Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.Pedestrians trudge through snow on Welton and 16th Streets in Denver on Dec. 5, 1913.
Howard B. Gelt, The Rocky Mountain News Photographer CollectionA blizzard in 1913 piled the snow high in Denver, turning Eighth Avenue, pictured, into a snow run for sledders.
George L. Beam, Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.A man hauls his wagon load of snow past the Pioneer Monument on Cheyenne Street towards Civic Center in Denver in 1913. The Scholtz Drug Company, Capitol Store, the Capitol building and the First United Presbyterian Church are visible in the distance.
Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.Men and teams are at work removing snow from the middle of the 16th Street so that traffic can be resumed after 45.7 inches of snow fell during the snowstorm of 1913. Horse-drawn wagons were employed for snow removal.
George L. Beam, Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.A young boy poses in front of a tall snowman next to a snow-covered post in downtown Denver in 1913. Snow piles had American flags stuck in them for decoration.
Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.Piles of snow stand at the corner of Main and Eureka Streets in Central City after the Big Snow of Dec. 1913. Between three and five feet of snow fell from Denver to Breckenridge, paralyzing transportation for weeks.
Courtesy the Longmont Museum and Cultural CenterSnow on Main Street after the 1913 Blizzard. (Photo courtesy the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center)
The Denver PostEven the worst snowstorm in Denver in 33 years didn't stop Jerry Harrison from covering his route for The Denver Post on Nov. 5, 1946. Deep snow made his bicycle almost useless except to tote his newspaper bag.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostLucus Mancias, 11 of Denver digs out his families car on East 31st Street in Denver after heavy snowfall on Christmas Day 1982.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostA motorist struggles to shovel out a car stuck in aftermath of storm in 1982. Advice from the original cutline reads "If you're stuck in a snowstorm or windy blizzard the best advice is to stay in the car, tie a flag (colored) to antenna and await rescue."
Duane Howell, The Denver PostPaul Vodel at 195 Downing Street operates a snow blower to help get his dad's cars out on Dec. 26, 1982.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostAlan B. Huizenga of Golden makes his way through a snow drift near Stapleton as he awaits a friend who was most likely caught in the huge back-up of traffic after heavy snowfall in the winter of 1982. Alan was on vacation in Hawaii Dec. 17-24 and was held over in Honolulu Christmas Eve. He spent the night in Los Angeles with friends before he was able to get a flight back home.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostDEC 31 1982 - The line is backed up at Concourse D at the Stapleton Airport on Dec. 31, 1982. Passengers were waiting in line for the security check while others talked to relatives and ticket agents on phones.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostAnn Trott of Denver frustratingly awaits while a Delta ticket agent searches the computer for a flight to Charleston, South Carolina, to replace her cancelled flight on Dec. 26, 1982.
Duane Howell, The Denver PostOn Dec. 26, 1982, Bob McGuigan of Louisville thought he'd dress as Santa Claus to surprise his son when he arrived in Madison, Wis. Stapleton International Airport reopened after being closed for thirty hours because of a record breaking blizzard that hit Denver on Christmas Eve, 1982.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostChristmas travelers decided it might be faster to get out of their cars and walk to Denver's Stapleton International Airport after heavy snowfall on Christmas Day, 1982. Severe congestion was created in the area when Stapleton reopened after being closed for thirty hours because of a record breaking blizzard that hit Denver on Christmas Eve, 1982.
Eric Bakke, The Denver PostIn this 1982 file photo residents, stranded motorists and passersby stop at a convenience food store on Colfax as a place of refuge from the sometimes- waist deep snow around the Denver metro area.
Duane Howell, The Denver PostShirly Teston and Carol Desch head for Bob Fey's residence with presents after heavy snowfall in Denver on Christmas Day, 1982.
Duane Howell, The Denver PostIt wasn't as pleasant for everyone, but the snow brought smiles to these skiers at 12th and Emerson Saturday, Dec. 26 1982. The motorist was unavailable for comment.
Eric Bakke, The Denver PostA young person all bundled up amid the 1982 snowstorm.
Lyn Alweis, The Denver PostJim Haldiman used a piece of card board to take the snow off his car on 15th Street in Denver in 1982. He needed to go home to get some medicine for his wife.
Duane Howell, The Denver PostDEC 26 1982 - During the height of the storm Ann Tuchsher and Maria Weber were cross country skiing up 14th Avenue near Glencoe Street in Denver on Dec. 26, 1982.
Eric Bakke, The Denver PostMike Williams, driver of this 4 wheel drive truck, helped several stranded motorists on East Colfax near East High School in Denver on Christmas Eve, 1982. Even with his special equipment, Williams got stuck attempting to help the others.
