The Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1983
This year, you may want to take some time to give thanks that you’re not currently living through the Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1983. Find out why!
Quick Reference
- When: November 26-27, 1983.
- Where: Denver and the Colorado Front Range.
- Snowfall: 21 inches in the Mile-High City over 37 hours. Up to 28 inches outside Littleton.
- Wind and cold: 36 mph gusts, temperatures in the teens and low 20s.
- Snow on the ground: 63 straight days, the longest continuous snow cover in Denver’s history.
Though winter does not officially begin until December 22nd, snow on Thanksgiving is not an unusual occurrence. In some regions, particularly in the mountains, snowfall routinely begins in mid-to-late October and carries right on through the official start of spring. Anyone who lives in the Rocky Mountains knows that early snow is just a part of life in this gorgeous region. Still, in 1983, residents of Denver, Colorado, were caught off guard by a Thanksgiving blizzard of epic proportions.
The Thanksgiving Blizzard
On November 26th and 27th of 1983, the now infamous Thanksgiving Blizzard moved in and buried the Mile-High City under 21 inches of snow over a 37-hour period. Some outlying areas, including the Chatfield Reservoir outside Littleton, reported as much as 28 inches over the same period.
The snow was accompanied by a bone-chilling cold front that blew through the Front Range, bringing wind speeds of up to 36 mph and temperatures in the teens and low 20s.
The combination of snow, cold, and wind brought the city to its knees, and suspended holiday travel for even the most intrepid. Stapleton Airport closed down for 24 hours as workers struggled to clear 18 inches of snow from the runways. All of the highways in and around Denver were closed. Businesses that were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday remained closed on Black Friday (imagine that in this era of Thanksgiving Day shopping), and high school football games throughout the region were canceled.
Sixty-three Days?
Even after the snow ended, it stayed on the ground for 63 days, the longest stretch of continuous snow cover in Denver’s history. Snow removal alone cost the city $1.5 million, to say nothing of the economic impact due to lost business.
The storm rates as one of the most dramatic Thanksgiving Day storms in the nation’s history.
By the Numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Storm dates | November 26-27, 1983 |
| Total snow Denver | 21 inches |
| Maximum snow (Chatfield) | 28 inches |
| Duration | 37 hours |
| Wind gusts | Up to 36 mph |
| Stapleton Airport closure | 24 hours |
| Continuous snow cover | 63 days (a Denver record) |
| City snow-removal bill | $1.5 million |
Other Famous Thanksgiving Storms
- 1898 “Portland Gale.” A massive nor’easter struck New England on the day after Thanksgiving, killing more than 400 people and sinking the steamship Portland with all 192 souls aboard.
- 1971 Twin Cities snowstorm. A pre-holiday storm dropped 13 inches on Minneapolis-Saint Paul on November 24-25.
- 1989 Lake Effect Burial. A four-day lake-effect event piled up 30+ inches of snow east of Lake Erie on Thanksgiving weekend.
- 2014 “Knife storm.” Buffalo, New York, received over six feet of snow in a 60-hour stretch right before Thanksgiving.
- 2019 Coast-to-Coast holiday storm. Stranded an estimated 55 million Thanksgiving travelers across two storm systems hitting the West and East coasts.
The National Weather Service archives every historic storm and posts current Thanksgiving travel weather outlooks each November.
So, rain, shine, or even snow, while you are sitting around your Thanksgiving table this year, you may want to take some time to give thanks that you are not currently living through the Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1983.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Thanksgiving Blizzard of 1983?
November 26 and 27, 1983, the day of and day after Thanksgiving. The storm dropped 21 inches of snow on Denver in 37 hours.
How much snow fell?
21 inches in downtown Denver. As much as 28 inches at outlying stations like the Chatfield Reservoir outside Littleton.
Did Stapleton Airport close?
Yes. Stapleton, Denver’s main airport at the time, shut down for 24 hours while crews cleared 18 inches of snow off the runways.
How long did the snow stay on the ground?
63 days, the longest stretch of continuous snow cover in Denver’s recorded history. The pile did not fully clear until late January 1984.
How much did the cleanup cost?
Snow removal alone cost the City of Denver about $1.5 million, not counting business losses, insurance claims, and the cancelation of Black Friday shopping (rare in 1983, unimaginable today).
Is snow on Thanksgiving common in Denver?
