This Week In Denver Weather History: Record Fog, A Rare T-Storm & Dangerous Lightning Strike

DENVER (CBS4) - February is much like January in that blasts of cold, snow and wind tend to dominate the record books.

But occasionally, you run across a few other weather phenomena.

On Feb. 2, 2008, lightning struck a home in Englewood during an electrically charged snowstorm. The bolt hit a gas meter and it burst into flames.

Snow totals ranged from 1 to 4 inches in the southern suburbs of Denver.

On Feb. 5, 1978, heavy fog rolled into the Denver area and it lasted for 7 days.

Light snow or freezing drizzle fell just about each day and rime ice accumulated up to 5 inches thick on power lines, causing a major electrical disaster across a large part of eastern Colorado.

On Feb. 7, 1940, a distant thunderstorm was observed from the weather station in Denver.

It was only the second time since 1900 that a thunderstorm was observed in Denver during the month of February.

Here are some more Denver weather reports from this week in history.

• Feb. 1, 1932 - The temperature rose from 8°F to 58°F between 7 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Denver. At one point it jumped 16°F in just over an hour.

• Feb. 1, 1951 - The coldest February temperature on record in Denver was tied at -25°F.

• Feb. 1-4, 2011 - An arctic blast plunged into the Front Range with temperatures well below zero. The cold closed schools, broke pipes and caused millions of dollars in water damage to homes and businesses.

• Feb. 1-9, 1883 - A prolonged period of cold hit the region with temperatures falling below zero in Denver on 9 consecutive days.

• Feb. 2-3, 1999 - Strong chinook winds hit northeast Colorado with several locations topping 100 mph, including 120 mph in Lafayette and 100 mph in Louisville. Damage was extensive including over two dozen 30-foot tall power poles that supported high transmission power lines. Much of the area between Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette and Louisville was without power. Several roofs were ripped apart including at the Boulder County Jail.

• Feb. 2-4, 2012 - Heavy snow fell along the Front Range with blizzard conditions reported on the northeast plains. Denver saw 15.9 inches of snow over the 3 days, which broke a record. Most of the snow fell on the 3rd, with 12.5 inches in Denver. That not only set a new daily record, but is also the most snow to ever fall on a single day during the month of February. Broomfield saw 22 inches of snow with 19 inches in Boulder. Totals were higher in the foothills with 51 inches in Coal Creek Canyon and 32 inches at Genesee.

These are just some of the highlights!

The National Weather Service office in Boulder has compiled much more which you can read by clicking here.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.