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A street in Denver is buried under more than a foot of snow. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

The weekend snowstorm that pounded Colorado was the fourth largest in Denver’s 140-year recorded weather history, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.

Just over 27 inches of snow fell at Denver International Airport between Saturday and Sunday, eclipsing all but three storms recorded in the Mile High City since 1881.

Only the following storms were larger:

  • 30.4 inches that fell Nov. 2 -4, 1946, in Denver
  • 31.8 inches that fell March 17-19, 2003
  • 45.7 inches that fell Dec. 1 -5, 1913

The weekend snowstorm closed roads, shut down Denver International Airport, and led to school, business and government closures on Monday.

A couple snowmobiles through a parking lot in downtown Denver on March 14, 2021. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

The runways at DIA were closed just before noon on Sunday due to blowing snow and poor visibilities and some stranded passengers spent the night at the airport. With the sun shining on Monday, more than 200 plows were working to clear the snow and ice but the runways were not scheduled to reopen until 2 p.m., the airport said.

Here’s a look at some big snowfall amounts reported Sunday night in the Denver area:

  • 40 inches in Red Feather Lakes
  • 40 inches in Aspen Springs
  • 36 inches in Nederland
  • 36 inches in Glen Haven
  • 36 inches in Pinecliffe
  • 26 inches in Parker
  • 25 inches in Westminster
  • 25 inches in Conifer
  • 24 inches in Federal Heights
  • 24 inches in Broomfield
  • 24 inches in Frederick
  • 20 inches in Bailey
  • 19 inches in Fort Collins
  • 17 inches in Greeley

Check out the National Weather Service map below for local snowfall amounts:


The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Colorado Sun

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