Bill Wunsch, The Denver PostA woman identified in the original caption as Mrs. Ernest Mantello shovels along South Wabash Street in Denver on Dec. 27, 1982.
George Crouter, The Denver PostHorses huddled together in the lee of a building, seeking shelter from the snow in Lakewood on Dec. 28, 1982. The weather only worsened as an arctic front was bringing bone-zero temperatures to the metropolitan area during the night.
George Crouter, The Denver PostA Christmas Eve storm in 1982 caused a tractor trailer to topple on I-70.
Lyn Alweis, The Denver PostTony Collado of Pattony Excavating Co. clears snow at Smiley Middle School on Dec. 31, 1982. His crew worked 18-20 hour days to clear the heavy snowfall.
Lyn Alweis, The Denver PostStreet clean-up at 15th and California Streets in Denver on Tuesday morning, Dec. 31, 1982.
Eric Bakke, The Denver PostHard winds put plenty of autos down under snow on Dec. 31, 1982. This one sat idle at the corner of 11th and Steele Streets.
Dave Buresh, The Denver PostNeighbors shovel out on Dec. 31, 1982.
Bill Wunsch, The Denver PostA man walks through snow along 15th Street on Nov. 8, 1983.
Dave Buresh, The Denver PostTonia Lincoln is on her way to work in the cold on Nov. 26, 1983. "I'm a hair dresser I've got to get to work," she said.
Lyn Alweis, The Denver PostCars were parked and covered with snow on 13th Street, which is marked as a snow route, on Nov. 28, 1983.
Anthony Suau, The Denver PostA car lot in southeast Denver is covered in snow on Nov. 28, 1983.
Anthony Suau, The Denver PostNOV 28 1983 - Cattle drive through snow in eastern Colorado after more than two feet had fallen by Nov. 28, 1983.
Jim Preston, The Denver PostNOV 30 1983 - An accident on I-70 near Idaho Springs is investigated on Nov. 30, 1983. No injuries were reported in the roll-over incident.
Duane Howell, The Denver PostAbout 2,000 travelers spent at lonely Christmas Eve at Stapleton Airport as heavy snow fell on Dec. 24, 1982.
George Crouter, The Denver PostWhile normalcy began returning inside of Stapleton International Airport, parking lots and streets were anything but normal on Dec. 27, 1982.
Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)Snow covers United Airlines planes parked at the gates at Denver International Airport on Wednesday, March 19, 2003.
Steve Dykes, The Denver PostTraffic heads south on I-25 through the Tech Center past an abandoned vehicle as the second day of the storm continued to bury the Denver area on Wednesday, March 19, 2003.
Mateo Leyba, The Denver PostJay Williams uses his snowblower in the Apple Meadows Sub Division in Golden on March 19, 2003. "I have had this thing in the back of my shed since I moved from the mountains. I thought I'd never need it again," Williams said.
Joshua Duplechian, Special to The Denver PostCabin fever breaks for the dogs as Ron Richards and Carol Jarvis take their six dogs down the middle of the road in northwest Denver on Dec. 21, 2006. "We have a big backyard where we dug a snow maze for them," said Jarvis. "They love it."
David Zalubowski, The Associated PressA snowman stands senty on a pedestrian bridge connecting downtown Denver with a westside neighborhood on Friday, Dec. 22, 2006. More than two feet or of snow was dropped on some parts of Colorado before the blizzard moved out of the interior West on Thursday.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver PostKayla Trine, 13, makes a snow angle as Kelsey Eakin, 13, warms up in the hot tub at the Trine home in Aurora on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006. Another snow storm hit the metro area hard, though schools were already off due to the holidays.
Bill Ross, Special to the Denver PostDenverites prepare to depart at the 16th and Stout southbound light rail in downtown Denver on Dec. 28, 2006.
Courtesy of the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Dept.
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Pedestrians trudge through snow on Welton and 16th Streets in Denver on Dec. 5, 1913.
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By Patrick Traylor | ptraylor@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
Denver and much of the Front Range are bracing for an expected major snowstorm this weekend. In that spirit, we present this look back in photos of some of Denver’s largest snowstorms in recorded history.
1. 45.7 inches, Dec. 1-5, 1913
2. 31.8 inches, March 17-19, 2003
3. 30.4 inches, Nov. 2-4, 1946
4. 23.8 inches, Dec. 24, 1982
5. 23 inches, April 23, 1885
6. 22.7 inches, Oct. 20-23, 1906
7. 21.9 inches, Oct. 24-25, 1997
8. 21.5 inches, Nov. 26-27, 1983
9. 20.7 inches, Dec. 20-21, 2006
10. 19.3 inches, Jan. 29-31, 1883
Source: National Weather Service