Yes, light snow on or around Thanksgiving is common in the Rockies. A 21-inch blizzard, however, is not. The 1983 storm sits among the largest single Thanksgiving snowfalls ever recorded for any U.S. city.
What other major Thanksgiving storms have hit the U.S.?
The Portland Gale of 1898, the Twin Cities storm of 1971, the 1989 lake-effect event east of Lake Erie, the Buffalo “knife storm” of 2014, and the coast-to-coast travel storm of 2019.
Tell Us
Were you in Denver in 1983? Or stuck somewhere else over a Thanksgiving storm? Tell us in the comments. For more historic-storm reads, see our historic blizzards and storm of the century entries.
Caleb Weatherbee
Caleb Weatherbee is the official forecaster for the Farmers' Almanac. His name is actually a pseudonym that has been passed down through generations of Almanac prognosticators and has been used to conceal the true identity of the men and women behind our predictions.
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My daughter was born on November 28, 1983 and we lived just east of Denver in the area where DIA is now located. My wife went into labor on the 27th, I had just got home from work. The Paramedics and the ambulance both got stuck, trying to get to us. Eventually an oversized fire truck from Buckley ANG base made it our house and took my wife to the hospital. What a story!
Can’t remember a blizzard in Oklahoma in 1983
We lived in Denver for 30 years 1981 to 2011 and lived through all the blizzards. The March snow storm of 31 inches was fun too. The Thanksgiving blizzard was challenging as well as the 82 Christmas blizzard. We now live in Cool Springs NC and snow is almost no existent.
I lived in Denver from 1979 to 1985. I remember the 82 Christmas blizzard very well – 4 feet of snow on the level and 10 foot drifts. It was something I will never forget. These days I live in the Pacific northwest and there is usually not much snow.
Arrived the day after Thanksgiving to start my training at Lowry AFB. We were told to expect a couple of inches of snow. Having lived on the beach all my life I was looking forward to it. Having to continuously shovel walkways that weekend put a damper on my enthusiasm.
Was in Denver when it happened as well as the stunning “Christmas Blizzard” the year prior (which was worse by literally every measure). Thank God I had a 1975 Chevy 4X4 long bed with a 4″ lift kit, very aggressive tires and chains for all four wheels. My wife of now 40 years and I had our first “Baby On Board” for the ’83 event. We were literally busting through snowdrifts as high as the hood trying to get home, and by the grace of God did so successfully. By the way, that was “Chevy” then, mind you. Not now.
I remember the Denver storm well! Many local families spent the holiday apart; just no way to get across town. If you DID manage to dig out the car, you expected your street “slot” to be unoccupied upon returning. An infraction could lead to ill-will among neighbors, despite the charitable spirit of the season.
Our family is lucky to be alive after terrible 2car 1RV and 1 semi truck pile up during the first hours of this storm.
I spent most of my life between So. Cal and Las Vegas, more so in Vegas (20 years). Seven years ago, I moved to New York. My first winter had me out of commission for months following a NASTY sprained ankle. Yeah, I slipped in slush getting outa the stupid car. A couple years later, I moved to Northeast Wisconsin…WHAAAAAAAT?! These winters are a hundred times worse than New York Winters. Oh yeah, I used to hem and haw about ‘wanting to see snow’. Try movin’ to a place that gets it. As a desert rat, I can assure you that it won’t take you long before you start complainin’ about it. Snow comes with plows, plows come with salt, salt rusts your car. Snow creates ice on the sidewalks, driveways, and roads (you like drivin’ on Slip and Slides?). Snow causes Snow Days, meaning school’s out, and heavy snow closes businesses, meaning lost days of work. You have to dress in layers just to keep warm, and if you’re any kind of Fashionista, you know that the Rolly Polly look isn’t all that Haute. I never knew these things before livin’ with it. Be careful what you wish for…Now, I hate snow! I want my DESERT back!
I lived though this. I had to drive through this, but the highways – even the flat ones! were shut down. In Wyoming, the wind polished I 25 to an icy black sheen. The authorities put barricades on I 70 east of Denver. That section heads into Kansas and is totally flat. Nothing moved. Later, I lived in Alaska, and nothing there was a dramatic as this storm.
I live in Nebraska, and I love snow. We don’t get enough snow, I love watching it snow, driving in the snow, using the snow blower, and walking in it. Don’t forget the snowmobile. Let it snow.