dry microburst produced a brief wind gust to 69 mph at Jefferson County Airport. A small brief tornado was sighted near Hudson…but did no reported damage.

In 1998…3/4 inch hail fell near Hudson.

In 1999…thunderstorm winds gusted to 63 mph at Denver International Airport.

In 2003…hail as large as 2 inches in diameter was measured in Fort Lupton with 3/4 inch hail in Erie and near Boulder.

In 2006…a small tornado (f0) touched down near Franktown… But caused no damage.

In 2008…strong winds from dry microbursts developed over parts of southern Weld and western Arapahoe counties. A peak gust of 60 mph was observed in Centennial. Near Frederick…strong winds snapped 3 power poles and sparked a small grassfire near State Highway 52 and interstate 25. At Denver International Airport…a peak gust of 31 mph was observed.

In 2009…hail up to 2 inches in diameter was observed near crescent in Boulder County.

In 2023…an tornado touched down just south of CO-470 in Highlands Ranch and lifted just west of I-25 near Lone Tree in Douglas County. Most of the damage was EF0 but there were some pockets of EF1 damage; it was on the ground for 26 minutes. The severe thunderstorm also produced large hail up to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The tornado track was from 2 miles west of Highlands Ranch to 2 miles north-northeast of Surrey Ridge with a path length of 8.36 miles. The maximum width of the tornado was approximately 50 yards There were no injuries.

22-26

In 2012…the maximum temperature exceeded 100 degrees for five consecutive days. Two of the high temperatures on the 25th and 26th peaked at 105 degrees…which set the all-time record for the month of June and tied the all-time maximum temperature for Denver.

23

In 1874…a thunderstorm pelted the city with hail and brief heavy rain. Rainfall was 0.30 inch in 10 minutes. Total rainfall was 0.36 inch for the day. Hail to 1/4 inch in diameter destroyed the strawberry fields near the limits of the city. The thunderstorm dropped the temperature from 93 degrees to 80 degrees in 5 minutes.

In 1887…north winds were sustained to 42 mph.

In 1954…the temperature climbed to a high of 102 degrees… Setting a record for the date.

In 1962…lightning struck and injured a man near Buffalo… Southwest of Denver…while he was riding in the back of a pick-up truck. He suffered multiple bruises…cuts…and shock.

In 1965…an apparent tornado was reported 18 miles east of Denver. No damage was reported.

In 1975…hail up to 3/4 inch in diameter fell at Stapleton International Airport and over other parts of metro Denver. Four funnel clouds were sighted: 10 miles northeast of Denver…south of Boulder…southeast of Boulder…and south of Aurora.

In 1976…heavy rain and eroding water collapsed a retaining wall in Thornton.

In 1981…a thunderstorm produced wind gusts to 60 mph in Littleton.

In 1982…two separate bolts of lightning injured three men in southwest Denver. Two buildings were slightly damaged.

In 1987…severe thunderstorms produced large hail across metro Denver. Golf ball size hail fell in Littleton…near Morrison…and in southeast Aurora with 1 1/2 inch hail recorded in south Lakewood and 1 inch hail reported in Littleton…Arvada…and at Cherry Creek dam. Two funnel clouds were sighted 20 miles southwest of Stapleton International Airport.

In 1993…non-convective high winds developed along the Front Range foothills. Wind gusts to 70 mph were common near the foothills with numerous tree limbs broken by the winds. North winds gusting to 36 mph were recorded at Stapleton International Airport.

In 1999…hail as large as 1 inch in diameter was measured in the city of Denver with 3/4 inch hail in Littleton.

In 2001…a severe thunderstorm produced large hail in south metro Denver. Hail as large as 1 1/2 inch in diameter fell in Littleton with 1 1/4 inch hail near Sheridan.

In 2009…hail up to 1 inch in diameter was observed near Parker. At Denver International Airport…a total of 1.64 inches was measured in a 24-hr period…setting a new record for the date.

In 2014…severe thunderstorms produced large hail near Commerce City and Fort Lupton. The hail sizes ranged from 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

In 2016…a severe thunderstorm produced a peak wind gust to 60 mph near Strasburg.

Continue reading June 22 to June 28: This Week in Denver Weather History

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