Simla, Colorado

... Today in Metro Denver weather history...

11 in 1872... heavy rainfall started at 4:00 PM and continued
        into the night. The heavy rainfall damaged homes and
        buildings in all parts of the city. Rainfall totaled
        1.64 inches.
      In 1888... the temperature reached 100 degrees in downtown
        Denver.
      In 1954... the high temperature climbed to 102 degrees at
        Stapleton Airport.
      In 1970... a girl walking in a park in southeast Denver
        received eye and facial injuries when lightning struck
        nearby. Lightning also caused numerous power outages
        and heavy rainfall produced local flooding at several
        locations across Metro Denver.
      In 1974... large hail up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter fell in
        Thornton.
      In 1990... the worst hailstorm in American history in terms of
        dollar damage at the time battered Metro Denver. Storm
        damage totaled 605 million dollars... as it cut a 5-to 10-mile
        wide swath from just southeast of Estes Park to northeast of
        Colorado Springs. Hail as large as baseballs (2.75 inches)
        pounded Metro Denver. Hardest hit areas were southeast
        Boulder County... the Jefferson County Airport in Broomfield...
        Arvada... east Wheat Ridge... southwest and south-central
        Westminster... West Thornton... northwest... west-central and
        downtown Denver... northeast and east-central Lakewood... just
        east of Littleton... portions of Arapahoe County west of I-25...
        and northern and central Douglas County near Castle Rock
        and Franktown. Golf Ball to baseball size hail severely
        damaged roofs on thousands of homes and buildings... battered
        tens of thousands of automobiles... windows... signs... street
        lights... and traffic signals... stripped paint... awnings... and
        trim from buildings... punched holes in the roofs of two homes
        in Arvada... knocked out power and telephone service to
        thousands of homes and businesses... defoliated thousands of
        trees... ripped up greens and Fairways on a number of Golf
        courses... and severely damaged several aircraft tied down at
        Jefferson County Airport. Hail the size of baseballs fell
        for several minutes in Old Town Arvada. Later... Golf Ball
        size hail and heavy rain pummeled two northwest Denver
        amusement Parks. Hardest hit was elitch gardens amusement
        park where 47 people were injured and received treatment
        for bumps... cuts... and bruises at local hospitals. Many of the
        injured were stranded on rides during the storm when power
        failed. Hail clogged storm sewers... causing rain water to
        back up 3 to 6 feet deep on some roads and intersections in
        Arvada. Several basements were flooded. In some places
        hail was washed into drifts several feet deep. In addition...
        the storm spawned 2 small tornadoes. One touched down
        briefly in Lakewood near 6th Avenue and Kipling Blvd... .but
        did no damage. In Castle Rock... a tornado (f1) did heavy
        damage to some homes and vehicles in the founders Village
        development near Ridge Road.
      In 2001... lightning struck two homes in Thornton. Most of the
        damage was confined to the attics of both homes. Hail as
        large as 3/4 inch in diameter fell in Keenesburg... Longmont...
        and near Boulder.
11-12 in 1872... heavy rain from 4:00 PM until 2:00 am caused much
        damage. Rainfall totaled 1.76 inches.