This Week In Denver Weather History: Berthoud Pass Avalanche, 1992 Blizzard

DENVER (CBS4) - While most weather headlines in early January involve cold, wind or snow, this week in Denver weather history features everything from a rare thunderstorm to record high air pressure.

Here are a few highlights.

• Jan. 4, 1949 - Denver and all of northern Colorado was recovering from the worst blizzard to hit in several years. The storm began on the 2nd and produced winds up to 50 mph. After 51 consecutive hours of snow, 11.8 inches was measured in downtown Denver. Loss of life was high for both humans and livestock, and airlifts were needed on the northeast plains to get food and supplies to stranded communities.

• Jan. 4, 1893 - Strong chinook winds made for a spring-like day with a high of 64 and a low of 52 in Denver.

• Jan. 5, 1989 - A quarter-inch of rain was recorded during the morning hours at Stapleton International Airport.

• Jan. 5, 2007 - Heavy snow fell along the Front Range with 16 inches near Conifer, 11.5 inches in Boulder and 5.6 inches in Denver.

• Jan. 6, 2007 - A large avalanche measuring 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep swept two vehicles carrying a total of 8 people off Berthoud Pass. One of the passengers suffered several broken ribs.

• Jan. 6-7, 2006 - Chinook winds warmed Denver to a record high of 66 degrees on the 6th and 69 degrees on the 7th.

• Jan. 7, 2009 - Downslope winds with speeds between 75 and 107 mph caused widespread damage and triggered two wildfires that threatened the city of Boulder.

• Jan. 7-8, 1969 - A violent windstorm struck the foothills with a gust of 130 mph measured at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder and 96 mph in the city of Boulder. The winds were so strong the sensor at the Boulder airport was blown away after measuring a gust of 80 mph. Damage across the area reached 1 million dollars and 1 person lost their life. Windows were blown out from Arvada to Englewood to Littleton and a fire lookout tower on Squaw Mountain was blown away.

• Jan. 7-8, 1992 - An intense blizzard hit eastern Colorado with snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and drifts of 4 to 8 feet. The eastern Denver metro area was hit hard with 22 inches in southeast Aurora and 14.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport.

• Jan. 9, 1875 - Denver's coldest temperature ever was recorded when the mercury hit -29 degrees.

• Jan. 9-10, 2011 - A winter storm brought heavy snow to the Front Range with totals ranging from 13 inches near Golden to 6.5 inches at Denver International Airport.

• Jan. 10, 1932 - The first thunderstorm ever recorded in Denver during the month of Janaury was documented. The assistant weather observer heard two prolonged peals of thunder between 4:20 and 4:25 a.m. and an off-duty weather observer was awakened by thunder. There were other reports of thunder and lightning with a mixture of light snow and graupel reported around the city.

• Jan. 10, 1962 - The highest air pressure ever recorded in Denver was observed at 31.24 inches of mercury or 1057.8 millibars.